The Pella Christian softball team earned their first doubleheader sweep of the season Friday night against Newton, while the baseball teams used a late-inning rally to salvage a split in their doubleheader. Eagles softball won their two games 10-6 and 5-4, while baseball fell 17-0 in game one before winning 4-3 via an extra inning walk-off single in game two.
Leadoff batter Emri Agre wasted no time getting the Pella Christian softball team on the board in game one, hitting a solo home run over the left field fence on just the second pitch of the bottom of the first inning. The Eagles followed that up with a four-run third inning and another run in the fourth inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead. After the Cardinals scored their first run in the fifth, P.C. responded with three more runs in the bottom of the frame to go up 9-1. Both teams would add a run in the sixth inning and Newton scored four runs in the seventh in an effort to mount a comeback, but Alexa Dunsbergen would bounce back to slam the door shut on the rally.
The Eagles and Cardinals nearly mirrored each other in the nightcap of the softball doubleheader, as both teams scored four runs through the first four innings. The 4-4 tie remained until the bottom of the sixth inning. Pinch-hitting for Dunsbergen, Sydney Nunnikhoven led off the frame being hit by a pitch. Dunsbergen re-entered the game to run the bases and scored what would be the game winning run on a sacrifice bunt by Amaia Agre and a Newton throwing error on the same play. Emri Agre led the Pella Christian offense in the two games with six hits including two home runs, two doubles, and a triple. Eagles Head Coach Karen Harrill was pleased with not only Agre’s performance Friday night, but with the entire team’s effort.
“Emri had a great night, she had six hits tonight, two home runs, plays a great center field. I mean, she’s so fast it’s ridiculous. And Faith Kacmarynski had a good night tonight, and then we just hit really well up and down the lineup. So, if we can continue to put that together it’s going to make a huge difference.”
Pella Christian softball improved their record to 8-18 overall and 3-15 in the conference.
Following the run-rule shortened loss in the opening game of the baseball doubleheader, Pella Christian once again found themselves trailing 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Eagles last-chance rally began with one out in the inning, when Bennett Spronk reached first base on a dropped third strike. Micah DeHaan then reached base and advanced Spronk to second on a Cardinals error. Corbin Westerkamp’s single loaded the bases for Caleb Van Arendonk, who singled off the first base bag to score Spronk. DeHaan would cut the deficit to one on a fielder’s choice, before Ty Vander Molen’s two-out single down the right field line scored Westerkamp to tie the ball game and send it into extra innings. The heroics of the seventh inning would carry over into extras, as Lincoln Vander Molen worked around a one-out single to keep the score knotted at 3-3. Spronk again sparked the offense in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out single and a stolen base. DeHaan then lined a single into left field to score Spronk from second to give Pella Christian the 4-3 walk-off win in extra innings.
Pella Christian baseball improved their record to 8-18 overall and 3-15 in the Little Hawkeye Conference. The Eagles are off until Monday when they welcome Oskaloosa to Eagle Lane for a doubleheader.