One decade removed from their first appearance in the final eight of Class 4A, the Pella softball team is returning to the state tournament following a 5-0 regional finals win over Gilbert, as heard live on 92.1 KRLS Tuesday night.

The Dutch were in control from the get-go, with a 1-2-3 top of the 1st inning on defense quickly getting the bats in their hands in the bottom half. A one-out Avery Parks double was followed up by the biggest hit of the season for the green and white. Katie Scheckel crushed a 1-2 pitch over the left-center field fence to give the home team the only scoring they would need.

However, Pella kept tacking on runs, adding tallies in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings — which included the 13th home run of the season for Emma Eekhoff, who was stellar in the pitching circle. Eekhoff completed a total shutout of the regional finals bracket, giving up just four hits against the Tigers and striking out six batters.

Hear from Scheckel, Avery Parks, and Elizabeth Thomas about their state tournament birth on Today’s Lely Radio Sports Page. Pella opens the state softball tournament on Monday against top-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier at 10 a.m. — broadcast details will be determined following tonight’s Dutch baseball substate final with Clear Creek Amana.