The first step of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s state softball championship begins with the respective classification’s area tournaments, four of which will be played in Baldwin County.

Gulf Shores (30-8-2) will lead things off on Friday, April 26, as host of the Class 5A Area 1 tournament where the Dolphins are set to open against the B.C. Rain Red Raiders and the Elberta Warriors are scheduled to square off against the LeFlore Rattlers. Gulf Shores enters as back-to-back regular-season area champions with its best record since 2007.

The Orange Beach Makos (34-1) will begin their efforts for a fourth consecutive state championship when the Class 4A Area 1 tournament resumes play with the other classifications on Monday, April 29. MaxPreps’ fourth-ranked team in the nation won their first two state titles on the Class 2A stage in their inaugural varsity seasons before moving up two classes due to enrollment.

Spanish Fort (28-14-1 in Class 6A) and Daphne (36-2 in Class 7A) also clinched regular-season area titles and earned the right to host the postseason tournament. The Toros are hosting their second straight tournament and the Trojans are hosting their first area tournament since 2018.

Bayshore Christian (Class 1A), St. Michael (Class 4A), Baldwin County and Robertsdale (Class 6A) and Fairhope and Foley (Class 7A) will all be hitting the road for the first round of the playoffs.

The Gulf Shores Sportsplex will then host the South Regional tournaments for the top eight teams in all classifications starting Monday, May 6. The top two from the four regional tournaments will advance to the State Championship tournament.

Below are first-round matchups for local softball teams starting the AHSAA playoffs, stay tuned to gulfcoastmedia.com/sports for full coverage of the spring sports postseason.

Class 1A Area 1 hosted by Leroy

Fruitdale at Bayshore Christian – April 29, 9 a.m.

Winner plays Leroy at 11 a.m.

Class 4A Area 1 hosted by Orange Beach

St. Michael at Orange Beach – April 29, noon

Winner draws victor of Mobile Christian at UMS-Wright at 6 p.m.

Class 5A Area 1 hosted by Gulf Shores

LeFlore at Elberta – April 26, noon

B.C. Rain at Gulf Shoes – April 26, noon

Class 6A Area 2 hosted by Spanish Fort

McGill-Toolen at Spanish Fort – April 29, 2:30 p.m.

Baldwin County at Robertsdale – April 29, 4:30 p.m.

Class 7A Area 2 hosted by Daphne

Fairhope at Foley – April 29, 3 p.m.

Winner plays Daphne at 5 p.m.