The Keota Eagles are looking to survive and advance in the high school baseball playoffs tonight when they take part in a Class 1A District 11 semifinal against Moravia. A 4-1 victory over Danville in the first round Saturday not only started the postseason on the right foot for Keota, but it’s also the Eagles’ third straight win.

Cole Kindred has put together an all-around brilliant season for Keota. In addition to a .338 batting average, four doubles, two triples, four home runs, 21 runs scored and a team-high 25 runs batted in, the senior has also been the Eagles’ top pitcher, posting a 2.10 earned-run average and ringing up 40 strikeouts in just under 37 innings of work.

Tanner Waterhouse leads Keota with a .419 average and 22 runs scored, while fellow senior Evan Vittetoe is batting .328 with seven doubles, a homer and 15 RBI while also scoring 16 times.

Two young players have been breakout stars for the Eagles. Eighth-grader Blake Baker is hitting .375 with three doubles and 18 RBI, while freshman Brennan McGuire has just the one extra-base hit but is still batting .320 and has driven in 16.

Keota will be trying to take down a Moravia team that is 23-8 and has won 12 of its last 14 games, scoring an average of nine-and-a-half runs per contest. First pitch from Moravia is scheduled for this evening at 7 o’clock.