Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: St. Edmond senior Mariah Myers, a University of Iowa recruit, leads the state in on-base percentage.

The pressure will be on under the lights of Rogers Park Tuesday night when No. 7 (Class 1A) St. Edmond takes on third-ranked Wapsie Valley at the state tournament.

First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m on Iowa Central Field.

For the Warriors (29-4 overall), they are in the elite eight for the first time since 1977, winning the East division of the North Iowa Cedar League. They punched their ticket last week with a dominant 14-2 win over Don Bosco that included a 13-run third.

Wapsie Valley has won nine in a row and has a team batting average of .374 with 299 runs scored. Taylor Buhr, a junior, is hitting .523 with 18 extra-base hits, 55 RBI and 39 runs scored, while eighth-grader Espyn Decker has a .447 average, 17 extra-base hits and 31 runs scored.

Buhr also handles the bulk of the pitching duties, going 18-2 with 125 strikeouts. Freshman Sawyer Buhr has a 10-2 record with 65 strikeouts, adding 21 RBI and 20 runs scored at the plate.

The Warriors are making their fifth appearance all-time at state and have recorded three consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins. They are coached by Wapsie Valley graduate Austin Jeanes, who was a four-sport athlete in high school.

The Gaels, meanwhile, have been playing their best softball of the year down the stretch, winning five in a row and 11 of 12 overall. Their only loss during that stretch came to Estherville-Lincoln, a ranked 3A squad and fellow state tourney qualifier.

St. Edmond won its third consecutive outright North Central Conference crown this summer, having also claimed a piece of it four years ago.

Led by seniors Mariah Myers and Lauren Gibb, along with junior Faith Shirbroun and freshman Toryn Helle, the Gaels are making their program-best third consecutive appearance in the state field.

Myers, who will play at the University of Iowa in the fall, leads the state in walks and on-base percentage, and ranks among the leaders in several other categories. Gibb, an Iowa Central commit, is hitting .551 with a team-high 43 RBI.

Shirbroun, who is committed to Keiser University in Florida, has a .434 average, 48 runs scored.

Helle has successfully replaced Kaili Henning inside the circle, going 15-5 with 100 strikeouts and a 1.02 WHIP.

The winner of this contest advances to face either No. 2 Clarksville or ninth-rated Mason City Newman on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. The top-half of the bracket pits No. 1 Wayne vs. Highland and fifth-rated Riverside vs. No. 6 Newell-Fonda.

The title game is Friday at 7:30 p.m.