It’s opening day of the season for baseball and softball teams across the state and it’s a KCII area showdown when Columbus Community faces off with Lone Tree.

The Lion baseball team will look to improve off of a 13-12 record in 2019 and 6-8 mark in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference. Keegan Edwards is a top returner bringing back a .300 batting average and 2.76 ERA on the bump. After a year playing a junior varsity schedule, the Wildcats have a spike in numbers and are back to a varsity campaign. Evan Rees brings back plenty of experience after posting a .306 batting average two years ago. 

The Lone Tree softball squad is poised to make a leap in 2020, as they bring back their top eight bats from an 11-14 team last summer. Arlie Lorack turned some heads in her freshman year after posting a .516 batting average and senior Abby Buckman will look to do some damage in the circle after a 2.64 ERA last season. Columbus seeks an improvement from a 4-20 mark in 2019 and Libby White is an offensive threat back after recording a .352 batting average. 

The baseball showdown will be in Lone Tree and softball in Columbus Junction with both contests starting at 7 p.m.