The 33rd Annual Jackson Invitational softball tournament kicked off the 2024 softball season for many local teams.

Cape Central, Chaffee, Jackson and Notre Dame were just four of the sixteen teams participating in the tournament at the Shawnee Sports Complex in Cape Girardeau.

Jackson began the tournament on Friday with a 7-3 victory against Lutheran South before dropping a 10-9 nail biter to Cor Jesu Academy.

Indians head coach Shawn Wilding said despite the tough loss he was glad to see his team fight and learn in just their second game of the year.

“Offensively, we did enough to win it, but on the other side of the ball we struggled a little bit. We squandered a 6-0 lead but then played well enough to get the lead back. We used up our top two guns and got to see our three and four pitchers come in there and try to get us out,” Wilding said. “They're going to have to step up this year to give the number ones and twos rest. We have to keep grinding it out, it’s a 33 game season and this is just two games, no season is ever defined by the first two games.”

Chaffee cruised through their first two games with a 8-2 win over Fredericktown and a 7-2 win over Festus to find themselves in the semifinal on Saturday.

Cape Central lost their first game to Doniphan 10-3 before narrowly beating Jackson’s JV team to make the consolation semifinal.

Notre Dame walked into the semifinal winning with ease over Jackson’s JV 13-0 and over Doniphan 13-4.

Saturday saw Chaffee and Notre Dame square off with a trip to the championship on the line. In the end the Bulldogs emerged victorious with a close 3-0 win over the Red Devils. Notre Dame battled with Cor Jesu in the championship before the game was suspended due to lightning.

Bulldogs head coach Ray Reinagel said the experience of the four games they played will help the team as they go throughout the season.

“We got the pitching that I expected. Taylor Kutz was our anchor last year and it looks like she's gonna be our anchor this year. So pitching was great, our defense actually stepped up and our offensive as well. We still need to work on base running and some mental plays,” Reinagel said. “It was a fun weekend, it was awesome to get all the girls into the games and see everyone stepping up.”

Chaffee finished the tournament with a 10-3 third place game win over Kelly.

Jackson made the fifth place game with a 7-3 win over Parkway South before a 6-1 loss to Festus earned the Indians sixth place.

Cape Central finished the weekend in twelfth place after back to back losses to Incarnate Word Academy and Lutheran South.