Looking ahead to the state baseball and softball quarterfinal matchups for Iowa City teams

As we gear up for the 2023 state baseball and softball tournaments, Iowa City will be represented by a few familiar faces.

Heading to Fort Dodge are the Regina Regals, the reigning Class 2A state softball champions.

At Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, the City High Little Hawks and Liberty Lightning will both be making their second-straight Class 4A state appearances.

While all three teams are excited about the opportunity, there is still a lot of work to be done before they can call themselves state champions.

Before they get started, here is a look ahead to who they will be facing in the quarterfinals:

#1 Regina Regals (27-8) vs. #8 Northeast Rebels (22-11)

No strangers to the state tournament, the Regals are making their third straight appearance, claiming a Class 2A state championship last summer. Bringing back all but one player from that team, the Regals believe they have what it takes to repeat as state champions.

The Regals are also pretty familiar with the Rebels, who they have beaten in eight of their last 11 games. They have beaten them in their past two outings, but the Rebels are coming into the game on an eight-game win streak.

Their quarterfinal is set for Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Fort Dodge.

#2 City High Little Hawks (30-12) vs. #7 Ames Little Cyclones (29-13)

After falling in the state semifinals last season, the Little Hawks have made it their mission to get back into the state tournament and avenge the loss. Yet to lose a game since June 19, they look to have hit their stride at the perfect time.

Despite the 131-mile difference between the Little Hawks and Little Cyclones, their cross-state football rivalry has been one of the most engaging in the state. Baseball has been a different story since the two have not played each other since 2017 when the Little Hawks won an 11-10 shootout. This game has a lot of potential to be high-scoring with both teams averaging over 6.5 runs per game.

They will face off on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the final game of the day's Class 4A slate.

#8 Liberty Lightning (23-17) vs. #1 Johnston Dragons (33-8)

Don’t count out the underdog Lightning. The team has shown that doing so is a big mistake. Over the past two seasons, the Lightning have notched postseason wins over powerhouses like Cedar Rapids Prairie and Pleasant Valley to make it to the state tournament.

The reigning Class 4A state champion Dragons are the next team Liberty hopes to take down, especially after the Lightning lost to them in last year's state quarterfinals. Johnston is averaging 11 runs per game this postseason.

The rematch is set for Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Previewing state baseball and softball quarterfinal games for Iowa City teams