The two teenage girls hit by stray gunfire in a Bronx playground Monday night were visiting the Big Apple from Virginia to visit family when their trip took a near-tragic turn, police and sources said.

The girls — both 17 — were at a cookout at Arcilla Playground on East 163rd Street when a fight broke out on the nearby basketball court between several people during a pickup game at around 8 p.m., cops said.

Two large groups of men not part of the cookout starting arguing on the court, when one man pulled out a gun and opened fire, sources and police said.

One of the girls suffered a graze wound to the head and the other was hit in the thigh, according to cops.

The girls were rushed to Harlem Hospital and were expected to recover.

Neighbors described the harrowing scene during the shooting, saying dozens ran for their lives and left behind basketballs, coolers and food in their scramble to find cover.

“It was still light! Like 8 o’clock,” said a 19-year-old resident who was in the park at the time to The Post. ”They was playing ball, and I heard, ‘Oh s–t!’ and everybody started running in every direction.

“It’s getting so you can’t do nothing outside no more,” he added. “And it’s getting hot so, I guess more kids gonna get shot.”

On Tuesday afternoon, abandoned shoes, balls and other items were still scattered on the court. The gates had been locked by police since the night before.

The gunman was still at large Tuesday. The victims told police they didn’t see the person who fired the shots, sources said. Sixteen shell casings were found at the scene, sources added.

It wasn’t clear if the shooter had been playing in the game or was a spectator. No arrests had been made Tuesday morning.

The girls were two of at least five people shot in four separate incidents during a violent night in the city Monday.