The South Iowa Cedar League champion Sigourney Savages (16-7, 15-1) fell just short of completing a last-second comeback as they fell to the Pella Christian Eagles (10-16, 4-14) 5-3.

The Eagles jumped on top early, taking advantage of an error and clutch hits in the first and four free bases in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead.

Pella Christian starting pitcher Laurel Rooseboom completely controlled Sigourney’s offense in the meantime. Kinsly Clubb and Josephine Moore each got on base in the first inning, but they were stranded on back-to-back groundouts, the start of a streak where seven of eight Sigourney hitters were set down, the lone baserunner coming in the form of an Abyl McCully walk. In each of the fourth and sixth innings, Sigourney got two baserunners again, but failed to cash them in, stranding runners on second and third three times in the first six innings.

As the offense continued to struggle, the Savages’ defense turned things around, led by Moore on the mound, who, after her cascade of second-inning walks, found the zone and allowed just six baserunners in her final five innings of work.

Still trailing by five with just three outs to work with, Sigourney was led off in the bottom of the seventh by Izzy Green, who reached on an error. Green scored on an Abyl McCulley double, bringing the leadup spot, now held by Naveah Beinhart, who had entered the game defensively for Clubb, to the plate. It wasn’t Beinhart who stepped into the box, though, as head coach Shelley Striegle called upon the services of an eighth-grade pinch hitter, Emerie McCulley. “It was a lot to take in, but I knew the team needed me, so I just went up there and had confidence.”

Emery dug in at the dish and laced a ball into center field for her first career hit, knocking in Abyl and putting the tying run in the on-deck circle. Senior Dani Aller got a hit of her own, knocking Emorie over to third and bringing Moore to the plate.

On the first strike she saw, Moore blasted one to deep left field, sailing it over the fence and drawing a roar out of the crowd, but it tailed just foul, missing a game-tying home run by mere inches. Returning to the plate, Moore drilled a ball directly toward Eagle shortstop Chloe Snider, but an error by Snider put the tying run on first and brought Devyn Smallwood to the dish as Aller moved up to third on the play.

Smallwood blasted a ball to third baseman Maddy Van Zee, but the junior came up with a clutch play, stabbing the ball out of the air and diving onto the bag ahead of Aller to turn a crucial double-play.

Ella Bruns reached on a single, but when Van Zee was tested again, she passed, fielding a Kiley Cavin groundball and stepping on third to retire Moore and end the game.

Rooseboom earned the win, allowing three runs, one of which was earned, on nine hits and two walks in seven innings of work.

Moore took the loss, allowing five runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits and five walks in seven innings.

Sigourney will return to action in the playoffs when it will host the winner of Keota and Moulton-Udell next Wednesday at 7 p.m.