Pipestone Area enters this doubleheader as the team to beat in the Big South Conference East Division and Class 2A, Section 3. One of the teams that could test the Arrows is Windom, making Thursday's showdown a must-see.
Pipestone graduated its entire starting infield from a team that finished fifth at the state tournament and went 10-0 in conference play last season.
While the Arrows (2-0, 0-0) aim to patch those holes, they look for guidance from senior pitcher Shelby Bloemendaal. She's started since she was an eighth-grader and was on the Class 2A all-state team a season ago.
Windom relies on a younger and less experienced pitcher in the circle this season — freshman Ellie Maricle. She's starting her second year with the Eagles (0-0) and posted a 1.92 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 102 innings pitched as an eighth-grader.
The second game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.