Chaffee, ND begin title defenses today in local showdowns

High school sports fans have their pick of tournaments around the area this weekend.

Weather permitting, that is.

Battles for tournament titles in baseball, softball and soccer will begin today at several area sites.

For baseball fans, Harmon Field in Chaffee, Mo., is the place to be with the annual Red Devils Baseball Classic. A more distant alternative Saturday will be the Heath, Ky., Showcase, in which Central will participate.

Chaffee will also be the site of the Lady Devils Softball Classic, while Notre Dame Regional High School has rescheduled its Noon Optimist Spring Classic Girls' Soccer Tournament.

The latter event was postponed in March due to inclement weather, which again is threatening a busy weekend schedule. Forecasts call for possible rain today and throughout the weekend.

All of the tournaments, with the exception of the Heath Showcase, begin today and feature championship and consolation rounds.

Dexter and Shawnee (Ill.) face off in the Red Devils Baseball Classic opener at 3:30 p.m. today. Three of today's four first-round games will be at Harmon Field, while the fourth (Scott City vs. New Madrid County Central) will be in Scott City. Semifinals will be Saturday morning with the championship at 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

Chaffee has won its tournament the last two years, including an 11-1, six-inning victory over Oran in last year's championship game.

The Lady Devils Softball Classic begins at 4 p.m. today at Frisco Park in Chaffee. Semifinals are Saturday morning and the championship game at 3 p.m. The two teams in last year's championship game -- Egyptian (Ill.) and Oran -- are no longer in the field. Egyptian rolled to a 19-0 victory over Oran in the title game last year behind the no-hit pitching of Ashley Jones. Replacing the schools in this year's event will be Kelly and Delta.

Notre Dame will attempt to defend its title when the fourth annual Noon Optimist Spring Classic kicks off at 4 p.m. today when Central takes on Sikeston. The semifinals will be at noon Saturday and the championship at 4 p.m.

Central will face Murray (Ky.) at noon and will play host Heath immediately afterward in the Heath Showcase baseball tournament at Heath High School near Paducah, Ky.