The Pella Christian baseball squad dropped a pair of tightly contested pitcher’s duels against Dallas Center-Grimes 3-1 and 6-1, with the second game heard live on the KRLS3 stream at KNIAKRLS.com. The Class 2A #8 ranked Eagles softball squad was also swept by Class 4A’s #12 ranked Mustangs 12-0 and 15-3 with both games ending after five innings.

In the first game of the baseball doubleheader, Corbin Westerkamp got the start and took the tough loss after throwing 5 ⅔ innings. Westerkamp allowed just two earned runs on five hits, while striking nine Mustang hitters. In the night cap of the doubleheader, the Eagles turned to Bennett Spronk on the mound. After allowing a run in the top of the first inning, Spronk settled in to throw 6 ⅓ innings of two hit baseball with seven strikeouts. The senior also provided P.C. with their lone run on the night after he singled in the bottom of the first inning, advanced on a fielder’s choice and a balk, and scored on a sac fly by Westerkamp. The 1-1 tie would hold until the top of the seventh inning, when the Mustangs exploded for five runs, which was enough to sweep the Eagles. With four of their last five losses being decided by either the final inning or two or less runs, Pella Christian Head Coach Braden Shull said his team needs to remain focused in order to turn things around.

“We gotta show up against Newton ready to play. They’ve put some pretty impressive wins up and they’re really good ball team right now. We can’t treat it any different than we would any of the teams that are normally in the top in our conference. We gotta come ready to play and if we come focused and ready to play, I think we can get some confidence back.”

Pella Christian baseball now has a 4-7 record overall and 1-5 record in Little Hawkeye Conference play and will look to get back on track Wednesday at Newton.

It was a tough night for the Eagles softball team as the Mustangs were able to end both games of the doubleheader via the run rule after five innings. Emri Agre provided Pella Christian with both of their two hits in the first game of the twin bill and plated one of the Eagles three runs in the second game. Natalie Harrill and Emma Eekhoff scored the other two runs on the night for Pella Christian.

The Eagles record dropped to 5-8 overall and 1-5 in conference action and will also look to get back in the win column on Wednesday at Newton.