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NITTANY NOTES: Around the Big Ten, Week 7

First Posted: 6/11/2014 The more the merrier.
That&#8217;s the way Districts 16 and 31 view the new pool-play playoff format that will be instituted for the 11-12 and 9-10 baseball divisions when both districts open their playoff seasons next week.
The move is a break from the long-standing past, when the two districts used a double-elimination format through playoffs to determine a district champion.
This year, both districts will be made up of two pools - with no less than five teams in each pool.
&#8220;We changed the format from double-elimination to pool play,&#8221; said Rob Demko, an assistant district administrator for Districts 16 and 31, following Wednesday&#8217;s District 16/31 seedings meeting at Wilkes-Barre Area Vo-Tech. &#8220;So each team plays a minimum of four games.&#8221;
That was the idea when new District 16 and 31 acting administrator Bob Bertoni floated the idea to change the Little League playoff format in both districts this season.
&#8220;It gives kids an opportunity to play more ball,&#8221; Demko said. &#8220;We make leagues buy All-Star uniforms and save money and do some fundraising for All-Stars. Most leagues are two (games) and out. So you raise all that money and they play two games.&#8221;
Not anymore.
And according to Demko, nobody&#8217;s complaining about the chance to play double the games - at least for some teams - than they did before.
&#8220;It&#8217;s been accepted,&#8221; Demko said. &#8220;Everyone&#8217;s thrilled, not just for playing more games, but there&#8217;s some more strategy involved. You&#8217;ve got to have some pitching now.&#8221;
Demko stressed the move to round-robin pool play will only involve the 11-12 and 9-10 divisions baseball divisions - which typically enter the most teams at Little League tournament time. For junior and senior baseball divisions and all softball divisions, the tournaments will remain a double-elimination format.
The move was suggested this year by Bertoni - who coaches softball at Crestwood High School and serves as the administrator for Districts 16 and 31. But may have been a little overdue.
&#8220;Why now? I just think the tournament in Williamsport - the Little League World Series - has changed to pool play a couple years ago,&#8221; Demko said. &#8220;Bob Bertoni, our acting DA, floated the idea to the administration. We love the idea.&#8221;
The top two finishers from the two pools will then play a semifinal, double-elimination series in both District 16 and District 31, and the winners of that semifinal tournament will advance to meet Lackawanna County&#8217;s representatives from Districts 17 and 32 in the regional field.
&#8220;The pitchers come into play now,&#8221; Demko said. &#8220;It gives it (the tournament) more flavor. I don&#8217;t want to say it creates more excitement, but that&#8217;s what it does.&#8221;
One warning.
Some fans may have to tone down that exuberance.
Bertoni pleaded with league presidents during Wednesday&#8217;s meeting to encourage fans to keep things positive in the stands at All-Star time.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve had too many incidents during the year,&#8221; Bertoni said. &#8220;We have suspended three families from leagues already. This administration&#8217;s not going to tolerate it (bad behaviour). If they&#8217;re not going to behave, they&#8217;re not coming (to games). It&#8217;s that simple.&#8221;

Area makes change in district Little League playoff format