A sixth inning rally propelled the Pella Christian baseball team to an upset 3-2 victory over Class 2A #2 Pleasantville heard live on 92.1 KRLS Tuesday night.
The two Marion County baseball squads were locked in a scoreless tie through the first three innings of play, before the Trojans broke through in the fourth. After two walks and a hit by pitch, Pleasantville took a 1-0 lead when Logan Roff became the second batter hit by a pitch in the frame to plate Luke Vestal. The Trojans extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning, when Brayden Kennedy drew a lead-off walk and stole second base, and scored on an RBI single by pinch-hitter William Mesecher. After struggling to get anything going offensively through the first five innings against Pleasantville starter Caylor Jones, the Eagles finally found their spark in the sixth. Eliot Menninga led off the frame with a walk, then after a pair of strikeouts, Josiah Vink singled to put runners on first and second. Keeping the two out rally alive, Ben Van Wyngarden then blasted a two-run double to left field to tie the game. Logan Gallaher then completed the rally, singling home Van Wyngarden to give Pella Christian the win.
Vink was the lone player to record multiple hits on the night, going 2-3 with a run scored for the Eagles. JJ Phillips and Mesecher recorded the two hits for the Trojans, while Braylon Bingham reached base twice with a pair of walks. Gallaher recorded the win on the mound for Pella Christian, striking out three while allowing two runs on two hits in four innings of relief. Grant Kelderman earned the save, picking up a pair of strikeouts in the seventh inning. Caylor Jones struck out 10 in suffering the loss for Pleasantville, giving up three runs on five hits in 5.2 innings of work.
The Eagles improved to 6-18 overall with the win, while the Trojans dropped to 20-1 on the season. Pella Christian is back in action today at Oskaloosa for a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader at 5 pm, while Pleasantville hosts Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont tonight in a single game at 7 pm.