Our girls team played in the championship game LAST year and I went as our district representative. One of our umpires was there working the tournament. He went into the game about the 4th inning on the LF line. He was the one that made the call of the walk-off homer that beat us - ironic huh? That was the only place I can remember them making changes - foul lines.

I agree with WMB on the level of play. These kids can play. The D9 pitcher was D1 and they had about 7 players going D2. We had 8 D2 players on our team. I know that was fairly close to what everyone had. I think if you had seen more of the tournament you'd realize the level of play was closer to college level than 16u.

As far as the fields go? For some unknown reason, LL requires grass infields for regionals and beyond. That's was I was told by someone in the Southern Region when I worked the Jr. League Girls Regional in '04. I don't know why they do it other than the baseball mindset that seems to rule LL International. In their mind, softball is baseball without the mound and with a bigger ball.

Well, the MI team's 4 runs in the inning I watched were the result of a ground ball to second (E4), a ground ball to short (E4 on the attempted force), a bunt to F3 who threw to 3rd about three steps after the runner got there, a single over the drawn in infield, and two wild pitches. Looked awfully sloppy to me.

PU was excellent. The bad mechanics in the inning I watched were at U2 and U3 (and U1, who also used the double-pump safe call).

Not that it's a big deal, but the Junior League Softball World Series is played on a skinned infield. This is the series played in Kirkland, Washington.

After looking at the pictures, so is the Sr. League. I was just quoting what I was told by a So. Regional representative.

I am not sure it is a LL rule; I think it is a Kalamazoo thing. Kalamazoo hosted LL SB WS for near 30 years, probably since LL started SB championships. Gradually younger divisions have been moved away to other locations in the US, but the Big League still stays. (Though I have heard that Kzo’s grip on the BL WS is tenuous, at best.)

Truth is they are playing on a 60’ LL baseball field. It is the centerpiece of the host LL, a quality field with seating for over 5,000 and press box and TV stands. They simply shave off the pitcher’s mound, chalk a circle, and play softball.

<O:p
And they get away with it – because of their long-standing relationship with LL.

<O:p
WMB

Yes, the one in Kirkland is on skinned infields. this is a fine park that is operated in part by the city but is for the exclusive use of LL. I've gone over there the previous 3 years (would have gone this year but they wouldn't let me out of the CCU)...the softball being played was B level at best. Umpiring was actually pretty good last year, but all the guys from the USA working the tournament were also ASA umpires. The one confounding thing is the process of pitch hits the glove..1...2...3...every umpire looks at their indicator and clicks the appropriate dial. I know this is NOT restricted to LL but it frustrates me just the same!

When I worked the Jr. League Southern Regional in '04 the base umpires were not permitted to carry indicators or brushes.

Now that is a little ball "thing". Stupid, IMO, but that is the way it is.

Our evaluators were "little ball guys" (which most of LL is btw). And it came back to bite them on the butt during this tournament. In a semifinal game between WV & TN (I was not in this game), they were tied 1-1 in the 9th inning with TN up in the top of the inning. Two outs - R1 on second, R2 on first 2-2 count on the batter. PU calls strike 3 to end the inning. TN coach comes down and says that's strike 2. He calls all BU's in and all 3 of them say they thought it was strike 3 - but none of them have indicators. If it were my plate game, at that point I say we all agree - strike 3 inning over. He turns to the book (that had not been correct all week on this field) which has strike 2! He puts the batter back in the box and the next pitch is crushed for a 2-run double! TN goes on to win the entire tournament!