Two months. That’s how long the softball season is from game one to championship Saturday on June 11 at Plymouth State.
This year’s tournament has no shortage of area teams, with 10 schools representing the Concord region. Four teams, including Concord, earned first-round byes because of their efforts during the regular season. For the teams that will play in Wednesday’s opening round, it’s sure to provide memorable games.
A look at this year’s tournament field:
The Crimson Tide eyed a perfect season but were on the wrong end of a walk-off win by Exeter in their regular-season finale. The Blue Hawks’ win over Concord gave them the No. 1 seed; still, even as the second seed, it earned a first-round bye.
Concord will play the winner of No. 7 Goffstown vs. No. 10 Windham on Saturday at Memorial Field. The Tide beat the Grizzlies, 8-0, on May 21 and the Jaguars, 15-1, on April 11.
In the span of a year, the Bears went from first-round tournament exit to locking up the No. 1 seed and the best record in Division II. Their only loss was in a continuation game at John Stark that was suspended by rain in the top of the fifth inning.
Before that continued game, Coe-Brown rattled off 13 consecutive wins, including a 5-1 final over No. 2 Merrimack Valley on May 6 and a 3-2 score over No. 4 Stevens on April 29.
The Bears will host the winner of No. 8 Oyster River vs. No. 9 Bow on Saturday. It defeated the Bobcats twice by a combined, 22-5, and also got a 9-5 victory against Bow on May 13.
Merrimack Valley made a nice run in last season’s tournament, where it ultimately came to an end in a 4-2 loss against Oyster River in the semifinals.
The Pride’s only defeats this season were a 5-1 road loss to No. 1 Coe-Brown and a 9-5 final against No. 5 Kingswood. They, too, have earned a first-round bye and won’t play their first game until Saturday.
Either No. 7 ConVal or No. 10 Sanborn will make the trip to Penacook. MV and ConVal did not play each other in the regular season, but MV saw Sanborn in the season finale and won, 11-3.
The Generals were one game short of playing for a championship last season and exited the tournament with a 6-0 loss to Milford in the semifinals. Now, they enter the tournament field once again as a high seed and with something to prove as they try to make it to the June 11 championship game.
John Stark has a first-round bye and will play the winner of No. 6 Hollis-Brookline vs. No. 11 Pembroke. John Stark played both teams in the regular season, beating Pembroke, 9-3, on April 22 and Hollis-Brookline, 8-6, on May 27.
After a shaky start to the season, the Falcons put together a solid run and won five of their last seven games to make it into the postseason.
Bow had a first-round exit last season and will look to avoid another quick tournament appearance this season when it plays Oyster River on Wednesday. The Falcons lost to the Bobcats, 13-1, on May 9, but feel optimistic about their chances as confidence grew down the stretch.
Rounding out Division II are the Spartans, who look to snap a five-game skid in the first round of the playoffs.
Pembroke started the season strong and won four of its first six games but struggled down the stretch. It will travel to No. 6 Hollis-Brookline on Wednesday.
In a loaded Division III that features 11 teams with double-digit wins, any program should expect to get anyone’s best shot throughout the tournament – that includes Hopkinton.
The Hawks were runners-up after an 18-6 loss to Campbell in the championship a year ago. They rallied back strong throughout the season this year, one that included wins in nine of their first 10 games. Victories won’t be easily earned in the playoffs, and Hopkinton’s attempt to return to the championship game begins Wednesday when it hosts No. 10 White Mountains.
This will be the first game between the two programs this year.
Belmont, much like Hopkinton, looks to return to the final four in this year’s tournament. The Red Raiders lost, 6-2, against defending state champion Campbell in last season’s semifinal game, but they have returned to the tournament and will travel to No. 5 Newport on Wednesday.
This will be the first game between the two programs this season.
With five wins under their belt, the Cougars were the final team to make the tournament and, as a result, they have the privilege of traveling to No. 1 Prospect Mountain on Wednesday.
This will be Kearsarge’s second game against the Timberwolves, and it looks to avenge the 18-0 loss from April 20.
The only team to represent the capital area in Division IV, the Panthers find themselves back in the playoffs courtesy of a six-game run in the middle of the season that included five wins.
Pittsfield will host No. 9 Sunapee on Wednesday. This will be the third game between the two programs, with the home team winning each game during the regular season.