The remarkable countdown of moments from Pella High School in the 2024-25 year takes us to the very end of the academic calendar and to Sioux City to cap a special week for the school and summer teams.

Pella’s baseball team, led by a class of 12 seniors deemed the “Dutch Dozen,” won the Class 3A state championship in dramatic fashion on July 25th in a 3-1 win over Wahlert Catholic.

Less than 24 hours after the Pella softball team finished its “Cinderpella” story, the Dutch boys of summer had a tall task against a Golden Eagles squad that held the No. 1 spot in the rankings for the vast majority of the schedule in 2025.

Pella struck first, taking advantage of a Wahlert fielding error and hit-by-pitch, with Lake Cowman driving in Samuel Carlson on a 9-to-6 fielders choice in the 1st. From there, a pitching dual emerged between Pella’s Teagan Hoekstra and the Golden Eagles’ Will Pierro. The Dutch would give up the tying run in the third after a pair of fielding errors on the infield. Both teams would trade zeroes until the top of the 7th.

Backed up with two outs and trying to avoid a pressure-packed situation allowing Wahlert to have just one run to win the title, the Dutch manufactured a rally, with Nathan Carey getting on with a hit-by-pitch and a walk to Nathan Vande Lune. Having struck out twice on just six total pitches, Landyn Bethards flipped the script in the biggest way imaginable. The senior ripped a double to the left field wall, and a throwing error on the relay home allowed both critical runs to score.

Hoekstra finished a complete game gem in the 7th, with Isaiah Kettler catching the final out and sending the boys in black to championship glory.

INTERVIEW WITH KEY PLAYERS FROM TITLE GAME:

The dream for this “Dutch Dozen” of the seniors for the Pella baseball team was to play for a state championship. That opportunity was made possible in the rain that started pouring from the Sioux City sky in the bottom of the 7th inning two days before the title win.

The Dutch defeated Bishop Heelan with a walk-off throwing error with two outs in a 3-2 state semifinals matchup on July 23rd.

Pella’s seniors stayed the course in the bottom of the inning, which started with a lead-off double by Lucas Jablonski. It was followed up by a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Nathan Vande Lune. Samuel Carlson and Landyn Bethards both struck out, getting Pella down to their final out.

Anderson Schirm had the final say in tying the game with an RBI single that followed. With Isaiah Kettler at the plate for the chance to win, Heelan attempted to throw out a runner that was advancing on a wild pitch. It sailed into left field, and placed the Dutch into the finals.

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:

HEAD COACH JESSE JABLONSKI POST CHAMPIONSHIP: