AHSAA softball area tournaments set to start postseason play
AHSAA area softball tournaments can begin Friday, starting postseason play to determine state champions in seven classes.
Teams are seeded for the area tournament based on regular season play with No. 1 hosting the double-elimination tournament. The winner and runnerup in each of 16 areas in Class 1A-6A and eight areas in Class 7A advance to one of four regionals starting play on May 6.
For areas with four or five teams, two wins in the double-elimination tournament secure a spot in regionals with the area championship game deciding regional seeding. Teams with a bye in a three-team area need win only once to secure a regional spot.
The North Regional is at Coffee O’Neal Park in Florence, East Regional at Albertville’s Sand Mountain Park, Central Regional at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park and South Regional at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
The top two teams from each regional advance to the state championship tournament May 13-17 at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park.
Area tournaments can start as early as Friday and must be completed by Tuesday.
Some of the more interesting area tournaments feature multiple ranked teams.
In one of the toughest areas in the state, all four Class 7A Area 5 teams are ranked. Second-ranked Thompson, third-ranked Hoover, sixth-ranked Vestavia Hills and No. 10 Tuscaloosa County will compete for two spots in East Regional play.
Top seed Hoover hosts the tournament Friday-Saturday with the Bucs playing No. 4 seed Tuscaloosa County Friday at 1:30 p.m. while No. 2 seed Thompson plays No. 3 seed Vestavia Hills at 3:30. The semifinal winner is guaranteed a spot in regional play.
Class 7A eighth-ranked and top seed Bob Jones along with ninth-ranked and No. 2 seed Austin are the favorites to advance from Area 8.
Class 6A fourth-ranked Hartselle hosts Area 15 with eighth-ranked Muscle Shoals holding the No. 2 seed while Area 16 features fifth-ranked Athens as the No. 2 seed and seventh ranked Hazel Green is the top seed and host.
Class 5A fifth-ranked Southside-Gadsden hosts Area 13 with eighth-ranked Sardis as the No. 2 seed.
Class 4A seventh-ranked Hamilton hosts Area 11 with third-ranked Curry the No. 2 seed.
In Class 3A, sixth-ranked Piedmont is the Area 11 No. 2 seed while No. 10 Hokes Bluff is the host and top seed. Also in Class 3A, seventh-ranked Lauderdale County hosts Area 16 with eighth-ranked Mars Hill Bible as the No. 2 seed.
Class 1A eighth-ranked Maplesville hosts Area 6 with No. 10 Verbena the No. 2 seed.
See the complete area tournament brackets below.