Regional Rundown: Baseball, softball, track and field regional tournaments get underway
As the final chapter of the 2023-24 preps season is nearly complete, we are entering the survive and advance part of the story for Big Bend area programs.
The baseball and softball regional tournaments get underway this week and track and field athletes prepare for state qualification with the regional meets taking place.
With the end of the preps season rapidly approaching, here is what you need to follow ahead of a packed week of regionals.
Baseball regional quarterfinals, semifinals set to take place
The regional baseball tournament gets underway on Tuesday evening and six Big Bend area baseball programs are in action.
After Chiles, Lincoln, Madison County and North Florida Christian all won district titles and gained automatic qualification, both Wakulla and St. John Paul II joined the four programs in making the regional tournament.
The first set of games to take place this week are set for Tuesday, May 7, with Madison County, Chiles and Lincoln playing. The Cowboys will be playing the 1A Region 3 semifinals, facing Lafayette, while the Timberwolves (6A) and Trojans (5A) are playing quarterfinal games in each school's respective classification.
Chiles will host Tocoi Creek, while Lincoln will host Orange Park. The final quarterfinal games comes on Wednesday, May 8, as NFC and JPII square off in the 2A Region 1 bracket, a rematch of the district championship game from last week, and Wakulla hits the road to face Suwannee.
If the programs advance, the next round of games will take place on Friday, May 10 for teams like Chiles and Lincoln, with Madison County, JPII and NFC slated for action on Saturday, May 11.
Big Bend softball teams compete in regional quarterfinals, semifinals
The action on the diamond continues with five area softball programs looking to book spots in the next rounds of the regional tournament this week.
With the softball games starting a day later than baseball, the action gets started on Wednesday evening, with NFC, JPII and Wakulla all in quarterfinal action.
The Eagles and Panthers face off again, just under a week removed from the district championship game that JPII won 4-3, the program's first district title. The rematch will take place on Wednesday, May 8.
Wakulla received the top seed in Class 4A Region 1, and will host all the team's games until the state final four, starting with Menendez on Wednesday evening.
Both Madison County and Aucilla Christian play on the road in semifinal games on Thursday, May 9, with the Warriors facing Branford and the Cowgirls facing Fort White.
If NFC, JPII or Wakulla advance, the remaining semifinal games will be played on Tuesday, May 14.
Track and field regionals take place as state nears
The race to state is heating up for Big Bend track and field athletes as regional tournaments are run this week.
Area programs will travel to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville for the regional meets, with 1A and 2A running on Tuesday, May 7, and 3A and 4A taking place on Wednesday, May 8.
Competing at the home of the state championships, which begin Wednesday, May 15 and run until Saturday, May 18, local athletes who qualify will get a look at what the UNF track conditions will be like for the final meet of the year.
This weeks schedule
Tuesday
Baseball: Madison County @ Lafayette 7 p.m.; Lincoln vs. Orange Park 6 p.m.; Chiles vs. Tocoi Creek 7 p.m.
Track and Field: Class 1A and Class 2A regional meet @ UNF ALL DAY
Wednesday
Baseball: NFC vs. JPII 4 p.m.; Wakulla @ Suwannee 7 p.m.
Softball: NFC vs. JPII 4:30 p.m.; Wakulla vs. Menendez 7 p.m.
Track and field: Class 3A and 4A regional meet @ UNF ALL DAY
Thursday
Softball: Aucilla Christian @ Branford 7 p.m.; Madison County @ Fort White 7 p.m.
Friday
Potential regional baseball semifinals
Saturday
Potential regional baseball semifinals
Beach Volleyball: FHSAA State Championships at FSU
Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee area high school spring sports playoffs get underway
