The IVCC women’s softball team started quickly out of the gate in Arrowhead Conference play, sweeping up five straight wins to start the regular season.

In Oglesby on March 25 against Sauk Valley, the Lady Eagles won a thriller 7-6 on Brynn Johnson’s walk-off homerun in the seventh. Johnson went two for three out of the leadoff spot. Lindsay Schmitz drove in two, Katie Nauman one, and Micky Fassino added one as well. Johnna Schultz got the win on the mound, throwing 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball.

Continuing the home stand, IVCC hosted Kishwaukee College for a doubleheader on March 28 and kept their offense going, defeating the Cougars 10-2 and 6-2. Paige Hill led the way, going 3-4 with three RBI. Five Eagles drove in runs for IVCC as Nauman cruised through the game, picking up the win in five innings.

Hill took the mound in the second game, pitching seven innings and holding Kishwaukee to two runs overall. Johnson was stellar again from the leadoff spot, getting a hit in all three at-bats and driving in a run. Lindsay Schmitz went two for three in the game with a double.

Sauk returned to IVCC and didn’t fare much better against the Eagles as they lost 6-3 on March 29. Schmitz went 2-4 with three runs driven in. IVCC showed great plate discipline as the team drew four walks while only striking out once in the game. Nauman picked up her fourth win of the year, scattering nine hits over seven innings.

The month of April brought the Lady Eagles their first road-trip since they returned from Florida, as they travelled to face Carl Sandburg in a doubleheader on April 4. In the first game, IVCC defeated Sandburg 4-3. Hill and Fassino drove in two runs apiece. Nauman picked up another win, surrendering all three of her runs in the last two innings.

Carl Sandburg got their revenge in the second game, as they handed the Lady Eagles their first loss of the season 8-6. Johnna Schultz gave up three runs, only one of them being earned, in her only inning of work, and Hill gave up five runs over three. Karly Huss shut the door from then on by not allowing a hit in her 2 1/3 innings of work. Offensively, Nauman had a great day at the plate, scoring three runs and getting a hit in all four of her at-bats.

IVCC’s regular season will continue as they will play at Kishwaukee College on April 11, return home to play Elgin and Moraine Valley on April 13, Black Hawk College on April 18, Elgin on April 19, and Highland Community College on April 23. The team will finish the regular season up at Waubonsee on April 24.

Team Leaders:

Batting Average: Nauman .487, Schmitz .440, Hill .380

RBI: Schmitz 12, Hill 10, Nauman 7

Wins: Nauman 5, Hill 1, Schultz 1