The 12 top softball teams in the highest classification gather at the Bryant Lady Hornets home field on the Bryant High School campus Thursday for the 2016 Class 7A State Tournament.
Four games, including the opener for the Lady Hornets, will be played starting at 10 a.m., when Fort Smith Southside takes on Little Rock Central. Defending State champion North Little Rock plays Fayetteville at 12:30 p.m., followed at 3 by a contest between Rogers and Conway. Bryant takes on Springdale Har-Ber at 5:30 to cap the first day.
The top seeded teams earned byes into Friday’s second round games. The number one seeds are Van Buren, Cabot (last year’s runner-up) and Bentonville. Rogers Heritage, the second seed from the West, also received a bye.
Van Buren earned the top seed from the Central Conference narrowly over Bryant. After the Lady Hornets defeated the Pointerettes in their first conference match-up, 4-2, Van Buren won the second meeting 9-1 to earn the top seed.
Har-Ber is the sixth-seeded team from the tough West Conference. Bryant will be trying to get to the second round and a chance to avenge a 9-4 loss at Bentonville on April 9.
The Lady Hornets, 18-11 overall, were 4-4 against teams in the State tourney field.
Here are the brackets:
2016 CENTENNIAL BANK STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Class 7A at Bryant
Thursday, May 12
Game 2 — Fort Smith Southside (West 3) vs. Little Rock Central (East 3), 10 a.m.
Game 4 — North Little Rock (East 2) vs. Fayetteville (West 5), 12:30 p.m.
Game 6 — Rogers (West 4) vs. Conway (Central 3), 3 p.m.
Game 8 — Bryant (Central 2) vs. Springdale Har-Ber (West 6), 5:30 p.m.
Friday, May 13
Game 9 — Van Buren (Central 1) vs. game 2 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 10 — Rogers Heritage (West 2) vs. game 4 winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 11 — Cabot (East 1) vs. game 6 winner, 3 p.m.
Game 12 — Bentonville (West 1) vs. Game 8 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14
Game 13 — Game 9 winner vs. game 10 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 14 — Game 11 winner vs. game 12 winner, 2:30 p.m.
Championship game
Friday, May 20
At Bogle Park, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Game 15 — Game 13 winner vs. game 14 winner, 12:30 p.m.
