Pella Christian battled the heat and at times frustrating defensive play and came out on top against Davis County 7-6 in a Class 2A District Playoff game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

The Eagles struck first in the top half of the opening inning, with Isaac Vanderhart scoring on a Scott Haveman sac fly RBI and Will Dembski coming in on a Devin Haveman single.

After two quiet innings from both squads, the Mustangs erupted for three two-out runs in the bottom of the 3rd.

Pella Christian responded in the top of the 5th inning, with Will Dembski driving in Kade Vander Molen after the shortstop reached on an infield single and advanced on a throwing error. Lawson Bruxvoort had an RBI ground out that scored Dembski.

Three costly errors in the bottom of the fifth led to two more Davis County runs in the bottom half of the frame.

The big inning for P.C. came in the top of the sixth, with a deep Vander Molen double scoring Cole Webster. Three batters later, Scott Haveman hit the decisive blow with a two-run home run that gave the Eagles the final lead of a game they wouldn’t give up. Head Coach Jeff Bruxvoort was impressed with how far Haveman has come this year after lengthy troubles in the batter’s box.

Isaac Vander Hart got the win, giving up three earned runs and striking out five, and Mac Sarver came in for the six-out save.

Pella Christian is 19-15 and heads to the District Final in Centerville Saturday evening to take on a Big Reds team that climbed our from a 6-2 deficit to win 15-11 over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont after the Eagles game concluded.