[Fastpitch]

{Tournament Rules}

All games will be played by USSSA rules, with the following exceptions:

1. Home team will be the official scorekeeper in all tournament games.
2. Each team will need to supply a USSSA game ball per game. (Each team will receive 2 game balls upon check-in.  After that teams can purchase a game ball at tournament headquarters for $5.00 per ball.)
3. Pre-game conference and coin flip between managers and umpires will take place 5 minutes prior to the start of the game.
4. No infield practice before the games. Teams may warm up on grass or in foul territory while infield is being prepared. No live batting practice is allowed on the field or in the complex at any time. Batting nets are allowed.
5. Time limit for all games is 1 hour and 10 minutes. Time begins after the 1st warm-up pitch. Time limit could change in case of tournament interruptions. All teams should be prepared to start their game up to 10 minutes early in case we are ahead of schedule. (This will help the tournament keep on time)
6. Regulation games will be defined by the type of game that it is.  There will be three types of games played in the different formats that MSP will be using:
1. Pool play:  Games will be 7 innings or time limit.  If the game is tied at the end of regulation, only 1 international tiebreaker inning will be played.
2. Bracket Play:  Games will be 7 inning or time limit.  Games that are tied at the end of regulation will use the ITB rule until a winner is declared.
7. Run rules: 12 runs after 3 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 8 runs after 5 innings.
8. Team manager may consult with the umpires; players, sponsors and other coaches are to keep out of discussions.
9. No smoking or tobacco use on the field or in the dugouts.
10. Roster Batting will be allowed during the ENTIRE tournament.    Conversely, all State and USSSA World Series events will be played by the rule book.  Regardless of the number of players you have, you will need to announce your line-up format at the pre-game conference with the officials.  Due to MSP allowing roster batting, there are some additional rules that need to be clarified:
    1.  Injury:  If a batter cannot fulfill her time at bat due to injury or illness, that player will be eliminated from that entire game. Her spot will be skipped in the batting order.  Teams will not be required to take an automatic out UNTIL they drop below 9 players.
    2. Ejections:  A player ejection while roster batting will result in the team losing that player for the entire game.  Her spot in the batting order WILL be an automatic out. 
11. Courtesy runner will be allowed for pitcher and catcher at any time.  The courtesy runner will be designated by the following rules:
    1. Rulebook batting line-up:  Per rulebook designation
    2. Roster batting line-up: The last batter not on base.
12. Winner of pool play will be determined by won-loss record. If tied the following tiebreakers will be used.
    1. Head to Head competition
    2. Runs allowed per game
    3. Runs differential (+/- of 8 runs per game)
    4. Coin Flip
13. Teams my begin a game with 8 players. If the 9th spot is not filled when that spot comes to bat, it will constitue an out. The 9th player can be added to the line-up at any time.
14. If a team is playing an extra pool game, the runs allowed and the Win/Loss in that game will not count towards your total. However, the result of the game (win/loss) will be used in head-to-head consideration if a tie in pool play occurs.
15. In case of a rain-shortened tournament, pool play games can be deemed official after 2 ½ innings of play (with home team winning) or 45 minutes of elapsed game time. This policy will only be used through pool play.

All games will be played by USSSA rules, with the following exceptions:

1. Home team will be the official scorekeeper in all tournament games.
2. Each team will need to supply a USSSA game ball per game. (Each team will receive 2 game balls upon check-in.  After that teams can purchase a game ball at tournament headquarters for $5.00 per ball.)
3. Pre-game conference and coin flip between managers and umpires will take place 5 minutes prior to the start of the game.
4. No infield practice before the games. Teams may warm up on grass or in foul territory while infield is being prepared. No live batting practice is allowed on the field or in the complex at any time. Batting nets are allowed.
5. Time limit for all games is 1 hour and 10 minutes. Time begins after the 1st warm-up pitch. Time limit could change in case of tournament interruptions. All teams should be prepared to start their game up to 10 minutes early in case we are ahead of schedule. (This will help the tournament keep on time)
6. Regulation games will be defined by the type of game that it is.  There will be three types of games played in the different formats that MSP will be using:
1. Pool play:  Games will be 7 innings or time limit.  If the game is tied at the end of regulation, only 1 international tiebreaker inning will be played.
2. Warm-up Games :  Games will be 7 inning or time limit.  Games that are tied at the end of regulation will end in a tie.
3. Bracket Play:  Games will be 7 inning or time limit.  Games that are tied at the end of regulation will use the ITB rule until a winner is declared.
7. Run rules: 12 runs after 3 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 8 runs after 5 innings.
8. Team manager may consult with the umpires; players, sponsors and other coaches are to keep out of discussions.
9. No smoking or tobacco use on the field or in the dugouts.
10. Roster Batting will be allowed only during pool play and warm-up games.    Bracket games will be played with rulebook roster rules. Conversely, all State and USSSA World Series events will be played by the rule book.  Regardless of the number of players you have, you will need to announce your line-up format at the pre-game conference with the officials.  Due to MSP allowing roster batting, there are some additional rules that need to be clarified:
    1.  Injury:  If a batter cannot fulfill her time at bat due to injury or illness, that player will be eliminated from that entire game. Her spot will be skipped in the batting order.  Teams will not be required to take an automatic out UNTIL they drop below 9 players.
    2. Ejections:  A player ejection while roster batting will result in the team losing that player for the entire game.  Her spot in the batting order WILL be an automatic out. 
11. Courtesy runner will be allowed for pitcher and catcher at any time.  The courtesy runner will be designated by the following rules:
    1. Rulebook batting line-up:  If a team has a “live” substitution(s) available, per rulebook that player(s) is required to be used as the courtesy runner.  If an additional courtesy runner is used in that inning, the last batter-out will be used.  If necessary, you will roll back in the line-up to an available player.
    2. Roster batting line-up: The last batter not on base.
12. Winner of pool play will be determined by won-loss record. If tied the following tiebreakers will be used.
    1. Head to Head competition
    2. Runs allowed per game
    3. Runs differential (+/- of 8 runs per game)
    4. Coin Flip
13. Teams my begin a game with 8 players. If the 9th spot is not filled when that spot comes to bat, it will constitue an out. The 9th player can be added to the line-up at any time.
14. If a team is playing an extra pool game, the runs allowed and the Win/Loss in that game will not count towards your total. However, the result of the game (win/loss) will be used in head-to-head consideration if a tie in pool play occurs.
15. In case of a rain-shortened tournament, pool play games can be deemed official after 2 ½ innings of play (with home team winning) or 45 minutes of elapsed game time. This policy will only be used through pool play.

1. Home team will be the official scorekeeper in all tournament games.
2. Each team will need to supply a USSSA game ball per game. (Each team will receive 2 game balls upon check-in.  After that teams can purchase a game ball at tournament headquarters for $5.00 per ball.)
3. Pre-game conference and coin flip between managers and umpires will take place 5 minutes prior to the start of the game.
4. No infield practice before the games. Teams may warm up on grass or in foul territory while infield is being prepared. No live batting practice is allowed on the field or in the complex at any time. Batting nets are allowed.
5. Time limit for all games is 1 hour and 10 minutes. Time begins after the 1st warm-up pitch. If time has expired and the visitors' team is ahead by runs per inning + 1, the game is official.Time limit could change in case of tournament interruptions. All teams should be prepared to start their game up to 10 minutes early in case we are ahead of schedule. (This will help the tournament keep on time)
6. Regulation games will be defined by the type of game that it is.  There will be three types of games played in the different formats that MSP will be using:
   1. Pool play:  Games will be 7 innings or time limit.  If the game is tied at the end of regulation, only 1 international tiebreaker inning will be played.
   2. Warm up games:  Games will be 7 inning or time limit.  Games that are tied at the end of regulation will end in a tie.
   3. Bracket Play:  Games will be 7 inning or time limit.  Games that are tied at the end of regulation will use the ITB rule until a winner is declared.
7. Run rules: 12 runs after 3 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 8 runs after 5 innings.
8. Team manager may consult with the umpires; players, sponsors and other coaches are to keep out of discussions.
9. No smoking or tobacco use on the field or in the dugouts.
10. Roster Batting will be allowed during the ENTIRE tournament.   Regardless of the number of players you have, you will need to announce your line-up format at the pre-game conference with the officials.  Due to MSP allowing roster batting, there are some additional rules that need to be clarified:
    1.  Injury:  If a batter cannot fulfill her time at bat due to injury or illness, that player will be eliminated from that entire game. Her spot will be skipped in the batting order.  Teams will not be required to take an automatic out UNTIL they drop below 8 players.
    2. Ejections:  A player ejection while roster batting will result in the team losing that player for the entire game.  Her spot in the batting order WILL be an automatic out. 
11. Courtesy runner will be allowed for pitcher and catcher at any time.  The courtesy runner will be designated by the following rules:
    1. Rulebook batting line-up:  If a team has a “live” substitution(s) available, per rulebook that player(s) is required to be used as the courtesy runner.  If an additional courtesy runner is used in that inning, the last batter-out will be used.  If necessary, you will roll back in the line-up to an available player.
    2. Roster batting line-up: The last batter not on base.
12. There will be an expanded strike zone for the 10U age group.
13. There will be 4 outfielders in the 8U and 10U divisions. All other divisions will play defense with only 9 players.
14. In the 10U division you can only steal 1 base at a time. There will be NO stealing home. There is no dropped 3rd strike for the 10U’s. There is no infield fly rule.
15. Teams can score a maximum of 5 runs per half inning.
16. Games will end at time limit if a team is down by more than 5 runs or what they are allotted left to score in that half inning.
17. Teams my begin a game with 8 players. If the 9th spot is not filled when that spot comes to bat, it will constitue an out. The 9th player can be added to the line-up at any time.
18. Winner of pool play will be determined by won-loss record. If tied the following tiebreakers will be used.
    1. Head to Head competition
    2. Runs allowed per game
    3. Runs differential (+/- of 8 runs per game)
    4. Coin Flip
19. If a team is playing an extra pool game, the runs allowed and the Win/Loss in that game will not count towards your total. However, the result of the game (win/loss) will be used in head-to-head consideration if a tie in pool play occurs.
20. In case of a rain-shortened tournament, pool play games can be deemed official after 2 ½ innings of play (with home team winning) or 45 minutes of elapsed game time. This policy will only be used through pool play.

Will be posted shortly.

All other rules can be found at www.usssa.com.