Late-Inning Firepower Lifts #9 Eagles to Statement Series Win
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA- The #9 Kirkwood Eagles delivered one of their most thrilling weekends of the season, taking all three games in a tightly contested ICCAC series against #16 Iowa Central at Lewis Field. Fueled by clutch hitting, timely power, and lockdown relief pitching, the Eagles stormed into second place in the conference standings as the regular season winds down.
Saturday's opener set the tone for the entire weekend—a gritty, back-and-forth battle that came down to the final swings. Trailing late, Kirkwood erupted for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off, 5-4.
Jax Theeler provided the biggest swing of the game, launching a home run and driving in two runs, while Brady Blakelock delivered a key RBI. On the mound, Tate Proskovec was lights-out in relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to secure the win after a steady start from Reece Wrage.
Game two saw the Eagles shift from dramatic to dominant. Kirkwood pounded out 16 hits in a 9-4 victory, showcasing the depth of its lineup.
The offense was relentless from top to bottom. Theeler stayed hot, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run, while Alex Altmann added a homer of his own and drove in two. Will Nuss joined the long-ball party, and Landon Jasper contributed three hits, keeping constant pressure on Iowa Central's pitching staff.
On the mound, Drew Zemaitis improved to 6-0 with a strong 6.1-inning outing, and the bullpen duo of Collin Homan and Rafe McConnell slammed the door, combining for 2.2 scoreless innings to seal the win.
Sunday's finale may have been the most dramatic of all. In a game that saw momentum swing repeatedly, Kirkwood once again delivered when it mattered most—exploding for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to secure a 10-9 comeback victory.
The Eagles' offense came alive late, highlighted by standout performances from Ty Andrews, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and Alex Altmann, who crushed a home run and drove in two. Adam Kayko added a huge two-RBI homer, while Brady Blake chipped in with a key extra-base hit and RBI to keep the rally rolling.
Out of the bullpen, Grant Miller delivered a clutch performance, earning the win with two scoreless innings, while Reid Burkle locked down the save, stranding the tying run and closing out the series sweep.
Next Up:
The Eagles will return to Lewis Field on Wednesday for a matchup against #3 Southeastern before closing out the ICCAC regular season with a three-game series against DMACC on Friday and Saturday.
