The Kirkwood Community College baseball team found an unusual way to win a ballgame Friday afternoon.

The Eagles fell behind 6-0 and saw Coach Todd Rima ejected for debating a call at home plate, but they regrouped and rallied for an 11-10 victory over 11th-ranked Iowa Central in 10 innings in the first game of an ICCAC doubleheader at Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids.

The Eagles captured the second game, 5-2, with a five-run outburst in the fifth inning.

Kirkwood won the first game on a throwing error when Iowa Central tried to pick Eric Schenck-Joblinske off third base after he had just reached the hot corner following an infield single. The ball got away and Schenck-Joblinske raced home with the winning run.

Iowa Central staked former Kennedy pitcher Alex Hayden to a fat 6-0 lead in the second inning, but Hayden did not have his best stuff and the Eagles pecked away with a few hard-hit balls and some seeing-eye grounders.

Hayden departed after the fourth inning with Kirkwood holding an 8-6 lead and finished with a no-decision.

Iowa Central took a 10-9 lead in the top of the eighth inning of the scheduled nine-inning game, but Kirkwood scored the equalizer on an RBI single by Matt Paciello with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.

Rima was ejected in the bottom of the third after Kirkwood third baseman Tyler Butz was called out on a close play at home plate. Rima had to leave the ballpark and was not allowed to coach the second game of the doubleheader, according to conference rules.

Assistant Coach Ron Benich ran the club in Rima's absence.

Zach Patterson, Angel Merced, Nick Jones and Milton Croes had three hits apiece in Game 1. Shawn Simmons was the winning pitcher in relief.

Will Ross tossed a complete game with 11 strikeouts for Kirkwood in the nightcap. He allowed only four hits and one earned run.

Merced, Randy Perez and Paciello had two hits apiece in the second game. Paciello drove in two runs.

Kirkwood (17-9, 4-6) and Iowa Central (24-12, 9-5) are scheduled for another twinbill Saturday at 1 p.m.