Tournament Rules
ALL USA RULES SHALL APPLY
EXCEPT AS MODIFIED HEREIN
Player Eligibility & Team Classification
Player Registration: All players must register with a Government ID before taking the field. Players must register before the start of their division’s first elimination game to be eligible for the remainder of the tournament. A team manager/designated representative may request for a late player registration only to the Tournament Director before the start of games Saturday morning.
Eligible Players: A player is eligible to play in A League of Their Own tournament only if they have signed their team’s roster before they play their first game. Player placement on a team’s roster must comply with rules indicated below:
No player is allowed to be on more than one team’s roster that is playing in this tournament.
All players must be at least 18 years of age.
Any player on the current ASANA suspension list or suspended by a league is NOT eligible for play.
Any team using a suspended player will be disqualified from the tournament and all games played will be forfeited.
No fees will be returned.
A League of Their Own tournament follows ASANA rules to determine who is allowed to play
Tournament Divisions: All players must be classified. Players that do not have established ASANA classifications must fill out a classification form to participate in this tournament. Improperly rated players could be subject to review by tournament staff. Players that have established ASANA classifications must use their most current classification. All classifications are subject to protest.
C Team Classification
A team that has no Elite players, no A division players, no more than three (3) roster B division players rated 59-65, and any other combination of players of any lower classification, and whose highest 10 rated players sum rating does not exceed 580.
D Team Classification
A team that has no Elite players, no A division players, no B division players, no more than three (3) roster C division players rated 44-49, and whose highest 10 rated players sum rating does not exceed 430.
USSSA E or D teams may enter the tournament as a C Team. They will be required to fill out an ASANA ratings form all rostered players. Conference players or players rostered on A USSSA teams are not allowed on the roster.
Game Time: Game Time will be considered as Forfeit Time. Both managers must be ready with a completed line-up sheet ten (10) minutes prior to game time for a coin toss when called by the umpire. Teams must have a minimum of nine (9) players at game start time.
Home Team: The home team will be determined by a coin toss during pool play games. The higher-seeded team will be the home team in bracket play games. The home team for the championship and IF games will be the team emerging from the winner’s bracket. Managers must keep track of their seeding as once the game has started, errors will not be reversed.
Scorekeeper: The home team is the official scorekeeper. Scores should be confirmed at each half inning with the plate umpire. It is each manager’s responsibility to initial and confirm the umpire’s scorecard and that the correct winning team is indicated at the conclusion of every game. Upon leaving the field, the Umpire’s scorecard becomes official.
Game Rules
All Games:
Batters start with 1-1 count, and there is no courtesy foul.
USA Softball run rule is in effect throughout the tournament and is as follows:
20 runs ahead after 3 innings or 2 ½ if the home team is ahead.
15 runs ahead after 4 innings or 3 ½ if the home team is ahead.
10 runs ahead after 5 innings or 4 ½ if the home team is ahead.
All Pool Play, Double Elimination, and Semi-Final Games: No new inning will start after 50 minutes.
Championship game (including “IF” game) will have no inning start after 55 minutes
Pitch Height: A legal pitch is between 6 and 12 feet high.
Double Elimination Bracket Play: All divisions will play three (3) pool games that will seed them for double elimination play. This format guarantees every team five (5) games. Seeding for double elimination play will be based on the following ordered criteria:
Win/Loss/Tie record (based on the following order: 3-0-0, 2-0-1, 2-1-0, 1-0-2, 1-1-1, 1-2-0, 0-0-3, 0-1-2, 0-2-1, 0-3-0
Head to head record of tied teams
Runs allowed of tied teams (aggregate of 3 games played)
Coin Toss
Tie Games: Pool play games may end in a tie after time expires or at the completion of seven (7) innings. For all other games, the international tie-breaker rule shall be applied, with the last batter of the previous inning being placed on 2nd base to start the ½ inning.
Player Line-ups: Teams must begin and finish with nine (9) players to avoid a forfeit. An out will be recorded every time the vacant tenth (10th) batting position has a turn to bat. If a tenth (10th) player arrives, the player must be immediately entered into the game. Any other player arriving after this shall be entered as substitute. Teams may bat up to twelve (12) using two (2) extra hitters (EH). Managers should indicate any EH on the line up sheet.
Injured Players: If, during the course of a game, a player is injured and there is no substitute for that player: the 1st time up at bat for the injured player will result in an out. This is for the 1st time up at bat only. An injured batter may not re-enter the game once that out has been taken. In the event that an injury leaves the team with less than 9 players to finish the game, the game will be a forfeit and awarded to the opponent.
Bases: The USA double bag rule is in effect as all fields have two (2) bags at first base. Runners scoring must tag home plate. No veer rules are in use.
Home Runs: C division teams are allowed one (1) over the fence home run per game. An over-the-fence home run in the D division is an automatic out.
PIP (formerly ADA) players: Teams with identified and approved PIP players must adhere to the following rules:
1) The approved PIP player(s) must have an asterisk next to their name on the lineup card. The manager must also verbally confirm the PIP player(s) with the umpire at home plate prior to the start of each game.
2) When a player utilizes the PIP accommodation at the beginning of a game, they must continue that designation for the entire game.
3) The PIP player will be eligible to receive a runner once they have reached first base and must take the runner each time they are designated as PIP on a lineup card.
4) The designated runner must be the last recorded out. If in the first inning, the designated runner will be the last batter in the submitted line up.
5) The PIP player is not allowed to advance past first base, regardless of the outcome of their turn at bat.
6) Should a PIP batter/runner advance past first base to any other bases, the opposing coach/manager may challenge that the player advanced to the next base. A challenge must be made before the first pitch to the next batter is made.
a) If the challenge is upheld, the PIP player will be out.
b) NOTE: In the case of a dead ball play, the umpire may advance the runner to the proper location and then the PIP runner will be put in place.
Courtesy Runners: One (1) courtesy runner may be used per inning. Any eligible player on the lineup sheet may be used and will not be considered a substitution. A courtesy runner is officially in the game when reported to the plate umpire. (This tournament is not applying 2025 USA Softball rules specific to pitcher and/or catcher. The courtesy runner can be used once per inning for any player in the batting order.)
Illegal bats: Only USA Softball approved bats will be allowed for use. Umpires will be using the current USA Softball non-approved bat list for bat review. Any illegal bat discovered during game will be confiscated and returned at the end of the game and recorded on the line-up sheet. If the same team is found to be using any illegal bat again in subsequent games, the team shall forfeit that game and the manger may be removed from the tournament. Any bat accused of being altered shall immediately be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director who shall confer with the UIC for further action if any is to be taken. The results of any play occurring while an illegal bat is in use will follow USA Softball rules.
Uniforms: Each player must wear a team jersey which must be similar in color, style, and must have a player/roster number as described by USA Softball rules.
All Exposed Jewelry and Loose Accessories Must Be Removed: Non-removable jewelry must be concealed with athletic tape or Band-Aid type of material. This is for player safety reasons in order to avoid being snagged, ripped out and other safety related reasons.
Protests – Ratings/Eligibility: The Tournament Director, field representative, and site UIC will comprise the protest committee. Any concerns should be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director, field representative, or site UIC. Together, the three will make a final determination of player eligibility. If one of these people is not available, the Tournament Director may appoint an alternate. Due to conflict of interest, none of the protest committee members may be on the team that is under protest.
Any decision will be based on the player or team’s current ability on the field, taking into account what is fair to all teams involved and the integrity of the tournament. Team scorebooks and notes are helpful in the decision. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
Only opposing teams can file a protest for a player’s eligibility or classification.
Protests may be filed up until the start of the semi final round.
The protest must include the specific player(s) being protested.
The protest must include the specific question(s) being protested.
The cost to file a protest is:
$100 per player protested for up to 3 questions and $25 per each additional question on the same player during round robin games.
If any aspect of the protest is up-held, the total fees will be returned to the protesting team.
All protests will be heard by the established tournament protest committee and that committee’s decision will be final.
If the protest is upheld and the team’s classification exceeds the limit for the division they are playing in or if a player’s classification exceeds the limit for a player in that division the protested game will be forfeited.
The team can continue to play in the tournament as long as:
It wasn’t their 2nd loss in elimination play.
They drop the protested player(s) from their roster that exceeded the player classification for their division
They drop the protested player(s) or any other players so that they do not exceed the team classification limit for their division.
Ejections – USA accordance: A player or coach can be removed from the game by the umpire, usually for an unsportsmanlike act or conduct. A flagrant act will require the player or coach to leave the grounds for the remainder of the game. A team may NOT continue to play shorthanded. If no substitutes are available, the game is a forfeit. If the umpire and/or designated tournament official(s) deems the unsportsmanlike act or conduct as malicious, the ENTIRE team will not be allowed to participate in the remainder of the tournament. All previous games played shall be legal; all games afterwards shall be forfeits. Let’s have fun and be good sports!
Player Ejection Penalty: The player shall be removed from the current game only. Tournament officials reserve the right to suspend and/or disqualify any ejected player for futures games of the tournament if ejection is deemed to be threatening in nature to another player, umpire, spectator, tournament staff, park patron, animals, or is morally offensive.
Special Situations: The Tournament Directors and/or UIC will resolve and have the final say on any situation that may emerge during the tournament that is not covered by these or USA Softball rules.
Tournament Integrity: The competitive integrity of all tournament play is paramount. All participants must adhere to the spirit and letter of the rules. A League of Their Own tournament reserves the right to remove participants for any action that is deemed illegal, harassing, threatening, unethical, and/or detrimental to the success of the event, or constitutes cheating at the discretion of Tournament Officials. Tournament Officials shall base rating eligibility issues on participants’ current ability on the field while also taking into account a team’s total ability on the field. Participants are reminded we are here for friends, fun, and softball. The Tournament Directors shall have the final say on all eligibility issues regardless of a protest being filed or not, and may take rating action without a team initiating a protest.