Kirkwood CC 1B Justin Martinez hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 4th inning to propel the Eagles to a 5-2 win over the MCC Pioneers in game 1 of the North Plains District Championship on Friday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

Kirkwood got a strong pitching performance from Reece Beuter, Tucker Christensen, and Grayson Drezek. The threesome combined to strikeout 17 Pioneers and hold the powerful offensive attack of MCC to 5 hits. The Pioneers loaded the bases in the top of the 3rd and 5th but couldn't get the big hit that they needed. The Pioneers didn't get on the board until a sacrifice fly RBI by 1B Dawson Parry in the 5th inning that scored C Jaden Webster and cut the lead to 4-1.

CF Jake Lacey doubled to leftfield to start the 6th inning and scored on a SS Brayden Howard single to cut the lead to 4-2 but the Pioneers could not muster up any more offense or get the big hit that they have been accustomed too during the season. No Pioneer had more than one hit in the game. 

Jett Hasegawa had a strong perfomrance on the mound going 7.1 innings and giving up only 6 hits and registering 8 strikeouts. He walked only 1 but gave up the big home run to Martinez. Dylan Rydalch pitched the last 2 outs of the game and struck out 1 while not allowing a hit. 

The teams will meet again on Saturday at 11:00 AM MST and the Pioneers will need a victory to force a deciding game 3. One Kirkwood victory tomorrow will send the Eagles to the NJCAA DII World Series. The if necessary game 3 is scheduled for 2:30 PM MST if the Pioneers can win game 2.