East Peoria, Ill. - The Illinois Central College softball team's offense was clicking on all cylinders on Tuesday afternoon as they swept Lewis & Clark 30-3, 11-1 in Region 24 action at Thome Field. Zoe Eeten tallied 3 homers for a total of 7 RBI, while Bailey Herrick (7 RBI, 2 HRs), Courtney Campbell (4 RBI, 2 HRs), and Cassidee Bauer (2 HRs, 4 RBI) had two dingers apiece. On the day, the Cougars belted a total of 11 home runs and collected 44 hits.

Emily Compton and Morgan Kessler handled business on the mound for ICC, who moved their record to 15-18.  LCCC dropped to 2-18.

GAME 1:  Illinois Central 30, Lewis & Clark 3 (5 inn. )
Pitcher Emily Compton breezed through the top of the first in three-up, three-down fashion. The offense immediately went to work as Nivarra Oredina and Kelsey Bartels had back-to-back singles and Kayleigh Harr smacked an RBI double for a 2-0 lead. Deuces stayed wild as Olivia Strawn did the same, scoring Harr and Bailey Herrick for a 4-0 lead and then Graci Guenther followed suit with a two-bagger to score Strawn for a 5-0 lead.

Zoe Eeten hit the first of her three home runs on the day with a three-run shot that scored Guenther and Marlee Brown. Bartels had a two-RBI double and Herrick put the final touches on the inning with a three-run dinger for a 13-0 advantage.

The offensive onslaught continued in the second inning with four home runs. Courtney Campbell and Oredina each had solo shots to start the frame, and after two walks and an error loaded the bases, Marlee Brown hit a grand slam over the center field fence.  Eeten hit her second round-tripper of the game to put ICC on top 20-0.

The Cougars added two more runs in the third before LCCC scratched a run in the top of the fourth. 

ICC got the run back and more in the bottom of the fourth as Oredina walked, Bartels and Harr singled, and Herrick smashed a grand slam to straight-out center field. Campbell connected on a three-run home run for the final scoring.

On the mound, Emily Compton fanned eight batters in five innings.

COUGAR HITTING
Bailey Herrick | 4-5, 7 RB, 2 HR
Marlee Brown | 3-5, 5 RBI, 1 HR
Zoe Eeten | 2-4, 4 RBI, 2 HR
Courtney Campbell | 4-5, 4 RBI, 2 HR, double
Olivia Strawn | 2-4, 3 RBI, double
Kelsey Bartels | 4-5, 2 RBI, 2 doubles
Nivarra Oredina | 2-4, RBI, HR
Kayleigh Harr | 3-5, RBI, 2 doubles
Graci Guenther | 3-3, RBI, 2 doubles

COUGAR PITCHING
Emily Compton | 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 K

GAME 2:  Illinois Central 1, Lewis & Clark 1 (5 inn.) 
Pitcher Morgan Kessler got through the top of the first unscathed and then helped her own cause with a lead-off single in the bottom half.  Cassidee Bauer set the tone for the nightcap, sending a 2-2 pitch over the center field fence for a 2-0 lead. A Guenther single and Reagan Linder double put ducks on the pond and Eeten immediately cleared the bases with her third home run of the day for a 5-0 Cougar advantage. 

Oredina doubled to lead off the second and Bauer launched an 0-1 pitch for a two-run homer and a 7-0 lead.

Lewis & Clark scored a run in the top of the third, but the Cougars answered with four runs in the bottom half for the final margin. 

Freshman pitcher Morgan Kessler went the distance, scattering six hits with two strikeouts.

COUGAR HITTING
Cassidee Bauer | 2-2, 3 RBI, 2 home runs
Zoe Eeten | 1-2, 3 RBI, HR
Bailey Herrick | 2-3, 2 RBI
Reagan Linder | 3-3, RBI, double
Alaina Creamer | 3-3, double
Morgan Kessler | 2-4
Courtney Campbell | 2-3, double

COUGAR PITCHING
Morgan Kessler | 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
vs. Heartland Hawks (10-13-1)
Wednesday, April 9th - 2:00 PM (DH)
at Thome Field - East Peoria, IL
Watch Live: https://www.awre.tv/signup?next=/channel/t83621
Live Stats (GameChanger; "Illinois Central College 2025")