The stage has been set for the biggest showdown in junior college softball this season.

The second-ranked Kirkwood Eagles will host top-ranked DMACC on Wednesday in a battle for first place in the ICCAC conference and the No.1 spot in the polls next week.

The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Kirkwood.

Kirkwood did its share to set the stage Tuesday afternoon by sweeping Northeast Community College, 9-1 and 4-1, in a pair of well-pitched games at Kirkwood.

DoniRae Mayhew (14-0) tossed a four-hitter with nine strikeouts in the first gmae, then Natalie Halvorson (13-3) pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts in the nightcap.

The Eagles raised their records to 29-3 overall and 6-0 in the conference. DMACC will arrive undefeated at 24-0 overall and 6-0 in the league.

Lauren Kuch belted a grand slam homer in the sixth inning of the first game when the Eagles scored five runs to grab a 9-1 lead and end the contest by the college mercy rule.

Kuch, a freshman from Cedar Rapids Prairie, went 2-for-2 in the first game and is hitting .543 with six homers and 39 RBIs.

Kenady Waugh went 3-for-4 in the opener and hit a solo home run in the first inning. She scored three runs.

Monika Bevans belted two home runs and had three RBIs in the second game, which was a tight affair throughout. The game was tied, 1-1, after four innings. The Eagles took a 2-1 lead in the fifth and made it 4-1 in the sixth.

Sonya McCormick hit a solo home run for Kirkwood in the nightcap.

Northeast fell to 14-18 overall and 3-7 in the league.