The toughest opponent for all of Mississippi’s high school softball teams this season has been the weather. A steady stream of rainy days have forced most teams to postpone several games already, and made it difficult to even sneak one in under the green-filled radar.

That has made this Saturday, with a sunny forecast and a full slate of games, a pot of gold waiting at the end of the rainbow.

Vicksburg High will host the VHS Fast-Pitch Tournament at its Softball Swamp field beginning at 9 a.m. The four-team round robin tournament will also include Warren Central, Riverside and West Lincoln, and give all of them a chance to finally get some game reps under their belts.

“I was at the all-star coaches deal (Wednesday) and the most I heard anybody had gotten in was two games. A lot of them haven’t gotten any games in, like us,” said Vicksburg coach Brian Ellis, whose team had two rainouts in the first week. It was scheduled to host Richland on Thursday night. “It’s supposed to be nice Friday and Saturday, so that’ll give the outfield time to dry out and hopefully we’ll be able to get everything in. We’re ready to see where we’re at. Not having the classics, this is probably the next best thing is playing three games in one day.”

Warren Central and West Lincoln will play the first game of the tournament Saturday at 9 a.m. Vicksburg’s first game is at 10:45 against Riverside. Games will have a 1 hour, 15 minute time limit and will continue throughout the day, with the last one scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m.

Vicksburg won the tournament last season, but Ellis said the lack of playing time to this point has made that a secondary goal this time.

“It’s going to be a tough tournament. Obviously I’d love to win our own tournament, but seeing where we’re at and play well are probably the main goals,” Ellis said.

In addition to the softball, the tournament is part of the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association’s “Strikeout Cancer” program. Donations will be accepted and a raffle held where the proceeds go to cancer charities. Teams will also wear special uniforms to raise awareness for different cancers.

Riverside will wear pink uniforms associated with breast cancer and West Lincoln will have several different colors to represent other forms of the disease. For Vicksburg and Warren Central, 601 Sports has donated jerseys that the local teams will wear to raise awareness for various cancers.

Ellis also added a personal touch to the Missy Gators’ jerseys — the face of “Sesame Street” character Elmo.

“My brother who passed away was known as Coach Elmo,” said Ellis, whose brother Jeff died of cancer in 2017. “He coached softball for 19 years. I hang him up on the screen every game now since he died. It’s kind of a big deal for me just like it is for everybody who’s been affected by cancer.”

VHS FAST-PITCH TOURNAMENT
Saturday, at Vicksburg High
9 a.m. – Warren Central vs. West Lincoln
10:45 a.m. – Vicksburg vs. Riverside
12:30 p.m. – West Lincoln vs. Riverside
2:15 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. West Lincoln
4 p.m. – Riverside vs. Warren Central
5:45 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Warren Central