SoNV USSSA Tournament Rules

USSSA Bat Regulations

New USSSA Baseball Bat Marks & Grandfathering Rules

Effective January 1, 2012

Big Barrel Bat Rules (2⅝” or 2¾”) – 14U & Below
Effective January 1, 2012
• Have the new USSSA Mark on its taper OR
• Be a Qualified BBCOR bat1 OR
• Be a Wood Bat

ALL of the above must be manufactured by an approved USSSA Bat Licensee
This applies to ALL Big Barrel Bats, including Coach Pitch bats.

Big Barrel Bat Rules (2⅝” or 2¾”) – 15U & Above
• Must be NHSF approved with the appropriate BBCOR certification mark OR
• Be a Wood Bat

Both of the above must be manufactured by an approved USSSA Bat Licensee

Small Barrel Baseball Bat Rules (2¼” or less)
For 2012 and 2013
• Have the new USSSA mark on its taper OR
• Have the old USSSA mark OR
• Be a Wood Bat

ALL of the above must be manufactured by an approved USSSA Bat Licensee
This applies to tee ball bats longer than 23”.
For 2014:
• Have the new USSSA mark on its taper OR
• Be a Wood Bat

Both of the above must be manufactured by an approved USSSA Bat Licensee

1Qualified BBCOR bat – A Big Barrel bat that is made by a USSSA approved bat licensee, has a BBCOR
mark permanently attached to the bat that is recognized by NHSF as a legal bat for NHSF sanctioned play
and has no more than a minus 3 ounces difference from the length of the bat. Minimum bat length is 29
inches.

8u Rules

• Pitching distance shall be 40ft and the bases shall be 60ft.
• Nine (9) defensive players shall play in the field.

Batter

• Bunting is allowed.
• To intentionally walk a batter, a coach or fielder just needs to inform umpire and point to first base.
• before a pitch is thrown to the batter.
• A batter is automatically out on a dropped/missed third strike by the catcher.

Pitching

• One pitch is considered an inning.
• A pitcher once removed from the mound may not return to the mound in that game.
• Pitching restrictions are 6 innings in a day / no more than 9 innings in a tournament.

Runners

• Stealing is allowed
• No lead-offs.  Players cannot leave base until after the ball crosses home plate
• If a player leaves early and is thrown out, they are out.  If they are safe: 1st offense, they must return
• to previous base: 2nd offense in the same inning they are out.  If the ball is hit, the defensive team has
• the option of the result of the play or dead ball and runner returns and hitter hits again.
• Once the ball is thrown back to the pitcher by the catcher or any fielder a t the conclusion of a play, at
• the umpire judgment, all base runners must return to their previous base if they are not at least halfway
• to next base.
• Courtesy runners are allowed for pitcher or catcher at any time.
• Stealing home is not allowed. Runners may only score on a hit or when forced to score by a walk, HBP, or
• award from the umpire.  Runners shall not advance from third base to home on passed balls, wild pitchers or
• dropped/missed third strikes by the catcher.
• It is the base runner's responsibility to avoid contact with a fielder in possession of the ball.

Game

• No new inning after 1:30.
• Mercy rule:  15 runs after 3 innings, 8 runs after 4 innings.
• No mechanical noise makers are allowed at USSSA tournaments.

Tie Breakers:

• Record
• Head To Head
• Leased Runs Allowed
• Run Differential (Max. 8 runs)
• USSSA Points

9u-14u Rules

• Divisions are based upon player's ages as of year (2011 league age as of April 30th, 2011).
• Players may play up in age but may not play down.
• Players may only play on one team during a weekend. This rule applies no matter where the USSSA tournament is located in Southern Nevada.
• Teams must have non-duplication number on their jerseys at least 4 inches in size.
• Sporting News Rules shall apply, along with the USSSA Rules.
• Rainout policy is as follows. No games played - 100% refund or credit. 1 game played - 50% off future tournament. 2 games played - no refunds.
• Home team will be determined by a coin flip in pool play. In playoffs, higher seeded team will be home team. Each team will provide a scorekeeper with all changes going through home plate umpire.
• Seeding will be determined by:
  (1) Best Record (2 points/ win; 1 point/tie)
  (2) Head to Head (When only two teams are tied that have played)
  (3) Runs Allowed (Versus all teams played)
  (4) Run Differential (Max +/- Runs per game versus all teams played)
  (5) USSSA Points
• (6) Coin Flip
• All conversations with an umpire should be conducted after a time out has been called and be held in a calm and professional manner. Verbal abuse of an umpire will not be tolerated and may result in ejection from the game.
• Any manager or coach ejected from a game will sit out their next game. An ejected manager or coach must not be in the area of the field after being ejected or during the pre-game or play of the suspended game. Any manager or coach caught continuing to coach after being ejected or suspended will be suspended for an additional period of time. Any player ejected from a game is subject to a one game suspension at the tournament director's discretion.
• Managers and coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players and fans.
• Any team knowingly using illegal players shall be subject to discipline ranging from forfeiting a game, ejection from tournament and suspension from all USSSA sanctioned leagues and tournaments for on one year period.
• Any team forfeiting a game may not advance to playoff rounds if it is determined that it is beneficial to that team with regards to runs allowed / differential etc.
• All protests will be ruled on immediately and all decisions are final and once the next pitch is thrown, team loses right to protest.
• Absolutely, no pre-game infield on any of the fields. Warm-up may only be conducted in four territory and the outfield!!!
• Director of the tournament reserves the right to change locations of tournament games.
• No mechanical noise makers are allowed at USSSA tournaments.

PITCHING REGULATIONS

Pitching restrictions for 2011 tournaments are as follows:

• 8u / 12u - 6 innings in a day 9 in the entire tournament.
• 13u & 14u -7 innings in a day 11 in the entire tournament.
• Once a pitcher is removed from the mound, they may not pitch again in that game.
• Leniency on balks in 9u.
• On a one weekend tournament, pitching does not recycle for the playoffs. Violation of pitching restrictions will result in automatic ejection of offending Manager and player. Forfeiture of the game and continuation of play in the tournament will be ruled upon at the discretion of the tournament director.

LENGTH OF GAMES

• u - No new inning after 1:30 or 6 innings whichever comes first
• 9u/12u No new inning after 1:45 or 6 innings whichever comes first
• 13u+ No new inning after 2:00 or 7 innings whichever comes first
• Once an inning begins, it must be completed. However, if the home team is ahead and batting when time expires, the game is over and the inning is not completed. Also, when the case of a homerun, all runs will count.
• Extra inning are played if there is still time on the clock. If time expires in a tie game in pool play, game is a tie.
• Every effort will be made to finish tournament but in case of park curfew, rain, darkness or other acts of God, the Director reserves the right to shorten games and/or modify schedules.

MERCY RULE

• 6 inning game - 15 after 3 innings & 8 after 4 innings
• 7 inning game - 15 after 3 innings & 12 after 4 innings & 8 after 5 innings

LINE-UPS

• Teams may elect to bat 9 or 10 players with the 10th player being an EH.(The EH is considered a defensive player and may switch in and out defensively).
• Teams may also bat their entire roster. (If team bats roster or has no subs when a starter is injured, then an out is recorded each time the injured player'sspot comes up).
• Once a player is removed due to injury, he may not return.
• Starters may re-enter one time only in their original spot.
• Only ages 15 and up may use the DH, but only if they are not using the EH.

BATTER

• To intentionally walk a batter, a coach simply needs to inform the umpire and point to first base. No pitches are thrown.

RUNNER

• Courtesy runners will be allowed for the pitcher or catcher at any time.
• The courtesy runner will be someone not currently in the game or if the team has no players on bench, the last out.
• A courtesy runner may only run one time per inning.
• It is the base runner's responsibility to avoid contact with the fielder when the fielder has the ball.
• Slide or attempt to avoid is in effect at all times when fielder is in possession of ball.
• Intentionally running into a fielder who is in possession of the ball is grounds for ejection.

EQUIPMENT

• No metal cleats will be allowed in divisions 12u and below.
• All bats must be approved for Youth Baseball League. No Softball Bats.
• Max barrel in ages 7u - 14u is 2 3/4. Ages 15u & above must use NFHS approved bats (-3)(Penalty for use of illegal bat will be out. 2nd offense will result in ejection of offending player).

16u Rules

SoNV USSSA 16u Tournament Rules
 
Divisions are based upon player’s age as of year (2011 league age as of April 30th, 2011)

•    Sporting News Rules shall apply, along with the USSSA Bylaws booklet.
•    Rainout policy is as follows.  No games played – 100% refund or credit.  One game played – 50% off future tournament. 2 games played – no refund.
•    Home team will be determined by a coin flip during pool play. In playoffs, higher seeded team will be home team and occupy third base dugout.  Each team will provides scorekeeper with all changes going through home plate umpires.
•    Seeds will be determined on a point system:  2 points for a win; 1 point for a tie; zero points for a loss.
•    Any manager or coach ejected from a game will sit out their next game.  An ejected manager or coach must not be in the area of the field after being ejected or during the pre-game or play of the suspended game.  Any manager or coach caught continuing to coach after being ejected or suspended will be suspended for an additional period of time.  A player ejected from a game is subject to a one game suspension at the tournament director’s discretion.
•    Managers and coaches are responsible for the conduct of his players and fans.
•    Any team knowingly using illegal players shall be subject to discipline ranging from forfeiting a game, ejection from the tournament and suspension from all USSSA sanctioned leagues and tournaments for up to one year period.
•    Any team forfeiting a game may not advance to playoff rounds if it is determined that it is beneficial to that team with regards to runs allowed/differential etc.
•    All protest will be ruled on immediately and all decisions are final and once are final and once the next pitch is thrown, team loses right to protest.
•    Absolutely, no pre-game infield on any of the fields.  Warm-up in foul territory only!!

LENGTH OF GAMES (No time limit for championship games)
•    7 innings with no new inning after 2:00
•    Once an inning begins, it must be completed.  However, if the home team is ahead and batting when time expires, the game is over and the inning is not completed.
•    Extra inning are played if there is time on the clock.  If time expires in a tie game in pool play, it is called a tie.
•    Every effort will be made to finish the tournament but in case of rain, darkness or other acts of God, the Director reserves the right to shorten games or modify schedules in order to finish the tournament.
•    The Director reserves the right to modify length of games due to issues involving park curfew.
•    An imposed Mercy (Run) Rule shall be used to complete a regulation game when one team’s margin of lead is greater than or equal to the listed run differential in the corresponding listed inning.
•    7 Innings 15 3rd Inning
•    7 Innings 12 4th Inning
•    7 Innings   8 5th Inning
•    Comment: In enforcing this rule, the home team shall not bat if they are winning and the mercy requirement is met prior to the bottom half of the listed inning. Likewise, if the home team is batting and meets the mercy requirement in the bottom half of a listed inning the home team shall cease batting at that moment and the game shall end.
•    The score of a regulation game is the total number of runs scored by each team at the moment the game ends.
•    The game ends when the visiting team completes its half (1/2) of the last inning if the home team is ahead.
•    The game ends when the last inning is completed, if the visiting team is ahead.  If the home team scores the winning run in its half (1/2) of the last inning (or its half of an extra inning after a tie), the game ends immediately when the winning run is scored.
Rule 8.04.P.3 Exception: If the last batter in a game hits a home run out of the playing field, the
batter-runner and all runners on base are permitted to score, in accordance with the base-running rules, and the game ends when the batter-runner touches home plate.

LINE-UPS
•    Teams may bat a nine (9) player line-up, a ten (10) player line-up using an Extra Hitter (EH) or a continuous line-up of all present uniformed players. Such line-up must be declared before the start of the game and used the entire game.
•    If a team uses a line-up that contains substitute players, all starting players may be removed and re-enter the game once, but must re-enter in their original position in the batting order. Non-starters are not allowed to re-enter. When a starter re-enters, the player in the starter’s batting position in the batting order must be removed from the game and is ineligible for the remainder of the game.
•    If a team uses a line-up that contains ten (10) players, the player in the Extra Hitter position, while not actually playing a defensive position, will be treated as such for substitution purposes.
•    If a team uses a continuous line-up, all players other than the nine (9) defensive position players are Extra Hitters and may move freely in defensive positions.
•    If the Extra Hitter (EH) is not be utilized, then the Designated Hitter (DH) may be utilized in accordance with the NFHS Association baseball rules.
•    A DH may be (not mandatory) designated for any one starting player (not just pitchers) and all subsequent substitutes for that player in the game.
•    A starting defensive player cannot be listed as the DH in the starting lineup.
•    A DH for said player shall be selected prior to the start of the game, and his name shall be included on the lineup cards presented to the umpire-in-chief and to the official scorer.
•    Failure to declare a DH prior to the game precludes the use of a DH in the game.
•    If a pinch hitter or pinch runner for the DH is used, that player becomes the new DH.
•    The player who was the DH may re-enter as the DH under the re-entry rule.
•    A DH and the player for whom he is batting are locked into the batting order. No multiple substitutions may be made that will alter the batting order.
•    The role of the DH is terminated for the remainder of the game when:
(1)    The defensive player, or any previous defensive player for whom the DH batted, subsequently bats, pinch-hits, or runs for the DH;
(2)    The DH or any previous designated DH assumes a defensive position.
•    Teams may play an official game with an eight (8) player line-up. If a team plays with an eight (8) player line-up, an out shall be declared for the ninth (9th) position in the batting line-up each turn at bat.
Rule 8.03.F Approved Ruling: Any player(s) arriving after the game has begun, shall be added to the bottom of the batting line-up.
•    A team may continue a game with a minimum of eight (8) eligible players. A player who has left a game for any reason cannot return to the game.
•    If the player leaving the game is a runner and no legal substitutes are available, the runner is declared out.
•    When a player who has left the game is scheduled to bat and no legal substitutes are available, an out shall be declared for each turn at bat.

BATTER
•    To intentionally walk a batter, a coach simply needs to inform the umpire and point to first base before any pitches are thrown.

RUNNER
•    At any time, the offensive team may use a courtesy runner for the pitcher and catcher of record the previous inning on defense.
•    For teams that have legal substitutes on the bench, the courtesy runner shall be a player not presently in the line-up and may appear as a courtesy runner one time per inning. The re-entry status of the courtesy runner, pitcher, and catcher, shall not be affected by this rule. If at any time, a courtesy runner is determined to be ineligible, a proper replacement pursuant to these rules (if available) will be used without penalty. If no proper courtesy runner is available, the pitcher and / or catcher must run for themselves.
•    For teams using a continuous line-up, the courtesy runner shall be the player whom recorded the previous out. If no outs have been recorded in the game, the courtesy runner shall be the previous batter not on base. If a courtesy runner is determined to be ineligible, a proper replacement pursuant to these rules (if available) will be used without penalty. If no proper courtesy runner is available, the pitcher and / or catcher must run for themselves.

EQUIPMENT
All bats for scholastic divisions 15U – 18U must conform to the NFHS (National Federation of High School Association) bat limitations including a length to weight ratio no greater than negative three (-3) ounces.

TIE BREAKER
Head to Head
Runs Allowed (Versus All Teams Played Not Just Tied Teams)
Run Differential (Maximum +/- 8 Runs Per Game.)
USSSA Point System
Coin Flip
Rule 4.10 Comment: Once advanced to the next tie breaker criteria, do not return to a previous criteria.