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 AL tournaments, Online Roster is Required.  Coaches must have Birth Certificates and a Signed Roster available for inspection if a protest is made relative to the eligibility of a player.

 

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-$150 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:  At most events the Gate fee will be $6 to 8 per day, $12 to $15 for a tournament pass,  12&U are free, 3 Coaches are free. At the SNIT and State Level I Tournaments, the gate fee will be $18 for a tournament pass, $8 Friday, $10 Sat or Sun, 12&U are Free.  There will be no refund on admission unless no games (this means no games)  are played on a given day for tickets, if you think your team may not play, wait in the car until you know for certain, if other games have started, there are NO refunds.  A game counts as a game once the game starts.

 

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.