Though Kimball has become a top program in Class 1A after making two consecutive state tournaments, the Cubs will be tested against Central Minnesota Conference foe Maple Lake in a doubleheader.
Kimball looks to knock off the defending league champion with its veteran leadership. The Cubs (0-0) return seven starters from a team that went 12-2 in conference play a season ago.
That group includes senior pitcher Katie Merchant. The University of Jamestown commit went 10-3 last season with a 0.7 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 90 innings pitched.
The Irish are the defending conference champions after going 14-0 in conference play and finished as runner-ups in Class 2A a season ago. Since the beginning of the last year, Maple Lake is 28-1.
The success of the Irish (2-0, 2-0) can be traced to a pair of seniors: pitcher Calli Maki and first baseman Amber Klug. In Maple Lake's first win of the season, a 13-1 drubbing of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead last Thursday, Maki finished with 13 strikeouts and gave up one hit. At the plate, Klug went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
The second game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.