NO.7 EAGLES WIN WILD REGIONAL TITLE

This past weekend, the Kirkwood Eagles lived dangerously in the regional baseball tournament and finished with a big celebration.

Kirkwood topped Southeastern, 23-16, in the second championship game Sunday to claim the regional title at Mount Mercy University after falling behind 8-0 in the top of the first inning.

The seventh-ranked Eagles (41-15) advance to a two-team district tournament later this week, with the district champion earning a bid to the NJCAA Division II World Series.

On Friday, Kirkwood trimmed Southeastern, 9-8, and nudged DMACC, 14-13, in the winner's bracket final on Saturday. Southeastern came back through the losers bracket and defeated Kirkwood, 16-15, in the first championship game Sunday before the Eagles staged their big rally in the finals.

Kirkwood belted 13 home runs in the tournament and used 14 different pitchers. The Eagles outscored their opponents, 61-53, in a wild and crazy weekend.

The Eagles trailed SCC, 11-2, in the second inning of the second championship game, but broke through with nine runs in the fourth inning and 10 more runs in the fifth.

Alex Pendergast and Trenton Burkhalter belted three home runs in the tournament. Joe Simpson, Parker Shupe and Chase Moseley hit two apiece. Cael Frost also sent one over the fence.