Wednesday at the state baseball tournament

CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS

Linn-Mar (27-15) vs. Johnston (26-12)

When: Noon

Where: Principal Park, Des Moines

Scouting Report: Second straight trip to Des Moines has to have a better ending than last year for Linn-Mar. The Lions were blasted by Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a 2012 4A quarterfinal, 13-1. A group that's now used to the state tournament experience should be more relaxed and give Johnston a strong game. It's a top secret who will pitch the game for Linn-Mar: Austin Stroschein (8-1, 1.62 ERA) or Justin Wyant (6-2, 1.50 ERA). Either way, you'd expect a strongly pitched game. Brandt Olinger is second in the 4A field with a .463 batting average. Johnston played just two teams from eastern Iowa this season and lost both: to North Scott and Cedar Rapids Kennedy. The Dragons' lost pitcher is Alex McCune (1.02 ERA), though Joe Hawks has a 6-1 record. Look for a close game here.

Sioux City East (30-9) vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier (25-15)

When: 6 p.m.

Where: Principal Park, Des Moines

Scouting Report: This is the first appearance in the 4A field for Xavier, which has been to state as a Class 3A entrant five times. That included a state championship in 2006, the second of three consecutive years Xavier advanced to the 3A title game. These Saints have a top-line pitcher in junior Mitch Keller, a North Carolina commit who is 6-4 with a 1.77 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. The most important offensive player for Xavier may well be multi-year starter Corbin Woods, who didn't have a strong regular season but who played well in Xavier's substate final extra-inning win over Cedar Rapids Prairie. Last year's 4A player of the year is Dom Thomson-Williams, who is hitting .465 and has a four-year total of 253 career hits. His career BA is .481.

Other Games Today Des Moines East (36-4) vs. Davenport North (23-15), 2 p.m. Ankeny (34-7) vs. Clinton (25-14), 8 p.m.