This will be a One Pitch Double Elimination Tournament with an Upper and Lower Division. Every game must have a Winner, no game can end in a Tie. USA Official Rules of Slow Pitch Coed Softball will be followed with the following Rule Changes/Exceptions/Clarifications as listed below:
- This is a One (1) Pitch Tournament. If the ball is not put into in play, then a Ball or Strike will be called by the Umpire resulting in either a Walk or a Strike Out.
- Each Game will begin with a Double Coin Flip to determine Home and
Away. The Home Book will be the Official Book for each game unless a
Tournament Scorekeeper is assigned. - Teams must Start the game with a minimum of Three (3) Females in the batting order and playing defense. If a Team can’t begin the game with a minimum number of Three (3) Females than a Forfeit will be declared. On Defense, One Female will either Pitch or Catch, and a minimum of one Female will play in the Outfield and one in the Infield at all times.
- The Batting Order does NOT have to Alternate Male and Female; however, a team can never bat more than 4 Males in a row at any time.
- Teams will play Offense/Batting Line Up and Defense with Ten (10)
players. Teams May Finish with Nine (9) Players due to injury. If a Team reduces the number of players from Ten (10) to Nine (9) due to injury and there are no eligible substitutes an Out will be recorded when that spot in the Lineup appears at bat. Teams may Start the game, playing Defense and Batting with one less than Ten (10) as long as Rule 3 (3 Female minimum) is not violated. If a team Starts with 9 Players; however, an Out will be recorded when the tenth slot appears at Bat. When/If another Player arrives, Male or Female, they will be immediately placed in the 10th place in the Lineup and play defense as long Rule 4 (Max Four (4) Males batting in a row rule) is not violated. - If a player is injured and can’t bat, and a player of the same Gender is not available to Substitute than an Out will be recorded. Exceptions: (1) If a team chooses to begin with Four (4) or more Females in the Lineup, then the injured Female player may be substituted for by an eligible Male Player as long Rule 4 (Max Four (4) Males batting in a row rule) is not violated. (2) A Team may also choose to replace an injured Male with an eligible Female Substitute.
- A Team may choose to bat up to Two (2) Extra Hitters for a Total of 12
Batters in the lineup as along as Rule 4 (Max Four (4) Males batting in a row rule) is not violated. Example: The Eighth batter in the Lineup is the 3rd and last Female. If the First 1st batter that appears in the Lineup is Male, then the team can only use one Extra Hitter for a total of Eleven (11) Batters. If the 1st and 2nd Batter in the Lineup are both Male than neither an 11th or 12th Extra Hitter can be used. - Starters may Re-Enter the game once and Substitutes may enter the game twice. If a team begins shorthanded than the next player that arrives and inserted in the Lineup is considered a Starter.
- If a Male is walked with two outs, and a female is due up next, she may
choose to take a Walk. - Only a 12 Inch Ball will be used for this Tournament. Each Pitcher will be allowed a maximum of three (3) warmup pitches per half inning. The Height of the Pitch shall be between 6 and 12 Feet. If in the Umpire’s Judgement a pitch is outside this range, either, High or Low, the umpire will declare Illegal Pitch. If the batter does not swing, a Ball will be declared and a subsequent Walk will be issued. If the batter chooses to swing at the Pitch, the result of the swing will nullify the Illegal Pitch.
- If a pitcher attempts a Quick Pitch than NO Pitch will be declared and the Ball will become Dead immediately.
- If in the Umpires Judgement the Pitcher is using Excessive Speed, then the Umpire will give a maximum of Two Warnings after which the Pitcher will be replaced and cannot return to the mound for the remainder of the game.
- A player reaching base successfully during any at Bat, my select to ask for a Courtesy Runner who will be the last person to come to bat at that point in the half inning. However; once a Batter Runner uses a Courtesy Runner they can only go to first base on any future successful at bats during the game unless they hit a Home Run.
- There will be a limit of Three (3) Home Runs per game/per team. Any
Home Runs in excess of Three (3) Home Runs will result in an Out and any Runner/s will be returned to their respective bases at the time of the pitch. Exception: If both Teams have achieved Three (3) Home Runs in any one game, each team will be allowed One Extra Home Run for a Total of Four (4) Home Runs. - Once the Tournament begins no player can appear on the lineup card of more than one team. If the violation is discovered after a game has begun, the team with the double rostered player will immediately Forfeit that game.
- No new inning will start 45 minutes after the game has begun which will start on the 1st Pitch of the game. If that inning is completed and the Game is Tied, then the next inning will begin incorporating the Tiebreaker rule with the last batter due up in each half inning being placed at 2nd base until a winner is determined.
- There is no Time Limit for Championship and IF Games. If the game is tied after seven innings in the Championship of IF Games, then the 8th inning will begin incorporating the Tiebreaker rule with the last batter due up in each half inning being placed at 2nd base until a winner is determined.
- The Run Ahead Rule of 20 after 3, 15 after 4 and 10 after 5, will be in
effect for all games. - Calls of Ball or Strike, Fair or Foul, Out or Safe are not Appealable!
- The Decision of the Umpire in all Rule Interpretations is the Final
Word. - Good Sportsmanship will be expected at all times. In the unlikely event that a player is ejected for any reason, and there is no legal substitute available to replace him or her; than a Forfeit will be declared.