SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENTS
CLASS 6A
WHEN Today-Saturday WHERE Rogers
DEFENDING CHAMPION Bentonville TITLE FAVORITE Bentonville
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Bryant, Cabot, Rogers SLEEPERS Conway, North Little Rock FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Rogers Heritage vs. Fort Smith Northside
NOTEWORTHY Bentonville, which went undefeated in the 6A-West, is aiming to win its fourth state championship since 2016. All three of the Lady Tigers’ losses were to top-ranked Benton. … Northside and Rogers Heritage is a first-round rematch from last year, a game in which the Lady Bears won 7-1. … North Little Rock dropped two straight games to finish off the regular season but with such a young team, the Lady Charging Wildcats could be the most dangerous group in the tournament. … Cabot started the season 13-0 before going 6-5 the rest of the way. … Rogers’ four losses were to Bentonville and Benton, two teams which are favored to win titles in their respective classes.
CLASS 5A
WHEN Today-Saturday WHERE Hot Springs
DEFENDING CHAMPION Benton TITLE FAVORITE Benton
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Sheridan, Greene
County Tech, Greenwood SLEEPER Van Buren
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Beebe vs. Vilonia NOTEWORTHY No. 1 Benton, which has won 60 consecutive games, has been the state’s top team for the past two years, led by Alyssa Houston and Elana Scott. … Sheridan, winners of 18 of its previous 19 games, has won four of the past five state championships. … Van Buren has been victorious in seven of its last eight games. … All eight of White Hall’s losses have been to teams that will be playing in state tournaments over the next few days. … Paragould responded to a six-game losing streak by beating seven of its next eight opponents.
CLASS 4A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE Nashville DEFENDING CHAMPION Morrilton TITLE FAVORITE Nashville OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Stuttgart, Bauxite,
Valley View SLEEPER Harrison FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Farmington vs. Southside Batesville
NOTEWORTHY Of Nashville’s four defeats, only one came to a Class 4A program (Bauxite), and it avenged that setback twice. The Scrapperettes other three losses were to Benton (twice) and Rogers. … Harrison went 0-3 against Gravette before beating the Lady Lions 12-3 in the semifinals of the 4A North Regional. … Pea Ridge, which advanced to the final last season, didn’t reach the state tournament. … Hamburg is 2-6 over its last eight games. … Farmington and Valley View could face each other in the second round. The two teams played in the first round in 2021.
CLASS 3A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE Harrison
DEFENDING CHAMPION Baptist Prep TITLE FAVORITE Baptist Prep OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Booneville, Lincoln,
Ashdown SLEEPER Hackett
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Smackover vs. Mayflower
NOTEWORTHY The only teams to have beaten Class 3A No. 1 Baptist Prep are Class 6A combatants North Little, Cabot and Bryant and Class 5A Greenbrier. The Lady Eagles are on a 16-game win streak, too. … Booneville pitcher Lexi Franklin is 22-1 on the season. The Lady Bearcats have won 23 games in a row. … Both Rivercrest and Valley Springs have dropped three of its last four games. … Ashdown has won its last four games by a total of 34 runs. … Five of Atkins’ eight losses have come to Lincoln and Baptist Prep.
CLASS 2A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE South Side Bee Branch/Greenbrier DEFENDING CHAMPION Tuckerman TITLE FAVORITE Tuckerman
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS East Poinsett County,
Woodlawn, McCrory SLEEPER Rector
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Fordyce vs. Cedar Ridge NOTEWORTHY Woodlawn started 18-0 before Maumelle handed the Lady Bears their first loss of the year by taking a 13-2 decision on May 2. … Four of the last five games for the Melbourne Lady Bearkatz have resulted in losses, including a 6-5 defeat by Cedar Ridge on Monday. … Defending state champion Tuckerman has shut out eight teams during its 13-game winning streak. … Rector has lost four of five games by three runs or less. … Mansfield, which came up two runs short of winning a title last season, has 10 wins in its last 11 contests.
CLASS 1A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE Arkadelphia
DEFENDING CHAMPION Taylor
TITLE FAVORITE Taylor
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Ouachita, West Side Greers Ferry, Mount Vernon-Enola SLEEPER Bradley
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Bradley vs. Mount Vernon-Enola
NOTEWORTHY Nashville and Malvern, both of which are Class 4A contenders, are the only teams to beat Class 1A No. 1 Taylor. The Lady Tigers have won four straight state titles. … West Side Greers Ferry has held 16 teams to three runs or fewer. … Bradley was 6-10 until winning six of seven. The lone loss was a 10-3 beating by Taylor on Monday in the regional title game. … County Line has been defeated in six of its last eight games. … Wonderview held its first two opponents scoreless during regional play but was shut out by Guy-Perkins in the championship game.