One of this season’s many tough tests awaits the Pella High softball team Monday evening, as the Lady Dutch play host to Dallas Center-Grimes. The Fillies enter as the fifth-ranked team in Class 4A, and are 10-3 on the season. DCG has arguably the most powerful hitting lineup in the league, with five of the top six batting averages in the Little Hawkeye. Those five each bat .400 or better. Pella head coach Teresa Thompson says that Dallas Center-Grimes is a formidable opponent, and her team will need to minimize mistakes in order to give themselves a chance.

“Those girls are going to be very good. They’ve been pitching in the program for quite a few years, and they’re just talented girls. And they’ve got hitters on offense too, so we’ve got to figure out ways to not only go up against good pitchers, but play good defense. They’re going to get hits, so we just have to make sure we don’t let them get a double turned into a triple and different things like that. The pitchers have to trust their defense, and sometimes that’s hard too when the defense doesn’t always come through for them.”

The 1-9 Lady Dutch picked up their first win of the season last week, and are hoping to carry some of those positives into the second half of the regular season. Tonight’s game will be broadcast on the KRLS3 stream at KNIAKRLS.com, with Jon Mohwinkle calling the action. Pregame coverage begins at 7:00, with the opening pitch scheduled for 7:15.

The Pella baseball team will also host Dallas Center-Grimes, with a first pitch scheduled for 7:30.