Dear Coach:
We would like to invite your team to participate in the first annual Orphans Need Families Invitational Softball Tournament (formerly known as the Western PA Church Softball Tournament). The date of this year’s tournament is September 10th. The tournament is being run by Jason Yusko, and all the proceeds will go directly towards his family's adoption of a little girl from the Philippines. Enclosed in this packet are your registration form and tournament rules and guidelines.
The early registration deadline is August 24th. Registration forms with an entry fee of $250 per team must be sent to us postmarked no later than August 24th. An additional $25 fee will be charged for any registration entries postmarked after August 24th. NO registration entries will be accepted after August 31st. Due to the number of guaranteed games and limited field space, we must limit the number of teams to sixteen. Therefore, your spot is only secured when we receive your payment.

Please print out and return the registration form with your payment by mail. Games will be played at Friendship Park - 1340 Hunter Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15147 AND Penn Hills Park – 120 Colorado St, Pittsburgh PA 15147. Fields are within a few minutes of each other. Friendship Park will serve as tournament headquarters. There will be concessions at both
locations. You will be contacted by September 5th with the details of your first game. Please look over the information enclosed carefully. If you have any questions, please call me at 412-477-1990. I am excited about this year’s tournament. I know it will be a great time of softball and fellowship!
Sincerely,
Jason Yusko
Tournament Coordinator

ORPHANS NEED FAMILIES INVITATIONAL
SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT GAME RULES
1. A team must have 8 players to start a game. The 9th and 10th players may be added at any time at the end of the batting order. A team will not be forced to start with only 8 or 9 players prior to forfeit time.
2. Teams should be present at the field, ready to play, at least 30 minutes before scheduled game time. If both teams are present, play will begin immediately following the prior game.
3. Forfeiture time will be 10 minutes after the scheduled game time.
4. MAXIMUM pitching arc: 12 feet from the ground; MINIMUM arc: 6 feet from the ground.
5. The umpire is totally responsible for the interpretation of game rules, control of the game, and ejection of players. An ejected player must leave the grounds immediately. Upon ejection from a second game, the player will be disqualified from the remainder of the tournament.
6. In the unlikely event of a protest, the Tournament Coordinator must be immediately notified, and his decision will be final.
7. No warming up on the field before games.
8. Maximum of five warm-up pitches for the first inning. NO pitching, infield, or outfield warm-ups permitted beyond the first inning.
9. 10-RUN RULE – If a team goes ahead by 10 or more runs after a legal game (4 ½ - 5 innings), the game is over. The home team will bat if behind.
10. The 10-run rule is NOT in effect during championship games.
11. A.S.A. re-entry rule is in effect.
12. An E.P. (extra player) may be used (see attached sheet).
13. A courtesy runner may be used (see attached sheet).
14. Third strike foul-out rule – There will be NO grace fouls given after the second strike. Any player hitting a foul ball after 2 strikes is out. If a fielder catches this foul ball, play continues.
15. All batters will begin at bat with a one ball, one strike (1-1) count.
16. No use of profanity is allowed. The umpire has the authority to remove any player, coach, spectator, etc. from the playing area or the game for violation of this rule.
17. No use of tobacco is allowed on any of the playing fields. No use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs permitted anywhere in the park complex.
18. Tournament Coordinator, and all field owners are not responsible for any injuries which may occur throughout the tournament.
19. In case of rain, go to the field on which you are scheduled to play. The only time you do not have to be at the field at your scheduled playing time is if you are notified by the Tournament Coordinator that the field is in too bad a condition to play.
20. Each coach is responsible for the conduct of his players.
21. Uniforms are optional, although it is recommended that each team have, at least, distinguishing shirts.
22. Each team is responsible for maintaining their own score sheet for each game. The winning team is responsible for notifying tournament staff of the outcome and score of the game.
23. HOME RUN RULE: Any field with an outfield fence or designated home run boundary line will have a limit of 3 home runs over the fence or line per team. Once BOTH teams reach 3 over the fence, it becomes 1-up for the remainder of the game. If a team is more than 1 up it will be an out.
24. Steel spikes or cleats WILL NOT be permitted as playing shoes at any time during the tournament. RUBBER SPIKES ONLY!
25. All bats must be A.S.A. certified, and may NOT exceed 1.20 bpf. (See http://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/play-asa/certified-asa-equipment for disallowed bats.)

EXTRA PLAYER RULE:
1. An extra player (EP) is optional, but if used, the lineup will have 11 or 12 batting positions. A team may use one or two EPs. The EP(s) may bat in any of the batting positions, but must remain in that position in the batting order for the entire game, unless a substitution is made.
2. The EP may be substituted at any time, either by a pinch-runner or a pinch-hitter, who then becomes the EP. The substitute must be a player who has not yet been in the game. The starting EP can re-enter one time, in the same batting position, like all other starting players.
3. If using EP(s), all 11 or 12 must bat, and 10 play defense. Defensive positions may change, but batting order must remain the same.
4. If you start a game with the EP(s), and later in the game, an EP or any other player is injured, you must substitute a player who has not yet been in the game. If no substitute is available, the remaining 10 players must field all positions, with the injured player’s batting position eliminated. No out will be assigned to the eliminated batting position for
the remainder of the game.
*NOTE* The above rules are not exactly the same as the ASA EP rule.

COURTESY RUNNER:
1. A courtesy runner may be used in the case of an injured player who is able to bat, but not run all the bases. The coach must inform the opposing team and the umpire before the start of the game that a player will need a courtesy runner. Only TWO players in the batting order may request a courtesy runner at the beginning of the game.
2. If no player is designated at the beginning of the game, a courtesy runner may be used only in the event of an injury during the game. If a courtesy runner has already been requested for a player, and another injury occurs during the game, another courtesy runner may be used for that injured player during that game.
3. The courtesy runner will be the batter who made the last out.

ORPHANS NEED FAMILIES INVITATIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES
ENTRANCE FEE
A $250 entrance fee is required for each team registration. Only the first 16 teams to register with payment will be accepted into the tournament. All entrance fees must be paid to Jason Yusko NO LATER than August 24 with the team registration form and roster. No changes in rosters will be accepted after September 5. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Yusko family's adoption.
GAMES
Each team will be guaranteed four games, weather permitting. We have employed tournament bracket structure in which teams emerge out of brackets (3 game guarantee within brackets) into tournament play (1-2 additional game guarantee). Games are allotted one hour for completion.
UMPIRES
One umpire will be assigned to each game and will call the game from behind home plate. Two umpires will be used for the championship A-flight games(s). Umpires will be A.S.A. certified.
SOFTBALLS
A new ball will be provided at the beginning of each game.
BATS
Bats not allowed in A.S.A. championship play are not permitted to be used in the tournament. For list of disallowed bats, go to the asasoftball.com website.
REFUND POLICY
If a team withdraws from the tournament after September 7, a $75 service charge will be assessed and the balance of the entrance fee will be returned upon completion of the tournament. No money will be refunded to teams withdrawing after September 13.
CANCELLATION
The weather will be closely watched and each team will be notified if the tournament is to be cancelled or adjusted.
TROPHIES
Trophies will be awarded to the teams that place first and second in the championship (A) flight, as well as first place in the B, C, and D flights.
CONDUCT
1. No use of tobacco on any fields, and absolutely no alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs are permitted anywhere on the park grounds.
2. No use of profanity is allowed on or around the playing fields.
3. It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure the park grounds and fields continue to look clean and litter-free.
ORPHANS NEED FAMILIES INVITATIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TIE BREAKER FORMAT
Teams in each bracket will advance to A, B, C, or D flights, based on the win-loss record of each team within their bracket. In the case of a two-way tie, the headto-head winner will advance to the higher flight. In the case of a three-way tie, the team with the highest run differential will advance to the higher flight. The position of the next two teams will then be determined by head-to-head competition. If two of the three teams tie for highest run differential, the headto-
head winner will advance to the higher flight, the other team will advance to the next highest flight, and the team with the lower run differential will advance to the lower flight. In the rare instance of a three way tie in both win-loss and run
differential, flight assignments will be determined by random drawing.
CONCESSION INFORMATION
Concessions will be available at all fields. An assortment of beverages, foods, and snacks will be sold. We ask that all
coaches make their players and fans aware of this and help us raise as much money as possible.