PRE-GAME MEETING

 

10 minutes prior to your game time please have a team representative meet directly behind scorers table on the field you will be playing on.  Please have complete lineup card with FIRST and LAST names and POSITIONS.  The umpire will conduct a coin flip and accept lineups.  This will be our process for pool and exhibition play.

 

Upon entering the field please place EVERY bat that will be in the dugout on the fence OUTSIDE of the dugout for the umpires to inspect.  A questionable bat will be taken to the UIC and final termination will be made.  If the bat is deemed illegal the bat will be tagged with your team’s name and you will retrieve it from the Tournament Director at the end of your tournament.

 

Within 5 minutes of entering the dugout after previous game completes the home team should be ready to take the field and begin the game.

 

LINE-UPS

 

1. Let's begin with a basic 9 person lineup. Using that is very straightforward -- all 9 of those are playing offense AND defense.

 

2. You can add to that up to 2 more batters, so that you are batting 10 or 11.  Those are called Additional Players (APs).  The APs don't have to bat in the 10 and 11 spot -- they can be ANYWHERE in batting positions 1-11. Of those 11 (or 10 if only 1 AP), ANY 9 MAY PLAY DEFENSE at any time (with certain restrictions for a pitcher) -- so in any particular inning, you can sit the RF and CF, for example, if the APs are playing defense (APs, Rule 5-3, p 29)

 

3. Another option is using the DP/FLEX, which operates the same as the DP/FLEX in every other major code.  The DP is listed somewhere in batting positions 1-11 (if using 2 APs), and the FLEX is listed LAST (12th if using 2 APSs).  The FLEX must play defense if she is listed as FLEX in the last position -- that takes up 1 defensive spot -- the other 8 defensive positions may be played by any other players in the lineup -- including the DP

 

So if you have a 12 person lineup -- 11 batters plus a FLEX - the FLEX HAS to be on defense, but you have 11 other players in the lineup to use to fill the other 8 defensive positions.

 

The FLEX and DP are tied together - the only way the FLEX can move from the last spot (the FLEX position) into the batting order (positions 1-11 if using 2 APs) is to put the FLEX into the batting order for the DP -- in that case, the DP has left the game -- and you have dropped from a 12 person lineup to 11.  If you re-enter the DP (or sub in a new DP), you can send the FLEX back to the 12th spot (playing defense only) (DP/FLEX, Rule 5-4, pp 29-30)

 

 

SHORTHANDED RULE

 

When you submit your lineup for 9, 10 or 11 batters -- you are committing to maintain your batting order at that number for the entire game.  However, you are allowed to play SHORTHANDED -- dropping 1 player for any reason (except one).  When you drop a player, this creates an ABSENT PLAYER position in the batting order.  Any time the absent player is due to bat, an automatic out occurs.

 

If a batter or runner is injured, for that baserunning opportunity only, the last completed at bat not on base can take her place. EXAMPLE: no subs, batting everybody, #9 hitter slides into 2B and breaks her ankle.  The #8 hitter(skip back to #7 if necessary) takes her spot to fulfill her baserunning duties. But from then on, you have to take an out in the #9 spot.

 

USSSA rules allow you to START with 8 players and an ABSENT PLAYER in the 9th position

 

One final note on the shorthanded rule -- it is not available if you lose a player by EJECTION.(Shorthanded, Rule 5-2, pp 28-29)

 

PITCHING

 

Prior to pitching, the pitcher must have both feet IN CONTACT WITH the pitcher's plate.  Additionally, part of the PIVOT FOOT MUST BE ON TOP OF (not merely in front of with heel in contact with) the pitcher's plate.  Both feet must be within the 24" length of the pitching plate.(Pitching, Rule 6.1, pp 32-34)

 

COURTESY RUNNER

 

USSSA allows a Courtesy Runner for your pitcher and catcher of record (the person who last physically played the position).  You can request a CR at any time after they reach base (provided they reached base by some means other than substitution).The CR must be:

1) a substitute  who has not been in the game in any other capacity -- an unused sub

The same person may CR for BOTH the pitcher and the catcher, just NOT IN THE SAME INNING.

 

If you replace your pitcher or catcher please make that change through the home plate umpire. 

 

Example: you have 2 unused subs on the bench - Speedy Sally and Leadfoot Lucy.  Sally can be the first CR used each inning  -- pitcher one inning, catcher the next -- she's not tied to one position or the other. 

 

But because a CR MUST be an unused substitute -- if you are batting everybody -- or have played everybody -- then you have NO CR OPTION

(Courtesy Runner, Rule 8-3, p 40)

 

Judgment calls are not able to be placed under protest.  If you wish to protest a rule, please indicate the specific ruling in question to the home plate umpire and the site UIC will be called to the field.   A $100 cash protest fee will be assessed for a protest that is upheld.  Please have your$100 protest fee ready upon your request to protest a ruling.

 

Remember! We have a goal – Zero Ejections! Please approach each umpire with professionalism and a calm demeanor.  If you wish to discuss a call with an umpire please ask a question.  “Can you go for help?” is not an appropriate question.  Please ask a specific question.  I.E. “Can you ask your partner if 1B pulled her foot?”  “Can you ask your partner if she dropped the ball?”  Remember you are the adult setting an example for young people.  Also remember that you are a professional.  Please conduct yourselves accordingly.  Umpires have been instructed to be professional and approachable and they have this goal as well!