Softball Tournament Rules

TOURNAMENT SAFETY RULES:

Coaches/Players Responsibilities

Coaches are responsible for the actions and safety of their own team which includes spectators.
UMPIRE JUDGEMENT CALLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE ARGUED FOR ANY REASON
- Judgement calls include: fair/foul, balls/strikes, out/safe
- Rules may be challenged or contested in a professional manner such as: appeals, etc..
Coach/Umpire interactions are a part of the game. These interactions should be calm and respectful at all times.
- Any Player ejected from a game will be ineligible for the remainder of the game and at least one additional game.
- Any Coach ejected from a game will be ineligible for the remainder of the game and at least one additional game
  - Ejections will be reviewed by the tournament director and are subject to additional game suspensions or being banned from the tournament
(3) Coaches permitted within the dugout. Scorekeeper allowed in the dugouts.
All dugouts must be cleaned out and all garbage removed after your game.
No seeds or gum will be permitted as that encourages spitting.
NO ALCOHOL BROUGHT INTO ANY LOCATION. No communal water coolers will be permitted.
All teams waiting for the next game will be permitted near the field with coaches in an open space zone.
- INTENTIONALLY THROWING OR HITTING INTO FENCES DURING WARM UPS IS NOT PERMITTED
All open space will be utilized for warm up areas so teams can spread out far and wide.
- INTENTIONALLY THROWING OR HITTING INTO FENCES DURING WARM UPS IS NOT PERMITTED

TOURNAMENT RULES

TEAM MANAGERS-HEAD COACHE

USA Fast Pitch Rules in effect. The umpires being used are USA umpires.

USA Fast Pitch Softball Rules in effect with the following exceptions:

ROSTERS
Teams are required to provide an Official Team Roster prior to teams first game in the tournament. Teams will not receive game schedules until rosters are in the team account, online, 30 days prior to tournament. Rosters must contain Email addresses and birth dates for all players. Roster size can be unlimited for the number of players on the team. There can be no more than 3 coaches (1 manager, 2 coaches, and a scorekeeper). 1 allowed in the Dugout at any time. A team can add to the roster prior to the first game. Rosters are frozen at Check-In. COACHES ARE NOT PERMITTED INSIDE THE FENCE LINES DURING DEFENSIVE INNINGS. TWO COACHES ALLOWED DURING OFFENSE INNINGS.

TIME LIMIT:
All Age Groups: 7 innings or 1 hour forty five minutes. No new inning can start after the time limit has been reached. (Umpires official time is the time of record, spectator and coaches time will not be honored) If the home team is up to bat and is winning the game when the time limit expires the game will end at the point of time expiration. If you start an inning before the time limit, you must finish it. Time starts at the completion of Ground Rules. The umpire and/or Tournament Official is the only one that keeps the official clock. Coaches; synchronize your clocks. As soon as the 3rd out is recorded in the bottom half of the inning, the next inning officially starts. If there is still time left when the third out is recorded, the next inning will be played. Defensive timeouts limited to 1 minute. Excessive attempts to slow down or make time expire (umpires discretion) can result in a forfeit.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES:
No time limit for Championship Game. Run rules are still in effect.

DETERMINING HOME & AWAY:
A coin flip will determine the home and away teams. The higher seed will have a choice during playoffs. Time starts at completion of ground rules and will be announced by the umpire. Please be prepared to start 30 minutes before starting time. The SITE DIRECTOR OR PLATE UMPIRE HAS FINAL SAY OF STARTING TIME.

SLIDING:
No restrictions on sliding at Salt City Sports Tournaments. Shoulder roll or coming up high, would be the only time a runner is called out. Runners must slide or avoid contact at all plays at home plate or be called out. Umpires discretion when a runner makes contact with a defensive player at home plate. In addition to avoiding contact, players must slide directly into all bases, players may not intentionally alter their running path in order to break up or disrupt a play.

MERCY RULE – ENFORCED IN ALL ROUNDS
7 Inning Game: 12 runs after 3 innings. 10 runs after 4 innings. 8 runs after 5 innings.

PITCHING RESTRICTIONS:

There are no pitching restrictions at Salt City Sports Tournaments.

INFIELD WARM-UPS:
All teams are encouraged to warm-up as much as possible before game time. NO PREGAME INFIELD. You may use the outfield to hit ground balls and fly balls.

INTENTIONALLY THROWING OR HITTING INTO FENCES DURING WARM UPS IS NOT PERMITTED

SALT CITY SPORTS TIE BREAKER:

Pool play games can end in a tie.

USA Rulebook International Tie Breaker:

Last recorded out is placed at 2nd base, with no outs to start the inning.

LINE UPS:

Pool play: teams can bat their entire lineup, IF they choose. IF a player is removed due to an injury, and her time to bat comes up, if she is unable to bat, an out WILL NOT be recorded. However, that player may not return to that game.

Playoff/Championship rounds: USA Rule book to be followed, including EP or DP/FLEX options.

RE-ENTRY RULE:

Players & their sub may reenter the games ONCE.

COURTESY RUNNER:

Last batted out must be the runner. However, if there are subs on the bench NOT IN THE LINEUP, they must be used 1st.

DROPPED THIRD STRIKE/INFIELD FLY:

Enforced in all levels EXCEPT 10U.

PLAYING WITH 8/ INJURIES:
All games must be started with at least 9 players. A game can be finished with 8 players. Once a team establishes it has 8 players it must finish the game with 8 players. A team cannot play with less than 8 players. Injured Players removed from lineup shrinks the batting order if there are no subs on the roster and teams will not take an out. If a player is ejected a team is forced to take an out each time that player position steps to the plate.

PITCHING DISTANCE:

10U 35’

12U 40’

14U-18U 43’

INTENTIONAL WALKS:

10U-18U Inform the umpire of your desire to walk the batter. No pitches have to be thrown.

TIE BREAKER RULES:
1.Head To Head matchup

2. Overall record (winning percentage).
3. Total runs allowed in regulation games.
4. Total runs scored in regulation games.

5. Run Differential
5. Coin flip

PLAYOFFS –

Playoff Format:

Playoff Format will depend on number of teams (1:45 finish inning) Championship games will be played to its entirety unless a mercy rule comes into effect.

Refund Policy:

No refunds issued 14 days prior to tournament. Game Refund Policy by number of games not played: -1 = $50 future tournament credit, -2 = $100 future tournament credit, -3 = $200 future tournament credit. No games played all money refundable excluding $50 registration fee which can be applied toward future tournament.

Appeals:

Teams can appeal a contest due to rule discrepancies. In order to file an appeal a team must pay a $200 appeal fee to Salt City Sports in order for the tournament or site director to review the appeal. (checks payable to: Salt City Sports) Once the fee is received the tournament director will review the appeal and make an appeal decision within 48 hours. If an appeal is lost the appeal fee is forfeited to the tournament, fees are refundable on appeals that are won.