skip navigation
Welcome to the Official Home of the USABL 

Tournament Rules

 

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

  2. 8U (2025) - 12U  (2025) TOURNAMENTS ONLY will be permitted to use 1.15 BPF certification bats. 
  • Tournament Bat Rule Chart
    • 7U  - USA Standard Bats (No Tee Ball Bats allowed)
    • 8U - Any bat with USA or USSSA  stamped back (except if listed below)
    • 9U - Any bat with USA or USSSA  stamped back (except if listed below)
    • 10U - Any bat with USA or USSSA stamped back (except if listed below)
    • 11U - Any bat with USA or USSSA  stamped back (except if listed below)
      • -3 BBCOR and 1 piece solid wood bats are also allowed
    • 12U - Any bat with USA or USSSA  stamped back (except if listed below)
      • -3 BBCOR and  wood bats are also allowed
    • 13U - 18U - -3 BBCOR or wood bat
      • Any Wood Bat Only Division: We will allow composite, bamboo and Baum bats
  • Decertified bats:
    • 2017 USSSA DeMarini 2 3/4 Drop 10 (blue/white)* 
    • 2017 USSSA DeMarini 2 5/8 Drop 8 (green/white)* 
    • 2018 USA Bats Easton Ghost X 30-inch 
    • 2020 BBCOR Slugger Meta 33 33-inch 
    • 2018 USSSA Dirty South Bats KAMO (**Sizes)  
    • BBCOR Mattingly Balistk  
    • BBCOR Nike CX2  
    • BBCOR Slugger TPX Dynasty  
    • BBCOR Marucci CAT 5^2  
    • BBCOR Reebok TLS  
    • BBCOR Marucci Black 
  • League play will not follow this rule. View League Rules
  1. 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. If no proof can be provided on a player challenge, that player must be removed from the game, until proven eligible with USABL.  If USABL deems that you have an ineligible player it will be an automatic forfeit.
  2. Time Limits -- *All time limits will begin after the pregame conference**
    • Time Limit Pool Play - All pool play games will have a time limit.
      • 46/60 and 50/70:  No new inning after 1:40
      • 60/90: No new inning after 1:50
      • Extra Innings: If the time has not expired teams will play extra innings until time expires. Games can end in a tie in pool play.
    • Playoffs Time Limit: Same as pool play. If still tied after the time limited has expired we will use the playoff tiebreaker (See Below)
    • Championship Time Limits:
      • 46/60 and 50/70:  No New Inning after 2:10. Tournament directors reserve the right adjust this.
      • 60/90: No New Inning after 2:20.
      • If tied after the time limited has expired we will use the playoff tiebreaker (See Below)
      • Tournament directors reserve the right adjust the time limit.
      •  The higher seed will be the home team. 
    • Playoff Tie Breaker After Time Has Expired - You will start the inning with bases loaded and 1 one out. The three previous batters to the lead-off man of that inning will occupy bases in order. Eg; with the 7th hitter leading off, batters 6-5-4 will occupy the bases in order from 1st to 3rd base. 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 (Only exception to the below would be when teams are tied in points, the tie breaker would go to the team with more wins)
    • 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}
      1. Head to Head
      2. Fewest Runs Allowed
      3. Runs Scored
      4. Highest single-game run differential. 
      5. Lowest single-game runs allowed.
      6. Highest single-game runs scored. 
      7. Coin Flip
    • Three or more tie-breaker: When three or more teams are tied.
      1. If three teams are tied – If one team has defeated both other teams, that team takes the higher seed. Two remaining teams would go to the 2-way tie breaker (H2H, RA, RS). If not go to #2 (fewest runs allowed).
        • This only applies in a 3 way tie and cannot use it in a 4+ tie.
      2. Fewest Runs Allowed
      3. Runs Scored
      4. Highest single-game run differential. 
      5. Lowest single-game runs allowed.
      6. Highest single-game runs scored. 
      7. 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. If home team is ahead and time has expired the game is over. The inning is not finished.
  11. 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
  12. 8U Only: 8U teams can steal 3rd base ONLY. Runners cannot steal 2nd base or home under any circumstance. 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.
  13. 7U Only: 4 outfielders at 7U is allowed
  14. Speed up rule: runner for the catcher or pitcher can be used anytime. Runners should be a player not in the batting order at the time, if available, or the last out made. When pitchers or catchers are the last out made, they will not be obligated to run, the last out prior to them can be used. Runners are for the pitcher/catcher of record. A courtesy runner is never mandatory.
  15. No pre-game practice will be allowed on the infield. Practice prior to the game will be limited to the outfield.
  16. 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.
    • If it is a 3 game minimum and the 3rd game is your playoff game we will count that as a pool play game.
    • How to submit your roster - View Here
    • Roster Protests: In the event an illegal player (i.e., a player missing from the roster) is discovered during a game, that player is removed for the rest of the tournament. The game will resume from the point the illegal player was removed. The current game will NOT revert back.
      • In the case of injuries or last minute adds, players added to the roster must be submitted to USABL in writing prior to your teams 3rd game (3 game min.)
  17. Score Reporting: The official scoring for the game will be submitted by the umpires to the tournament director. Both teams are asked to keep score in their own books.
  18. Tournament Roster Size: 46/60 & 50/70 rosters are limited to 15 players. 13U -16U will have a roster limit of 16 players. 18U only will have a roster limit of 18 players. Frazier Elite World Series and any showcase tournaments will be allowed a roster of 20 players.
  19. Awards: Only the winner of the tournament will receive awards. There are no awards for second place.
  20. Rain Out Policy:
    In case of inclement weather we will follow the below refund policy *(Game minimums refer to the start of the weekend and will not be adjusted due to any changes of tournament format etc...)
  • 3 Game Minimum Tournaments:
    • 0 Games Played - Full Credit or Refund less $50 Admin Fee
    • 1 Game Played - 60% Refund or Credit
    • 2 Games Played - $100 Credit towards another USABL event (League, Tournament, Camp) or $50 towards your original payment method
    • 3 Games Played - No Credit
  • 2 Game Minimum Tournaments:
    • 0 Games Played - Full Credit or Refund less $50 Admin Fee
    • 1 Game Played - 50% Refund or Credit
    • 2 Games Played - No Credit
20. In all disputes the final decision rests with USABL.
21. All teams, coaches, players and parents will follow the USABL Code of Conduct.
22. Forfeits in pool play or playoffs - All forfeits will result in 6-0 win (9-12u) or 7-0 win (13-18u). NOTE: Forfeits in a 6-inning game will be ruled a 6-0 win for the opposing team. Forfeits in a 7 inning game will be ruled 7-0 win for the opposing team **If a game is called a forfeit during the game for any reason, the score shall be recorded under the forfeit rule as stated above**
23. Official Game - ALL games called due to the weather by the umpires or the tournament director that cannot be resumed will be considered complete after 4 innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead. If after 4 complete innings there is a tie score then it will remain a tie score if in pool play. The tournament director reserves the right to declare a game complete.
A. In a rare scenario If a tournament director determines that a suspended game be continued the game will pick up exactly where it left off.
24. Seeding when not all teams play an equal # of games:
 
  • Playoffs to be based on winning % since some not all teams are playing an equal amount of games. 
  • If multiple teams have 100% winning percentage but a different number of wins than the team with the most wins will be presumed a better seed than the other team.  For example, 2-0 is presumed better than 1-0.
  • A tie is .5 win
    • 1-0 is better than 1-0-1
    • 1-0-1 is better than 1-1
    • 0-0-1 is better than 0-1-1 
  • 0-1 vs. 0-2 seeding placement we would go to average runs allowed per game.
  • In the event teams have the same winning percentage but different records, the tiebreaker will default to the team with more wins - 1-1 is better than 0-0-1
  • 0-0-2 is better than 1-1 in a winning % scenario
  • Teams that play (0-0) in a winning % bracket will default to a consolation game or wildcard game if one is available in the bracket. If there is no consolation or wildcard game in the bracket, teams (0-0) will be seeded right in the middle of the pack (Ex. 8 teams in playoffs and two teams were (0-0) they would be the #4 and #5 seed).
    • Please note whenever a wildcard game is present in the bracket (0-0) would default to those spots first. Example: 8 vs. 9 seed winner advances to play 1 seed.
    • Multiple teams at (0-0) will result in a coin flips flip for seeding position.
 
  • Fall 2026 Important Updates
    • 8U (2026) - For tournaments, only 8U (2026) will follow 8U rules. This means all games will be player pitch with no coach pitch. For league play 8U (2026) will follow 7u rules - 
      • Pool Play Only (8U - 2026): A maximum of 5 runs may be scored per team in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd innings, The 4th, 5th and 6th inning there will be no run cap. Note: This rule does not apply during playoff or championship games.
    • 9U (2026) - will follow normal 46/60 rules (Rule #11 and #10 that pertain to 8u will not apply)
    • 11U (2026) - will be 50/70 only
    • 13U (2026) - will be 60/90