NIACC drops pair to Kirkwood

MASON CITY - The NIACC baseball team dropped a pair of one-run decisions to Kirkwood Saturday at Roosevelt Field in an ICCAC doubleheader.

Kirkwood won the first game 4-3 in nine innings and took the nightcap 5-4.

In the first game, NIACC tied the contest at 3-3 in the seventh inning with a pinch-hit solo home run from Will Sturek.

NIACC had a runner on third base with one out in the last half of the eighth inning but could not push the winning run across the plate. Kirkwood plated the go-ahead run in its half of the ninth frame with an RBI single from Taylor Jackson.

NIACC's Shane Kelleher hit a solo home run in the first inning.

In the second game, NIACC led 4-3 after six innings but Kirkwood scored two runs with two outs in its half of the seventh inning to take a 5-4 lead.

Ross Cochran led off the seventh inning with a single for the Trojans but was stranded at first base.

Kelleher and Gabe Denton hit home runs for the Trojans in the second game.

NIACC (12-15 overall, 3-5 in the ICCAC) wraps up its four-game series with Kirkwood on Sunday. The doubleheader at Roosevelt Field is slated to start at 1 p.m.