Vaske, Pendergast fuel sweep by Eagles

ESTHERVILLE - Joel Vaske and Alex Pendergast played baseball like it was a video game Saturday.

Vaske and Pendergast went 10-for-11 and combined for 16 RBIs as the Kirkwood Eagles plastered Iowa Lakes, 27-5, in the second game of their ICCAC doubleheader in Estherville.

Kirkwood took the first game, 8-3, and boasts a 9-1 record in its last 10 ballgames.

Vaske went 4-for-5 with five runs, two homers and nine RBIs in the 27-5 onslaught in Game 2. Pendergast was 6-for-6 with seven runs, seven RBIs and hit for the cycle with three singles, a double, triple, home run and seven RBIs.

Vaske ranks fourth in NJCAA Division II baseball with 57 RBIs and Pendergast is fifth with 55.

Andrue Henry drove in five runs in Game 2. Casey Sole and Brook Heinen had two RBIs. Josh Fitzgerald scored four times. Merritt McCardle scored three runs and Parker Shupe scored twice. Michael Robles had two hits.

Sam Goodman (4-0) pitched five innings for the victory.

Trevor Burkhart went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in the 8-3 victory in the opener. Kirkwood was leading 4-3 after six innings, but the Eagles scored four runs in the top of the seventh to breathe easier.

Fitzgerald drove in two runs. Cade Moss and Kyle Moeder had two hits.

Reece Beuter (3-2) struck out 12 batters in 6 2/3 innings and allowed only one earned run.

Kirkwood raised its records to 26-17 overall and 22-10 in the conference. The Eagles are tied with Indian Hills for second place in the league and have the best ICCAC mark among Division II schools in the league.

Iowa Lakes fell to 5-39 overall and 2-30 in the conference.