The 49th First Ward Falcon Club Fastpitch Softball Tournament begins tonight and there will be a new champion.

The CPI/Crossroads Bucks won the title a year ago, but some of its pitchers were unable to make the trip. However, Tournament Organizer Tim Wdowiasz said there will be no shortage of arm talent as the field of nine teams is the best the tournament has had since the pandemic.

There are four teams from Canada, a team from Ohio, one from Erie, Pennsylvania, another from Rochester, and of course, two local squads.

Action begins tonight at 6:15 with the first local team Dunkirk Lakeside taking on the Funkirk Pelicans, who come from Canada each year. That is followed up at 8:15 when Dunkirk Fast Pitch plays Wyevale in the primetime game, both played at the Stadium.

Saturday is all-day action with Wayne Co. Alliance versus Funkirk Pelicans at the Stadium at 9 a.m., while Budweiser plays Weavers at the same time at School 7. Then, at 10:45 a.m., three games are played with Georgia Bay Giants vs. Weavers at the Stadium, Budweiser vs. Niagara Snappers at School 7, and Dunkirk Lakeside vs. Dunkirk Fast Pitch at Koch Field. At 12:30 p.m., Georgia Bay Giants play Wyevale at the Stadium, while Wayne Co. Alliance plays Dunkirk Fast Pitch at School 7. The games at 2:15 p.m. feature Niagara Snappers vs. Funkirk Pelicans at the Stadium, while Dunkirk Lakeside plays Wayne Co. Alliance at School 7. The last local round-robin game is at 4 p.m. with Dunkirk Fast Pitch playing Budweiser at the Stadium, while Weavers plays Wyevale at School 7. The final game on Saturday is at 5:45 p.m. when the Georgia Bay Giants take on the Niagara Snappers.

The playoff round begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday with the No. 3 team playing the No. 6 team at the Stadium and the No. 4 team vs. the No. 5 team at School 7; the other quarterfinals are at 10:45 with No. 1 vs. No. 8 at the Stadium and the No. 2 vs. No. 7 at School 7. The semifinals are at 12:30 p.m. and the weekend concludes with the championship game at 2:30 p.m.

For spectators at the games there will be a beverage and food stand that is sponsored by the First Ward Falcon Club.