Eagles grab 4th at NJCAA national tournament
Kirkwood won two elimination games Friday before falling to DMACC, 13-8, in their third game of the day at Traceway Park.
The Eagles were seeded seventh out of 16 teams, but they posted a 4-2 record at the tournament and finished the season at 54-17 under Eric Frese in his first year as head coach.
Both of Kirkwood's losses in the tournament were to DMACC, which will play Phoenix in the losers bracket final Saturday in a battle to see who faces No. 1 seed LSU Eunice for the title.
DMACC and Kirkwood played six times this season - four times in the ICCAC conference and twice at nationals - and the Bears won five of those head-to-head meetings.
Kirkwood began Friday with a 2-0 victory over Louisburg on a two-hit shutout by Erin Hocker. London Jackson belted a two-run homer in the top of the sixth for the only scoring.
Kirkwood knocked off No. 4 seed Highland, 5-3, in its next contest with Hocker tossing another complete game for her 30th victory of the season. Randyn Carter socked a homer in that game.
DMACC scored six runs in the second inning and tacked on six more runs in the third inning for a 13-5 lead. Kirkwood scored three runs in the fifth to pull within 13-8, but that's where it ended.
Jackson hit a pair of two-run homers against DMACC, giving her 26 home runs for the season. Rachel Stewart had two doubles and three RBIs. Hocker pitched 5 2/3 innings in relief, giving her 19 2/3 innings for the day.
Cedar Rapids Jefferson grad Avery Guy went 3-for-3 for DMACC and scored three runs against Kirkwood. Cedar Rapids Prairie grad Morgan Lewis was 2-for-5 and scored twice for the Bears.
GAME 1
Kirkwood 000 002 0 - 2 4 0
Louisburg 000 000 0 - 0 2 0
Hocker and Butler, Kuch. Clement, Grayson (6) and Brooks. W - Hocker. L - Clement. 2B - Finn. HR - Jackson. RBI - Jackson 2. SAC - Butler. SB - Carter, Barthelman.
GAME 2
Kirkwood 100 040 0 - 5 8 2
Highland 010 001 1 - 3 6 1
Hocker and Butler, Barthelman. Lacy, Uthe (5) and Greer. W - Hocker. L - Lacy. 2B - Finn. HR - Carter. RBI - Finn, Jackson, Klaahsen, Carter 2. SB - Hulsebus, Finn, Barthelman.
GAME 3
DMACC 166 000 0 - 13 18 3
Kirkwood 230 030 0 - 8 6 3
Swafford and Schumacher. Bouman, Hocker (2) and Butler, Kuch. W - Swafford. L - Bouman. 2B - Stewart 2. HR - Jackson 2. RBI - Hulsebus, Stewart 3, Jackson 4. SB - Hulsebus.
