Local Softball Teams Ready For First Pitch Of State Tournament

As Maryland state lacrosse tournament games get underway Wednesday, local varsity softball teams have to wait an extra day to kick off their 2013 run to the state championship.

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association announced the brackets Tuesday for its 2013 softball tournament, and a number of local schools are in the dance.

4A West Bracket

The 4A division's West region hosts a majority of local teams, with two from the Gaithersburg area going head to head in round one:

• No. 5 Quince Orchard: The Cougars host No. 12 Gaithersburg in the first round of the 4A West bracket, with the winner advancing to the regional quarterfinal against either No. 4 Wootton or No. 13 Magruder.
• Notable: Nearby Northwest High School is the No. 1 seed in the region and earned a first-round bye. It will face the winner of No. 8 Richard Montgomery and No. 9 Churchill.

The full 4A bracket can be viewed here.

3A West Bracket

• No. 12 Watkins Mill: The Wolverines open on the road in the first round against No. 5 Northwood. The winner will advance to the 3A West regional quarterfinal against the winner of No. 4 Hagerstown and No. 13 Einstein.

The full 3A bracket can be viewed here.

Add photos of your local softball team to the gallery and wish the girls from Gaithersburg, Northwest, Quince Orchard and Watkins Mill good luck in the comments!