USFA rules will govern all play.

 

Click Here For USFA Official Rules

USFA Sportsmanship Guidelines

1.    If a player gets hurt (especially a head injury), Dead ball will be called by the umpire.  Safety is taken very seriously and should be monitored by all coaches and umpires.

2.    Un-sportsmanlike behavior by a player, coach or fan is an eject able offense.

3.    Umpires should be fair, impartial, use good judgment and never speak rudely or out of turn to a player, coach or fan.  An umpire puts their very human spirit at jeopardy when they put on the umpire uniform.  In the spirit of fair play, we will accept their decisions right or wrong.  USFA will do their part by obtaining the very best decision makers on the field in USFA umpire attire.

4.    Coaches will follow the rules of sportsmanship, never stall a game, be a graceful winner and loser, and never speak rudely or out of turn to a player, coach, fan or umpire.

5.    Most importantly, our motto is COMPETTITIVE FUN.  It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the game FUN.  It is a game and games are supposed to be fun.  Play hard, coach hard, umpire hard and spectators should enjoy the game and support their team when they are playing both good and bad.  Umpires are human and bad calls can happen.  This is a part of the game now and forever.  Accept it and have fun.

• The home team will be the official scorekeeper in pool play and bracket play.

• Each team will need to furnish one game ball for each game. Game balls must be yellow optic with red stitches. The COR must be .470 or under.

• Pre-game conference and coin flip between managers and umpires will take place 5 minutes prior to the start of the game.

• No live batting practice is allowed on the fields, or in the complex at any time.

• The standard time limit for games is 1 hour and 10 minutes. The official game time does not start until 1 minute after the pre-game umpire/managers conference. Game time limits could be altered in the case of tournament interruption, or as deemed necessary by the tournament director.

• All tournament games may start up to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled game time.

• An International tiebreaker is to be used in all tied games after the completion of the inning in which the time limit expires, or after 7 innings of a tie game. During pool play, only 1 extra inning will be played. If a tie still exists, the game result will be recorded as a tie.

• The mercy rule for the conclusion of a game will be as follows: 12 run lead after 3 innings; 10 run lead after 4 innings; 8 run lead after 5 innings.

• No tobacco products are allowed on the field or in the dugouts. Smoking is not allowed in the bleachers or around the dugout areas.

• No music is allowed inside the complex.

• Players are not allowed to wear steel spikes.

• Managers may bat their roster and have free defensive substitution at their discretion unless noted otherwise by the tournament director (throughout the tournament). Batting the roster is not a requirement, but if not batting the roster, the manager must report substitutions to the umpire and opposing team following standard substitution rules. When batting the roster, the last player to complete an at-bat that is not currently on base shall be the courtesy runner. If that player is the current pitcher or catcher, then go to the next player that has completed her at-bat and is not currently on base. In the event that the game goes into international tiebreaker, the last batter to complete an at bat in the previous inning shall start the international tiebreaker inning on second base. If a player leaves the game, the team shall not be forced to take an out in the absent player’s position in the batting order unless there are 8 or fewer players remaining. The player that left the game shall be ineligible to return.

• Pool play games are for practice and to get each team ready for bracket play.; Brackets will be pre-determined by tournament director. All tournaments will be in the following format - 2 pool games into double-elimination bracket.

• Please note that each registrant/team must carry insurance on each team member and provide proof of insurance in order to participate in any Sports America tournaments.  We reserve the right to prohibit play if you do not have current insurance coverage.