Players will participate in the classification of their most recent team at the time they receive a nomination.
If a player registers as AA and the team is reclassified to AAA or Major at a later date they are still eligible to participate as part of the AA team.
Any protest on a roster must be done by 6:00PM prior to first game of play.
Event staff has the final ruling on the approval of event rosters with guidance of state directors.
NASC staff reserves the right to adjust rosters of any team during the event to meet the guidelines of the event and/or the best interest of the event.
Pitching Rules and Guidelines
The event will follow the USSSA National Rule Book and Guidelines for all pitching rules.
Any verbal answers received by park staff will not nullify a pitching violation, it is the responsibility of the manager to make sure all pitchers are within the pitching guidelines. It is easy to be confused when talking about pitching.
Pool Play Guidelines and Rules
Home team for Pool Games shall be determined by coin flip prior to each game.
Pool Games may end in a tie.
Pool Play Format: All teams will play three (3) pool games. If there are an odd number of teams in a division then one team will play four (4) pool play games. The team who plays four (4) pool play games will only have their best three (3) games counted toward seeding for bracket play.
Items not covered herein shall be governed by the USSSA Baseball National Rules.
Bracket Play Guidelines and Rules
Bracket Play Format: teams will be seeded into double elimination Championship brackets are seeded based on pool play results.
Teams who lose their first bracket game will fall into the Losers bracket and have a chance to play there way back into the Championship.
Game times will remain the same as pool play throughout bracket play, including the Championship and “IF” games.
Bracket & Championship Games will be played out to declare a winner.
If a bracket game is tied after time limit has been reached. Each additional inning will begin with bases loaded and no outs.
Home team for Bracket Play games shall be determined by higher seed.
For the Championship game the team who is undefeated in bracket play will be the home team.
In the case that there is an “IF” game. A coin flip will be used to determine the home team
Items not covered herein shall be governed by the USSSA Baseball National Rules.
Playing Time Rules
Teams MUST use a Continuous Batting Order with free defensive substitutions.
Coaches will set a batting line-up prior to the beginning of the first game in pool play.
Coaches will set a battling line-up once again before the first bracket game.
Coaches may also reset their line-up one more time before the Championship game if needed.
Nine players shall be the defensive starters (Ages 9U – 14U) and 10 players shall be the defensive starters (8U) in game #1.
Non-starters in game #1 MUST be starters in game #2.
No player shall be a starter in a third (3rd) game until all players have been a starter in two (2) games, etc. Starters “rotate” each game.
NO player shall sit two (2) consecutive innings and NO player shall sit twice until all players have sat once.
Every player MUST play a minimum of two (2) defensive innings EVERY game.
Pitchers and Catchers do NOT fall under the mandatory rotation rules due to the nature of their position.
Team managers must actively keep a play time report and have it readily available upon request by the event staff. This will allow tournament staff to help managers follow the format and help to ensure that all athletes receive the correct amount of playing time.
Failure to follow the playing rules will result in the following penalties
1st Offense: event staff will ensure that the manager understands the rules and manager will receive a warning.
2nd Offense: Manager of team ejected for remainder of game
3rd Offense and all subsequent offenses: Manager of team removed for the remainder the of event
Ejections, Injuries, and Forfeits
Ejections
A player ejection while roster batting will result in the team losing that player for the entire game. His/her spot in the batting order WILL be an automatic out.
Injuries
Batter: If a batter cannot fulfill his/her time at bat due to injury or illness, that player will be eliminated from that entire game. That spot will be skipped in the batting order. Teams will not be required to take an automatic out UNTIL they drop below 9 players.
Runner: If a runner cannot continue their time on the bases, that player will be substituted with the last batter not on base. That athlete will not be allowed to participate in the remainder of the game. The line-up will compress when that spot comes to bat.
Forfeits
A forfeit will not result in a teams removal from the remainder of the event.
A forfeit may result in the removal of a player or manager from the event.
If a team forfeits for any reason in an elimination game the game will be scored as a forfeit and because of the lose the team will be eliminated from the event.
Forfeits on roster eligibility must made prior to 6:00PM the day before the event is scheduled to start.
