The state playoffs are here. Literally.
Six high school baseball teams and two softball teams embark on the NCHSAA postseason on home soil Tuesday night. Three other softball teams open on the road.
Follow reflector.com/sports for coverage from all the opening-round games.
Brackets were released on Monday, and local teams grabbed a pair of No. 1 seeds and three others landed top-six placements.
The J.H. Rose and Greene Central baseball squads netted the top East Region seeds in their respective 3A and 2A classifications. Both the D.H. Conley baseball and softball teams claimed No. 3 seeds in 4A, while South Central softball entered as the No. 6 seed in 3A.
Following is a rundown of the matchups Tuesday night.
BASEBALL
2A
Greene Central capped a magical 21-0 regular season last week and was paired against No. 32 Goldsboro at home in Snow Hill for Tuesday’s opener.
The Rams were rarely challenged all season and had shutouts in three of their last five games.
Goldsboro (10-11, 7-4) was shut out in its final game of the regular season, 11-0 at North Johnston, but before that the Cougars solidified a playoff berth with four straight wins and six out of eight.
Farmville Central landed the No. 13 seed, good enough to open the postseason at home Tuesday against No. 20 South Columbus.
The Jaguars (13-7) had a streaky season that included two blowout wins over North Pitt last week. Those came on the heels of three consecutive losses, and the Jags won six straight before that.
South Columbus (12-8) was similar, having won four straight then losing four straight to finish the regular season.
Ayden-Grifton, the No. 14 seed, plays host to No. 19 Roanoke Rapids in the first round Tuesday.
The Chargers (15-9) scored two close wins over Washington last week to enter the playoffs on a winning streak.
The Yellowjackets (13-6) limped into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak.
3A
The Rampants were nearly untouchable this spring and were in position for the top seed in the East virtually all season. They host No. 32 seed Fike in the opening round.
Rose (21-2) won three straight after being stung by rival Conley on April 18, and their only other loss came against a 20-win T.C. Roberson team.
Fike (8-14) sought an unlikely upset after losing five of its last six to end the regular season.
South Central was awarded the No. 14 seed and hosts No. 19 Person in its opener.
The Falcons (18-4) roared into the postseason on the strength of six straight wins, including a key victory over Conley.
Person (12-10) opened the season on a five-game winning streak but never won more than two straight the rest of the campaign.
4A
Conley rolled into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed paired at home against No. 30 Cary.
The Vikings (19-3) saw a 10-game winning streak stopped by South Central to end the regular season, a run that included a win over Rose.
Cary (14-11) won just one of its final four games but rode a couple of five-game winning streaks through the regular season.
SOFTBALL
2A
Ayden-Grifton netted the No. 17 seed and face a road game at No. 16 Holmes in Edenton on Tuesday night.
A-G (10-9) won 10 games in a row from late March into mid-April but lost four of their last five.
Holmes (15-9) won five of its last seven, but two of those were forfeits.
Also in 2A, Farmville Central settled for the No. 19 seed and takes on No. 14 Nash Central in Rocky Mount on Tuesday.
The experienced Jags (13-5) won four straight to close the regular season, albeit against struggling North Pitt and Greene Central.
3A
South Central entered as the East’s No. 6 seed, playing host to No. 27 North Brunswick in its opener.
A potent SC (14-5) won seven of its last eight, the only loss coming to Conley.
North Brunswick (7-15) won three of its last four.
J.H. Rose sneaked in at No. 31 and travels to No. 2 Southern Nash for its 3A first-rounder.
The Rampants (8-13) beat Jacksonville to end the regular season after three consecutive lopsided losses.
Southern Nash (20-0) had 13 shutouts this season, including four straight entering the postseason.
4A
D.H. Conley claimed the Big Carolina 3A/4A Conference title and entered the second season as the No. 3 seed, hosting No. 30 Enloe in its opening-round game.
Conley (17-4) won 12 of its last 13 games to finish the regular season.
Enloe (11-7) won four of its last five to secure a playoff berth.
SOCCER
D.H. Conley 7, Garner 0
The Vikings shredded another opponent on Friday night, led by Mallory Richardson's two-goal brace.
Conley (14-3-1, 10-0-1) also got goals from Jahniyah Augustus, Rebekah Ochoa, Haley Angel, Grace Gaskins and Marissa Sutton in the win. Keepers Madison Hopkins and Raegan Dixon combined for Conley's fourth straight shutout and 13th this season.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Hope claims title
The Hope Middle School softball team laid claim to the Pitt County championship on Monday with a 19-1 win over Ayden. The Mustangs also capped an unbeaten season.
Braelyn Johnson pitched a complete game for the Mustangs, while Aurora Edwards, Reagan Stocks, Anna Rose and Johnson had two hits each and Brook Rose, Rayne Knittle and Peyton James had three hits each in the title-clinching win.
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