Softball / Playoff scouting, Northwest

The path to East Peoria for the 2014 IHSA state softball tourney begins today for six area teams who are competing in play-in games for Class 4A regionals.

Regional semifinals take place on Tuesday and Wednesday with most championships on Saturday.

One exception is the Cary-Grove regional where the title game is scheduled for Friday.

Here is a quick look at regionals concerning area teams.

At Hoffman Estates: The winner of Monday's play-in game between No. 17-seeded Glenbard North and No. 15 Lake Park meets No. 2 Conant (23-5) on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

The Mid-Suburban League champion Cougars swept the Lancers 9-1 and 12-2 early in the season.

On Wednesday, No. 7 Schaumburg (25-8) takes on No. 10 Hoffman Estates (15-14). The Saxons defeated the Hawks 2-0 and 9-2 in the MSL West this season.,

Saturday's title game is slated for 11 a.m.

At Rolling Meadows: The host Mustangs (7-25), seeded No. 10, travel to No. 16 Wheaton North on Monday for a 10 a.m. play-in game.

The winner plays at Rolling Meadows in Tuesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal against top-seeded Glenbard North.

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, No. 8 Fremd (21-9) takes on No. 9 Willowbook in the second semifinal.

The championship is Saturday at 11 a.m.

At St. Charles East: No. 6 Elk Grove, enjoying a 28-7 season in coach Ken Grams 34th season, will open in Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal against No. 11 Elgin.

The Grens blanked Elgin 10-0 earlier this season in five innings on the Maroons' diamond.

No. 3 St. Charles East plays in Tuesday's semifinal and the title match is set for Saturday at 11 a.m.

At Buffalo Grove: Two-time defending Mid-Suburban East champion Buffalo Grove (19-9) is the No. 6 seed and faces No. 11 Deerfield in its own regional semifinal on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, No. 3 seeded Lake Zurich plays the winner of Monday's play-in between No. 19 Lake Forest and No. 15 Glenbrook South.

The title game is Saturday at 11 a.m.

At Cary-Grove: The Fillies (23-11), who were second in the MSL West, are ranked the No. 1 seed among the five teams in this regional which feeds in the Jacobs sectional.

In Tuesday's semifinal, Barrington meets the winner of Monday's game between No. 5 Crystal Lake Central and No. 4 Jacobs.

Jacobs defeated Barrington 7-5 in nine innings early in the season.

Wednesday's semifinal matches No. 2 Cary-Grove and No. 3 Crystal Lake South with the championship set for Friday at 4:30 p.m.

At New Trier: The play-in game on Monday features MSL representatives Palatine (No. 16) and Prospect (No. 17) on the Pirates' field at 11 a.m.

Palatine (9-24) defeated Prospect (7-21) during the regular season 8-5.

The winner heads to New Trier on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. to face the top-seeded Trevians (27-4-1) in the semifinal.

No. 8 Stevenson and No. 9 Zion-Benton meet on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. with the final set for Saturday at 11 a.m.

At Carmel: It's another play-in game featuring MSL teams, this time both from the MSL East.

No. 18 Wheeling (6-26) will play at No. 14 Hersey (9-21-1) at 11 a.m. on Monday with the winner advancing to Tuesday's semifinal against No. 2 Libertyville at Carmel.

Wheeling edged Hersey 8-7 in nine innings the first time the two teams met and Hersey won 21-9 in the second meeting in five innings.

No. 7 Carmel and No. 10 North Chicago meet in Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal and the championship is Saturday at 11 a.m.

At Evanston: Maine West, which went 8-2 in the CSL North and 14-13 overall, drew the No. 9 seed and will meet No. 8 Maine South in Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal. In their seventh game of the season, the Warriors edged Maine South 8-7.

Top-seeded York meets the winner of Monday's play-in game between No. 14 Evanston and No. 17 Lake View.

The championship is Saturday at 11 a.m.

At Fenwick: No. 6 Leyden faces No. 11 Taft in Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal.

In Tuesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal, No. 3 Fenwick meets the winner of Monday's play-in game between No. 19 Von Steuben and No. 15 Northside Prep.

The championship is Saturday at 11 a.m.

At St. Viator: The Lions drew the No. 4 seed in the Class 3A Norridge sectional and will host their own regional.

St. Viator (17-14) starts play on Tuesday with a 4:30 p.m. semifinal match against No. 13 Chicago (CICS/Northtown).

Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal matches No. 5 Antioch and No. 12 Amundsen (Chicago) with the title game set for Saturday at 10 a.m.