COUNCIL BLUFFS - The sixth-ranked (Div. II) Iowa Central baseball team fell twice to No. 8 (Div. I) Iowa Western here Friday.

Scores were 3-0 and 3-2.

In the opener, ace Brett Sears went the distance for the Tritons, striking out five with two earned runs allowed. Evan Borst, Jalen Martinez and Nick Baker each had a hit

Iowa Central plated a pair of runs in the top of the ninth in game two, but were unable to scratch across the tying one.

Max Holy, Martinez and Brock Johnson had two hits each, with Martinez and Johnson scoring runs. Martinez had a triple and John Klein struck out nine over seven innings of work.

The two teams will conclude their series here on Saturday at 1 p.m.

-By Dana Becker