If Greene County is to win or share the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference softball title the Rams will likely have to at least split their two conference games with defending champion Saydel. The first of those two meetings is tonight on the home field of the Eagles in Des Moines. It’s varsity only action at 7 p.m. due to a shortage of Saydel JV players.

Coach Tom Kennedy’s Rams are 7-4 on the season, their best start since 2016, and more importantly, the Rams are 5-1 in conference games. Saydel is 6-0 in the league and was 7-0 overall prior to a Tuesday night contest vs. Class 5A Ankeny Centennial. The Eagles are ranked number three in 3A after a 3A State Tournament appearance last summer.

Both teams return All-State pitchers from 2022 in Saydel’s Dakota Lake and Greene County’s Emma Hoyle. Lake entered the week having thrown every inning for the Eagles with 78 strikeouts vs. just four walks and five earned runs allowed. Hoyle has thrown 55-2/3 innings with only seven earned runs given up in nine games. She enters tonight’s road game with 92 strikeouts to 23 walks on the season.