The Pella Christian softball team erupted for 16 hits and eight walks en route to a dominant 17-2 Class 2A Region 2 quarterfinal victory over Wilton in four innings Wednesday night, heard live on 92.1 KRLS.
The Eagles didn’t waste any time taking control of the game, sending 11 hitters to the plate in the top of the first inning to record six runs on six hits, two walks, and a sacrifice fly. The second inning was the lone frame in which Pella Christian sent less than nine batters to the dish, as they scored just one run on a double and three walks to extend their lead to 7-0. The Eagles continued to pour it on in the top of the third, tacking on another five runs on three hits, two walks, a hit by pitch, and a sacrifice fly. Pella Christian added on another five insurance runs in trying to end the game via the run-rule in the fourth inning, using six hits and a walk to pull ahead 17-0. Wilton managed to end the Eagles’ shutout bid with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, but Pella Christian bounced back to record the final two outs and improve to 12-16 overall on the season.
Chloe Snyder, who celebrated her 16th birthday on Wednesday, led the Eagles offensive explosion by going 4-4 at the plate with two doubles, four RBIs, and four runs scored (including PC’s 16th run of the game). Amaia Agre and Jessa De Vries also reached base safely four times in the win – with Agre going 3-4 with a pair of doubles, a walk, two RBIs, and two runs scored – and De Vries going 2-2 with two walks, two RBIs, and a run scored. Rachel Kacmarynski, Brynn Roozeboom, and Maddy Van Zee each went 2-3 in the game, with Kacmarynski scoring three runs, Roozeboom adding four RBIs and two runs scored, and Van Zee recording two RBIs and a run scored. Van Zee said that they arrived in Wilton ready to go from the opening pitch, which is something they focused on starting on Tuesday.
“We came into the game locked in. In the first inning and warm ups we were ready to go. Coach Mindi [Kacmarynski] made sure that we were locked in even through practice yesterday, just making sure we had a good mindset coming into the game today, and we just went up to bat in the first inning ready to keep going.”
Hear more about the win from Van Zee and De Vries on Friday’s Lely Radio Sports Page. Pella Christian will continue their postseason run in the semifinals on Friday, hosting Cardinal on Eagle Lane, after the Comets upset North Mahaska 6-2 Wednesday night. Coverage of the Eagles semifinal matchup against Cardinal Friday can be heard live on the KRLS2 stream, beginning with pregame coverage at 6:45 pm.