The Pella Christian baseball team went 1-1 at the 2024 Bucks First Pitch Tournament in Waterloo Saturday, defeating St. Ansgar 5-4 before falling to Grand View Christian 11-0 in the championship game.

Competing at Riverfront Stadium, home of the Northwoods League’s Waterloo Bucks, the Eagles prevailed in a nail-biter in the opener. Trailing 1-0 after the first two innings, Pella Christian plated two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. St. Ansgar answered by scoring three runs in the top of the fourth, while the Eagles scored once in the bottom of the inning to make the score 4-3 in favor of the Saints. That score held until the bottom of the seventh, when Caleb Van Arendonk’s single and a St. Ansgar fielding error allowed Luke Fynaardt to dash home for the tying run. Two batters later, Trevor Veenstra walked-off the game, scoring Van Arendonk on a single to right field. Grant Kelderman took a no-decision as the game one starter for Pella Christian, allowing just two earned runs on three hits, a walk, and eight strikeouts. Brecken Ritzert recorded the win in 1.2 innings of relief, allowing no runs and no hits while striking out three. Van Arendonk and Garrett Wielard each went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored in the victory.

In the championship game, which began around 9 pm Saturday night, the Eagles struggled to keep up with Grand View Christian. The Thunder scored at least two runs in four of the five innings played, pulling away for the 11-0 run-rule win. Van Arendonk led Pella Christian offensively in the loss, recording two of the team’s three hits. Fynaardt suffered the loss in  on the mound in the nightcap, allowing one earned run on four hits and three walks while striking out six in three innings. 

The Eagles record now stands at 5-3 overall as they get set to begin conference play this week, hosting Indianola for a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader at 5:30 pm on Wednesday.