USSB Tournaments will follow PONY  Rules except the following specific rules

1) Roster:

Coaches must have rosters updated the day before start of tournament play

Coaches must send player invites for parent authorization to add to roster

Birth Date cutoff is April 30th (example:  8U  must not turn 9 before May 1st)

2) Check In:

Head Coach/Team Manager must check in with Tournament Director before start of teams 1st game

Head Coach/Team Manager must present team insurance for verification

Head Coach/Team Manager must turn in a copy of current roster

(USSB Tournaments suggests each team carry copies of players birth certificate in case of protest)

3) Protest:

Head Coach is the only team representative that may file a protest

Protest Fee is $100 CASH to be paid at time of protest to Home Plate Umpire

IF and ONLY IF  Protest is WON, Head Coach will be refunded protest fee

Player or Bat protests MUST ONLY be made to Home Plate Umpire during game

4) Time Limits:

         No inning shall start after time is expired

         Pool Play- 7U & 8U (1:15) 9U-14U (1:30)

         Bracket Play- 7U & 8U (1:15) 9U-12U (1:30) 13U-14U (1:45) (Bracket Play games can be adjusted by Tournament Director)

         Championship- 7U & 8U (1:15) 9U-12U (1:30) 13U-14U (1:45)

         Pool Game can end in tie

         Bracket Play until winner

 Tournament Director may invoke shorter/longer game limits

5) Run Limit:

7U & 8U:  Six (6) runs an inning

6) Ties:

Pool Play can end in tie

Bracket play must play until winner.  IF tied after regulation, the following tie-breaker rules applies: (Last batted out on 2nd, no outs, count full to batter)

7) Mercy Rule:

15 after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5

8) Courtesy Runner: 

         For Pitcher/Catcher optional. 

         Mandatory at Umps discretion with 2 outs. 

         When Roster Batting- Can be a sub not active in game, if no sub-last batted out.

         Coach Pitch division may only courtesy run for catcher, not pitcher

9) Batting Order Options: (Must declare at the home plate meeting before the game which option and number of players on the roster)

 Roster batting is permitted.  Free defensive substitutions (excluding pitcher) when batting roster. If an injury occurs to a player and that player is unable to return, the  team will not be penalized and that players batting position will be skipped over.  If a player is ejected, an automatic out shall be declared in that batting order position.

         8U and below must bat entire roster

         9U and Up- teams may bat 9 with substitutions, use a DH, EH or bat entire roster.  If batting 9 or batting with DH,EH Normal substitution rules apply

10) Scorekeeper: 

Home Score book is "Official"

11) Scoreboard: 

Visiting team to provide someone to run scoreboard

12) Ejection: 

         Ejected person must immediately leave the park.  

         Penalty is rest of that game plus 1 game (next game)

13) Official Game Cards: 

         To be reviewed and signed by coaches.  

         Signed cards are final. 

         Umpires will note any ejection on the game card

14) Baseballs: 

Teams must supply 2 game balls per game.

15) Dugouts:

No designated dugout, first come, first served.

16) Pitching Limits: 

         NO PITCHING LIMITS - The tournament will not track outs or innings.  Coaches please be responsible to your pitchers and respectable to your parents

         Balks will be called (NO WARNINGS)

         A second visit to the same pitcher in the same inning will cause the pitcher's automatic removal from the mound

  Any pitcher who engages the pitching rubber and throws a warm-up pitch is considered "in the game" and must throw at least one pitch to a batter before being             removed

         Fake throw from the pitcher to 3rd base while on the rubber is a BALK

  When a pitcher takes his position at the beginning of each inning, or when he relieves another pitcher, he shall be permitted to pitch a maximum of eight (8) warm-up   pitches          

17) Home Team: 

         Pool Play- determined by coin flip

         Bracket Play- Higher seed is home

18) Bracket Seeding: 

         Record (Won-Loss-Tie)

         Head to Head (if only 2 teams are tied)

         Runs allowed

         Runs Scored

         Run Differential

19) Bat Rules: 

         13 and younger- All baseball bats must be stamped BPF 1.15

         14U -5 or -3 weight/length ratio.  

         All -5 bats must be stamped BPF 1.15 

         All -3 bats must be stamped BBCOR

2 1/4, 2 5/8, or 2 3/4 are allowed.

  Penalty- If a coach protests a bat and wins- batter is out, all runners must return to starting point and head coach is ejected from the game + next game.  Umpire   must note on game card of ejection.  If a 2nd player on same team is caught, game will end in forfeit and the team will be ejected from tournament

20) Refund Policy:

100% Refund if "ZERO"  games STARTED

  50% Refund if "ONE" game STARTED (NO REFUND ON GATE FEE)

    0% Refund if "TWO" games STARTED

NO REFUND will be issues for any team that withdraws from a tournament after the MONDAY preceding the tournament unless the division does not make

NO REFUND will be issued for any team we are forced to withdraw due to MISCLASSIFICATION.  It is the sole responsibility of the COACH and or MANAGER to notify USSB Tournaments of any classification change.

21) Sportsmanship:

Umpires will handle unsportsmanlike conduct on the field of play.  If an umpire has a problem with a fan or parent outside the field of play, the umpire shall go to the coach/manager of that team and request the coach/manager to handle the problem.  If the coach/manager fails to handle the problem, then the umpire will eject the coach/manager for the game; he may also eject the fan or parent if it deems necessary.

The Tournament Director may remove a parent, fan, player, coach/manager from the facility at any time if he observes unsportsmanlike conduct; this includes verbal abuse of umpires.

Always demonstrate good sportsmanship