The Pella baseball team put together arguably their most complete seven-inning performance of 2023 in a convincing 8-3 win over Grinnell, in the Class 3A substate opener heard live on 92.1 KRLS Friday night.

Just nine days after the Tigers swept the Dutch on senior night and held Pella to just one run scored in 14 innings, the bats from the home team this time were locked in, scoring three runs in the 1st inning while getting all nine batters to the plate. The Dutch would add three runs in the 3rd and a pair of tallies in the 4th to give themselves an insurmountable advantage. Grinnell scored three runs in the seventh inning long after the game was sealed.

Turning two double plays and making other several key throws despite the rainy conditions, Pella Head Coach Jesse Jablonski and Senior Joe Bokhoven called the team’s performance its best of the season thus far.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH BOKHOVEN:

Caleb Stewart was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in at the plate and gave up two earned runs in six-plus innings of work to earn the win on the mound. Nathan Carey also added a pair of hits, and Bokhoven had a key two-run triple in the 3rd inning as part of the effort.

Pella earns their 20th win of the summer, the 7th time they’ve hit that mark under Head Coach Jesse Jablonski in 11 seasons. The Dutch head to #7 in 3A Knoxville Monday for the Class 3A substate semifinals. Two broadcasts will be held — one on 95.3 KNIA and on 92.1 KRLS.