WHEELING — The OVAC Tom Bechtel Softball Championships will begin Monday at the I-470 J.B. Chambers Complex. Action will continue through Wednesday with semifinal action on Lisa’s Field (Field 3) and Ben’s Field (Field 4). The championship finals are set for Friday and Saturday.

There are five defending champions in the 20-team playoff field. They are Morgantown (5A); Weir (4A); Wheeling Central (3A); Frontier (2A) and Conotton Valley (1A). However, Frontier has dropped to Class 1A this year.

Monday

Class 1A

Top-seeded Frontier (17-2) faces No. 4 Trinity Christian (8-4) at 5 p.m. in one semi final while No. 2 Conotton Valley (16-1) meets No. 3 Madonna (16-2) at 7.

Both games are scheduled for Lisa’s Field.

Class 2A

Caldwell (12-3) earned the top seed and will play No. 4 River (10-10) at 5 p.m. The other semifinal has No. 2 Bridgeport (9-5) squaring off with Ohio 7 rival Shadyside (11-9) at 7.

Both contests are set for Ben’s Field.

Tuesday

Class 3A

Second-seeded Barnesville (15-5) and No. 3 Wheeling Central (16-6) will meet in one semifinal at 5 p.m. while top-seeded Martins Ferry (17-3) and No. 4 Union Local (14-7) play in the other at 7.

Both games are at Lisa’s Field.

Class 4A

Weir (21-6) claimed the top seed and will face No. 4 Harrison Central (17-7) at 5 p.m. Third-seeded Oak Glen (218) meets No. 2 Beaver Local (15-3) at 7 p.m.

Those games are on Ben’s Field.

WEDNESDAY

Class 5A

Third-seeded Parkersburg South (14-6) faces No. 2 University (17-3) at 5 p.m. and No. 1 Steubenville (17-3) goes against No. 4 Morgantown (15-9) at 7.

Those contests are set for Lisa’s Field.

The championship matchups will determine which divisions play on Friday or Saturday.