Concord, the No. 2 seed, hosts third-seeded Rowan at 7:15 p.m. today at Webb Field in the opening game of a best-of-five series.

The series winner will be assured a berth in the nine-team state tournament in Lenoir July 28-Aug. 2 — the first state tournament ever held in North Carolina.

Fourth-seeded Mocksville-Davie and ninth-seeded Kannapolis are battling for the other state tourney berth. Their semifinal series opens at 7:15 p.m. today at Mocksville’s Rich Park.

The semifinal winners will meet next week in a best-of-five Area III championship series, but both teams will have already wrapped up state berths.

Rowan(22-9), coached by Jim DeHart, and Concord (22-6), coached by Bryan Tyson, will be meeting in the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight years.

Rowan swept Concord in three games in the 1993 Southern Division of Area III semifinals, then won four games to three in the 1994 finals. Rowan swept Concord in four games in the 1996, 1997 and 1998 finals and triumphed four games to one in the 1999 finals.

Rowan, riding a six-game winning streak, enters the semifinals well rested. DeHart’s club swept King in three games in the quarterfinals, which ended Friday.

Concord, however, had to go five games to edge a tough Watauga club. That series ended Sunday night with Concord holding off Watauga 8-7. Tyson used ace right-handed pitcher Thomas Wilson for a save in the final 1 2/3 innings, one day after pitching a complete game, two-hit shutout in Game 4.

That means Rowan left-hander Daniel Moore (5-1) and Wilson will not be opposing pitchers tonight.

Moore beat Concord 6-1 on June 6, when he pitched a three-hitter and struck out 12 batters.

Wilson fanned 15 Rowan batters onJune 10, when he hurled a three-hitter and won 8-2.

Wilson could come back to face Rowan right-hander Brian Hatley (7-0) in Game 2 on Wednesday at Newman Park.