St. Louis Park at Chanhassen
4:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 26

With a 4-1 overall record (2-1 in league play), St. Louis Park is off to its best start in more than a decade and will try stay in the conservation of Metro West Conference contenders with Tuesday's game against Chanhassen.

The Orioles finished 7-15 overall last season, including winning just two league contests, and were outscored 38-2 in two games against the Storm. But there are signs of change.

St. Louis Park relies on sophomore pitcher Annabelle Schutte, who has a 0.42 ERA with just two walks and 26 strikeouts in 33 innings.

At the plate, freshman shortstop Maddie McIntosh is hitting .533 from the leadoff spot, and Mackenzie Evenson has provided leadership at first base for a young Orioles team.

Chanhassen boasts one of the state's most powerful lineups, which features Jessica Bren. The junior catcher was named to the Star Tribune’s All-Metro first team after hitting .510 and finishing with nine home runs and 39 RBI last season.

The Storm lineup returns Hayley Haakenstad (.543, 31 RBI), Kali O’Keeffe, (.538, 38 RBI) and Taylor Manno (.393, 35 RBI, 6 HR), who also pitched 54 2/3 innings last year.

Chanhassen (5-2, 3-1) graduated just two from last season’s state tournament team and have only two seniors on this year’s roster.