Peoria, Ill. - The #22 Illinois Central College softball team opened the 2026 season on a high note as they swept #23 Lansing 9-3, 10-5 on Thursday to collect their first wins of the season. The Cougars cranked out 15 hits in the opener and rode pitcher Meadow Terry's 14 strikeouts. Game 2 saw Lansing take control early but the Cougars scored ten runs in the third and fourth innings to get the win. 

Game 1: #22 Illinois Central 9, #23 Lansing 3
Kayleigh Harr had three hits in four at bats, including a double in the first inning, and singles in the second and fifth inning to lead the hitting attack. Harr helped the Cougars to an early lead with a double that scored two runs while Samantha Verstraete had an RBI single, and Bailey Herrick had a two-RBI single for a 5-0 lead. 

Lansing scored two runs in the top of the second but pitcher Meadow Terry helped out her own cause with an RBI single in the home-half along with another RBI by Herrick for a 7-2 advantage. The Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Morgan Kessler had a lead-off single, and later scored on Harr's base hit. Terry doubled to right field to score Harr, making the score 9-2. The Stars scored a run in the top of the sixth for the final margin.

Terry struck out 14 batters on the day, scattering four hits, while walking five.

ICC had a total of 15 hits with Harr and Verstraete each collecting three and Laila Harris with two. 

GAME 1 HITTING
Kayleigh Harr | 3-4, 2 RBI, double
Meadow Terry | 2-2, 2 REBI, double
Samantha Verstraete | 3-4, RBI, double

GAME 1 PITCHING
Meadow Terry | 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 ER, 14 K, 5 BB

GAME 2: #22 Illinois Central 10, #23 Lansing 5
The Stars raced to a 5-0 lead after the first three innings, but the Cougars combined for 9 runs in the third and fourth innings to complete the sweep.

Kessler led off the bottom of the second with a single and advanced on a wild pitch to third on a Harris sacrifice bunt. Harr had an RBI single, Terry drew a walk and then both scored on a Stars' error as ICC trailed 5-3. 

The Cougars rallied with two outs for a big fourth inning. Kessler and Harris singled, followed by a Harr walk to load the bases. Kessler scored on a passed ball and then Terry had a two-RBI single, followed by a Ryan Coombs single. Cassidee Bauer was hit by a pitch to keep the inning going, and a Herrick single, combined with a Lansing error put ICC ahead 9-5. 

Freshman Kennedy Cleeton pitched the first three innings, giving up five runs (3 earned) and was relieved by Kailtlyn Atkinson, who had four strikeouts while surrendering no runs for the win.

GAME 2 HITTING
Bailey Herrick | 2-3, 3 RBI
Meadow Terry | 1-1, 2 RBI
Morgan Kessler | 2-2

GAME 2 PITCHING
Kennedy Cleeton | 3.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 K, 4 BB
Kaitlyn Atkinson | 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Friday, February 13
11am vs. St. Louis
1pm vs. #9 Rock Valley
at Louisville Slugger Dome, Peoria, IL