USABL Tournament Rules

  1. All USABL Rules Apply with the exception of the below additions. -- Click here to view the other USABL Rules.

  2. Time Limits:

    • SPECIAL INDOOR TIME LIMITS - No New Inning After 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

    • Championship Time Limit - No time limit unless it is deemed necessary by Tournament Director.  Play until there is a winner. The higher seed will be the home team.

    • Playoff Tie Breaker After Time Has Expired - Last batted out from the previous inning will be placed at 1st Base, second, to last batted out will be placed at 2nd base and the third to last batted out will be played at 3rd base. The team at-bat will start the inning with 1-Out. The game will resume and continue every inning like this until one team is ahead at the end of a complete inning.

  3. Tie Breakers
    • Two-Way Tie Breaker: When two teams finish in a tie for a playoff or tournament spot the following tie breaking formula will be used. {Please note you cannot break a 3+ way tie using a 2-way tie breaker, the 3+ way tie breaker must be used in that case}
      • Head to Head
      • Fewest Runs Allowed
      • Runs Scored 
      • Coin Flip
    • Three or more tie-breaker: When three or more teams are tied.

      • When all tied teams have played each other and one team has beaten ALL the other tied teams without a loss, that team will be awarded the playoff spot. All teams must have played each other to use this.

      • Fewest Runs Allowed

      • Runs Scored 

      • Coin Flip

  4. Home/Away team: A coin flip by the umpire will determine home teams for all pool play games. In playoff rounds, the higher seed will be the home team.
  5. Dugout assignment: The team traveling the farthest will occupy the first base dugout. If there is a dispute the umpire or on site director will choose dugout assignments for the teams.
  6. Between Innings warm up time limit: Teams are limited to 2 minutes between innings to warm up. The 2 minutes starts after the last out in the previous inning. A coach or another player should be prepared to warm up your pitcher if needed.
  7. 8 Run Rule will be in effect for all games including playoff rounds and championship games. All field sizes after 5 innings.
  8. 10 Run Rule will be in effect for all games including playoff rounds and championship games. 10 runs after 4 innings on all field sizes
  9. 15 Run Rule will be in effect for all games including playoff and championship rounds. 15 runs after 3 innings.
  10. 8U Only: Maximum of 5 runs per inning for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd inning only. The 4th, 5th and 6th will be unlimited runs.
  11. 8U will be able to steal 2nd and 3rd base. The runner cannot advance home on a passed ball, wild pitch, overthrow back to the pitcher or overthrow on a play at 3rd. There is no limit on steals per inning.
  12. Speed up rule: It is mandatory to have a player not in the line up or the last batted out run for the catcher with 2 outs. The catcher is defined as the player who will be catching in the following inning.
  13. No pre-game practice will be allowed on the infield. Practice prior to the game will be limited to the outfield.
  14. Rosters: All rosters must be submitted prior to the tournament
    • All players must play in at least 1 pool play game to qualify for the playoff or championship games.
  15. Birth Certificates/Proof Of Birth (REQUIRED): All players on your roster are required to carry some sort of proof of birth, typically a passport or birth certificate to the game. If you do not have this at the field and a player is challenge he must be removed from the game if no proof can be provided. If USABL deems that you have an ineligible player it will be an automatic forfeit.
  16. Score Reporting: The winning team shall report the score to either the tournament director via e-mail or the onsite field director. *Please note umpires will be keeping the official score incase of any score disputes.
  17. Tournament Roster Size: 46/60 & 50/70 rosters are limited to 15 players at the 60/90 level rosters are limited to 16 players max
  18. No protest will be accepted with the exception of a roster protest, which will be handled onsite immediately at the field.
  19. Awards: Only the winner of the tournament will receive awards. There are no awards for second place.
  20. Rain Out Policy: If no games are played you receive a 100% refund less $50 to cover administrative fees.
  21. Trips to the mound: 1 free trip per inning (per pitcher), 2nd trip in the inning pitcher must come out.
  22. In all disputes the final decision rests with USABL.
  23. All teams, coaches, players and parents will follow the USABL Code of Conduct.
  24. Pitching Rule: Pitchers at the 8U and 9U levels are limited to 6 innings max per day. Teams must keep accurate records and one pitch counts as 1 inning.