Ryan Mace’s first career home run was a walk-off winner as the Pella High baseball team rallied for a 6-5 nine inning victory over Saydel last night.

The Little Dutch committed three early errors as they fell behind 5-1. The rally started in the fifth as Nick De Jong delivered an RBI single and Mace’s sac fly cut the deficit to 5-3. Then an inning later, Warren Page’s RBI double and Colby Van Gorp’s suicide squeeze tied the game 5-5.

Mace, who hadn’t pitched in two weeks due to a sore arm, took the mound in relief in the top of the ninth, striking out three of the four batters he faced. He then led off the bottom of the inning with a deep drive over the left field fence to end it.

“Coach was like, just go up there with confidence”, Mace said. “He told me not to overthink anything, and it (the home run) just happened.”

Mace, De Jong and Gabe Thomas all had two hits for Pella, and five Little Dutch pitchers combined to strike out 12 Saydel batters. Pella improves to 3-5 on the season.

The Dutch baseball team will join the softball team in hitting the road to take on Norwalk. Pella Christian baseball and softball athletes return to action this evening as well, when they welcome Indianola to Eagle Lane. Hear the baseball game live on 92.1 KRLS, with pregame at 7:15, and softball action can be heard on the new 94.3, KNIA.