The Pella baseball and softball teams are hoping big wins Thursday give them momentum heading into today’s Tulip City showdown games. The Dutch baseball team dominated Saydel 8-0 while the softball team cruised to a 12-1 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.

At home, Pella was paced by a complete game shutout from senior Jack Howard, who allowed just three hits to the Eagles and struck out nine, and put together a 3-for-3 performance at the plate with three runs scored. The Dutch scored their eight runs in the first three innings. Pella, who improves to 8-6 overall, is gearing up with a big conference showdown with the PC Eagles, and both teams are expected to have their top pitchers available after both have had strong starts to the conference season.

The Pella softball team avenged a tournament loss to the Rockets from this past Saturday with one of their most complete team performances of the season. Eighth Grader Avery Parks scattered eight hits in the six inning complete game victory, giving up one earned run. The Dutch offense tallied 14 hits to get to their 12 runs, including seven in the top of the 6th. Ava Curry was 4-for-4 with a home run and five runs batted in, while Kylie Tauke was 2-for-3 with a triple and a home run as well. The Dutch are now 5-9 and have won two games in a row.

Both Pella teams are welcoming Pella Christian for a varsity doubleheader this evening — and it’s youth night at the ballpark, as all youth players wearing their youth jerseys get in free to the games and can get free popcorn at the baseball concession stand. Radio coverage of the Pella vs. Pella Christian games can be heard on 92.1 KRLS and the KRLS3 stream, as well as Pella Dutch Live, starting at 5:00 this evening.