Keota pushes past Pekin in first round action

KALONA — Keota baseball was dialed in on Saturday night against Pekin in the pairs Class 1A-5 opener.

Coming in, the Panthers had won three straight over the Eagles through the years, but the night belong to Keota this time around winning 7-1.

Keota made quick work of Pekin out of the gate as Eagle ace Aidan Anderson settled in.

Anderson would throw a complete game for Keota, giving up just one hit through seven innings with 10 strikeouts.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of the first frame, the Eagles scored a game-high four runs and from then on they would never lose it.

After a scoreless second inning, the Panthers were able to cut it to three, 4-1, off a Joseph Coates RBI single, scoring Hudson VanEnglenhoven.

That proved to be the Panthers lone hit in the game.

Keota kept its distance.

Beginning in the bottom of the third, the Eagles added one run each in the fourth and fifth inning.

Pekin was able to hunker down defensively in the final two innings, but couldn’t find the means to get back into it.

For Keota, Aiden McGuire and Tanner Waterhouse each had three hits a piece. McGuire finished with one RBI as well.

Chase Sieren had two hits in the game.

As well as leading the Eagles on the hill, Anderson led with a pair of RBIs.

Cole Kindred, Evan Vittetoe and Caleb Waterhouse all had one hit and one RBI.

Dalton Dodd had one RBI too.

Levi Coleman and JaeDon Wolver both pitched for the Panthers.

The two allowed a combined seven runs (six earned) on nine hits and seven strikeouts.

Keota moves to 11-11 with the win, while Pekin ends its season at 7-15.

Keota will now take on Hillcrest Academy on Wednesday.