A trip to the Class 4A State Softball Tournament is on the line tonight when the Norwalk Warriors host Benton Community in a Region 6 final at 7:00 p.m. The game can be heard live on kniakrls.com (KNIA3), with pregame coverage starting at approximately 6:45.

The fourth-ranked Warriors stand 28-7 overall following Saturday’s 5-1 regional semifinal win over Cedar Rapids Xavier. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Kaylee Cary’s two-run home run highlighted a three-spot for Norwalk. Junior Zadie Wadle pitched a three-hitter, working around four walks and striking out three. Cary and Wadle led the Warriors offensively with three hits each.

The 14th-ranked Bobcats bring a 25-15 record to Norwalk and advanced to this point with a 6-0 shutout of Charles City on Saturday. Benton scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back as sophomore Jessa DeMoss pitched a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and four walks. DeMoss and Hope Moore both had two hits, including a double by Moore.

Tonight’s matchup will feature the Little Hawkeye Conference runner-up in Norwalk against the third place team from the WaMac West Conference in Benton. Wadle, the Warrior’s ace, is 17-4 on the year with a 1.46 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 120 innings. DeMoss is 12-9 in the circle with a 3.43 ERA, but does her best work in the batter’s box with a .441 average, eight home runs and 43 RBI.

Norwalk is seeking its first trip to the State Softball Tournament since 2014 and just its third state appearance since 1981. The Warriors have been to state 11 times in all, winning the Class 3A state title in 2005.

Benton Community has been a state qualifier 15 times, but only three times since 1981. The Bobcats claimed the 2A state title in 1998 and were a 3A qualifier in 2015 and 2016.

Tonight’s winner will advance to the Class 4A state tournament in Fort Dodge and play in the quarterfinal round on Monday, July 18.