Attached are brackets for this weekend’s 2026 East Central All Star Invitational. We have another very large tournament on our hands. There are 42 teams participating this weekend including 9 teams in 16u. This is 3 more teams than last year’s record number. We’ll be running 7 fields… Fast Pitch will be on the softball side. Coach Pitch will be on the baseball side. Field map is attached. The good news is I was able to make it a one-day tournament. Mother Nature willing..
The tournament will be played at Lum Cumbest Park. The address to the park is 18417 Hwy 613, Moss Point, MS 39562. The entry fee is $175 for TB/CP and $200 for Fast Pitch. All the proceeds this weekend go to the East Central Girls Softball League.
There were a few rules that weren’t quite like we’ve been playing. Attached are updated rules to get the language to match what we’re doing.. or should be doing. For example, 8U Coach Pitch can talk to the batter and runners up until they release the pitch. 6U Coach Pitch can get timeout by getting the ball back in the circle. We’ve been playing all year get in front of lead runner or the circle. It confused the players. Updated run rules per the spring meeting 12 runs after 3, 10 runs after 4, 8 runs after 5 innings. Courtesy runners is the batter previous to the batter not on base (consistency with USA Rule Book). Nothing major.. just a lot of cleanup as we approach Championship Play.
I do have one surprise I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. Most other tournaments have an online bracket where brackets can be updated in real time. As a group, we’ve never wanted to pay the money to such an online system. This weekend alone would have costed East Central $420 just for online brackets. We have always wanted the money to go to the girls.. Well.. I have prototyped a system on our website for live real time brackets… I should be able to update them at the fields…
For this weekend, please go by the attached paper brackets. Please watch them for any schedule updates, etc on the paper brackets posted at the tournament. Here’s a link to the “Test” East Central Live Bracket…
East Central Live Bracket (Prototype Test)
The forecast is looking encouraging. So hopefully we’ll have a warm and dry weekend. Please have your players hydrate. Only 4 more tournaments left in the spring/summer season after this. The Gulf Coast Championships will be in two weeks. We are looking forward to a great day of softball.
Thanks for Playing USA Softball!
