WATERLOO - The 18th-ranked Kirkwood baseball team was stunned by Ellsworth, 3-1, in the opening round of the NJCAA Division II regional tournament at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo Thursday.

The Eagles (34-19) fell into the consolation bracket of the double-elimination tournament and are scheduled to play again Friday at 1 p.m. against NIACC or Southwestern.

Kirkwood swept a four-game series from Ellsworth on March 25-26 in Cedar Rapids and Ellsworth entered the regional tournament with a lowly 12-44 record.

Nick Drahozal (4-5) pitched a strong game for the Eagles on Thursday, but he was nicked for three unearned runs in the fourth inning and that was the difference in the game. Drahozal pitched all nine innings, allowing only three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

Dustin Amos, who began the day with a 2-5 record and 6.94 ERA, handcuffed Kirkwood on Thursday. He pitched a complete game and surrendered only four hits.