Wolverines to travel to Queen’s Grant for 1A softball playoff opener

Polk County earned the 24th seed in the 1A West Regional and will travel Tuesday to Queen’s Grant for the opening round of the state 1A softball playoffs.

The Wolverines (8-11) will make the trip to Matthews to face the ninth-seeded Stallions (17-3) per brackets released Monday by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Queen’s Grant took top honors in the Metro 8 Conference and enters on a four-game winning streak. The Stallions have one of the top offenses in the state, averaging 14.4 runs per game this season.

Queen’s Grant is by junior Alyssa Steele, who is among the state leaders in average (.630) and RBI (46). Senior Triniti Harris is close behind (.597, 45 RBI). The Stallions have a team batting average of .493 this season.

Sophomore Addi Benton has been Queen’s Grant’s primary pitcher, posting a 14-3 record. Benton has struck out 119 batters in 66 2/3 innings and owns a 4.52 earned-run average.

The Stallions did face the easiest schedule of any 1A team in the state, with their opponents averaging a winning percentage of .261.

The winner of Tuesday’s game will advance to face the winner of No. 8 Mountain Island Charter-No. 25 Rosman.