The Norwalk softball team makes their return to the state tournament in Fort Dodge on Monday, taking on Western Dubuque in a Class 4A quarterfinal at 5:30 p.m. The game can be heard live on 94.3 KNIA as well as kniakrls.com. Pregame coverage begins at approximately 5:10.

The number four seed vs. number five seed matchup at Rogers Sports Complex appears to be a good one on paper. The Warriors bring a 31-9 record to state, the Bobcats are 29-9, and each has faced a demanding schedule. Both squads feature a balanced batting lineup with depth and have split the pitching duties fairly evenly between their top two arms.

Four Norwalk starters are batting over .300, led by Nyah Hulbert and Jaylynn Brandt around the .350 mark. Lauren Black is hitting .328 and leads the Warriors with 10 home runs, 14 doubles and 44 RBI. Western Dubuque’s lineup includes five players hitting over .320, led by Erica Ernzen’s .400 batting average and 44 runs scored. Kiya Steger has a team-high five homers and 42 RBI and is also the team’s ace pitcher with a 14-3 record, 1.50 earned run average and 132 strikeouts in 121 innings.

Norwalk coach Beau Livingston expects a tough game, noting that Steger is a talented pitcher and that the Bobcats have good hitters up and down the lineup.

“They have our full attention and we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them,” Livingston said. “It’s probably a really good 4-5 matchup. I think we’re pretty similar. We both pitch it well, play good defense, and then it looks like they’ve got four or five girls that swing it awfully well as well.”

Warriors’ senior pitcher Zadie Wadle brings an 18-5 record and 1.87 ERA into the contest. She has walked just 12 batters in 138 ⅔ innings while striking out 171. Junior Olivia Dougherty also averages more than a strikeout per inning, sporting a 12-3 record and 2.07 ERA.

Monday’s winner will face either top-seeded North Polk (30-4) or North Scott (26-11) in a Class 4A semifinal set for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The losing team will play in a consolation game on Tuesday, also at 1:30.

Norwalk is making its second consecutive state tourney appearance. The Warriors lost to Carlisle in last year’s first round game, then won a consolation game vs. Burlington. Western Dubuque won the 4A state championship in 2021.