FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — The North Alabama Regional Softball Tournament is underway in Florence as softball teams from the area are fighting for a spot in the state tournament.

Regional games officially began at 11:00 a.m. at the Florence Sportsplex on Tuesday, May 9. The tournament features teams from 1A-7A divisions. There are 52 teams competing from schools in 11 different counties.

Florence Parks and Recreations Athletics Director Randy Burns told News 19 that they expect to sell over 10,000 total tickets throughout the week.

“The High School Athletics Association has sold more tickets at this site than any of the other four sites, three years in a row,” Burns said. “The economic impact from this tournament is tremendous so, you know, we’re blessed to have it.”

Many of those tickets are sold to people like Lindsay Ables, whose daughter is on the Red Bay High School Softball Team.

“To me, it’s like one of the best times of the year,” Ables said. “It’s like, you’ve got all the teams here, and it’s like you see the hard work that’s paid off.”

The four-day tournament will conclude on Friday, May 12. You can find the full bracket of regional games on the AHSAA website.

Those teams who advance will head to Choccolocco Park in Oxford for the State Tournament, which starts May 16.