In a battle of KCII area teams, the Iowa Mennonite and Keota Eagle baseball teams squared off on neutral ground in a win-or-go home scenario last night, with IMS coming out victorious 16-7.

Keota got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but IMS would plate five runs of their own in the bottom half to put it up to 5-2.  Keota never had the lead again.

IMS scored at least two runs in all of their innings, with the exception of plating one in the second.  Their 16-run performance was led by Eli Ours, who went 3-4 at the plate with 5 RBI and a run scored and reached base successfully in all five of his plate appearances.  Reggie Borntrager was not far behind, going 2-3 at the plate for four RBI, two of which came off a homer, and scoring three times.

Trevor Leyden got the start and the win on the hill for IMS, pitching 4 full innings and giving up four runs (three earned) on nine hits and striking out five.

The Eagles were led offensively by junior Austin Waterhouse and senior Cole Brenneman, who went 3-4 and 3-3 at the plate, respectively.  Each had one RBI and at least one run scored.

The loss ends Keota’s season at 11-9; the program’s first winning season since 2011, when current head coach Tanner McClenahan was a senior on the Keota baseball team.  They graduate four seniors, Brenneman, Riley Conrad, Jack Eakins and Hunter Wilson, and retain their remaining 12 players.

With the win, IMS advances to face off against New London, who beat Danville in round one 5-3.  IMS played New London earlier this year, losing 11-1.  That rematch will be on the air tomorrow night from New London with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show starting at 6:30 and first pitch scheduled for 7:00.