Lone Tree and Columbus Junction face off on the softball diamond tonight in Southeast Iowa Super conference play.

The Lions are 7-9 after winning four out of five last week and three in a row. Columbus Junction is a front runner in the conference, but has lost two of the last three games, and played six games last week.

Lone Tree head coach Tom Dickey says his team usually plays well at the Wildcats and that his team is ready to go and play good softball tonight, despite probably seeing Megan Pretz of Columbus Junction.

“I think the Pretz girl is doing a good job, probably not over powering people, averaging four to five strikeouts a game, but just keeping them into the game,” Dickey said. “Obviously they’ve won them all in the conference so far so right now they’re the ones that are at the top and we’re hoping to come in and make a little dent in her confidence tonight.”

Pretz the leading hitter and pitcher for the Wildcats has a 2.67 ERA, 9-3 record, 63 strikeouts and has held opponents to a .143 batting average, while she herself hits .364 with four triples and a homer.

As a squad Lone tree hits .252 and has four long balls on the season, while the pitching staff of Avery Edwards and Maggie Schmidt have a combined ERA of 2.89 and 61 strikeouts on the year.

Dickey said the key to winning tonight’s match up will be making sure the big hitters hit big and that everyone else follows.

Lone Tree travels to Columbus tonight for the games.