Call them superstitious, call them creatures of habit or call them plain smart, but the Marion Indians are not going to do anything to anger the baseball gods this week.

The Indians are following the same footsteps they took earlier this week for the opening round of the Class 3A state baseball tournament in Des Moines, only this time they're preparing for No.1 Solon in the semifinals.

Coach Steve Fish and the team left a day early for Des Moines (again), they planned to watch two games in the state tournament (again) and they're not going to worry about what anyone else thinks about their chances of winning a state title (again).

Marion (27-16) plays Solon (37-4) at noon on Friday at Principal Park, with the winner advancing to the state finals on Saturday night.

Solon is loaded with Division I athletes and college-bound players, but Marion played the Spartans during the regular season in the Wamac Conference and is not afraid.

"The only people who really believe we can win this game are the kids in this dugout and a couple of our more intimate fans who understand our capability," Fish said Thursday. "We've had a great year, but I don't think our kids are satisfied.

"I told them we're going down there to win a state championship. So as we head to Des Moines, our mind is on winning a state championship. If not, why are we getting in the vans?

"These kids believe they're capable of winning a state championship. I won't be surprised by anything they do at this point."

Solon swept the Indians, 15-3 and 3-1, in their Wamac Conference twinbill this season.

"I think we can hang with them," said Dusty Albaugh, who hit two doubles in Marion's 3-0 victory over Storm Lake in the opening round. "I want to get another shot at them."

Solon won the Class 2A state title last year and moved to Class 3A this season. The Spartans feature Derrick Loveless, a .555 hitter who is headed to the University of Iowa, and Nick Day, a .504 batter who also is headed to Iowa.

"Our plan is to go out and continue to play with a lot of energy and just have fun and enjoy the moment," Fish said. "I don't think there is a plan to beat a team like that.

"They have a lot of Division I talent, but we can't get mesmerized by who they have in that dugout. We have to go out and play our style and enjoy the moment. That's been our deal this whole postseason, and we're going to continue that.

"We don't tend to get mesmerized or intimidated by folks," he said. "They feel comfortable that they can play with them. We stress playing the game of baseball. Solon just happens to be the team that's across the diamond from us."

Levi Lochner, a sophomore with a 6-0 record and 1.20 ERA, will be Marion's starting pitcher against Solon. Tyler Hedtke, who tossed a two-hit shutout in the opening round against Storm Lake on Tuesday, will be available in the bullpen.

Hedtke threw only 75 pitches against Storm Lake and told Fish he's ready to pitch again. Here's what Fish told Hedtke: "I'd like you to be the starter in the championship game on Saturday."

"He'll be ready to go if we need to trot him out there Friday," Fish said.

Lochner and Hedtke are both left-handed pitchers with good curveballs. "He's another skinny left-handed kid," Fish said.