PELLA — Three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning allowed Pella to turn a 1-all game into a 4-1 lead en route to a 4-2 non-conference win over Perry Tuesday.
Each team scored once in the first inning before Pella (15-18) used a three-spot in the fifth to break the game open. Rachel Kinney’s solo home run in the sixth brought Perry (21-12) to within a run, but the Jayettes could come no closer.
Kinzi Van Wyk allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in earning the win from the circle. She finished with seven strikeouts and received plenty of offensive help from lead-off batter Sara Tallman, who finished 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored.
Kinney was 2-for-3 for Perry, with Jo Diw 2-or-2 with a double, a walk and a run while Emma Olejniczak also finished 2-for-3 at the dish.
Olejniczak yielded four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings. She issued three walks and finished with 13 strikeouts.
The junior ace fanned 261 batters in 198 innings while walking 54 and yielding 151 hits last season. She will enter the postseason this year with 260 strikeouts in 184.2 frames, having allowed 62 walks and 107 hits.
Perry will host Greene County (16-13) Thursday at 7 p.m. in a Class 4A Region 7 First Round contest. The Rams are 8-2 down the stretch, but the Jayettes have been equally as hot, winning 7-of-10 and 14-of-20 after a 7-6 start. Olejniczak and Sid Vancil combined to no-hit the Rams in a 9-0 Jayette win at the PAC June 7.
Thursday’s winner travels to Norwalk to face the host Warriors at 7 p.m. Saturday. Norwalk (20-14) rallied from a 2-0 hole to top visiting Perry, 3-2, May 27.
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