Eight local high school softball teams, half of which claimed area championships, advanced to the AHSAA regional tournament that started earlier this week.

The two representatives in the lower classifications – Class 1A’s Bayshore Christian and Class 2A’s Orange Beach – will both compete with the same teams they saw in last year’s regional bracket, just with different seeding.

This year, the Eagles from Bayshore Christian went in as the Area 1 runners-up and drew the Area 4 winner Sweet Water Bulldogs.

The Class 2A Area 1 champion – and defending Class 2A state champion – Makos from Orange Beach opened their regional round with a meeting against Area 4 runner-up Washington County Bulldogs.

On the Class 4A stage, the St. Michael Catholic Cardinals kicked off their regional bracket as the area runners-up against the Area 4 champion Jackson Aggies Tuesday.

The Elberta Warriors claimed the Class 5A Area 1 Championship and met with the Charles Henderson Trojans, the Area 4 runners-up, Wednesday.

In Class 6A, the Area 2 champions, Baldwin County Tigers, and runners-up, Robertsdale Golden Bears, started their regional brackets Tuesday morning. Baldwin County drew the Area 3 runner-up Lanier Poets and Robertsdale met with the area champion Park Crossing Thunderbirds.

After Fairhope and Daphne battled for the Class 7A Area 2 championship, the Pirates – who went all the way to the state championship game last year – staked claim to the championship seed and drew the Area 3 runner-up Enterprise Wildcats in the first round of regionals. The Trojans from Daphne opened their regional round against the Prattville Lions, who won Area 3.