Fort Dodge Softball Invitational Expected To Be Iowa’s Premiere Tournament

For decades, Rogers Park in Fort Dodge has played host to the State Softball Tournament. Rogers Park is set to play host to what is expected to be Iowa’s premiere regular season tournament. The Fort Dodge Softball Invitational is going on Friday and Saturday.

The tournament is a 16 team field, none of the teams in the tournament have a losing record. The field features defending State Champions and highly ranked teams from various class sizes and parts of Iowa. The Dodgers have not lost since dropping from the top spot in the 5A rankings which has propelled them back to  #1 in the latest poll. Fort Dodge takes on GTRA Friday at 9AM in the 1st round. If Fort Dodge wins its opener, they could face Class 1A’s #1 Newell-Fonda in the second round. That match up would pit Dodger Coach Andi Adams against a former player in Courtney Darrow.

The Class 5A Defending State Champs Cedar Rapids-Kennedy are in the field. Them and Fort Dodge could meet in Saturday’s Semifinal round. It would be a rematch of the 2020 5A State Finals. Also in the field, is Davenport Assumption who won State Gold in their class last season.

Defending 4A State Champs Winterset is in the field in the other half of the bracket. CIML foe Ankeny is in the field and they’ll take on Central Springs in Friday’s opening round.

Class 5A’s current #2 Muscatine is in the field, they are on the opposite side of the bracket. The Dodgers and Muscatine would only meet if they were both either in the Championship Or 3rd Place Game. If the two meet in the finals, many pundits around the State believe it will be a preview of things to come at this year’s State Tournament.

The Fort Dodge Softball Invitational is a fund raising effort as well to benefit the program. The 1st two rounds will be played Friday starting at 9 AM. The Semifinals are set for Saturday at 1:30, with the Championship Game slated for 4:30 PM.