By the Salina Journal
The Salina South and Salina Central softball teams will open postseason play against one another Tuesday in a Class 5A regional semifinal at the South High diamonds.
It will mark the first time the two Salina schools have met in a regional softball tournament since 2004, and only the second time in the last nine years.
At 17-3, South is the top seed in its four-team regional, while Central (0-19) comes in as the bottom seed. Game time will be 3:30 p.m.
The other regional semifinal between McPherson (10-10) and Hutchinson (8-12) will also be played at 3:30 at South High. The two semifinal winners will meet at 5 p.m. for the regional championship.
South is a combined 6-0 this season against Central, McPherson and Hutchinson, with two wins against each opponent.
All 5A regional winners advance to the state tournament starting Friday, May 23 at Wichita's Two Rivers Youth Complex.
Baseball
Both the South and Central baseball teams will be on the road this week for their respective 5A regionals, with Central competing at Great Bend and South playing at Hays.
Central (10-10) will take on Newton (9-11) in a 4:30 p.m. semifinal Tuesday. The winner moves on to the regional championship game at 7 p.m., where it will face the winner of Tuesday's early contest between Great Bend (17-3) and Topeka West (5-15).
South (6-14) will meet McPherson (15-5) in its regional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. The winner of that game advances to the 7 p.m. regional championship game and will face either Hays (16-4) or Emporia (5-15), two teams that meet at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
All 5A regional champions advance to the state tournament starting Friday, May 23 at Wichita's Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
Soccer
The Central girls soccer team will get to play one postseason match at home when the Mustangs face Newton in a Class 5-1A regional quarterfinal.
Central (7-8-1) and Newton (6-10-0) will play at 5 p.m. Monday at Salina Stadium, with the winner advancing to the regional semifinals at Topeka Seaman on Tuesday.
Central defeated Newton 1-0 when the two teams met during the regular season in the final week of April.
South (3-11-2) opens with a regional quarterfinal Monday at Emporia (9-6-1). The Cougars and Spartans will play at 6 p.m., with the winner moving on to face McPherson in the regional semifinals Tuesday at McPherson.
All regional champions advance to the state quarterfinals on Tuesday, May 20 at sites to be determined.
©Salina Journal