COVINGTON, Ga. — Next week, three of the area softball teams will compete in the state playoffs. But this year, something’s different with the first two rounds.
The Georgia High School Association is going away from the best two out of three format and instead, playing the first two rounds in a super regional style. So, the 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds of each quadrant of the state playoffs, with the No. 1 seed hosting all four teams, will play in a double elimination.
Games will be played across two days from Tuesday, Oct. 18 to Friday, Oct. 21.
The winner among the four seeds will advance to the Elite Eight hosted in Columbus at the South Commons Softball Complex.
According to GHSA’s website, the change to the state tournament is due to a shortage of umpires who are qualified to officiate state playoff games. It will also assist in making sure that three umpires will be at every playoff game instead of, like in the past few years, there have only been two.
The move caused the regular season to go a week longer, but that will make room to play any makeup games with those having zero effect on the Elite Eight and beyond.
So, No. 1 Alcovy will host No. 4 Riverwood, who the Lady Tigers will play in the first round, and No. 2 Effingham County that will face No. 3 Thomas County Central.
The Lady Tigers’ schedule will be as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 18
Game 1: Thomas Co., Central vs. Effingham County at 3:30 p.m.
Game 2: Alcovy vs. Riverwood at 5:30 p.m.
Game 3: Loser of game one vs. loser of game two at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
Game 4: Winner of game one vs. winner of game two at 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner of game three vs. loser of game four at 5:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of game four vs. winner of game five at 7:30 p.m.
Game 7: (If necessary) at 9:30 p.m.
Social Circle, being the No. 2 seed, will travel to No. 1 Elbert County High School and face No. 3 Whitfield Academy. The fourth seed has yet to be determined in the Lady Redskins’ quadrant.
The Lady Redskins’ schedule will be as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 18
Game 1: Elbert County vs. Chattooga at 1 p.m.
Game 2: Social Circle vs. Whitfield Academy at 3 p.m..
Game 3: Winner of game one vs. winner of game two at 5 p.m.
Game 4: Loser of game one vs. loser of game two at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
Game 5: Winner of game four vs. loser of game three at 1 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of game three vs. winner of game five at 3 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary) at 5 p.m.
With the Eastside Lady Eagles’ 8-0 loss to Loganville on Friday, they’ll enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed. Their quadrant of the tournament features No. 1 Cartersville, No. 2 Kell High School and No. 3 Lithia Springs High School.
The Lady Eagles' schedule will be as follows
Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 1: Kell vs. Lithia Springs at Noon
Game 2: Cartersville vs. Eastside at 2 p.m.
Game 3: Loser of game one vs. loser of game two at 4 p.m.
Game 4: Winner of game one vs. winner of game two at 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21
Game 5: Winner of game three vs. loser of game four at Noon
Game 6: Winner of game four vs. winner of game five at 2 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary) at 4 p.m.
