May 4, 2024 - The Kishwaukee College softball team started the NJCAA Region 4 playoffs in the quarterfinal round Saturday facing off against Arrowhead Conference rival Illinois Valley CC in game one.  The Kougars would come back twice to win a thriller in eight innings 15-9. After the Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning, Kish scored three in the top of the third inning.  Haley Von Schnase reached on an error and would score on a Haley Trela single.  Linnea Nelson would follow with a home run to score her and Trela.  IVCC would retake the lead 8-5 after six innings but Kougs magic happened again in the top of the seventh after two outs.  Von Schnase would walk, and advance home to score on a Trela double.  Erin Simmons wouuld then hit a two run homerun to tie it up 8-8.  Nelson would step up next and go back-to-back with a solo home run to give Kish its first lead of the game 9-8.  Illinois Valley would tie it 9-9 in their half of the seventh.  Kish would not be detered as Abby Stoffa led off with a single, then Alyssa Wilkerson doubled scoring Stoffa. Crystal Haack laid down a sacrifuce bunt and Jalyna Polichnowski singled to set up a first and third situation.  Trela would step up to the plate and hit a three run home run.  Simmons would walk, and after a Nelson single, Kyra Johnson would drive in the final run for Kishwaukee.  Wilkerson would gut out the 15-9 victory in the circle wrapping up her eighth inning with no additonal runs by IVCC. With the win the Kougars advanced to take on the #3 seed and tourney host Kankakee CC that had earlier beat Prairie State College.

Game two on Saturday saw Kish fall to the Cavaliers as Nelson, Stoffa and Laila Anderson had the only hits for the Kougars and Simmons and Nelson scored the Kish runs. The loss meant a rematch with Illinois Valley CC on Sunday for a chance to play for the Quarterfinal Championships against Kankakee.