Pekin’s Baseball Thriller Sends Panthers to District Finals

Pekin Edges Keota in Seventh-Inning Spectacle

Keota came within one pitch of ending Pekin’s state‑tournament hopes twice on Tuesday, but the Panthers refused to surrender. Henry Adam ignited a dramatic seventh‑inning rally with a walk‑off grand slam, lifting Pekin to a thrilling 6‑4 victory over the Eagles. The Panthers erased a 4‑1 deficit by scoring five runs in the final frame, two of which came with the bases loaded. With the win, Pekin improves to 17‑3 and moves on to face Moravia in Saturday’s Class 1A district championship.

Moravia Advances on Late Rally Over North Mahaska

Moravia trailed early but seized control in the fifth inning when Kale Moore delivered an RBI triple, plating Elias Bronson. A sacrifice fly by Casen Woodward gave the Mohawks their first lead, and Blake Ewing added another clutch fly ball that drove in Moore. After North Mahaska tied the game in the sixth, Ewing struck out two of the final three batters to seal a 5‑4 semifinal win. The victory sends Moravia (25‑4) into the championship game against the defending district champion.

Fairfield Baseball Secures Playoff Spot

Owen Adam powered Fairfield to a 14‑10 win with a three‑run home run in the opening inning, sparking a six‑run barrage. Dain Burkhart paced the offense with four hits, including a double, while driving in a run. Ethan Bisgard contributed two hits and two RBI, matching Aiden Westercamp’s production in the middle of the order. The Trojans improve to 18‑13 and will open postseason play Friday at Williamsburg in the Class 3A Substate 5 quarterfinals.

Fairfield Softball Dominates Keokuk

Leah Helmick and Ireland Cranston each clubbed home runs, combining for seven runs as Fairfield rolled to a 15‑4 win over Keokuk. Cranston’s fourth homer of the season accounted for three of the second‑inning runs, giving the Trojans an early 6‑1 lead. Helmick later hit her 12th home run, sparking an eight‑run rally that clinched the game. Maddy Martin added a triple and two runs, while Faith Jones recorded two hits and scored twice.

Other Regional Results

In Class 3A action, Mediapolis fell 18‑6 to an opponent, while Davis County managed only two runs against a five‑run effort. Softball saw Davis County dominate Grandview 18‑2, with Jalyn McClure collecting three hits—including a double—and driving in two runs. At the Little League level, Johnston outscored Monroe County 11‑6; Elena Stone, Charlotte Judge and Eva Ryan each drove in runs with doubles during a four‑run second‑inning burst.