The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE inaugural Softball 242 One Caribbean Invitational Women’s Fast-Pitch Tournament is all set to get underway on Thursday at the Bankers’ Field with three international and three local teams participating.

According to Thomas Sears, the founder of Softball 242, the event is shaping up to be an exciting one for all.

He noted that there has been a lot of keen interest in the event, considering that there will be fast-pitch competition in the New Providence Softball Association this year.

“All systems are go,” Sears said. “We already have some of the umpires here because there will be a pre-tournament umpires’ clinic that got started on Monday and continues on Wednesday.

“We will have a team from the US Virgin Islands and two teams from Jamaica, the Jamaica Warrior Queens and the Jamaica Club Fusion coming in. The teams from New Providence are the Bommer Operators, the University of the Bahamas Mingoes and the Sunshine Auto Wildcats.”

Sears said he’s excited with the line-up and the local organising committee is looking forward to some competitive games this weekend, wrapping up with the championship and awards presentation on Sunday.

Prior to the start of the tournament, there will be an Umpires Clinic that got started on Monday at the Archdeacon William Thompson Softball Park at the Southern Recreation Grounds. The internationally certified clinic will run until Wednesday.

“We have one international umpire coming in from the British Virgin Islands and there are a number of local umpires who will be participating in the clinic,” Sears said. “At the same time, we will b3e conducting a TC course for Technical Commissioners. It’s similar to persons who do the attaché. They have changed the name to Technical Commissioners, who assist the teams with all of the logistics.”

Here’s a look at the schedule of games for this weekend:

Thursday’s schedule

7 pm Bahamas Bommer Operators vs Bahamas UB Mingoes.

8:45 pm Sunshine Auto Wildcats vs Jamaica Club Fusion.

Friday’s schedule

4 pm UD Virgin Islands vs Jamaica Warrior Queens.

5:45 pm Sunshine Auto Wildcats vs Bommer Operators.

7:30 pm Jamaica Warrior Queens vs Jamaica Club Fusion.

9:15 pm University of Bahamas Mingoes vs US Virgin Islands.

Saturday’s schedule

10:15 am Jamaica Warrior Queens vs Bommer Operators.

Noon US Virgin Islands vs Jamaica Club Fusion.

1:45 pm University of the Bahamas Mingoes vs Sunshine Auto Wildcats.

5:15 pm US Virgin Islands vs Sunshine Auto Wildcats.

7 pm Opening ceremony.

8 pm Jamaica Warrior Queens vs University of the Bahamas Mingoes.

Sunday’s schedule

10:15 am Bommer Operators vs US Virgin Islands.

Noon Jamaica Club Fusion vs University of the Bahamas Mingoes.

1:45 pm Sunshine Auto Wildcats vs Jamaica Warrior Queens.

5:30 pm Bronze medal game (seed 4 vs seed 3).

7:30 pm Gold medal game (seed 2 vs seed 1).

9 pm Awards presentation.