Perhaps more than ever, this year’s Class 4A State Softball Tournament in Fort Dodge will have a definite central Iowa theme.

Six of the eight teams in the 4A field are located within 35 miles of downtown Des Moines, including the top three teams from both the Little Hawkeye and Raccoon River conferences.

One of those squads is the fourth-ranked Norwalk Warriors, who will take a 29-7 record into Monday’s state quarterfinal contest against fifth-ranked Carlisle (27-10). The game will be broadcast live on FM 94.3 KNIA from the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., with pregame coverage starting at approximately 3:15.

Norwalk, which is making its first trip to Fort Dodge since 2014, punched its state tourney ticket in exhilarating fashion Tuesday night, scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh to rally past No. 14 Benton, 7-6.

Immediately following the postgame celebration, first-year Norwalk head coach Beau Livingston told KNIA Sports that the Warriors are going to show up focused and ready to compete at state.

“I promise you this: we are not going to be happy just attending Fort Dodge,” Livingston said. “We are going there to take care of business.”

Additional first round games in Class 4A Monday include top-seeded Winterset vs. Burlington, No. 2 ADM vs. North Scott and No. 3 Dallas Center-Grimes vs. No. 6 Indianola. The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. while the third place and championship games will be played Thursday evening.

Monday’s four losing teams from the first round are guaranteed a single consolation game on Tuesday afternoon.

Norwalk played eight regular season games against four opponents from the 4A state field this summer, going 3-5. However, three of those losses came by just one run and another was decided in eight innings.

The Warriors traveled to Carlisle on July 5, but the game was rained out following two scoreless frames. The neighboring rivals will meet again Monday with much more on the line.