Who's in? Who's out? NCHSAA baseball, softball playoff picture for Gastonia, Shelby teams

Believe it or not, the final week of the high school baseball and softball regular season has arrived for teams in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties.

With that in mind, it’s time to check out playoff projections as they stand going into the weekend, based on results through Wednesday, May 1.

Here’s how it works.

• In leagues with six or more member schools (i.e. Big South 3A, Western Foothills 3A, Catawba Valley 2A), the top two finishers automatically qualify for the playoffs. One team from Metro 8 1A receives a postseason berth due to having only five member schools. Leagues such as Southern Piedmont 1A/2A and Catawba Shores 1A/2A grant playoff spots to their top 1A and 2A finishers.
• The NCHSAA’s RPI ranking system will be used to fill the 64-team field, with East and West brackets featuring 32 teams apiece. League champions are seeded first, ordered by their respective RPI rankings, with at-large teams following
• There is a caveat for split conferences, however. The highest finishing team in its half of a split conference must finish first, second or third in the league, or have an overall winning percentage .500 or better to receive a top seed. Otherwise, it is seeded as an at-large team.

This page will be updated daily through the end of the week as results shift the playoff picture statewide (NOTE: Updated as of 2:20 p.m., April 30).

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Baseball

3A West

Automatic qualifiers (conference record in parentheses)

• Rocky River 2A/3A: Piedmont (11-12, 8-2)
• Mid-Piedmont 3A: North Davidson (15-6, 9-1); Ledford (15-6, 7-3)
• South Piedmont 3A: East Rowan (25-1, 15-1); Lake Norman Charter (17-6, 11-5)
• Mid-State 3A: Rockingham County (19-5, 13-1); Atkins (17-7, 12-2)
• Queen City 3A/4A: West Mecklenburg (8-13-1, 5-10); in playoffs as an at-large.
• Big South 3A: South Point (14-5, 12-1); Kings Mountain (15-7, 10-3)
• Western Foothills 3A: Foard (17-4, 11-2); North Lincoln (15-7, 9-4)/St. Stephens (13-6, 9-4)
• Northwest 3A/4A: Ashe County (13-9, 6-5)
• The Mountain 3A/4A: AC Reynolds (12-10, 7-4)
• Mountain 7 3A: West Henderson (18-4, 10-1); Tuscola (16-5, 10-2)

First-round matchups (as of May 2)

32 West Meck at 1 East Rowan

17 North Henderson at 16 North Gaston

25 Pisgah at 8 Ashe County

24 Carson at 9 Piedmont

28 Hibriten at 5 AC Reynolds

21 Enka at 12 Lake Norman Charter

20 St. Stephens at 13 East Lincoln

29 Crest at 4 South Point

30 Northwest Cabarrus at 3 North Davidson

19 Oak Grove at 14 Kings Mountain

27 Erwin at 6 Foard

22 Stuart Cramer at 11 Ledford

26 Central Davidson at 7 Rockingham County

23 Atkins at 10 Tuscola

18 West Rowan at 15 North Lincoln

31 South Rowan at 2 West Henderson

Automatic qualifiers (conference record in parentheses)

• Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A: Randleman (19-4, 12-0)
• Mid-State 2A: Morehead (22-1, 12-0); West Stokes (19-5, 12-2)
• Rocky River 2A/3A: West Stanly (17-5, 10-0)
• Central Carolina 1A/2A: East Davidson (17-5, 12-0)
• Yadkin Valley 1A/2A: North Stanly (21-4, 10-0)
• Foothills 2A: Forbush (22-2, 12-1); North Surry (15-8, 10-3)
• Catawba Shores 1A/2A: Lincoln Charter (16-7, 13-1)
• Southern Piedmont 1A/2A: Burns (24-0, 12-0)
• Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A: East Rutherford (21-1, 11-0); series with RS Central (20-2, 10-1) in season’s final week to determine league’s automatic bid.
• Western Highlands 1A/2A: Madison (9-10, 8-3); currently third in its conference, placing Madison among top seeds. It has two games with Owen remaining, as well as a matchup against Polk County.
• Catawba Valley 2A: Bandys (19-4, 13-1); Maiden (17-6, 10-4)

First-round matchups (as of May 2)

32 East Burke at 1 Morehead

17 West Davidson at 16 McMichael

25 West Lincoln at 8 Lincoln Charter

24 East Gaston at 9 Bandys

28 Providence Grove at 5 North Stanly

21 Wheatmore at 12 R-S Central

20 Pine Lake Prep at 13 West Stokes

29 Brevard at 4 Forbush

30 Surry Central at 3 East Rutherford

19 East Surry at 14 North Surry

27 Mount Pleasant at 6 Randleman

22 Reidsville at 11 Madison

26 Chase at 7 West Stanly

23 Community School of Davidson at 10 East Davidson

18 Maiden at 15 West Wilkes

31 Southwestern Randolph at 2 Burns

1A West

Automatic qualifiers (conference record in parentheses)

• Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A: Uwharrie Charter (19-5, 9-3)
• Northwest Piedmont 1A: Cornerstone Charter (14-5, 10-1); Bishop McGuinness (14-5, 8-2)
• Central Carolina 1A/2A: Thomasville (third place in conference; 11-11 overall, 8-5 conference)
• Yadkin Valley 1A/2A: Union Academy (17-6, 6-4)
• Northwest 1A/2A: Mount Airy (20-1, 12-0)
• Metro 8 1A: Piedmont Community Charter (14-9, 5-1)
• Catawba Shores 1A/2A: Christ the King (17-6, 10-4)
• Southern Piedmont 1A/2A: Cherryville (16-8, 9-3)
• Mountain Foothills 1A/2A: Polk County (8-14, 2-10); seeded as an at-large team.
• Western Highlands 1A/2A: Draughn (16-4, 10-1)
• Smoky Mountain 1A: Hayesville (15-2, 12-0); Swain County (12-4, 8-3)

First-round matchups (as of May 2)

32 Murphy at 1 Mount Airy

17 Highland Tech at 16 East Wilkes

25 Leadership Academy at 8 Cornerstone Charter

24 Mountain Heritage at 9 Thomasville

28 Bessemer City at 5 Hayesville

21 Robbinsville at 12 Corvian Community

20 North Stokes at 13 Swain County

29 Hiwassee Dam at 4 Union Academy

30 Bradford Prep at 3 Christ the King

19 Polk County at 14 Bishop McGuinness

27 Mitchell at 6 Draughn

22 South Stokes at 11 Starmount

26 Bethany at 7 Cherryville

23 Mountain Island Charter at 10 Piedmont Community Charter

18 Eastern Randolph at 15 South Stanly

31 Langtree Charter at 2 Uwharrie Charter

Softball

3A West

Automatic qualifiers (conference record in parentheses)

• Rocky River 2A/3A: Piedmont (18-2, 11-1)
• Mid-Piedmont 3A: Oak Grove (21-1, 9-1); North Davidson (16-6, 8-2)
• South Piedmont 3A: East Rowan (18-3, 15-1); Central Cabarrus (17-6, 14-2)
• Mid-State 3A: Rockingham County (16-5, 12-0); Eastern Guilford (16-6, 10-2)
• Queen City 3A/4A: West Charlotte (8-10, 6-8); to be seeded as an at-large.
• Big South 3A: Kings Mountain (17-0, 13-0); Crest (15-3, 12-1)
• Western Foothills 3A: Foard (11-4, 11-2)/North Iredell (13-5, 11-2); Foard is at St. Stephens for its regular season finale, while North Iredell hosts North Lincoln.
• Northwest 3A/4A: Ashe County (12-8, 5-6)
• The Mountain 3A/4A: North Buncombe (11-6, 8-3)/Enka (14-5, 8-3); North Buncombe has tiebreaker by virtue of season sweep. North Bumcombe hosts Erwin on Thursday, while Enka is at Asheville.
• Mountain 7 3A: West Henderson (17-2, 10-1); Franklin (14-3, 9-3)

First-round matchups (as of May 2)

32 West Charlotte at 1 Oak Grove

17 Pisgah at 16 Central Cabarrus

25 Northwest Cabarrus at 8 North Buncombe

24 East Lincoln at 9 Ashe County

28 AC Reynolds at 5 West Henderson

21 Forestview at 12 Crest

20 Eastern Guilford at 13 Franklin

29 South Rowan at 4 Piedmont

30 Southern Guilford at 3 East Rowan

19 North Iredell at 14 West Rowan

27 Stuart Cramer at 6 Rockingham County

22 Montgomery Central at 11 Ledford

26 Central Davidson at 7 Foard

23 Parkwood at 10 North Davidson

18 North Lincoln at 15 Enka

31 CATA at 2 Kings Mountain

2A West

Automatic qualifiers (conference record in parentheses)

• Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A: Southwestern Randolph (14-6, 10-2)
• Mid-State 2A: West Stokes (16-4, 12-1), McMichael (20-5, 11-2); conference tournament will determine league champion.
• Rocky River 2A/3A: West Stanly (16-9, 10-2)
• Central Carolina 1A/2A: West Davidson (14-7, 11-1)
• Yadkin Valley 1A/2A: North Stanly (16-3-1, 8-0)
• Foothills 2A: West Wilkes (17-0, 12-0); Forbush (17-8, 10-2)
• Catawba Shores 1A/2A: Lincoln Charter (15-5, 12-0)
• Southern Piedmont 1A/2A: East Gaston (11-8, 7-3)
• Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A: Brevard (13-5, 9-2); league champion could be determined during final week of season. Brevard has Patton in its season finale, while East Rutherford (12-7, 8-3) and R-S Central (12-6, 8-3) meet Friday
• Western Highlands 1A/2A: Owen (17-2, 10-1)
• Catawba Valley 2A: Maiden (14-3, 13-1), Bunker Hill (18-2, 13-1); Maiden advanced further in CVAC tournament to earn the league’s top seed. Bunker HIll claims other automatic berth if West Lincoln fails to win the tournament.

First-round matchups (as of May 2)

32 East Surry at 1 West Wilkes

17 West Lincoln at 16 Forbush

25 Providence Grove at 8 West Stanly

24 Madison at 9 Lincoln Charter

28 Pine Lake Prep at 5 Owen

21 Morehead at 12 Bunker Hill

20 R-S Central at 13 McMichael

29 Walkertown at 4 Southwestern Randolph

30 Wheatmore at 3 Maiden

19 Randleman at 14 Bandys

27 Burns at 6 West Stokes

22 Chase at 11 East Gaston

26 Providence Grove at 7 Brevard

23 West Caldwell at 10 West Davidson

18 East Rutherford at 15 Mount Pleasant

31 East Burke at 2 North Stanly

1A West

Automatic qualifiers (conference record in parentheses)

• Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A: Uwharrie Charter (17-2-1, 11-1)
• Northwest Piedmont 1A: Bethany (16-5-1, 8-0); Cornerstone Charter (11-7, 6-2)
• Central Carolina 1A/2A: South Davidson (9-8, 6-6); fourth place in conference, finished with a winning record to receive a  top seed.
• Yadkin Valley 1A/2A: South Stanly (11-5, 4-4)
• Northwest 1A/2A: East Wilkes (20-3, 12-0)
• Metro 8 1A: Queen’s Grant (17-3, 4-0)
• Catawba Shores 1A/2A: Mountain Island Charter (10-6, 10-2)
• Southern Piedmont 1A/2A: Cherryville (19-2, 10-0)
• Mountain Foothills 1A/2A: Polk County (8-10, 2-9); will be seeded as an at-large team.
• Western Highlands 1A/2A: Draughn (16-6, 9-1)
• Smoky Mountain 1A: Robbinsville (19-2, 11-0), Murphy (12-4, 9-2)

First-round matchups (as of May 2)

32 Corvian Community at 1 Uwharrie Charter

17 South Stokes at 16 Swain County

25 Rosman at 8 Mountain Island Charter

24 Polk County at 9 Queen’s Grant

28 Leadership Academy at 5 Robbinsville

21 Mountain Heritage at 12 Eastern Randolph

20 Hiwassee Dam at 13 Murphy

29 Piedmont Community Charter at 4 Cherryville

30 Bessemer City at 3 South Stanly

19 Gray Stone Day at 14 Elkin

27 Bradford Prep at 6 Bethany

22 Cherokee at 11 Union Academy

26 Langtree Charter at 7 Draughn

23 North Stokes at 10 South Davidson

18 Cornerstone Charter at 15 Starmount

31 Andrews at 2 East Wilkes

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Who's in? Who's out? NCHSAA baseball, softball playoff picture for Gastonia, Shelby teams