Full 7 Inning Games

[inumpire]

We have a tournament director in our area that has started hosting tournaments with 100 minute time limit in pool play and a full 7 inning game in bracket play.

What are the time limits in your area of the country, and where are you located?
Your thoughts and comments on game length are welcome.

 

[CMMom1740]

We've played all variety. Anywhere from 90 minute/finish the inning (common) to 7 innings in bracket play. Last summer, our girls wound up playing 3 seven-inning games in a row with only a brief warmup break in between each game (long enough to go to the bathroom and maybe scarf a granola bar). In July. In the Georgia heat. It was brutal. By the third game, they had completely run out of gas and looked like they were sleepwalking. We got trounced by a team that had had a game-long break. I think that's a little ridiculous, frankly. Even college teams don't do three games in a row.

On the flip side, there are no shenanigans with the clock, which is a plus. Just hope that there is time for a substantial break in between games if you intend to use the same lineup of players.

 

[Gambler Bob]

I really like to play full 7 inning games. CMMom had a good point though, you don't want to be playing 3 or 4 full 7 inning games in one day.

Since there were not many tournaments in Illinois this spring and summer we were playing 2 full 7 inning scrimmage games on the weekends. 2 on Saturday, and 2 on Sunday. We would take a 1 hour break in between games. I would say two full 7 inning games would be equivalent to playing 3 pool games that are 75 minutes finish the inning.

 

[mudrunner]

Generally most of DD’s tournaments are 75 minutes and finish the inning. In 16/18u it’s not super unusual to play 7 innings in that amount of time, but usually it’s more like 6. Weather delays Usually shrink it to 60 minutes finish the inning or drop dead, which kinda sucks. If your batting the roster you barely get through the line up one time in 60 minutes.

 

[Cougars]

Most of ours are 75 minutes, finish the inning. Typically, that ends up being 5 innings, occasionally 6.

Like the others, I like the idea of playing 7, but back to back (to back), that gets old quick. Our pool games this Friday are back to back. Supposed to be sunny and 90’s. By the 14th straight inning, I’d be begging for covid.......

 

[_MIA_]

Most of ours are 75 minutes, finish the inning. Typically, that ends up being 5 innings, occasionally 6.

Like the others, I like the idea of playing 7, but back to back (to back), that gets old quick. Our pool games this Friday are back to back. Supposed to be sunny and 90’s. By the 14th straight inning, I’d be begging for covid.......

I find Friday night pool games to be perfect for a few (or more) inning nap in my “beyond the OF fence” chair...just saying

 

[CalvinBall]

7-inning bracket games wouldn't be bad if they were spaced out so that you didn't play more than two a day. Unfortunately, my DD's team recently played a tournament where they played their first bracket game to end one day, then played 4 bracket games the following day, and could have played more. The team had a break between the 2nd and 3rd games that day but ran out of gas during the fourth game and lost to a team that had played one less game at that point.

 

[canyonjoe]

All tournaments we played were finish the inning. NSA was 70 minute others were 75 or 80 usually championship games 90. In 14U we played a few 7 inning games.

I sometimes thought that 2 longer pool games versus 3 would have been nice but when you really get into it you wind up with a lot of mismatches that nothing would change in a longer game so if you were lucky you would have 2 good game on Saturday.

 

[Rolling Hard]

The longer the game the more time the cream has to rise to the top. More strategic coaching needed too. I like it.

 

[inumpire]

The last event we had, was all what should be considered A Level teams, and the coaches and players loved it! They actually got to play real games, no 4 inning game where batter 8/9 and 10, may only get one at bat each game. There were no real issue on Sunday with playing back to back games, even in 92 degree temps. Most teams had 12-14 players on their rosters and we tried to give them brakes between games the best we could. And yes, coaches had to coach. They had to conserve pitching when they could. Had to give catcher breaks etc.
The 14U group was starting to struggle a little bit, as most of them grew up playing 65 or 70 minute games. Sunday they were dragging a little bit.
Bottom line, almost every coach there said, let us know next time you do this, we want to play!