MAN – The march to Vienna begins tonight for the Man High School girls’ softball team.

Maybe tonight.

The undefeated and No. 1-ranked Lady Billies (15-0) are scheduled to play either Gilbert or Van, tonight at 7:30 p.m. at home. The Lady Lions and Lady Bulldogs are set to play in the 5:30 p.m. opener. The winner of the Gilbert-Van game advances to play on Thursday in the finals, while the loser will be paired up against the Lady Billies.

The double-elimination tourney might not get started tonight, however, because rain is again in the forecast. There is also a Flood Watch today and tonight in the area.

If the games are rained out, the tourney will be moved to Thursday and Friday.

“We’re supposed to start tonight but it doesn’t look too good,” Man coach Randy Epperly said.

Man will also have Senior Night at the sectionals. The seniors being honored are Becky Compton, Mercedes Sharp, Malorie Keffer, Jacyln Dickerson, Kaitlan Chapman and Loren Whited.

Man, of course, is the heavy favorite to win the sectional title.

The Lady Billies are also favored to repeat as state champs.

Man captured the Class A state title last year with a 7-3 victory over Wheeling Central in the finals at Vienna. Wheeling Central is currently ranked No. 2 in the state in Class A behind the Lady Billies.

Man has been nothing short of unstoppable this season as the Lady Billies have recorded 13 shutouts, led by all-state junior pitcher and Division I hopeful Marlena Frye.

The Lady Billies have outscored their opponents by a cumulative score of 124-2.

Only 2A Scott and 3A Logan have scored runs on Man this season.

Man defeated Scott 6-1 on March 31 at Madison. The Lady Billies defeated county rival Logan 4-1 on April 23 at home. Man swept the Lady Cats this season, also winning 2-0 on April 25 at Logan.

Man’s biggest foe so far this season has been Mother Nature as 10 games have been rained out.

It might be 11 after tonight.

“It would have been nice to get in those 10 games,” Epplerly said. “It’s been a strange spring.”

Epperly said his team has been outstanding, especially on defense.

“Our pitching and our defense have been phenomenal,” he said. “I don’t think we have quite hit the ball like we did last year but I think that it will come in the next few days. These girls seem to turn it up a notch when tournament time comes around.”

Epperly said the Lady Billies are ready for the challenge ahead.

“Anytime you come back from winning a state championship you worry about a letdown and if you are good enough to win. For the most part we’ve handled it well,” Epperly said. “We talked to them last night at practice about them moving it up a notch and when we play these teams to go for the jugular and don’t mess around. I think that we’re ready.”

Man will have homefield advantage throughout the post-season. The Lady Billies host the Class A regional semifinals on May 14 and would then host the regional title game on May 21.

In years past, Man had to travel to play at Buffalo in the regional tournament.

“I think that it will help us because we’ve had a lot of community support,” Epperly said of the homefield advantage. “More Man people will be able to attend instead of having to go all the way to Buffalo.”

Epperly said if tonight’s sectionals are rained out and then Thursday’s rescheduled sectional is rained out again, the tourney would then be played on Friday and Monday. This Saturday is Man’s High School Prom.

In other Logan County girls’ sectional tournaments, Chapmanville Regional High School is scheduled to play a doubleheader tonight at Madison against Scott. Game time is set for 5 p.m., weather permitting, as there is rain in the forecast.

It is a two-team, best-of-three series with the Lady Hawks.

A third game would then be played on Thursday, if necessary. If tonight’s game rains out the tourney will most likely be moved to Thursday and Friday.

Chapmanville went 3-0 against defending sectional champion Scott this year, winning 7-0 at the Best of the Best tourney at Buffalo, then taking a 12-2 win at home and a 7-1 victory at Madison.

The Lady Tigers stand at 24-3 heading into post-season play.

In Triple-A, Logan (24-5) is scheduled to play at South Charleston today at 5 p.m., weather permitting, in the first game of the Region 3 Triple-A tourney at SCHS. The winner faces George Washington in the nightcap.

The two losers play on Thursday at 5 p.m. with the winner advancing to play in the finals later that night.