Eagles Come Up Just Short in High-Scoring Weekend Battles at Northeast
NORFOLK, NE- The #3 Kirkwood Eagles hit the road to Norfolk, Nebraska this past weekend for a three-game ICCAC series against the Northeast Hawks, and while the offense showed plenty of firepower, the Eagles came up just short in all three contests, falling 12-11, 12-11, and 13-10 in a trio of tightly contested games.
Despite the sweep, Kirkwood's lineup produced 32 runs across the three games and delivering multiple standout individual performances at the plate.
Game 1: Late Push Falls Short in 12-11 Loss
Kirkwood opened the series with a back-and-forth battle that ultimately slipped away after a decisive fourth inning by Northeast.
The Eagles tallied 11 runs on 8 hits, powered by a massive offensive showing from the middle of the order:
- Landon Frost launched a home run and drove in 5 RBIs
- Ty Andrews added a homer of his own with 4 RBIs
- Alex Altmann went 2-for-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs
Kirkwood plated five runs in the sixth inning to claw back into the game, but the early damage proved just enough for Northeast to hold on.
On the mound, Reece Wrage and Tate Proskovec combined for 6 innings, with Proskovec striking out four in relief, but Northeast capitalized on timely hitting, including three home runs.
Game 2: Offensive Explosion Overshadowed by Defensive Struggles
The second game of Saturday's doubleheader was another heartbreaker, as Kirkwood again scored 11 runs—this time on 12 hits—but couldn't overcome defensive miscues and a big inning from the Hawks.
Standout performances included:
- Wrigley Matthys: 3-for-5, 2 runs
- Blake Lundholm: 3-for-5, 2 runs, RBI
- Brady Blake: HR, 3 RBIs
- Ty Andrews: HR, 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored
- CJ Davis: HR and RBI
Kirkwood jumped out early with 8 runs in the first two innings, but Northeast responded with a five-run fourth and continued to chip away.
Defensively, five errors proved costly, extending innings and allowing unearned runs. On the mound, Drew Zemaitis struck out seven over three innings, while Rafe McConnell and Reid Burkle combined for four more strikeouts in relief.
Game 3: Power Bats Shine Again, But Hawks Pull Away Late
Sunday's finale followed a similar script—Kirkwood's offense delivered, but Northeast used late innings to secure the sweep.
The Eagles scored 10 runs on 9 hits, highlighted by:
- Brady Blake: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBIs
- Nathan Motl: HR, 4 RBIs
- Wrigley Matthys: Triple, 3 RBIs
- Alex Altmann: drew 4 walks, scored twice
Kirkwood built momentum with a four-run fourth inning and added two more late, but Northeast's nine runs across the final three innings created separation.
On the mound:
- Kye Smith provided a solid start, allowing just 3 earned runs over 5.1 innings
- Grant Miller and Collin Homan worked in relief, combining for 2 strikeouts
Next Up
The Eagles will look to bounce back quickly as they travel to Creston on Tuesday afternoon to take on the Southwestern Trojans.
