Alabama AHSAA softball area playoffs slated to begin on Friday with Orange Beach leading the way

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Alabama AHSAA softball area playoffs slated to begin on Friday with Orange Beach leading the way originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Alabama's AHSAA softball regular season has concluded, and the brackets for the area playoffs are set with the opening games scheduled for Friday, May 1.

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That includes the state's top-ranked Orange Beach Makos who are also ranked No. 5 nationally in the latest edition of the MaxPreps rankings. The Makos are in the national championship picture ranked behind three teams from Texas (No. 1 Barbers Hill, No. 3 Lake Creek, and No. 4 Melissa) and one squad from Louisiana (No. 2 Calvary Baptist Academy).

The Makos will begin their pursuit of the AHSAA's Class 4A state title in the Area 01 playoffs against the winner of the Satsuma Gators and the St. Michael Catholic [Fairhope] Cardinals. Those two squads will face off at 11 a.m. Friday with the winner taking on Orange Beach at 1 p.m. The double-elimination area tournament will continue throughout the day until a winner is crowned.

Two other Alabama schools are ranked in the MaxPreps list, including the No. 10 Thompson [Alabaster] Warriors and the No. 25 Wetumpka Indians.

WATCH: ALABAMA AHSAA SOFTBALL ON THE NFHS NETWORK

Key dates for the Alabama AHSAA softball playoffs

DATEPLAYOFF DEADLINES5/1-5/26Area Tournaments5/11-14/26Regional Tournaments5/18-22/26State Tournaments

National Top 50 contenders by classification

Alabama's three nationally-ranked teams all compete in different classifications.

Class 7A

The Thompson Warriors are 37-1-2, and they compete in the AHSAA's top-level Class 7A ranks. The team's only loss is to the No. 15 Wetumpka Indians in a 3-2 setback on April 3.

Class 7A Area 05 tournament schedule

Games 1-5 are scheduled for Monday, May 4, while Games 6 and 7 (if necessary) will take place on Tuesday, May 5. All game times are CST local.

Time

Game

Teams

11 a.m.1Thompson vs. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa11 a.m.2Prattville vs. Tuscaloosa County1:30 p.m.3Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser1:30 p.m.4Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner4 p.m.5Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser11 a.m.6Game 4 winner vs. Gam3 5 winner1:30 p.m.7If necessary (Game 6 participants if both have a loss)

Class 6A

Wetumpka is 39-5, and as noted above, they are the only team to beat Thompson so far.

Class 6A Area 04 tournament schedule

Games 1-3 are scheduled for Friday, May 1, while Games 4 and 5 (if necessary) will take place on Saturday, May 2. All game times are CST local.

Time

Game

Teams

3 p.m.1Percy Julian vs. Stanhope Elmore5 p.m.2Wetumpka vs. Game 1 winner7 p.m.3Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser12 p.m.4Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner2 p.m.5If necessary (Game 4 participants if both have a loss)

Class 4A

As noted above, Orange Beach's (36-1-0) path to a potential state and national title get under way Friday with two other teams competing in AHSAA's Class 4A Area 01. The winner of Satsuma vs. St. Michael Catholic will advance to face the Makos, and the loser of that contest will then play the loser of the first game in what could prove to be a rematch in Game 3. All the contests are scheduled for Friday, May 1, and all the times below are CST local.

Class 4A Area 01 tournament schedule

Time

Game

Teams

11 a.m.1Satsuma vs. St. Michael Catholic1 p.m.2Orange Beach vs. Game 1 winner3 p.m.3Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser7 p.m.4Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner9 p.m.5If necessary (Game 4 participants if both have a loss)

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