Rogers at Elk River
7:30 p.m., Friday, May 20

A Rogers and Elk River matchup on Friday could be a preview of things to come in the Class 4A, Section 8 tournament.

The Royals (16-1, 11-0) and Elks (11-3, 9-1) met once already this season at the Lakeville North Panther Classic tournament, and No. 4-4A Rogers came away with a 4-1 victory over No. 10-4A Elk River.

The Royals have won eight straight including the victory over the Elks. Rogers also beat rival Buffalo 1-0 May 12 behind a one-hit, 12-strikeout, shutout from standout pitcher Katelyn Kemmetmueller. The Minnesota commit is 11-0 with a 0.22 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 64 innings. She’s also leading the team with a .491 batting average and has 18 RBI.

The meeting with Rogers wraps up a four-game week for the Elks, who have games against Spring Lake Park, Osseo and Irondale to close out the regular season.

Elk River is steeped in past postseason success with two state championships and five state tournament appearances, while the Royals are seeking their first trip to state since 2005.