TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Two former Topeka area high school softball players are now helping their college teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Topeka High alum NiJa Canady and Seaman’s Raigan Kramer play for Texas Tech and Arkansas. Both the Red Raiders and Razorbacks are hosting regionals this weekend in Lubbock and Fayetteville - and both teams advance to Saturday’s round. Texas Tech dismantled Brown 6-0 on Friday, while Arkansas shutout Saint Louis 10-0.

Canady and Kramer played youth softball together growing up in Topeka.

Kramer says it’s unbelievable how far they’ve both come.

”I don’t think either one of us when we were playing on the Topeka Queens, you know, 8, 9, 10, 11, thought that we would be where we are today,” Kramer explained. “When we played together, she (Canady) didn’t even pitch the first time. We played together a couple times, but she didn’t even pitch when we first started. “Just to see her, and then we played the same league in high school, and so just to see her grow as a player has been really fun.”

Arkansas earned the No. 4-seed with Texas Tech at No. 11.