East Peoria, Ill. - Ryan Coombs's walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh of Game 2 helped the #18 Illinois Central College softball team earn a sweep of Lincoln Land by scores of 3-0, 9-7 in Region 24 action on Wednesday. Coombs was one of four Cougars to homer as Kayleigh Harr (3 RBI), Cassidee Bauer (2 RBI), and Abbie Lohman also went yard for ICC (21-7 overall, 10-2 in Region 24). Samantha Verstraete was big at the plate in the opener, tallying all three RBI.

Pitcher Meadow Terry won both games, tossing a two-hitter in the opener (with 10 strikeouts) and pitching the final 2 2/3 of Game 2.

Lincoln Land fell to 11-12-1 overall and 4-6 in Region play. 

GAME 1: #18 Illinois Central 3, Lincoln Land 0
Laila Harris led off the first with a double to center field and scored on Verstraete's double for a 1-0 advantage for the home team.

Both pitchers and defenses dug in over the next several innings until the Cougars struck in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back singles by Morgan Kessler and Harris. They advanced into scoring position on Harr's ground out and scored on Verstraete's single to center field for a 3-0 lead. 

Terry cruised on the mound, keeping LLCC off-balance at the plate to get the win.

GAME 1 HITTING
Samantha Verstraete | 2-3, 3 RBI, double   
Laila Harris | 2-3, double

GAME 1 PITCHING
Meadow Terry | 7.0 IP, 2 H, 10 K

GAME 2: #18 Illinois Central 9, Lincoln Land 7
The Cougars built momentum early in the first inning on Harr's homer on a 1-2 to pitch, which scored Harris (HBP) and Danni Neppl (walk) to put ICC up 3-0. 

LLCC scored a run in the top of the second, but the Cougars got the run right back on a solo shot by Herrick for a 4-1 ICC advantage. The Loggers answered with two runs in the top of the third but again, the Cougars responded with a solo homer to left, this time by Lohman for a 5-3 lead. 

Lincoln Land rallied in the fifth, plating four runs on a double, single, and two homers to grab their first lead at 7-5. Terry came on in relief to stop the Logger offense and ICC tied the game in the sixth on a Lohman single and Cassidee Bauer homer for a 7-all score. 

Terry led off the seventh inning being hit by a pitch, bringing up Coombs who blasted a 2-0 pitch over the center field fence for the walk-off. 

GAME 2 HITTING
Kayleigh Harr | 1-3, 3 RBI, home run
Ryan Coombs | 1-4, 2 RBI, home run
Cassidee Bauer | 1-3, 2 RBI, home run
Abbie Lohman | 2-2, RBI, home run
Bailey Herrick | 1-3, RBI
Laila Harris | 2-3, double

GAME 2 PITCHING
Bailey Herrick | 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 K
Kennedy Cleeton | 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 K
Courtney Reglin | 0.0, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER
Meadow Terry | 2.2 1 H, 3 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Friday, April 10
at John Wood 
2:00 pm DH
Quincy, IL