Maize

Seed: No. 1

Record: 20-2

First-round matchup: vs. No. 8 seed Olathe North at 4 p.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Wichita North and Wichita South in regional tournament.

What to watch for: In addition to batting .399 as a team this season, Maize features three pitchers — Gage Byers, Conner Knight and Dillon Kerans — who have combined to go 17-1 this season.

Shawnee Mission Northwest

Seed: No. 2

Record: 19-2

First-round matchup: vs. No. 7 seed Goddard at 11 a.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Shawnee Mission North and Blue Valley Northwest in regional tournament.

What to watch for: Adam Giacalone pitched a complete game in the regional finals last week for the Cougars, while also belting a three-run home run in the team’s opening game.

Manhattan

Seed: No. 3

Record: 19-3

First-round matchup: vs. No. 6 seed Blue Valley at 1:30 p.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Junction City and defending Class 6A state champion Lawrence High in the regional tournament.

What to watch for: The Indians will be looking for a bit of redemption after failing to make the state tournament a season ago.

Free State

Seed: No. 4

Record: 18-4

First-round matchup: vs. No. 5 seed Wichita Northwest at 6:30 p.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Topeka High and Washburn Rural in regional tournament.

What to watch for: Ace Cody Kukuk is 8-0 with a 1.01 earned-run average this season, while also leading the Firebirds with a .386 batting average and eight home runs.

Wichita Northwest

Seed: No. 5

Record: 18-4

First-round matchup: vs. No. 4 seed Free State at 6:30 p.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Garden City and Haysville-Campus in regional tournament.

What to watch for: Like many teams competing in this year’s tournament, Northwest features a deep pitching staff, led by Ethan Chaddick (7-1), Brandon Phillips (5-3) and Jacob Spruill (4-0).

Blue Valley

Seed: No. 6

Record: 17-5

First-round matchup: vs. No. 3 seed Manhattan at 1:30 p.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Shawnee Mission South and Shawnee Mission West in the regional tournament.

What to watch for: As the second-seeded team in last week’s regional tournament, Blue Valley beat its two opponents by a combined total of 16-2.

Goddard

Seed: No. 7

Record: 16-6

First-round matchup: vs. No. 2 seed Shawnee Mission Northwest at 11 a.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Derby and Dodge City in the regional tournament.

What to watch for: Catcher Levi Meyer is batting .414 to lead Goddard, a team that has won 11 of its past 13 games entering this weekend’s state tournament.

Olathe North

Seed: No. 8

Record: 10-12

First-round matchup: vs. No. 1 seed Maize at 4 p.m. today.

How they got there: Beat Blue Valley North and Olathe East in the regional tournament.

What to watch for: Olathe North appears to have gotten hot when it matters — winning its regional despite a No. 10 seed.

— Dugan Arnett