Isabel Northrop pitched Winona Cotter to the consolation championship at the Class 2A state tournament last spring, and the senior is playing like she's determined to take the team further this season.
With Northrop in the circle, No. 4-2A Cotter is 10-0 (5-0 in the Three Rivers Conference) and has allowed one or fewer runs eight times.
That's the challenge St. Charles (8-1, 3-0) faces on Thursday.
"Northrop is tough," St. Charles coach Mike Buringa said. "She has the ability to win games by herself."
Buringa said his team will need at least three runs to beat Cotter. He'll be looking to his daughter, junior Emilee Buringa, to ignite a spark against Northrop and Cotter.
Emilee, a two-time all-state catcher, leads St. Charles with a .579 BA and has three doubles, two triples and two home runs. Inga Jystad is hitting .500 with two home runs in just 12 at-bats and sophomore Jade Krenik is hitting .381 with a home run and eight RBI.
Krenik also has filled in at pitcher while Jystad was ill this season. She has a 4-0 record with a 1.75 ERA, 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 24 innings. Jystad has returned to the lineup and is 2-0 with 17 strikeouts and eight walks in 14 innings.