Two local baseball teams begin their postseason journeys tomorrow as both Keota and Winfield-Mount Union/Columbus start the Classes 1A and 2A playoffs with first-round games.

Winfield-Mount Union/Columbus will take on a familiar foe in conference rival Louisa-Muscatine in the first round in Class 2A Substate 5. The Wolves are 8-11 this season, with junior Riley Kaalberg leading the lineup with a .417 batting average and 16 runs scored.

Cole Milks has hit .368 with four doubles, three triples and a team-high 16 runs batted in for WMU/Columbus, while fellow senior Cael Phillips has been the team’s top pitcher with a 4-2 record and a 2.45 earned-run average.

Sophomore Trevor Phillips has also been solid on the mound, piling up a team-high 49 strikeouts and posting a 3.38 ERA for the Wolves, who face a Louisa-Muscatine team that is 5-15 and that they beat 13-3 back on June 21st.

Keota will need to overcome a Southeast Iowa Super Conference squad as well when they duel with Danville in the first round in Class 1A Substate 6. The Eagles will get to host the Bears after going 9-10 in the regular season.

Keota comes into the playoffs on a roll, winning three of their last four games. Cole Kindred has put together a terrific senior season at the plate for the Eagles with a .348 average, four doubles, two triples, four home runs and a team-best 25 RBI.

Evan Vitttoe has also been solid with the bat for Keota, hitting .328 with seven doubles, a homer, 15 driven in and another 16 runs scored. Fellow senior Tanner Waterhouse leads the Eagles with a .407 average and 21 runs scored, while Kindred has been the squad’s top pitcher by going 3-2 and posting a 2.21 ERA.

Keota starts their first-round playoff game tomorrow evening at 7 o’clock, while Winfield-Mount Union/Columbus plays tomorrow in Mediapolis beginning at 5 p.m.