SIKESTON — The stage is set for the adrenaline-fueled showdown as the 2023 Cal Ripken 9U Midwest Plains Regional Tournament descends upon Sports Complex this week.

The event kicks off with a welcome picnic at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26 at the Clinton Building. The tournament will bring together talented squads from Sikeston, Mineral Area, Dexter, and Denver, Colorado, and will culminate in a heart-pounding championship game on Sunday, July 30.

“We’re all super excited,” said Abbi Lindsey, recreation coordinator at Sikeston Parks and Recreation. “We have spent the last month trying to prepare the field and add some new additions to make the fans more comfortable while watching the games. We have all poured our hearts and souls into making this the ‘Disney’ of tournaments.”

Games begin on Thursday, July 27 with pool play. Dexter will face Mineral Area at 6 p.m., while Sikeston will take on Denver at 8:30 p.m. The opening ceremonies will also be on Thursday at 8 p.m.

Friday’s games will be Mineral Area versus Sikeston at 10 a.m. and Dexter against Denver at noon.

Pool play concludes on Saturday with Dexter battling Sikeston at 10 a.m. and Mineral Area competing against Denver at noon.

The teams will be seeded based on the results from pool play and the semifinals of the single-elimination tournament will be at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. with the championship game being played at noon.

“We are thankful for the teams that are coming,” Lindsey said. “When people think of nine-year-olds, they think of these small kids. But when you see them out there, actually pitching and not using a machine, you can see the accuracy of their pitches. It’s pretty amazing. They are like little professionals.

“I was blown away the first time I saw them at the state tournament,” she continued. “I had no idea they would be so good.”

Lindsey encouraged community members to come out and support the athletes competing.

“Coming out and supporting them and showing the players that people in the community care and are excited to watch them makes it even more special,” she said. “Supporting it shows that Sikeston is more than just a community, it’s a family and we’re supportive of all the awesome things that our kids do.”

Daily passes are $7 for adults, $5 for children six to 12 years old, and free to children under the age of five.

Complete tournament passes for all four days of action can be purchased for $25 (adults) and $15 (children six to 12).

Lindsey said their sponsors have been incredible at helping make the event a success, and many other local businesses will offer promotions and discounted rates during the tournament.

“I hope that people will come and support the kids because they have worked very hard every day,” she concluded. “They get excited when people are in the crowd that is then just their parents.”