Landon Vander Leest struck out 14 Des Moines North batters on his way to a complete game two-hit shutout as the Pella baseball team knocked off the Polar Bears 2-0 last night in the Tulip City. Across town, Pella Christian fell to West Marshall 5-1.

Vander Leest was on point from the get go, striking out the side in the first inning, all looking. On the night, 11 of his 14 punch outs were backwards Ks.

“I was trying to mix it up a lot to keep them off guard. I try to change speeds a lot with my fastball, which I think a lot of people don’t always realize”, Vander Leest said. “I try to throw a couple a little extra hard and put a little extra something on it, then try to calm a couple down and mix in changeups and curveballs too. I just want to keep them off balance.”

Vander Leest got all the help he needed from his offense in the third inning. Gabe Thomas ripped a one out triple to deep left, Avery Van Zee drove him in with a double to right, and Jaden Rolffs finished it off with an RBI single.

Pella improves to 1-1 on the season and will travel to Bondurant-Farrar tonight for their first road game of the 2017 season.

Meanwhile, Pella Christian got on the board first against West Marshall, scoring in the third inning on an Isaac Vander Hart RBI double. The Eagles loaded the bases afterwards with just one out, but couldn’t add to their lead.

West Marshall went on top with two runs in the fourth and added two insurance tallies in the fifth. Pella Christian then went in order in each of the final three innings to fall to 1-1 on the season. Up next is another home game on Friday night against Des Moines Christian.