Alton, IL - The Illinois Central College Baseball team (14-35, 9-19) trekked down south to Alton to battle with the Lewis & Clark Trailblazers (27-23, 15-15) in the final two games of their MWAC series. The opener was an exciting one, with the Trailblazers taking a narrow 2-1 game. Lewis & Clark, however, rebounded in game two and chipped away at the scoreboard, defeating the Cougars by run rule, 9-1 in seven innings. 

GAME ONE | LEWIS & CLARK 2, ILLINOIS CENTRAL 1
The first game of the day was quite the pitcher's duel, with both teams combining for three base runners through the game's first three innings, not to mention, ICC starter Caleb Bieneman had just two hits allowed through the game's first four innings. 

It would be the Cougars that finally broke through in the fourth, with a Thomas Krueger double setting the table for Ryan Brucker, who fought off the seventh pitch of his at bat for a single, scoring Krueger on the throw for the 1-0 lead. It seemed as if that lead would last for awhile. In fact, through the top of the sixth, it was still 1-0 Cougars. 

In the bottom of the sixth, though, the Trailblazers loaded the bases on a single, error, and walk with just one out. An RBI hit by pitch tied the game at one, so the bases were still loaded, but a pair of fielder's choices ended the inning without any further damage. 

ICC nearly got some insurance in the seventh after consecutive singles by Elliot Seckman and Nate Bartman, but a fielder's choice and fly out kept the score at a draw. 

Lewis & Clark had an opportunity to walk it off. They would. A single was followed by a strikeout, so one out away from free baseball, but a 1-0 RBI double would give the Trailblazers their one-run victory. 

COUGAR HITTING
Kaiden Lucero | 1 single
Thomas Krueger | 1 double
Ryan Brucker | 1 single, 1 RBI
Jake Stewart | 1 single
Elliot Seckman | 2 singles, 1 walk
Nate Bartman | 1 single

COUGAR PITCHING
Caleb Bieneman (L) | 6.2 innings, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

GAME TWO | LEWIS & CLARK 9, ILLINOIS CENTRAL 1
Despite the momentum Lewis & Clark had off their walkoff win in the first game, it would again be the Cougars that struck first, getting an RBI fielder's choice from Jayden Malone to take a quick 1-0 lead (Elliot Seckman had singled and Ryan Brucker had doubled just moments prior). 

Unfortunately, though, the Cougars would only get four base runners the rest of the day. Further, the Lewis & Clark defense limited those base runners to no further than first base. 

Amid the lower scoring, the Trailblazers slowly carved into the run column, and scored all nine of their runs in unanswered fashion, getting two runs each in the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, with an RBI single ending it in the bottom of the seventh. 

COUGAR HITTING
Kaiden Lucero | 1 walk
Elliot Seckman | 1 single
Ryan Brucker | 1 double
Jayden Malone | 1 RBI
Chris Casey | 1 single, 1 walk
Ethan Krutke | 1 single

COUGAR PITCHING
Mason Lynch (L) | 4 innings, 11 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Logan Justus | 2.2 innings, 5 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
vs. Carl Sandburg Chargers (14-29)
Wednesday, April 30th - 6:00 PM
at Thome Field - East Peoria, IL
*Last Non-Conference Game of the Regular Season