2008 Alabama USSSA Tournament Rules
Alabama USSSA tournaments will
follow the USSSA official rules found at www.usssabaseball.org
.
Only USSSA Sanctioned Teams with
online Rosters can enter AL USSSA tournaments - Each team will need to sanction by going on
line at http://www.USSSA.com/. Sanction fee is $30 online.
Two playable, good quality USSSA
balls must be provided by each team prior to each game. Please be prepared to provide more if
necessary. USSSA Balls will be available
for purchase at each tournament. We reserve the right to throw out any ball.
Coaches do not have to be in
uniform, but must wear proper shoes (Crocs, Sandals, Flip Flops are not proper
shoes). Player uniforms do not have to
match, but must have different numbers.
Advertising is allowed on the uniforms, but it can not relate to alcohol
or tobacco. USSSA patches are not required.
Insurance is required for USSSA
Age Cutoff: 30 Apr each year. Example. If your player turns 10 by 30 Apr 2008, then he must play as a 10U this year.
USSSA Official Rules will be used with no exceptions. You can go to www.usssabaseball.org to get a copy of the Rule Book.
General Tournament Rules.
NO BAT BOYS OR GIRLS ARE ALLOWED.
*Scores, pitching record and game start time will be
documented by the home plate umpire on the game card. Both managers are to meet the home plate ump
at home plate immediately after the game to initial the pitching record. The
game card is official after both coaches sign it. Make sure it is right. There will be no corrections after the
umpires leave the fields.
*Balks: Balks will be called at the umpire’s discretion. These are not protestable.
*Mercy Run Rule: For 6 inning games - 15 runs after 3 innings (2 ˝ if home team leading),8 after 4 (3 ˝ if home team leading), for 7 inning games - 15 runs after 3 innings (2 ˝ if home team leading),12 after 4 (3 ˝ if home team leading) , 8 runs after 5 (4 ˝ if home team leading)
Run Limits – 8U Coach and Machine Pitch – 7 Runs maximum per inning allowed,
there are no Run Limits in effect at 9U and above.
*Game Length: In POOL Play, At 12U and below, Game is 6 innings - Complete game after 3 innings (2 ˝ if home team leading). For 13U+, Game is 7 innings - Complete game after 4 innings (3 ˝ if home team leading), In the tournament game length is 1 hour 30 min. for 9s,10s,11s,12s. And, standard 1 hour 45 min for 13s and 14s (54/80). 2 Hrs for 14U (60/90) and 15U+. In the tournament game length is 1 hour 15 min. for 6s,7s,8s. In Top Level Championship game only, there is no limit, but mercy rule still applies. All other championship games (consolation levels) will be treated as a normal tournament game and will use a time limit.
*Bottom half of last inning will NOT be completed solely for tie-breaker purpose once home team has more runs than visiting team in that inning.
*Protests-$200 non-refundable – Cash – Umpires will decide all incidents on the field. *No Judgment Calls will be protested! Head Umpire and the Tournament Director will decide protests. Protests must be declared before the next pitch is delivered and no protest after a game is completed. All decisions final!
* Game Specifications:
60 or 65 ft bases - 7U & 8U, 65 ft bases – 9U & 10U, 70 ft bases- 11U & 12U,
80 ft bases 13U, 80 or 90 ft bases 14U
46 ft pitching- 9U & 10U, 50ft - 11U & 12U, 54 ft - 13U, 54 or 60.5 ft - 14U
*Bracket Play Seeding (from Pool Play results): (1) Win/loss/tie, (2) head to head (only if tied between 2 teams, if 3 - way tie, move to next tie-breaker), (3) runs allowed , (4) run differential (+/- up to 8 runs per game only), (4) USSSA point system (highest points), (5) coin toss. A tie will be considered a half a win and a half a loss for Seeding.
*Process will NOT backup to a prior option once moved to next option. In other words, 3 way tie negates head to head being applied.
*Tiebreaker - All games tied after the home team completes their at bat and time has expired will end in a tie in Pool Play. ALL CHAMPIONSHIP Tournament GAMES WILL USE THE INTERNATIONAL TIEBREAKER AT THE END OF THE TIME LIMIT OR AT THE END OF REGULATION DEPENDING ON WHICH COMES FIRST - The last batter of Record from the previous inning will go to second base.
*During Pool Play, Home team will be decided at the plate
during the official umpire/coaches meeting prior to the start of the game with
an official coin toss.
*During Tournament Bracket Play, Home team will be decided
by the highest seed from pool play, but if game is between equal seeds, Home
team will be determined by a coin toss, EXCEPT all Championship Games will be
determined by coin toss..
*If a Team pulls out of a tournament after pool
play (unless this is arranged with AL USSSA prior to the start of the
tournament), the team is not eligible to participate in future USSSA events
until a penalty equal to the tournament fee is paid to AL USSSA. Exceptions at the discretion of the State
Director - Only extreme circumstances will be considered for waiving this
penalty.
*Any Player ejected for any reason is suspended
the next game at the tournament. NO EXCEPTIONS.
If it is in the finals, the suspension at the next tournament will be
decided by the State Director.
*Coach ejections - If a coach is ejected for any
reason there will be 3 levels of penalties.
1st Ejection - Coach will be suspended the next game at the tournament.
2nd Ejection - Coach will be suspended 3 Games.
3rd Ejection - Coach will be suspended indefinitely - suspension will be
decided by the State Director. NO EXCEPTIONS.
If it is in the finals, the suspension will be applied at the next
tournament.
*In a game that is stopped due to a team
forfeiting, the winning teams score will be adjusted upward to a plus 8 margin
of victory as required. NO
EXCEPTIONS. All GAMES unless forfeited
will play the entire game length or run rule barring conditions beyond the
tournament directors control, (rain, curfews, etc.).
*No infield may be taken prior to or between each game.
*Teams must start with at least 8 players.
REFUND POLICY: ANY TEAM THAT PULLS OUT OF A SCHEDULED TOURNAMENT LESS THAN 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE TOURNAMENT FORFEITS THEIR ENTRY FEE. IF A TEAM PULLS OUT OF A FULL TOURNAMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHEN, AND NO REPLACEMENT CAN BE FOUND, THAT TEAM FORFEITS ITS REGISTRATION FEE. IF A TEAM PULLS OUT AFTER THE TOURNAMENT POOL PLAY SCHEDULES HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP, THAT TEAM FORFEITS ITS REGISTRATION FEE AND WILL BE FINED $100 THAT MUST BE PAID IMMEDIATELY TO THE STATE OFFICE. IF A TEAM PULLS OUT OF A TOURNAMENT ON SUNDAY, WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR, THE TEAM WILL BE FINED $100 THAT MUST BE PAID IMMEDIATELY TO THE STATE OFFICE.
RAIN OUT POLICY: IF TOURNAMENT SHORTENED OR CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER, THE FOLLOWING REFUND POLICY IS IN AFFECT:
For any Event. No games: 100% refund 1st game Started: 50% refund 2nd game Started: 0% refund
Gate Fee: Except
Pitching Rules
*Pitchers may NOT return to the pitching position once removed per Rule
8.08.F.5. Page 38.
*Per USSSA Rules, A Courtesy runner may be used for pitcher and catcher at any point in the inning, courtesy runner must be a substitute if one is available and can only appear once per inning. If no substitute is available then you can not use a courtesy runner.
*PITCHING Rules. Per USSSA
“Official Rules
8.04.D Pitching Chart:
8.04.D.1 Column A – The number in this column represents the most innings a
pitcher can pitch in one (1) day and still pitch the next day.
Example: In the 10U division, a pitcher may throw up to four
(4) innings in one (1) day and throw again the next day; but if that pitcher
throws four and one-third (4 1/3) innings or more in one (1) day, he cannot
pitch the next day.
8.04.D.2 Column B – The number in this column represents the most innings a
pitcher can pitch in one (1) day. Example: In the 10U division, a pitcher
may throw a maximum of six (6) innings in one (1) day. The pitcher would
not be allowed to pitch the next day.
8.04.D.3 Column C – The number in this column represents the most innings a pitcher
can pitch in two (2) consecutive days.
Example: In the 10U division, a pitcher may throw a maximum
of eight (8) innings in two (2) consecutive days.
NOTE: This is to be interpreted as a pitcher would be able to throw any
combination of innings that equal eight (8) as long as the first (1st) day does
not equal more than four (4) innings due to Column A requirements.
Division A B
C
8 & Under KP 3 4
6
9 & Under 4 6
8
10 & Under 4 6 8
11 & Under 4 6 9
12 & Under 4 6 9
13 & Under 5 7 11
14 & Under 5 7 11
15U - HS Freshman 5 7 12
16U - HS Sophomore 5 7 12
17U - HS Junior & 18U - HS Senior NONE UNLIMITED
NOTE: It is important to remember that in age divisions 12U and below,
pitchers that pitch two (2) consecutive days must rest the third (3rd) day
regardless of innings pitched.
PITCHING IS KEPT BY OUTS, OR 1/3 INNINGS. If a pitcher pitches 2 innings
+ records 1 out in the 3rd, he is charged with 2 1/3 innings.
Pitchers may NOT return to the pitching rubber once removed per Rule 8.08.F.5. Page 38.