Metro Sports Report

Eagles sweep NIACC for 23 in row

The fourth-ranked Kirkwood softball team ran its winning streak to 23 games Saturday by sweeping an ICCAC doubleheader from NIACC, 3-2 and 12-4, at the Kirkwood field.

Shy Saladino (21-0, 1.22 ERA) pitched a three-hitter with nine strikeouts in the opener. Lexi Quandt went 2-for-3 and Jenna Schulte drove in two runs.

Natalie Clark went 3-for-3 and drove in four runs in the second game. Tara Walls was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Krysta Tutsch was 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs. Chasney Jenkins went 3-for-3.

Sam Belz (22-4, 1.46) was the winning pitcher in the nightcap.

New guys help Kernels win in 12th

B.K. Santy and Jason Kanzler were disappointed when they did not make the Kernels' 25-man roster when the season began, but they're in Cedar Rapids now and making up for lost time.

Santy hit a dramatic home run to force extra innings Saturday and Kanzler delivered the game-winning hit in the 12th inning as the Kernels snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-6 victory over West Michigan before 1,914 happy customers at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Santy, who arrived in Cedar Rapids Friday afternoon, played his first game Saturday and lofted a towering home run to left field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game, 5-5, and give the fans some free baseball.

Kanzler, who joined the club April 9, belted a base hit to left-center to drive in Engelb Vielma with the winning run with one out in the 12th.

KCC baseball splits with Southwestern

CRESTON - Matt Paciello drove in five runs Saturday as the Kirkwood Eagles split an ICCAC conference doubleheader with Southwestern Community College in Creston.

Southwestern won the first game, 5-3.

Kirkwood captured the nightcap, 15-3, in five innings.

Paciello drove in two runs in the opener and collected three more RBIs in the second game.

Angel Merced went 3-for-4, drove in three runs and scored three runs for the Eagles (23-12, 8-8) in the second game. Sulliam Rios Reyes went 2-for-3 and scored three runs. Nick Jones, Randy Perez and Shawn Hagarty had two hits. Perez and Milton Croes drove in two runs.

Will Ross struck out seven batters and allowed only three hits to get the win for Kirkwood.

RoughRiders ousted by Dubuque, 7-3

DUBUQUE - The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders lost to Dubuque, 7-3, Saturday night before 2,471 fans at the Mystique Ice Center and were eliminated from the USHL playoffs.

The Fighting Saints won the opening-round series, 3-1.

Andrew Oglevie tied the game for Cedar Rapids, 1-1, with a penalty shot in the second period, but it was all downhill from there for the RoughRiders. Dubuque scored four straight goals to take command at 5-1 in the third period.

Frederik Tiffels pulled the RoughRiders within 5-2 on a power play with 7:17 left in the game, but Dubuque scored again to make it 6-2.