Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Pella celebrates after beating North Polk for the Class 4A championship on Thursday at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.

From the start of the state softball tournament on Monday, it just felt like Pella had a little bit of magic in the dugout.

The Dutch, who knocked off top-seed and No. 1 ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier in the quarterfinals, finished off their improbable run with a 4-2 victory over North Polk here Thursday night to claim the Class 4A championship inside Rogers Park.

Abby Melvin, a junior, delivered the go-ahead runs with a sixth-inning double that scored Katie Scheckel and Elah Hiemstra. That came after courtesy runner Kylie Schippers scored to tie it on a fielding error.

This was just the second time in program history that Pella has made it to the elite eight, with the other trip resulting in a fourth place finish back in 2015.

Maybe that extra added magic was from head coach Katie Banowetz, who is set to get married this weekend.

“Honestly, I think all the girls were a little more excited that they are now invited to the ceremony,” Banowetz said with a smile. “I told them that if we won it all, they would get to go, so now they will be there.

“But no, I am just very blessed that I was able to coach these girls and have this special moment with them. It’s kind of something you dream about but you never know what’s going to happen.”

Melvin finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, as Emma Eekhoff earned her third win of the week. Scheckel was on base twice for the Dutch.

The seemingly improbable run to the first state softball title for a school with a trophy case full of championships started with an upset over defending champion Carlisle in the regional semifinal. They topped Gilbert to qualify and knocked off ADM in the semifinals, 2-1.

“I am just really proud of the way this group handled everything leading up to this game,” Banowetz said. “I’m really just grateful that this group was able to accomplish what they accomplished this year.”

North Polk’s Ava Husak, a Drake University commit, struck out nine batters. Ava Koudelka had two hits and scored a run while Husak reached base four times.

Koudelka, Melvin, Scheckel, Alexandra Mohlke, Husak and Eekhoff were named to the all-tournament team, with Eekhoff being named captain.

PELLA 4, NORTH POLK 2

Pella 010 003 0 – 4 6 2

North Polk 100 010 0 – 2 9 1

WP-Emma Eekhoff (7 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 4 BB). LP-Ava Husak (7 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 9 K, 3 BB).

3B-P: Abby Melvin. 2B-P: Abby Melvin. RBI-P: Bray-Lynne Van Zante, Abby Melvin (2); NP: Katelyn Klever. SB-P: Haylie DeVries; NP: Ava Fjelland, Amelia Kelsick.