The fourth-ranked Iowa Central baseball team avoided elimination here Friday night at Rogers Park.

After falling to No. 10 Southeastern earlier in the day, the Tritons ousted North Iowa Area, 16-5 in six innings. They will now meet top-seed Kirkwood here on Saturday at 11 a.m. in another elimination game.

The Eagles were upset by fifth-seed Des Moines Area, 17-3 in five innings, in the semifinals.

After scoring five runs in the seventh to top the Trojans on Friday, Iowa Central (46-12 overall) jumped out to an early 9-0 lead with four in the first and five more in the second.

Cooper Nicholson, Jack Mausser, Will Smoot, Harrison Bowman and Jake Busson all went deep, as Mausser finished 3-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored.

Nicholson had three hits and scored three times from the leadoff spot, Smoot drove in four and scored four runs, and Michael Siemer had three runs and drew two walks with a hit and an RBI.

CJ Byrdak gave the Triton bullpen the night off, pitching all six innings with seven strikeouts, just one walk and eight hits allowed.

In the loss to Southeastern, Zakary Goodwin had two hits with Nicholson driving in Mausser. Ryan Ohm struck out nine over six innings on the mound.

DMACC and Southeastern meet at 2:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to Sunday’s championship. The loser meets either Iowa Central or Kirkwood at 6 p.m. Saturday night in an elimination game.