The N.C. High School Athletic Association on Wednesday released its pairings for this year’s baseball and softball state playoffs, and three of the eight area team who qualified will host a first round game.
Baseball teams from Ayden-Grifton and Greene Central and the softball team at South Lenoir will each host their opening games at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Four of the area’s six public high schools are represented in this year’s postseason with baseball and softball teams making it from each. Only Kinston and North Lenoir did not have a team qualify for the playoffs.
Four games — three softball and one baseball — will be played today while the remaining three baseball games and one softball game will be played on Friday.
Parrott Academy’s two-time defending state champion softball team earned an at-large bid in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 3A playoffs as a 7-seed and will host No. 10 Cary Academy at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Its baseball team did not earn bid.
BASEBALL
DIXON (14-9) at AYDEN-GRIFTON (17-6): The Chargers will host the Bulldogs at 7 p.m. on Friday in longtime coach Chris Ross’s final playoff run. Ayden-Grifton finished second in the Carolina 1A Conference while Dixon finished third in the Coastal Plains 1A. The winner will face either East Carteret (11-6) or Goldsboro Rosewood (7-15) in the second round next week.
JONES SENIOR (6-11) at NORTH DUPLIN (15-6): The Trojans limp into the playoffs having lost five of their last six games and will travel to North Duplin for a 6 p.m. game today. Jones Senior finished fourth in the Coastal Plains 1A Conference while the Rebels won the Carolina 1A outright. The winner gets either West Columbus (9-15) or Pender (8-13) in the next round.
WENDELL CORINTH HOLDERS (16-6) at GREENE CENTRAL (13-8): The Rams, co-champions of the Eastern Plains 2A Conference, will host the Pirates at 7 p.m. on Friday. Greene Central closed out conference play with seven straight wins to share the crown with North Pitt, but lost a special playoff game to determine which team earned the league’s top playoff seed. Corinth Holders is the 3-seed out of the Northern Carolina 2A. The winner will face either Pittsboro Northwood (19-5) or Louisburg (11-7) in the second round.
SOUTH LENOIR (11-9) at NORTH BRUNSWICK (12-10): The Blue Devils must hit the road on Friday and travel to Leland for a 6 p.m. game. South Lenoir finished fourth in the East Central 2A Conference while the Scorpions were the No. 2 2A team out of the Waccamaw 2A/3A Conference. The winner advances to face either Providence Grove (15-9) or Farmville Central (12-12).
SOFTBALL
AYDEN-GRIFTON (13-8) at PENDER (10-9): The Chargers travel to Pender today for a 7 p.m. game. Ayden-Grifton finished conference play in third place while the Patriots earned the 2-seed in the Tri-County 1A Conference. The winner will face either East Columbus (16-3) or Dunn Midway (8-10) in the next round.
JONES SENIOR (8-9) at CHOCOWINITY SOUTHSIDE (15-3): The Trojans earned one of two 1A East wildcards and will take on the Seahawks at 6 p.m. today. Jones Senior finished the year in fifth in the Coastal Plains 1A while Southside won the Four Rivers 1A Conference regular season title. The winner will face either Columbia (9-7) or Camden (11-6) in the second round.
GREENE CENTRAL (8-8) at NORTH JOHNSTON (21-0): The Rams, who finished fourth in the Eastern Plains 2A Conference, will face the undefeated Panthers at 7 p.m. today. On Wednesday North Johnston was ranked ninth in the nation by Maxpreps.com. In its rankings it said the Panthers have outscored their opponents 251-6 this season and have won their last 15 by shutouts. The winner gets Bertie (11-8) or Pittsboro Northwood (14-6) in the next round.
NORTH BRUNSWICK (11-9) at SOUTH LENOIR (18-3): The Blue Devils will host the Scorpions in a 7 p.m. game on Friday. South Lenoir finished East Central 2A Conference play in second place outright while North Brunswick earned the 3-seed out of the Waccamaw 2A/3A Conference. The winner gets Fairmont (8-9) or Providence Grove (15-8) in the second round.
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.
NCHSAA baseball/softball playoffs
First round pairings and times for area teams:
Baseball
1A: Dixon (14-9) at Ayden-Grifton (17-6), Friday, 7 p.m.
1A: Jones Senior (6-11) at N. Duplin (15-6), today, 6 p.m.
2A: Wendell Corinth Holders (16-6) at Greene Central (13-8), Friday, 7 p.m.
2A: S. Lenoir (11-9) at N. Brunswick (12-10), Friday, 6 p.m.
Softball
1A: Ayden-Grifton (13-8) at Pender (10-9), today, 7 p.m.
1A: Jones Senior (8-9) at Chocowinity Southside (15-3), today, 6 p.m.
2A: Greene Central (8-8) at N. Johnston (21-0), today, 7 p.m.
2A: N. Brunswick (11-9) at S. Lenoir (18-3), Friday, 7 p.m.