East Peoria, Ill. - The #19 Illinois Central College softball team fell to #16 Parkland 9-4 and 6-3 in Region 24 action on Tuesday afternoon at Thome Field. 

The Cougars cranked three doubles and a home run in the opener and out-hit Parkland in Gane 2 but it was not enough as they still came up short. 

ICC dropped to 24-12 overall and 14-4 in Region 24 and will be back in action tomorrow at Lincoln Land. Parkland improved to 31-16 overall and 18-2 in Region play.  

Game 1: (#16) Parkland 9, (#19) Illinois Central 4
PC took an early 3-0 lead but the Cougars fought back in the fourth to grab the lead when Kayleigh Harr drew a lead-off walk followed by a Samantha Vertraete double. Bailey Herrick doubled on a line drive to right field to score two runs and then Abbie Lohman followed that up with a two-run blast over the center field fence for a 4-3 Cougar advantage.

The lead was short-lived however, as the Cobras answered with four runs in the top of the fifth to go back up 7-4. PC added two more runs in the sixth for the final margin.
 
Game 1 Hitting
Bailey Herrick | 2-3, 2 RBI, double
Abbie Lohman | 1-2, 2 RBI, home run
Kaitlyn Atkinson | 1-2, double
Samantha Verstraete | 1-3, double

Game 1 Pitching
Meadow Terry | 5.1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 7 K
Kennedy Cleeton | 1.2 IP, 0 R

Game 2: (#16) Parkland 6, (#19) Illinois Central 3
Danni Neppl had three hits in the contest and the Cougars had 11 overall but Parkland still prevailed. ICC took the lead in the bottom of the third with four consecutive singles by Kaitlyn Atkinson, Laila Harris, Danni Neppl, and Harr to go up 2-0

Parkland had a solo home run in the fourth and then tied things up in the fifth at 2-all.

But ICC responded, loading the bases to start off the fifth as Harris walked, Neppl singled, Harr reached on an error, and Ryan Coombs had an RBI single for a 3-2 advantage and looking for more with no outs. However Parkland was able to wiggle out of the inning with minimal damage to stay close.

The Cobras took the lead in the sixth 5-3 and added an insurance run in the seventh for the final margin.

Game 2 Hitting
Kayleigh Harr | 1-4, 2 RBI
Ryan Coombs | 2-4, RBI
Danni Neppl | 3-4
Kaitlyn Atikinson | 2-3

Game 2 Pitching
Bailey Herrick | 5.0, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 K
Samantha Verstraete | 1.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 K
Kennedy Cleeton | 1.0 IP, 0 R, 1 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Wednesday, April 22
at Lincoln Land 
2pm - DH
Springfield, IL