Teams may bat a 9 player line-up, a 10 player line-up with an Extra Hitter (EH), or a continuous line-up of all present uniformed players. Such line-up must be decided before the start of the game and used the entire game. DH IS ALLOWED
All tournaments shall be played under USSSA Baseball Rules, except where noted.
Team insurance is mandatory. Please submit proof of insurance with entry form.
The point system will be in effect: two (2) points for a win, one (1) point for a tie.
1 Hour 45 Minute time limit on POOL GAMES, QUARTERFINALS AND SEMIFINAL GAMES. The CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ONLY will have NO time limit. No inning shall begin after two hours of a POOL PLAY game, extra innings will be played if time permits.
ALL forfeit games to be handled as follows: The recipient of the forfeit win will be granted a win and the total amount of runs allowed in ALL of their games played will be divided by the number of games the recipient has played. The run differential will also be averaged over the total number of games played to determine the total run differential for the recipient of the forfeit win. Also, any team who forfeits is INELIGIBLE to advance past pool play.
Ages 9-12 will be 6 inning games. All other ages will be 7 inning games.
Fifteen run mercy after (3) three innings. Eight run mercy after (4) four innings.
There will be no pre-game batting or infield practice.
The Tournament Director reserves the right to amend any rule, schedule, diamond location, format, to accommodate time constraints, weather situations, etc.
All participants are competing at their own risk and by participating agrees to hold Michigan USSSA, all Tournament Officials, all facilities and their owner and directors, all umpires, and directors harmless from any liability resulting from participation in the tournament.
THERE WILL BE A LIMIT OF 8 INNINGS PITCHED FOR ENTIRE EVENT
Bracket winners will automatically advance to the championship brackets, and will always be a higher seed than a wildcard team no matter the circumstances. Seeds will be determined by the tournament tiebreakers. If a bracket has a wildcard team, the wildcard team will also be
determined by the tournament tie-breakers. The wildcard teams will automatically be the last seeds.
Managers will have a 24 hour window to request a correction in a score posted on the main bracket board. No scores will be changed after the 24 hour time-period has expired. (It’s the Managers responsibility to keep in touch with your team’s scores that are posted on the main
bracket board). Once the championship brackets and seedings are posted no scores can or will be changed.
Pitching Rules
There will be a limit of 8 innings pitched for the entire event, how you use the 8 innings is entirely up to you, but you cannot exceed 8 innings.
The innings pitched will be recorded and entered at www.usssa.com by the tournament director, according to each scorecard that is handed in.
Managers will be responsible for keeping track of their team and other team’s pitching totals.
If a team violates the pitching rules, meaning they recorded at least 1 out after having pitched the 8 inning limit, the opposing manager must stop the game and officially protest the game with the umpire. A pitcher Will Not be penalized by being over the 8 inning limit with a double or triple play. (Example: Johnny has pitched 7 2/3 innings, and the batter hits into a double play, even though he technically pitched 8 1/3 innings. Pitcher is safe, because a double/triple play put him over the 8 inning limit).
The protest fee is $100, this fee will be returned if the protest is upheld. Once the umpire stops the game, the tournament director will come and make final decision. If pitcher is found in violation of the pitching rules, the game WILL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC FORFEIT.
If the pitcher of record (who is in violation of the pitching rules) is removed prior to a protest, then there will be no penalty enforced. Protest must occur while pitcher of record is still in the game.
Like in the past, the umpires will have the official scorecards for the manager’s to sign after a game to confirm the score, in addition the manager will now have to confirm the recorded outs by each of his pitchers. The umpire will keep track of the score and the pitching info, managers DO NOT SIGN A SCORECARD until you are positive that the score & pitching is correct. Once a manager signs the card, the score & pitching cannot be changed, your signature confirms both are correct.
THIS IS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS, AND EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE A BIT MORE WORK FOR ALL OF US, I THINK WE CAN AGREE IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!!!
Pool Play Tie Breaker Rules
HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPETITION
LEAST RUNS ALLOWED-TOTAL
HIGHEST RUN DIFFERENTIAL (MAXIMUM RUN DIFFERENTIAL PER GAME –8 OR +8)
TEAM WITH MORE USSSA POINTS
IF STILL TIED, THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE WILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISION AS TO HOW THE TIE IS BROKEN. (COIN-FLIP,ONE INNING SHOOT-OUT, ETC.)
