Oxford, AL - The #13 Illinois Central College softball team used a big third inning and a strong effort by pitcher Broghan Hall to score a 9-6 victory over #19 Delaware Tech in the elimination bracket of the NJCAA DII World Series at Choccolocco Park on Tuesday. The win over DTCC kept the Cougars' season alive after they had lost earlier in the day to #4 Des Moines Area by a score of 4-2.

ICC will now play #8 Phoenix College on Wednesday, May 21 at 9:00 am. 

The Cougar bats were busy in the Delaware game as they pounded out fifteen hits, led by Kelsey Bartels (2 RBI) and Courtney Campbell (1 RBI) with three apiece. Nivarra Oredina and Graci Guenther both doubled and had two RBI while Olivia Strawn and Cassidee Bauer each had two hits.

On the mound, Hall scattered three hits in five innings of shutout relief to help ICC advance to Wednesday's game.

"Resiliency has been our calling card all season and we showed it again today," coach Heather Doty said. "Broghan really shut the door on Delaware which was exactly what we needed. We also were able to string some hits together to get some early runs which helped loosen us up a bit. We'll rest up tonight and get ready to battle again tomorrow." 

Game 2: (#13) Illinois Central 9, (#19) Delaware Tech 6
The Athletics held a 2-1 advantage heading into the third when ICC grabbed the momentum and the lead by sending eleven batters to the plate. Bartels led off with a walk, Kayleigh Harr singled, and Bailey Herrick doubled to center field to tie the game at 2-all. Strawn laid down a bunt that scored Harr, and Herrick advanced to third while Strawn reached second. Guenther then tagged a 2-1 pitch for a double to score them for a 5-2 lead. With two outs Campbell singled, Oredina doubled, and Bartels singled making the score 8-2.

Delaware Tech answered in the bottom half as the first five hitters reached base on two walks, two singles, and a double cutting the Cougar lead to 8-5. Hall entered the game with no outs and runners on the corners but got the next two DTCC batters out. The Athletics scored another run on an ICC error, but the next batter struck out swinging to end the inning with ICC up 8-6. 

The Cougars added a run in the fifth as Campbell, Oredina, and Bartels had consecutive singles for a 9-6 ICC lead.

Hall kept the Athletics off-balance and the defense came through, including a great catch by center fielder Zoe Eeten in the bottom of the seventh to thwart a potential DTCC rally. 

COUGAR HITTING
Kelsey Bartels | 3-3, 2 RBI
Nivarra Oredina | 2-4, double, 2 RBI
Graci Guenther | 1-4, double, 2 RBI
Courtney Campbell | 3-4, RBI
Olivia Strawn | 2-4, RBI
Cassidee Bauer | 2-4
Bailey Herrick | 1-4, RBI

COUGAR PITCHING
Emily Compton | 2.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 3 K
Broghan Hall | 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K


Game 1: (#4) Des Moines Area 4, (#13) Illinois Central 2 
DMACC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after their lead-off slap-hitter singled, stole second, and scored on a single up the middle for a 1-0 lead. 

The Cougars ran into  trouble in the bottom of the third after DMACC drew three consecutive walks and then had a double and sacrifice fly for a 4-0 advantage. 

ICC got on the board when Campbell led off the sixth inning with a single to center field and advanced to second on an error. After a Bartels's bunt moved Campbell over to third, she scored on a grounder by Harr to make the score 4-1. 

Bauer led off the seventh with a double to right field and advanced to third on a Strawn grounder. With two outs, pinch-hitter Marlee Brown hit a 1-2 pitch to left field for an RBI single to cut the DMACC lead to 4-2. The Bears closed the door with a grounder to end the game. 

COUGAR HITTING
Marlee Brown | 1-1, RBI
Cassidee Bauer | 1-2, double
Kelsey Bartels | 1-2
Courtney Campbell | 1-3
Kayleigh Harr | RBI

COUGAR PITCHING
Broghan Hall | 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER
Emily Compton | 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
2025 NJCAA DII World Series
#13 Illinois Central Cougars (35-22) vs. #8 Phoenix College (53-7)
Wednesday, May 21 - 9:00 AM CST at Choccolocco Park, Oxford, AL
NJCAA Network ($): https://www.njcaa.org/network/landing/index
Live Stats: (GameChanger; "Illinois Central College 2025")