Softball nearing nationals

EAST PEORIA — Thursday afternoon, ICC softball will open postseason play with hopes of reaching the May 13 national NJCAA Division II Softball Championship in Clinton, Mississippi.

The winner of the Region 24 title earns an automatic trip to the softball championship. If ICC were to finish as runner-up in the regional tournament they would return home to play a best-of-three series with the Region 16 tournament runner-up. That winner would then also advance to the championship.

Coach Doty hopes the slow start against tough competition, including two losses to NJCAA no. 2 ranked Jones County (39-2), will contribute to her team’s readiness heading into the Region 24 tournament.

Doty said that her team has played through every type of situation — from battling back late in the game to losing after a strong lead. “And I’m hoping we all learned from it,” she said. “If it’s something good, learn from it, and if not, move on.”

Last year at the national championship, sophomore Erica Phillips pitched every game. This year, coach Doty has a much deeper staff and will rely on previous matchups to determine the starter.

A Metamora Township High School grad, Phillips finished the season with an 8-6 win loss record, with 54 Ks and a 2.24 ERA. Along with strong pitching, the sophomore captain also contributes off the mound, batting in 28 and swiping 10 bases.

Besides Phillips, the Cougars have a few other options on the mound in Alison Haesele, Jena Reddig (5-5 3.56 ERA) and Megan Foes (7-2 3.45 ERA).

Haesele, a freshman from Olympia High School, finished the season with a 7-0 win loss record while averaging just over seven Ks per game and a team low 1.67 ERA. Also contributing with the bat, Haesele sports a .371 average and has knocked in 26.

Besides strong pitching the Cougars also bring a balanced order to the plate. Leading the Cougars in HRs (8) and RBIs (35) is Mokena, Illinois native and sophomore Juell Hodges.

Sophomore and Metamora grad Heather Morris leads the team with a .444 batting average, while batting ninth in the order.

Behind the plate is the duo of freshman Kaleigh McAllister, a Canton High School grad and sophomore Nicole Montgomery, a East Peoria High grad. Both of whom Doty trusts with the pitch calling in each game.

The Cougars go into the Region 24 tournament as the no. 2 seed and will face off against no. 7 Lincoln at 4:30 p.m.