Chanhassen, ranked No. 7 in the Class 4A coaches' poll from May 6, sits atop the Metro West Conference standings and Hopkins reigns supreme in the Lake Conference.
But it's an individual matchup at Hopkins on Friday that seems most interesting as Chanhassen junior Sydney Schwartz, a preseason pick as one of the best pitchers in the state, squares off with Hopkins junior Lauren Granger, who is hitting .525 (21-for-40) with seven home runs, four doubles and 14 RBIs.
Schwartz had a standout freshman season in 2019, posting a 12-2 record with a 1.55 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 95 innings pitched while hitting .417 with six home runs and 25 RBIs. As an eighth-grader, she shadowed her sister Maddie and went 4-0 with a 3.72 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 32 innings.
Granger, a catcher and outfielder, hit .368 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 57 at-bats as a freshman in 2019.
The Granger-Schwartz showdown should be the highlight of a game that has plenty to offer. Daisy Lang and Grace Clausen support Schwartz and the Storm (10-2, 5-1) with 12 RBIs each. At Hopkins (10-2, 8-1), Delaney Lindstrom has two home runs and 17 RBIs, and Cassidy Allen has a 2-2 record with one save and a 2.30 ERA as the Royals' most-used pitcher.