Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Jayda Long makes a play for Iowa Central at Rogers Park during the Region XI-B Tournament. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The Iowa Central softball squad must now wait to find out its postseason fate.

The 14th-ranked Tritons were caught from behind in the Region XI-B championship round here on Sunday, as No. 12 Kirkwood rallied for a 15-9 victory at Rogers Park.

Head coach Bo Tjebben’s squad built a 9-3 lead wtih a seven-run third inning in the finale, but the Eagles (48-15) plated the game’s final 12 runs to clinch the regional title.

Iowa Central (47-10) is now hoping to receive an at-large bid to the upcoming NJCAA Div. II national tournament.

“Tough losses,” Tjebben said. “We battled. Now we wait to see if we can get an at-large bid.”

The Tritons were in the driver’s seat after a thrilling 3-2 walk-off victory over Kirkwood on Saturday, as Sydney Wilson delivered a double to plate the winning run. Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Iowa Central scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to complete the comeback.

Clean up hitter Carly Ryan started the bottom of the seventh on Saturday with a walk. Brittany Tufvesson pinch ran.

Tufvesson stole second and Kyra Kain walked. Kirkwood had a wild pitch, moving runners to second and third.

Wilson came to the plate and drilled a double into the gap to score Tufvesson and give Iowa Central the dramatic victory.

“It’s been the mentality of this group of never giving up and showing their grit,” Tjebben said. “Our energy in the dugout was so loud and it was a packed house.

“It gave me goosebumps.”

Jayda Long picked up the victory for the Tritons. It was her second of the season against Kirkwood.

The Eagles responded on Sunday, building an immediate 9-0 advantage in the opener before hanging on to force a deciding contest with an 11-9 triumph.

Wilson and Long had two hits each for Iowa Central in game one, with Wilson and Reagan Enright both driving in a pair. Enright homered.

Cailyn Hardy and Enright went deep in the second contest. Enright and Wilson both drove in two.

Kirkwood will now face Central Community College on Friday in Columbus, Neb. in a district final.

Top-seeded and fourth-ranked DMACC (53-5) held off No. 4 seed NIACC on Sunday in the Region XI-A final, 5-3. The Bears take on Dawson in the Northwest Plains B Tournament beginning on Friday in Boone.

The national tournament is May 19-24 in Oxford, Ala.