A strong-offensive showing powered the Pella Christian softball team to a 10-5 victory at Des Moines Christian Friday night, while the baseball team struggled in a 10-0 six inning loss to the Lions.

The Eagles softball team found themselves trailing 3-0 after the first inning, but the offense found their rhythm in the second to take control of the contest. Addison Bandstra jump started the Pella Christian offense, blasting a solo home run in the top of the second to cut the deficit to two. Following Bandstra’s blast, the Eagles offense added three more runs in the second and two more in the third to grab a 6-3 lead. Des Moines Christian pulled back within 6-4 in the fourth inning, but the Eagles answered with another run in the top of the fifth to go back up by three runs. The Lions recut Pella Christian’s lead to two in the bottom of the sixth, but the Eagles responded with three runs in the top of the seventh to grab new Head Coach Mindi Kacmarynski’s first win. Eighth grader Laurel Roozeboom recorded her first career varsity win, striking out three while giving up one earned run on six hits and two walks in a complete game effort. Rachel Kacmarynski went 2-for-3 at plate in her first varsity start, helping Pella Christian improve to 1-1 overall on the season.

The Eagles baseball team, who entered Friday night with a four-game winning streak, fell behind early and couldn’t find an answer offensively. Des Moines Christian wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, plating five runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Pella Christian limited the Lions to those five runs until the bottom of the fifth, when DMC added a single run, before ending the game with four runs in the sixth. Conner Van Zee led the Eagles offense in the loss, going 2-for-2 on the night. Van Zee also got the start on the mound, taking the loss after allowing six runs on five hits and four walks in five innings of work while striking out eight. The loss snapped Pella Christian’s win streak and dropped their record to 4-2 overall.

The Eagles baseball team is back in action today in Waterloo, squaring off with St. Ansgar at Riverfront Stadium for a 4 pm game. Pella Christian’s softball team is off for the holiday weekend, returning to the diamond Tuesday to host Albia.