2009
Updated
2-4-09
Only USSSA Sanctioned Teams with
online Rosters can enter AL USSSA tournaments - Each team will need to sanction
by going on line at www.usssa.com Sanction fee is $30 online. Global World
Series sanction fee is optional $15.00 extra.
Two new USSSA baseballs 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. Umpires reserve the right to throw out any game 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: May 1st each year. Example:
If your player turns 10 on April 30, 2009, then he can play as a 10U
this year.
USSSA Official Rules will be used with no exceptions. You can go to www.usssa.com 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. Balks can not be protested..
*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 Pitch – 7 Runs maximum per inning
allowed, Fall Ball 9U
6 runs per inning only in the fall.
*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. A standard 1 hour 45 min
for 13s and 14s (54/80). 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.
Sportsmanship Code 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 10 DAYS 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
Pitching Rules
Pitchers may NOT return to the pitching rubber once removed from mound
or lineup 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. The courtesy runner must be a
substitute if one is available and can only appear once per inning. If no
substitute is available (batting the entire roster) then you can use the last
batted out.
*PITCHING Rules. Per USSSA
“Official Rules
|
Age Division |
Column A |
Column B |
|
7U – 12U |
6 innings |
9 innings |
|
13U – 14U |
7 innings |
11 innings |
|
15U – 18U |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
8.08.G.1
Column A: The maximum number of innings a player
can pitch in one (1) day.
8.08.G.2
Column B: The maximum number of innings a player
can pitch in three (3) consecutive days.
Rule 8.08.G.2 Comment: For age divisions 7U – 12U, this is to be interpreted as a
player can pitch
any
combination of innings that equals nine (9) as long as he doesn’t pitch more
than six (6) innings
in any one
day pursuant to Rule 8.08.G.1.
Rule 8.08.G.2 Comment: For age divisions 13U – 14U, this is to be interpreted as a
player can pitch
any
combination of innings that equals eleven (11) as long as he doesn’t pitch more
than seven (7)
innings in any
one day pursuant to Rule 8.08.G.1.
8.08.G.3
In age divisions 7U – 14U, any player that
pitches three (3) consecutive days must rest the next two (2) consecutive days.