The road to winning a softball state championship will go through Troy this weekend for almost 50 teams from all different classifications and parts of the Alabama.

Starting this Friday, the 2010 AHSAA Softball Super Regional will take place at the Troy Sportsplex and with it a chance for fans and Troy residents alike to enjoy some of the best softball the state has to offer, according to Troy Parks and Recreation director Dan Smith.

“It is a great honor and we are very happy the ASHAA chose Troy,” Smith said Monday night.

The double-elimination tournament will begin Friday morning at 8 a.m. and conclude later that night at around 10 p.m.

Games will pick back up on Saturday morning, again at 8 a.m., however the final championship games should be finished around 9 p.m.

In all, there will be 48 schools present, made up of area winners and runner-up teams from Class 1A all the way through Class 6A, spread across the six fields at the complex.

Two of the schools playing will not have to make too far of a drive to Troy, as both softball teams from Goshen and Zion Chapel will be in action.

Both teams earned its respective tickets to the tournament last Thursday night thanks to its play in the Class 2A Area 5 tournament.

Even if some of the teams may be traveling long distances, they may be familiar with the fields at the Sportsplex thanks the annual Trojan Classic, a 30-team softball tournament that takes place in mid-March.

Smith said a big reason for both the classic and the Super Regional being in Troy is because of Adult Sports Coordinator, Pam Nix.

“Pam has done a tremendous job promoting the Sportsplex all around the state,” he said.

“She has really helped make an opportunity like this possible for Troy.”

While this is the first time Troy has played host to the Super Regional, it is also the first time the recreation department has ever played host to something this large.

“We will be dealing with a lot of people, which is the fun part,” Smith said.

“We have hosted a number of different things throughout the years, but never an event of this magnitude, comprised into two consecutive days 14 hour days, nonstop.

“A lot of places would love to have this event,” he added. “It may be a little hectic, but we are very happy that we will be doing it.