The Washington Demons start their state softball run today, when they face No. 1 in 4A Solon.

Solon has a 40-2 record this season and has lost to only one team, the team that beat the Demons in the second round last year, Dallas Center- Grimes.

Washington is 29-11 this year and hitting .349 as a team. Kaitlin Buchholz is the bat to watch in the three spot with a .445 average and 49 RBI’s, four homers and six triples on the year. The Demons have four other batters hitting over .330. In the circle they will go to the veteran arm of Ashley Rausch who pitched at state all three games last year. Rausch is 16-9 this year with a 2.24 ERA, 104 strikeouts and opponents are hitting .207.

Solon is hitting .426 as a team, and the best bat is Mallory Madsen, hitting .525 with 38 RBI’s. Eight of the nine starters are hitting over .400 and four have 48 RBI’s or more. In the circle you could see one of three pitchers, but Emily Ira has a 19-1 record with a .71 ERA, 129 strikeouts to 14 walks and opponents are hitting just .137.

Demon head coach Angie Shrader said her team needs to make all of the routine plays to stay with Solon.

“Making the routine plays and getting them into the situation where they can’t come up with the big inning and come up with two or three runs, if we’re staying close with them and keeping the game close competitively either with us having the lead or us staying right there with them, then I think when it comes down to seven innings we’ll be on top,” Shrader said.

Washington and Solon play today at 3:30, and you can hear this game on AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com under radio plus with pregame at 3 and first pitch at 3:30. The one to count on for today’s local sports coverage is AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com