Martin County West and Madelia will match up for the third time this season in the single-elimination first round of the Section 2A softball tournament. The seventh-seeded Mavericks and 14th-seeded Blackhawks will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Fox Lake Area Sports Complex in Welcome.
MCW won both regular-season games between the Valley Conference rivals, 9-7 on April 14 in Madelia and 10-0 on May 4 in Welcome.
Martin County West, 12-4, is outscoring its opponents by a 10.2-5.5 margin per game this season. Madelia (5-14) has been outscored 8.6-4.8.
Tuesday’s winner will advance to play at second-seeded New Ulm Cathedral (12-5) in the first game of the double-elimination portion of the tourney on Thursday. The Greyhounds have a first-round bye.
The entire tournament then moves to Caswell Park in North Mankato starting Saturday.
Nicollet is the defending Section 2A champion.
SECTION 2A SOFTBALL
First round
Tuesday, May 23
All games at 5 p.m.
Upper bracket
Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s (16-0) has bye
Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove (6-11) at Nicollet (7-10)
Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda (1-14) at Springfield (12-8)
Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman (4-13) at Cleveland (10-8)
Lower bracket
New Ulm Cathedral (12-5) has bye
Madelia (5-14) at Martin County West (12-4)
Minnesota Valley Lutheran (3-11) at Sleepy Eye (10-8)
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (1-18) at Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey (13-4)