Gwinnett Daily Post

Two Region 7-AAAAA foes have put their rivalry aside in recent years to create one of the best high school fastpitch softball tournaments in the state.

The Home America Mortgage Softball Invitational will be co-hosted this week by Mill Creek and North Gwinnett, although those schools won't be alone in pulling this event off. Collins Hill, Duluth, Peachtree Ridge and South Forsyth also are host sites for the four-day tournament, which begins Wednesday.

"It's getting more and more competitive every year and this year I think it will be the toughest in the state," Mill Creek coach Kelly Murdock said of the three-year-old tourney. "We've invited over 150 college coaches to attend and we hope to have a big turnout. It's going to be a fun four days."

The top-notch field features seven of the top eight Class AAAAA teams in the Gasports.com Preseason Coaches Poll. Top-ranked Woodstock leads the field, along with No. 2 Collins Hill, No. 3 Mill Creek and No. 4 Kennesaw Mountain. No. 6 Peachtree Ridge, No. 7 Grayson and No. 8 North Gwinnett also are in the mix.

The tourney also features a pair of top AAA teams, third-ranked South Effingham and No. 7 Hardaway.

SideBar: Softball

What: Home America

Mortgage Softball Invitational

Hosts: Mill Creek, North Gwinnett

When: Wednesday to Saturday

Schedule:

Wednesday

At North Gwinnett

5 p.m. - Dacula vs. North Gwinnett

At Mill Creek

5 p.m. - Mill Creek vs. Jackson County

At Collins Hill

5 p.m. - Collins Hill vs. Roswell

At Peachtree Ridge

5 p.m. - Grayson vs. Milton

7 p.m. - Peachtree Ridge vs. Milton

At Duluth

5 p.m. - Norcross vs. Campbell

7 p.m. - Duluth vs. Campbell

at South Forsyth

5 p.m. - Central Gwinnett vs. Harrison

7 p.m. - Harrison vs. South Forsyth

Thursday

At North Gwinnett

5 p.m. - Dacula vs. Woodstock

7 p.m. - North Gwinnett vs. Woodstock

At Mill Creek

5 p.m. - Brookwood vs. Jackson County

7 p.m. - Brookwood vs. Mill Creek

At Collins Hill

7 p.m. - Collins Hill vs. Kennesaw Mountain

Friday

At North Gwinnett

5 p.m. - Dacula vs. Houston County

6:30 p.m. - Houston County vs. Woodstock

8 p.m. - North Gwinnett vs. Houston County

At Mill Creek

5 p.m. - Brookwood vs. Hardaway

6:30 p.m. - Hardaway vs. Jackson County

8 p.m. - Mill Creek vs. Hardaway

At Collins Hill

4 p.m. - Collins Hill vs. Tift County

5:30 p.m. - Tift County vs. Roswell

7 p.m. - Roswell vs. Kennesaw Mountain

8:30 p.m. - Tift County vs. Kennesaw Mountain

At Peachtree Ridge

4 p.m. - Grayson vs. Peachtree Ridge

5:30 p.m. - Grayson vs. Lowndes

7 p.m. - Lowndes vs. Milton

8:30 p.m. - Peachtree Ridge vs. Lowndes

At Duluth

4 p.m. - Norcross vs. Duluth

5:30 p.m. - Norcross vs. South Effingham

7 p.m. - Campbell vs. South Effingham

8:30 p.m. - Duluth vs. South Effingham

At South Forsyth

4 p.m. - Central Gwinnett vs. South Forsyth

5:30 p.m. - Central Gwinnett vs. Warner Robins

7 p.m. - Harrison vs. Warner Robins

8:30 p.m. - South Forsyth vs. Warner Robins