Hall pitches past Pella

Jacob Hall was handed a tall order on Tuesday night.

The Washington sophomore was tasked with taking the mound against the top-ranked team in Class 3A, Pella, and he passed that test with flying colors.

Hall tossed five-plus innings of two-hit, two-walk ball, only being charged with one run (which was marked as unearned), and combined with an early offensive explosion from the Demons, the sophomore claimed the victory over the Dutch, 7-4.

Hall said this game was definitely unexpected.

?(This was) definitely not (how I thought it would go).? Hall said. ?We all thought this would go different because they are a No. 1 ranked team, and we didn?t know what we could do, but now we know. We all stuck together and we gutted it out.?

He also struck out five batters in the contest, including striking out the side in the first inning, as he got his fastball going early.

?The curveball didn?t start working until about the second or third inning, and then I just kept firing it in there,? Hall said. ?I have to give credit to coach, he worked with me all season and let me fire things in.?

With Hall earning his first win of the season, he said he is hoping to carry that confidence into the rest of the season.

?It?s a very big confidence boost, especially dropping off the No. 1 ranked team,? Hall said. ?That feels very good. It?s the first win of the season for me and it just feels very good.?

Collin Zear came in to close out the game, and despite a late Pella rally, the Demons improved to 8-5 on the year, and have a marquee win under their belt early in the season.

?We just needed to figure out how to win games,? Washington head coach Nathan Miller said. ?This is probably our biggest win in several years. If you look back over the last three or four years, this is probably the biggest win as far as a program standpoint. These kids are understanding they can play with anyone and put things together.?

The Demons got the game started quickly after Hall?s three strikeouts to open the game.

A single, walk and sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third for the Demons to open the game, and Dakota Kron followed that up with a hard line drive to center, which got down for a two-RBI single.

Zach Londberg and Aaron Vittetoe singles pushed the Demon lead to five runs after the first inning, and they kept the momentum rolling into the second.

A Kron sacrifice fly put the Demons up 6-0 while a wild pitch gave the Demons a 7-0 lead against the top team in the state.

The teams traded scoreless frames until the top of the sixth, when the Dutch scored one, but the Demons held them until the seventh inning.

In the final frame, the Dutch added three runs to their effort, but it wasn?t enough as the Demons picked up the much-needed victory.

?We played how we are capable of,? Miller said. ?That?s a glimpse of what this group has the potential to do. We can swing it well and play solid defense. That?s what we?ve been working toward. We played six really strong innings and then hung onto our hat there in the seventh, but they are the No. 1 ranked team in the state for a reason.?

With Washington eclipsing their six-game win total from last year already in 2016, the Demon coach is hoping there is still more improvement to come from his junior-laden squad.

?We need to play loose but focused,? Miller said. ?We can?t play tight and we need to make plays to end the game. That comes with more experience in those types of games.?

Washington will face Mt. Pleasant in a road conference doubleheader on Thursday evening.