ICC Softball is Keeping the Line Moving
Jeremy Jacob, Harbinger
Friday, Oct. 9, 2015
Lately, runs have been coming in bunches for the Illinois Central College softball team. The team averaged 6.5 runs per game last season and carried it over into this offseason when they averaged 8.1 runs per game.
Coach Heather Doty has had a front row seat watching this offense and likes what she sees. “It’s been good to see what the freshman are able to do and how the sophomores have transitioned into this year,” Doty said.
It may be a mystery to some how the Cougar offense has carried their offensive success from last season into this offseason, but the answer is clear to Coach Doty.
“The freshman last year are teaching the freshman of this year what they know. Being comfortable in the box has also helped,” she said.
Last year the Cougars finished 19th overall in home runs and 15th in doubles, showing that this offense has a power component. This isn’t, however, the only skill that this offense has according to Doty.
“They’ve been adjusting to each pitcher well, especially when it comes to the speed of the pitches,” she said.
In addition to their ability to hit the ball over the wall, the Cougars can also score runs by keeping the ball in the infield in the form of a bunt. This is the most underrated part of the offense according to Doty.
“Our small ball game or being able to bunt has been good. Whether it’s on the squeeze play to get that runner home from third or another situation, everyone has the ability to put a bunt down,” she said.
They haven’t been in a slump lately as evidenced by their run output over the last four games of 9-13 runs per game. If they do get in a slump though, Doty is confident that they’ll be able to score enough to win games.
“They are able to look for better pitches. Getting that first hit of the inning is important so it can lead to more runs in that inning,” she said.
Getting that first hit was just the beginning for freshman Courtney Pearson back on Sept. 23, when she hit for the cycle. It was in the first game of a doubleheader against Spoon River College. She already hit the single, double and homerun, so the elusive triple was all that was left for her to achieve history.
The ball was hit hard and shot into the gap. It appeared to Pearson that the outfielders weren’t going to get the ball in right away so she sped around second and the triple was then in her grasp.
Pearson, over the course of the game, was just experiencing the flow of the game and not tracking her stats until she rounded second on her way to third. This is when she realized she hit for the cycle.
“It didn’t set in until after the game. My teammates actually remind me to this day,” Pearson said.
When it did actually set in, Pearson made sure to text her friend at Illinois State University who had also hit for the cycle in the past.
“I felt pretty honored, to be honest. It’s a huge achievement,” she said.
Coach Doty agrees that Pearson’s cycle is a special achievement. Pearson was actually the first Cougar to hit for the cycle under Coach Doty.
“It’s very rare to do. In our nine years, we don’t remember it happening,” Doty said.
The ICC offense has accomplished many things this summer ranging from simply getting work in for next season to rare feats not seen before by the coaching staff.