Minneapolis Southwest aims to repeat as Minneapolis City Conference champion, but it faces a tough foe in Minneapolis South, which is new to playing the role of challenger.
The Lakers (8-2, 6-0) compete in Class 4A with a roster featuring nine seniors, including senior catcher Jakob Kouneski, and are coming off a 15-0 pounding of Minneapolis North on Saturday. Next up are four games in four days, ending in a quick bus ride to face South.
South contends in Class 3A and won just two conference games a season ago as part of a decade that it has consistently spent at or near the bottom of the conference standings. However, the Tigers (9-3, 8-1) have gone through a bit of a renaissance this season with just one league loss — a 10-4 defeat to Southwest on April 26.
Junior Jack Hennen belted three hits, garnered three RBI and drew a walk for the No. 7-3A Tigers in a 13-6 win against Minneapolis Roosevelt on May 2.