One of the recent traditions each summer in Mississippi is the baseball caravan. Every year, hundreds of families from across the state pack up and spread out across the state as they migrate to different tournaments each weekend.

Soon, it might be a spring tradition too.

The inaugural River City Slam youth baseball tournament starts today as 54 teams — including 13 from Vicksburg — descend on Halls Ferry Park for 101 games crammed into three days. It’s the first of six tournaments that will be held at the park’s fields in the next five months, and comes just a week before the start of the Vicksburg Warren Athletic Association’s spring season.

Tournament co-director Scott Verhine — who also coaches the Vicksburg Xplosion, a 10-year-olds’ tournament team — said the tournament came about when a hole opened up in the state’s USSSA calendar. It’s also classified as a national invitational tournament, which gives teams more qualifying points toward a state tournament berth. An even bigger benefit, though, may be the chance for teams to play a few games together before they disperse for the recreational league season.

“This weekend was attractive because it was before the rec leagues start. It gives people a chance to play as a tournament team before they’re committed to the rec league,” Verhine said. “Teams used to get together after the rec league season. Now they’re forming in February.”

Plenty of teams seem enthused about playing in the city. A total of 54 squads in seven age groups have registered for the River City Slam. Another 25 have already signed up for the Riverfest tournament in April, and Halls Ferry Park will also host two more tournaments in May, a USSSA state tournament in June, and the annual Governor’s Cup in July.

The total number of teams for the Slam compares favorably to the Governor’s Cup, which draws that amount in each of its two weekends. The River City Slam will include the same number of age groups in only one weekend.

“This would be more like a Supervisor’s Cup than a Governor’s Cup,” joked tournament co-director Todd Boolos, who will also coach the 11-year-olds’ Vicksburg Venom.

River City Slam

At Halls Ferry Park

7-year-olds

Games at BMX Field

Saturday

Bluejays vs. Vicksburg Billies, 9 a.m.

Renegades vs. Vicksburg Billies, 10:30 a.m.

Renegades vs. Bluejays, Noon

No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed, 2:30 p.m.

No. 1 seed vs. No. 2 or 3 seed, 4 p.m.

8-year-olds

Games at Bazinsky Park softball fields

Today

River City Storm vs. Rez Shockers, 6 p.m.

PSA Gold vs. Diamond Dawgs, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Roughnecks vs. River City Storm, 9 a.m.

Rez Shockers vs. Diamond Dawgs, 10:30 a.m.

Roughnecks vs. PSA Gold, Noon

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed, 1:30 p.m.

No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 or 5 seed, 3 p.m.

No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed, 4:30 p.m.

Championship game, 6 p.m.

9-year-olds

Games at Bazinsky Park softball fields and American field

Today

Vicksburg Tide vs. CMS Reds, 5:45 p.m.

Mischief vs. MS Bombers, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

N. Jackson Heat vs. Hit Squad Baseball, 8 a.m.

Miss. PSA Sox vs. MS Bombers, 9:45 a.m.

Warhawk Baseball vs. Hit Squad, 11:30 a.m.

PSA Sox vs. CMS Reds, 1:15 p.m.

North Jackson Heat vs. Mischief, 3 p.m.

Warhawk Baseball vs. Vicksburg Tide, 4:45 p.m.

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed, 6:30 p.m.

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 seed, 6:30 p.m.

No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 seed, 8:15 p.m.

Sunday

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed, 11 a.m.

Semifinals, 1 and 3 p.m.

Championship game, 5 p.m.

10-year-olds

Games at National and American fields

Today

River City Rage vs. Longshots, 5:45 p.m.

Xplosion vs. Madison Jaguars, 5:45 p.m.

Madison Mission vs. Longshots, 7:30 p.m.

Vicksburg Vikings vs. Madison Thunder, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Vicksburg Xplosion vs. Jackson Giants, 8 a.m.

Vicksburg Vikings vs. Gators, 8 a.m.

Madison Thunder vs. Delta D-backs, 9:45 a.m.

Madison Mission vs. Madison Jaguars, 9:45 a.m.

Delta D-backs vs. Jackson Giants, 11:30 a.m.

River City Rage vs. Gators, 11:30 a.m.

No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed, 3 p.m.

No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed, 3 p.m.

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed, 4:45 p.m.

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed, 4:45 p.m.

No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 or 9 seed, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 or 10 seed, 11 a.m.

Semifinals, 1 and 3 p.m.

Championship game, 5 p.m.

11-year-olds

Games at Bluff field

Today

Vicksburg Venom vs. NW Rankin Heat, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Bandits Baseball vs. CMS Reds, 8 a.m.

MS Mud Slingers vs. NW Rankin Heat, 9:45 a.m.

Smith County vs. Bandits Baseball, 11:30 a.m.

Vicksburg Venom vs. Madison Blaze, 1:15 p.m.

Smith County vs. MS Mud Slingers, 3 p.m.

CMS Reds vs. Madison Blaze, 4:45 p.m.

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed, 6:30 p.m.

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed, 8:15 p.m.

Sunday

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 seed, 11 a.m.

No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 or 5 seed, 1 p.m.

No. 3 or 6 seed vs. No. 2 or 7 seed, 3 p.m.

Championship game, 5 p.m.

12-year-olds

Games at Bluff, Delta and

Halls Ferry softball fields

Today

Madison Jaguars vs. MS Shockers, 5:45 p.m.

Vicksburg Red Sox vs. Madison Magic, 5:45 p.m.

V’burg Pirates vs. Vicksburg Mustangs, 5:45 p.m.

Vicksburg Red Sox vs. Red Sockets, 7:30 p.m.

Vicksburg Pirates vs. Madison Majors, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

NW Rankin VooDoo vs. Delta Demolition, 8 a.m.

MS Shockers vs. Vicksburg Mustangs, 8 a.m.

Rankin Patriots vs. Simpson County, 9:45 a.m.

Madison Jaguars vs. Red Sockets, 9:45 a.m.

Simpson County vs. MS Hitmen, 11:30 a.m.

Delta Demolition vs. Madison Majors, 11:30 a.m.

Madison Magic vs. MS Hitmen, 1:15 p.m.

Rankin Patriots vs. NW Rankin VooDoo, 1:15 p.m.

No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed, 3 p.m.

No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed, 3:30 p.m.

No. 6 seed vs. No. 11 seed, 4:45 p.m.

No. 5 seed vs. No. 12 seed, 4:45 p.m.

No. 4 seed vs. No. 13 seed, 6:30 p.m.

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 or 11 seed, 6:30 p.m.

No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 or 9 seed, 8:15 p.m.

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 or 10 seed, 8:15 p.m.

Sunday

Fifth-place game, 11 a.m.

Semifinals, 1 and 3 p.m.

Championship game, 5 p.m.

13-year-olds

Games at Babe Ruth field

Today

Vicksburg vs. Madison Spikes, 5:45 p.m.

Clinton Black Sox vs. Titans, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Gators vs. PanSouthern, 8 a.m.

Southern Rock vs. Clinton Black Sox, 9:45 a.m.

MS Sixers vs. Vicksburg, 11:30 a.m.

Gators vs. Southern Rock, 1:15 p.m.

PanSouthern vs. Madison Spikes, 3 p.m.

Titans vs. MS Sixers, 4:45 p.m.

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed, 6:30 p.m.

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 seed, 8:15 p.m.

Sunday

No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 seed, 11 a.m.

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed, 1 p.m.

Semifinals, 3 and 5 p.m.

Championship game, 7 p.m.