USSSA Tournament USSSA Smokey Baker Memorial All American

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We would like to thank the teams who participated this weekend in the Smokey Baker NIT.

Results will be posted on our website by Wednesday evening if not sooner.

We would like to apologize to those teams leaving Sunday night when the lights were shut down while they were getting into their cars. The parking lot lights are on a timer and the employee shut down the field lights not realizing the parking lot lights were no longer on. You must wait 15 minutes before turning field lights back on. Once again we apologize and this was not done intentionally.

 

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Expressway Park

Maybe you need to make the investment and build a hotel next to your complex. That would help bring in some extra cash instead of taking an unbelievable amount of teams, having to split it between two parks, and not even having all of the fields at both of those parks (two fields at Queen City on Sun. were men's all morning).

How ridiculous is it that tournament after tournament the game times get so out of hand that final games are finishing up at 2:00 a.m.! Maybe that works for men's tournaments because they'll sit around and drink beer until closing time (or until the lights get turned off). You have players (and families) that have been at the ball fields since 8:00 a.m.!! Then most of them had to roll out of bed today to be at work

Suggestion...schedule the games 1-1/2 hrs. apart but shorten the game time to 1-1/4 hrs. Can't believe you do it time after time after time. We will NOT be looking at any of your tournaments next year. We'll be going elsewhere. Hopefully all of the other real select/travel teams will do the same.

 

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Heck with lights, how about some umpires that have a clue?!?! Worst officiated tournament I have ever been to! I will never have another team that I am affiliated with attend any tournaments at Expressway again. Terrible, terrible, terrible.

 

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They don't think fastpitch when they do those tournaments. The umpires are converted slow pitch umps and you are certainly right about their game times. It was like that last year and that's why we didn't go back.

 

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I agree with both of the above posters. Most of the umpires had no clue! In each of our games there were different rules about who could be a courtesy runner for the pitcher or catcher, nevermind the fact that they had no idea what the strike zone was and it changed for each batter. I honestly believe most of the umpires were men's slow pitch umpires. Everytime we time have played at this park this is the norm. Game times running hours behind and keep in mind the weather was not even a factor this weekend. It has become obvious to me that they try to keep you there all day to patronize their concession stand. I understand this is a business so take note and listen to your customers complaints and make some changes or you will lose their business!

 

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RESULTS:
http://www.expresswaypark.com/youthtournaments.htm

I would like to personally thank the coach of Leesburg Lady Panthers for being such a class act.

Mr. Florea,
Bob would like for you to please call him at the Park 513-831-2273 between 7pm and 10pm on Thursday to discuss the matters you have posted.

 

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I have to say, the umps were poor at best. They don't know how to call a crow hop, nor can they tell if a batted ball hits the batter in the foot, when you hear it, when you see the ball change its path, when the batter/runner has to be helped off the field after the ball hit her foot. They (Expressway)wants to say, it is hard to get trained umps, BUT many of these umps that have been at the past tournaments this year, and were there last year. So they should know!
I like the park, we did have a great time, this was our third tourny at expressway this year, but I don't think our coach will take us back to the park because of the umps, and changing the tournament rules, from when you sign up, too when you play. So that they (Expressway) can atract "weaker" teams to play, and give them (weaker team) a way to walk away with a "prize" That is ok, but say that up front, not as we show up to play.

 

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I'm in class Thursday evenings. If Bob would like to speak to me, he may call me at 937-783-3582.

 

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Avita, I do not understand what you mean by changing the rules from when you sign up to when you play. The tournament packet said 4 game minimum - poole play with elimination play. Can you tell me what you mean please so I can understand your complaint.

 

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The Grand Slam was to be a 3 game elimination, but it was changed to single elimination, was it not? some one from expressway said it was to attract teams.

 

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Sorry but the Grand Slam was a three game guarantee elimination with a consolation (or lower bracket) and this was what it was originally planned as. Even though I typed it wrong in the packet (it should have said 3 game guarantee elimination, but we did give teams a 3 game elimination by adding the consolation. I apologize the misunderstanding but we did not change it. Some people do not understand it but USSSA is encouraging more tournament directors to use this format which does encourage more teams to play because they get more games for their money than a double elimination.

 

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I completely agree with teammom. Every fastpitch tournament at this complex seems to run way behind schedule. Schedule the games at 90 min. intervals w/ 75 min. game times and things will run much smoother. Expressway lost our business this year due to this same problem on two separate occasions last year.

 

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We have attended the Smokey Baker Tournament many times in the 8 years my daughter has played travel ball. I have always enjoyed the tournament and thought it was fun for the girls and families. There were alot of good memories made playing at Expressway-it is one of my favorite places to play.