Sports: And Then There Was One

PORTSMOUTH – Thanks to a first round upset, Narragansett softball is the lone team sport still in the playoffs, although they are one loss away from elimination.

The Mariners (10-9, 8-8 Division II-South) play at Portsmouth (13-7, 11-5 Division II-South) 4 p.m. Wednesday. The winner plays on in the Division II playoffs, while the loser goes home.

Narragansett is there thanks to an upset of fourth-seeded Ponaganset in the play-in round. Classical, the 12^th seed, also got into the playoffs thanks to an upset of Tiverton.

The Mariners were sent to the losers’ bracket . However, Narragansett avoided elimination with , setting up its match-up with seventh-seeded Portsmouth.

The Patriots won a play-in game against 10th-seeded North Smithfield, and beat North Providence 3-2. A 10-0 loss against Middletown on Monday sent them to the losers’ bracket.

The two teams were originally scheduled to play today at 4 p.m., along with the other losers’ bracket game, Prout vs. Classical. However, Prout’s graduation ceremony is tonight, and both games were pushed back a day by the RIIL to accommodate.

Portsmouth and Narragansett split the season series between the two teams, with both games decided in a lopsided fashion.

According to box scores from The Providence Journal, Portsmouth won 9-1 on April 19, and Narragansett won 8-0 on May 11. Mariner Hannah Lindsley and Patriot Kelly Beck pitched complete games in both, and will most likely be the starting pitchers on Wednesday.

The winner of the game is scheduled to play the winner of Classical and Prout at Rhode Island College 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Including Wednesday’s game, Narragansett or Portsmouth would need to win five straight to claim the Division II softball state title. For a full bracket from the RIIL, click here.

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