ANDERSON — Fate did no favors for four area teams Thursday as the IHSAA announced the pairings for the girls state softball tournament.

Four teams, Anderson, Lapel, Liberty Christian and Madison-Grant drew ranked teams in the very first round. Sectional play opens on May 19 and runs through May 24.

Anderson, playing at the Class 4A Pendleton Heights Sectional, drew the No. 9-ranked Arabians in that sectional’s opening game. Highland also plays in that sectional but will wait until the fourth game to take on New Castle.

Lapel, hosting a 2A sectional, drew No. 13 Frankton in the second game. Two other Madison County teams are in that sectional. Elwood opens play against Wapahani. Alexandria waits until Game 4 to tangle with Winchester.

Madison-Grant is ranked No. 9 in 2A, but the Argylls open by playing No. 2 Eastern on that school’s home field. That game will be the first game in the Eastern Sectional.

In Class A, Liberty Christian will be playing in the Wes-Del Sectional. In that four-team affair, the Lions face the No. 13 host Warriors in the second game.

Shenandoah must make the long trek to Union County for 2A sectional play. The Raiders avoided drawing the No. 10-ranked hosts and will play in Game 4 there against Knightstown.

Daleville is the lone area school playing in a sectional without a ranked team. The Broncos visit Monroe Central and will play Cowan in the second game there.

Regional play will be held May 31. The Pendleton Heights champ will go to (West Lafayette) Harrison. The winners at Lapel and Union County play at Indianapolis Scecina. Eastern will also host a regional in 2A. The Monroe Central champ will be at Clinton Prairie and will play the champion from Wes-Del in the opening round.

The state finals will be held June 6 and 7.