Softball State Championship Information

The 2023 Colorado high school softball state championships will take place on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, at the Aurora Sports Park.

How do teams qualify for the state championships?
Teams qualify for the state championships through regular season play, with league champions automatically making the Round of 32 bracket and the remaining teams being selected by using criteria such as the seeding index.

The top-two teams from each of the Round of 32 sites will advance to the final state bracket, with the 16 teams being reseeded for the final site. The Round of 32 site winners will be seeded as No. 1-8 and the remaining eight teams being seeded 9-16.

What is the format of the state championships?
The Round of 32 will be a double-elimination bracket for 4A and 5A, and a single-elimination bracket for 3A. The 16 advancing state qualifiers will be seeded No. 1-16 and will play a single-elimination tournament on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, at Aurora Sports Park.

Where can I find results?
Updated scores and brackets can be found at CHSAANow.com.

What time are the games?
All game times can be found on the brackets, which will be updated with match-ups, game site and game times.

For the finals site at Aurora Sports Park, first-round games are at 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on Friday, with quarterfinals at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, the semifinals begin at 10 a.m., with the championship games at 1 p.m. (3A) and 1:30 p.m. (4A and 5A).

What time do gates open?
Gates will open at 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday for the State Championships at the Aurora Sports Park.

On what field will the games be?
The individual field assignments for each game can be found on the brackets. All 3A games will be played on the A fields, all 4A games will be played at the C fields and the 5A games will be on the B fields.

Do I need to buy a ticket to enter?
Yes, for the games played at Aurora Sports Park, tickets can be purchased on GoFan. No cash sales will be accepted on site.

If you’re having trouble buying a ticket in advance, please bring a credit card to the check point at B fields, and someone will be able to assist you with purchasing a ticket there.

How much do tickets cost?
Ticket prices are $12 for adult general admission and $9 for K-12 student/seniors. It is recommended that you pull up your ticket (DO NOT CLICK REDEEM) prior to entering the facility or in the parking lot as internet connectivity is spotty at Aurora Sports Park.

What does my ticket get me entry to?
A ticket gets you entry into all 3A, 4A and 5A games on a particular day. There are no two-day tickets, so Friday’s ticket is good for all of Friday’s games and Saturday’s ticket will be good for all of Saturday’s games. Upon scanning your ticket, you will receive a stamp on your hand that will allow you to move between the A, B and C fields.

Is there parking available on site?
Yes, parking will be free and available in the complex of the Aurora Sports Park. ADA parking is available, but limited and first-come, first-served. There will be two golf-cart shuttles roaming the parking lots providing rides to the outlying parking areas and/or any handicap fans that may need a ride.

Can I bring my dog with me?
Per Aurora Sports Park, no dogs will be allowed inside the facility.

If I can’t make it to the games, can I watch them online?
The state championship games on Saturday (semifinals and finals) will be livestreamed on the NFHS Network.

Which team will be the home team?
The team that the committee determined as the higher-seeded team on the Regional and State Championship brackets will be referred to as the “home team” and will have the last at-bat. The “home team” will occupy the third base dugout.

How much time will there be between games?
Umpires will be limiting the time between innings. Therefore, warmups for the next game will begin after the 1st and 3rd base lines, batter’s box and pitching area are touched up.

In the case of a team playing back-to-back games, a 30-minute break may be requested. Warm-ups for the next game would begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the previous game.

Will there be a trophy presentation?
Following the state championship games, a runner-up trophy will be presented to the second-place team at home plate. Immediately following, the championship team will be presented the state championship trophy at home plate.

Where can I find past champions or team winners?
The digital program includes information on past champions, winners and more! Past champions can also be found in the championship archive.

Will there be merchandise available to purchase on-site?
Souvenir items (t-shirts, sweatshirts, pins, shorts, etc.) will be available for purchase on-site through the Kukulski Brothers. For pre-sale items, call (602-386-3460) or email the Kukulski Brothers.

What happens in the case of rain, bad weather or poor field conditions?
The tournament director and grounds crew shall decide whether the grounds and conditions are suitable for starting the game. Once the game starts, the umpires will determine whether conditions are suitable for play.