Melbourne, FL - The 16th-ranked Illinois Central College Softball team was back at it on Monday at The Spring Games, battling the Williston State Tetons and Dakota County Tech Blue Knights. It was a back-heavy opener, with all 11 runs between the Cougars and Tetons coming in the last three innings, ending in a 6-5 Williston State winner. In the finale, ICC took charge right away and never looked back on route to an 8-0 5-inning win. 

GAME 1 | WILLISTON STATE 6, #16 COUGARS 5
There was virtually no traffic on the basepaths to start the game, and there wasn't any true activity until the Cougars got close in the fourth. ICC got singles from Meadow Terry, Abbie Lohman, and Kaitlyn Atkinson, but all three were stranded. 

The Cougars would eventually strike first in the fifth when a two-run double from Terry gave ICC a 2-0 lead. Bailey Herrick would follow with three strikeouts to keep the lead in tact. A successful sacrifice bunt from Cassidee Bauer made it 3-0. 

Williston State did make a dent in it with a swiping of home in the bottom of the sixth, but with that being all, the game stayed at 3-1 Cougars. 

In the seventh, after Kayleigh Harr singled to set up a two-run homer from Terry to pull ahead 5-1 headed to the bottom of the seventh. 

Never backing down, the Tetons went to work with their backs against the wall. A walk and two singles loaded the bases with two outs. An RBI walk cut it to 5-2. Then, with Williston State down to their final strike (1-2 count), the Tetons launched a walkoff grand slam to win the game 6-5 after trailing by four entering the inning. 

GAME 2 | #16 COUGARS 8, DAKOTA COUNTY TECH 0 (5 INN.)
Perhaps playing with a chip on their shoulder after a tough loss, ICC scored effectively instantly, with a Meadow Terry RBI single, Samantha Verstraete RBI fielder's choice, Abbie Lohman RBI groundout, and and Ryan Coombs RBI double made it 4-0 before the opening inning could come to a close. 

Kaitlyn Atkinson set the Blue Knights down 1-2-3 in the second and third. That allowed the Cougar bats to expand the lead even more. A Terry single set up a two-run home run from Verstraete to go up 6-0 after three. 

Another run of 1-2-3 innings from Atkinson and the Cougar defense, the ICC offense was looking to close the door early. After Harr scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-0, the game would in fact end early when Atkinson helped herself out with an RBI single to end the game via run rule in the fifth. 

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ Lake Sumter State Lake Hawks (DH)
Tuesday, March 17th - 1:00 & 3:00 PM
at The Hawks Nest - Leesburg, FL