Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Pella's Emma Eekhoff pitches against ADM during a Class 4A state semifinal at Rogers Park on Wednesday afternoon. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Emma Eekhoff isn’t sure if it was fate or just a fortunate accident.

Either way, Mother Nature may have provided the turning point in Pella’s magical postseason run.

Eekhoff was brilliant again in the Class 4A semifinal round here Wednesday, doing it all as the eighth-seeded Dutch kept their improbable dream alive with a 2-1 victory over Adel-ADM at Rogers Sports Complex.

Unranked but undaunted, Pella (24-12 overall) will now play for its first state softball championship on Thursday at 5 p.m. against No. 3 seed North Polk (36-5) on Channel Seeds Field. The Dutch will be big underdogs again, but Eekhoff and her teammates are way past concerning themselves with odds and win probability at this point.

“We’re not worried about any of that — especially now,” said Eekhoff, who has become the talk of the tournament with her fearless pitching and clutch hitting. “We’re having fun. There’s no pressure.

“Regardless of who’s in the (other dugout), we’re just going to go out and ball.”

Pella had a relatively rocky regular season, losing 12 times — including nine by five runs or more, and six by the mercy rule. A lengthy rain delay in the regional quarterfinal round against Newton that seemed to change everything about the disposition of the squad, according to Eekhoff.

“It was two hours of waiting, and we just seemed to bond (waiting it out),” Eekhoff said. “Sometimes it takes something simple like (a change of pace and routine) to make you take a step back and lock in.”

Eekhoff, in particular, has found that zone. In five tournament contests — from the opener against the Cardinals through Wednesday’s semifinal gem — the 6-foot right-hander has worked the full 35 innings, surrendering only two earned runs with 17 hits allowed and 33 strikeouts. She shut out sixth-ranked Carlisle in the regional semifinals, shut down No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier here Monday in the quarterfinals, then did the same to the fifth-rated Tigers (28-9) to punch Pella’s championship-game ticket.

Eekhoff (17-8) also hit her 12th home run of the season, a two-run blast off junior star and Iowa State recruit Lauren Hagedorn on the eighth pitch of the at-bat in the top of the fourth inning for the only Dutch runs.

ADM answered with a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double by Aniston Tollari, but Eekhoff and her defense — flawless on Wednesday — kept the Tigers at bay.

“I’m just super proud of this group,” said Pella head coach Katie Banowetz, who has the Dutch at state for just the second time in school history. “We were able to finally get a couple (of runs in the fourth) to settle in and calm down, and Emma and the defense took care of the rest. They feed off each other when we’re at our best.

“We want it. This team has done so much to prepare itself physically and mentally for this moment, and now that we’re here, we’re making the most of our opportunities. I’m grateful and blessed to be here with them.”

Pella is looking to become the first No. 8 seed since Des Moines Hoover in 2018 to capture a state title. Class 4A has been a Cinderella’s paradise in recent years, with the Huskies, Winterset (No. 7 in 2020 and 2023) and Carlisle (No. 7 in 2024) coming out on top.

Hagedorn was brilliant with the exception of the one blemish versus Eekhoff. She struck out 14 and only allowed five singles otherwise.

The Dutch will also be trying to top a third consecutive Division I recruit at state. They knocked off Xavier and future University of Iowa Hawkeye Braylen Conlon in the quarterfinals, and Hagedorn and ADM in the semis. North Polk senior ace Ava Husak (Drake) now stands in their way.

“We’ve come this far and we’re this close,” Eekhoff said. “We’re excited for the opportunity to play one last time together (for gold).”

PELLA 2, ADM 1

Pella 000 200 0 — 2 6 0

ADM 000 100 0 — 1 3 0

WP–Emma Eekhoff (17-8; 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K); LP–Lauren Hagedorn (9-2; 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 14 K).

2B–ADM: Aniston Tollari. HR–P: Emma Eekhoff. SB–P: Riley Parks. Multiple Hits–P: Katie Scheckel.