The #2 in 3A Pella baseball team had plenty of cushion in completing the season sweep of Pella Christian in a 9-1 game heard live on 92.1 KRLS on Monday, despite the fact that nearby lightning interrupted festivities early and wiped a few Dutch runs off the board.
The Dutch spread out their offensive performance throughout five of the six completed innings, despite the fact that the Eagle Lane game was pushed up to avoid what ultimately turned out to be 3-4 of heavy rain in town. Before thunder stopped and the approaching rain finally caused the game to end, returning to the six innings completed, the Dutch had three runs and a threat still alive in the top of the seventh.
Landyn Bethards and Nathan Carey both hit home runs for Pella. Carey, who made his mound comeback after a few weeks away, struck out four batters in two innings. Isaiah Kettler struck out seven Eagles batters in his 3 and 2/3 innings of work. Logan Gallaher earned the RBI on a bases-loaded walk by Kettler, and Eliot Menninga scored the only P.C. run in the sixth.
The Dutch go to 18-5 overall and 12-4 in the conference, and they will play Oskaloosa at home on Friday in the conference final of the summer. Unbeaten Pleasantville visits town for a non-conference game, dropping the Eagles to 5-18 overall and 1-13 against league opponents. They also slip from hosting #2 in 3A to #2 in Class 2A. Weather allowing, coverage will start this evening at 6:45 on 92.1 KRLS.
