The Keota Eagles (9-6, 8-6) cooled off the BGM Bears (15-5, 11-4), as the Eagles earned a scrappy 3-2 victory, avenging their June 13 walk-off loss to the Bears while snapping BGM’s five game winning streak.

The tone was set early, as two young starting pitchers, eighth grader Jessalynn Aller for Keota and freshman Cara Arment for BGM combined for eight strikeouts in two scoreless innings to start the night. BGM drew first blood, as an RBI single off the bat of designated player Mya Beck knocked in starting Catcher Emy Minaert to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles struck back quickly, as Arment surrendered three consecutive walks to load the bases and dropped a routine pop-up to allow Keota third baseman Lainey Swanson to score the tying run, knotting the game at one.

Keota kept its foot on the gas, as Swanson returned to the plate in the fourth and broke up a no-hitter with an RBI single to center, scoring designated player Halle Heisdorfer to make it 2-1 Eagles.

BGM continued the back and fourth battle in the fifth, as Aller surrendered her lone walk of the game and mishandled routine ground ball to allow BGM leadoff hitter Ryanne Van Dee to score, making it even once again.

Keota leadoff hitter Elyse Lyle, who had struck out in each of her first three plate appearances, led off the sixth by drawing a walk, laying off the high riseball that had haunted her all night. She made it to second on a Swanson sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a passed ball, setting up Aller to correct her mistake.

Aller slapped a single the other way, lifting a line drive just over the head of BGM second baseman Aidan Corona to break the tie one final time. Aller took three consecutive outs to end the game in the top of the seventh, slamming the door by freezing BGM shortstop Kara  Mineart for Aller’s tenth strikeout of the game. Aller described how she controlled the zone throughout the game, finishing the night with a 10-to-1 k/bb ratio, “It’s pretty much just mental for me. I know I need to just stay on top of my mental game and not worry about where I’m throwing it, because I know my teammates will back me up.”

Aller claimed the complete game victory, allowing two runs, one of which was earned, on five hits and one walk.

Arment received the loss Friday night, giving up three runs, one earned, on three hits and ten walks. Arment also racked up ten strikeouts on the game.

Offensively, Swanson was the star of the show, as Keota’s lone senior accumulated a walk, a hit, a run and an RBI in a one for two effort, also providing the key sacrifice to set up Aller’s game-winning swing.

Keota will return to action on Monday when the Eagles host Iowa Valley at 5:30 p.m.