Team Composition – teams must be composed of players from three (3) different teams and a limit of 6 from one team.
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.
Pool Games and Bracket Games Rules
Pool Games may end in a tie.
Bracket & Championship Games will be played out to declare a winner and will be played at normal game times.
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 Pool Games shall be determined by coin flip prior to each game.
Home team for Bracket & Championship Games shall be determined by higher seed.
In the 8U division, pool & bracket games are six (6) innings with no new innings starting after one hour and fifteen minutes (1:15).
The 8U division will be CoachPitch.
8U Open: Base distance = 60′
In the 9U – 12U age divisions, Pool & Bracket Games are six (6) innings with no new inning starting after one hour and forty minutes (1:40).
9U all divisions: Pitching distance = 46′ / Base distance = 65′
10U all divisions: Pitching distance = 46′ / Base distance = 65′
11U all divisions: Pitching distance = 50′ / Base distance = 70′
12U all divisions: Pitching distance = 50′ / Base distance = 70′
In the 13U & 14U age divisions, Pool & Bracket Games are seven (7) innings with no new inning starting after one hour and forty-five minutes (1:45).
13AA: Pitching distance = 54′ / Base distance = 80′
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.
Bracket Play Format: teams will be seeded into one Championship bracket based on pool play results.
Teams who lose their first bracket game will fall to a consolation bracket.
Championship games in both the Championship Bracket and Consolation Bracket are winner take all. There are NO if games.
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.
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 then once again before the first bracket play 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.
Team managers will submit the play time report at the end of each day to the onsite director prior to leaving the facility for the day. 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: Manager of team ejected for remainder of game
2nd Offense and all subsequent offenses: Manager of team removed for the remainder the of event
Ejections and Player Injuries
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.
