CLINTON - The Kirkwood Eagles got off to a promising start in the  regional baseball tournament Thursday in Clinton.

The Eagles got a strong pitching effort from Cam Cowan and trimmed  Northeast Community College, 5-3, at Ashford Field.

Kirkwood (32-18) will face 19th-ranked DMACC (37-15) in the winner's  bracket semifinals Friday at noon.

Cowan (3-2) was touched for three runs in seven innings, but all three  runs were unearned. He allowed five hits, with seven strikeouts and  three walks.

Austin Krob pitched 1 2/3 scoreless inning in relief and Jackson  Bennett got the final out for his fifth save.

Levi Usher and Zion Pettigrew had two hits for Kirkwood. Taylor  Jackson, Jamarion Loston and Joel Thompson collected RBIs.

Northeast scored three times in the bottom of third inning for a 3-1  lead. Kirkwood pulled within 3-2 in the top of the fourth and grabbed  a 5-3 advantage in the fifth with three more runs, knocking Northeast  ace Cam Taylor (7-2) out of the game.

Southeastern (39-17) will face Iowa Central (33-18) in the other  winner's bracket semifinal Friday in the double-elimination tournament.

Northeast won the season series, 3-1, against Kirkwood this year.

Kirkwood     010 130 000 - 5 9 3
Northeast    003 000 000 - 3 6 2

Cowan, Krob (8), Bennett (9) and Thompson. Taylor, Rodriguez (5),  Potter (7) and Weber. W - Cowan (3-2). L - Taylor (7-2). S - Bennett  (5). 2B - Pettigrew, Vaske, Thompson. RBI - Jackson, Loston, Thompson.  SAC - Brister. SF - Jackson. SB - Usher.