The plan in one line
Two pools of 4 teams play a round robin in the morning, then all 8 teams go into a single elimination bracket in the afternoon. Every team gets at least 4 games.
The numbers
- Pool play: two pools of 4 is 12 games. On 2 fields that is 6 slots.
- Playoffs: an 8 team single elimination bracket is 7 games: 4 quarter-finals, 2 semi-finals and the final.
- On 2 fields the playoffs take 4 slots: 2 for the quarter-finals, 1 for the semi-finals and 1 for the final.
That is 10 slots in all. With 60 minute slots and an 8 am start, the last pool game ends at 2 pm and the final ends at 6 pm. With 75 minute slots the day runs until 8:30 pm, so either tighten the slots or add a third field.
A sample timetable
- 7:15 am: fields open, captains check in, rules meeting at home plate.
- 8 am to 2 pm: pool play, 6 slots on 2 fields.
- 2 pm: standings final, tiebreakers applied, bracket seeded.
- 2 pm to 4 pm: quarter-finals.
- 4 pm: semi-finals.
- 5 pm: final, then prizes while everyone is still there.
Leave room for the day to go wrong
If you can, add a 15 minute break before the playoffs: it gives you time to settle ties and post the bracket, and soaks up a morning game that ran long. If games keep running long, shorten the time limit for the quarter-finals rather than the final.
