The inaugural One Caribbean Invitational Women's Fast Pitch Softball Tournament gets underway today and wraps up on Sunday on the Bankers Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The tournament is being hosted by Softball 242.

The tournament will feature three local teams and three visiting teams for a total of six teams in the four-day event. Organizer of the tournament Thomas Sears said they are looking to see some strong competition.

"The motive of this tournament is to create a one Caribbean environment when it comes to softball. It gives the local softball fans here an opportunity to see softball playing at another level. It also allows local players to experience softball at the next level so that they will be able to know what has to be done to get to that next level," Sears said.

The teams participating are the Sunshine Auto Wildcats, the Bommer G. Operators, the University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes, Jamaica's Club Fusion, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jamaica's Warrior Queens. The first game is set at 7 p.m. this evening with the Operators taking on the Mingoes.

Sears expects a competitive four days of softball and he sees the excitement for the tournament building up.

"The games will be played at a level that is pleasing to the fans. There is a certain excitement building up among the local teams. There hasn't been any softball league play as yet, and as word gets out about the tournament, the excitement grows. Other teams wanted to participate but because of the number of games that will be played, there is not enough time," Sears said.

This upcoming weekend is a holiday weekend. Sears and his team took the holiday into consideration, knowing that softball fans are always looking for something to do and for softball to watch.

Sears said the objective is to make it an annual event but they will see how this year's event goes. The cost of attendance is $10 each.

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