Rules

OUR GAME FASTPITCH RULES

Rules and Regulations

NOTE: Any rules not listed on this page will defer to the USA Fastpitch rule book. You can access an official copy of the USA rule book at the link below:

• Link: USA Softball Fastpitch Rule Book

General Age / Division Guidelines

• No meta cleats for 10U-12U

• Dropped 3rd strike for all divisions

Age Determination

• A player’s age for any event is the actual age of a child on January 1st of the current year

• Example: If a player turns 15 years old on January 1st of 2024 they can not be put on a 14u roster for the 2024 season. 

Umpires

• OG Fastpitch will provide a minimum of one (1) umpire for every tournament contest. In some cases, games have two (2) umpires assigned for tournament games.

Courtesy Runners

• Teams are allowed a courtesy runner for the PITCHER and CATCHER only. Courtesy Runners can be used at any time during an inning. The courtesy runner must be a player currently not in the batting order (legal substitute). If a team is batting their entire roster. Courtesy Runner will be the last batted out.

Game Guarantee/ Duration / Time Limits

• For ALL AGES, the following mercy rules will apply:

• Game Length 7 innings 

• No new inning after 80 minutes.

• -The official game time is determined at the conclusion of the plate meeting. Coaches are responsible for confirming that start time from the umpire in chief

• -For the purposes of the time limit, a new inning starts as soon as the third out of the previous inning has been recorded

• -The Championship game in the Gold bracket will NOT have a time limit. All other bracket games will follow the time limits listed above.

• -In bracket play the  first round bye teams are not guaranteed the 4gg. 

• -No prizes for 3rd place teams.

• We will attempt to stay on schedule as much as possible. Teams should do their best to be warmed up and prepared to play at their scheduled game times, regardless of when the game being played in front of them ends. Player health and safety will be first and foremost, but please show a sense of urgency when getting players & pitchers warmed up for your games if the prior game runs longer than expected.

Mercy Rules

• For ALL AGES, the following mercy rules will apply:

• 12 runs after 3 innings (or 2 ½ if the home team is ahead)

• 10 runs after 4 innings (or 3 ½ if the home team is ahead)

• 8 runs after 5 innings (or 4 ½ if the home team is ahead)

• For the 10U DIVISION, a maximum of 5 runs can be scored per half-inning. The half-inning is considered complete when a team gets 3 outs or 5 runs; whatever comes first

• For the last declared inning, the maximum run per inning rule is waived; teams can score unlimited runs

Tie Games

• For all pool play and/or consolation games:

• In the 10U - 18U divisions, in pool play or consolation games, if the game is tied after regulation, the game will be deemed a tie regardless of if the time limit has been reached

• (EX) A 12U game is tied 2-2 at the end of 6 innings with 15 minutes remaining in the time limit. The game will be deemed complete and the result of the game will be considered a tie.

• Games ending in a tie will count as a ½ win & a ½ loss for the purposes of determining the pool play standings

Bracket Play - Extra Inning Rules

• For all bracket games where a winner must be determined in order to advance to the next round, the game will be played until a winner is determined

• Once the time limit has been reached, all additional innings will be played starting with a runner on second base (farthest batter away) and NO outs, until one team wins the game

• For consolation games with NO advancement to the next round,  if the game is tied after regulation, the game will be deemed a tie regardless of if the time limit has been reached

Lineup & Substitution Rules

• Lineup Rules - The batting lineup may consist of 9 players, 10 players with an extra hitter (EH – see below), or their entire roster

• (EX) If a team’s roster consists of 13 players, they can choose to bat 9, 10 (w/EH) or 13 - they may not choose to bat 11 or 12

• In the case of batting 10 players or the entire roster, all players not currently playing in the field would be considered Extra Hitters (EH). The following rules apply:

• The EH is just an additional player in the batting order that can move into and out of the field on defense freely.  Consider the EH the 10th (or 11th, or 12th, …) defensive position

• Use of the EH is optional and must be declared on the official lineup card prior to the game

• Teams starting the game with one or more EHs must finish the game with those EHs. If players are removed from the lineup for whatever reason (injury, etc.), the spot of the player removed from the lineup will result in an automatic out

• When batting 9 or 10 players, teams also have the option of using a Designated Hitter (DH). You are eligible to DH for anyone in the lineup. If you choose to enter your designated hitter into the field, the player he was hitting for must be removed from the lineup

• When batting 9 or 10 players, high school substitution rules apply - starters are eligible to re-enter the game once in their original spot in the lineup

• Regardless of lineup construction, teams are allowed free defensive substitutions throughout the game. A player may enter the game defensively at any time without entering the batting lineup

• The only time a player must report as an eligible substitute is when replacing another player in the batting order (applies when teams are batting 9 or 10 players)

• NOTE: The free defensive substitution rule does NOT apply to the pitcher

Other In-Game Rules

• Intentional Walks – teams simply need to request to the umpire to issue an intentional walk

• Sliding – the force play/slide rule is in effect. Players must go straight into the bag on force play sides; no malicious contact

• Possession – defensive players must have possession of the ball to block a base or home plate

• Head first slides - allowed in ALL divisions

Protests

• Protests are NOT allowed.

Seeding and Tiebreakers

Divisions (and pools within divisions) will be seeded from top to bottom based on pool play record. If ties exist, the following tiebreaker criteria will be used:

• Head-to-Head record (in the case of a two-way tie or when all tied teams have played each other)

• Total runs allowed (ranked fewest to most)

• Run differential (max +/- 8 per game)

• Total runs scored

• Fewest runs allowed in a single game

(EX) If a team allowed 3 runs in one game and 5 in the other, the tiebreaker score would be 3

• Most runs scored in a single game

(EX) If a team scored 3 runs in one game and 5 in the other, the tiebreaker score would be 5

• Last actual run differential - the ACTUAL run differential in the last completed pool play game

• Coin flip

EXAMPLE

• Teams A, B and C all finished at 2-1 in pool play, and did not all play each other.  Since the head-to-head record would not break this tie, you move to step 2 above (runs allowed).  

• Team A = 7 runs allowed

• Team B = 10 runs allowed

• Team C = 13 runs allowed

• In this scenario, Team A is seeded #1, Team B seeded #2 and Team C seeded #3

NOTES:

• Games ending in a tie will count as a ½ win & a ½ loss for the purposes of determining the pool play standings

• (EX) A 2-1 record in pool play is the same as a 1-0-2 record

• We will never revert back to a previous tie breaker once a tie has been broken

• Pool protection - we reserve the right to change matchups in the first round of bracket play to avoid pool play rematches and/or interprogram matchups. The goal here is to create unique matchups within the same event as much as possible. If pool/program protection results in a “like match-up” of any kind from pool play, there will NOT be pool/program protection.

Forfeits

• Teams who are unable to attend a game during the event will be required to take a forfeit

• All forfeits will be scored 7-0

• Teams that end up forfeiting games will receive no refund. Additionally, they will be expected to cover the costs of any refunds that need to be sent to their opponent due to their opponent not meeting their minimum game guarantee for the event

Determining Home Team

• For all pool play games, the home team will be determined by a coin flip. Teams winning the flip will have the option to choose home or visitor

• For bracket play, the higher seed will have the option to choose home or visitor for that contest

• If both teams are the same seed from their respective pool, the home team will be determined by a coin flip. Teams winning the flip will have the option to choose home or visitor

Sportsmanship

• All players, coaches, and fans will be expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times. Razzing, heckling, taunting and making disparaging remarks to the opposing team and/or umpires will not be tolerated

• Any player, coach, or fan whose conduct is unbecoming, malicious or abusive, will, at a minimum, be removed from the premises at the discretion of the Tournament Director, Umpire-in-Chief and umpires

• Only the coach that attends the plate meeting will be allowed to discuss game situations with an official or ask questions on the field. If you do not attend the plate meeting, DO NOT try to go out on the field -  this may result in an ejection from the game. This rule applies to assistant coaches and program directors, along with anyone else that did not attend the pre-game plate meeting.

Ejection Policy

• Players / Coach Ejections

• Any player or coach ejection will result in a one-game suspension, to be served in the next tournament game

• For all player ejections, the player should remain in the dugout

• For all coach ejections, the coach must leave the complex immediately and be out of sight from game officials. Failure to comply with this directive will result in forfeiture of the game

• If the same player or coach is ejected for a 2nd time (either in the current tournament or any future EL1 Tournaments event), he or she will be suspended for the remainder of the tournament

• If the same player or coach is ejected for a 3rd time, that player or coach will be suspended for the remainder of the current tournament season

• Fan / Parent Ejections

• Any fan or parent ejections will result in removal from the complex. The fan or parent in question will not be permitted back into the complex for the remainder of the tournament

• A second fan or parent ejection for the same team will result in the removal of ALL FANS for that given team. This fan restriction will remain in place for that team for the remainder of the current event

• Alcohol Policy

• Alcohol will not be permitted within the complex at any EL1 Tournaments event. This offense will result in immediate removal from the complex, and the above fan ejection policies will apply

Team No Shows

• Teams are expected to honor their commitment to the tournament and play in all scheduled games. Teams that no show games that result in their opponent’s not reaching their game minimum may be billed the amount of the refund owed to the opponent who fell short of their tournament game guarantee

Conflict Resolution

• As with any competitive situation, conflicts are sure to arise over the course of the events. Tournaments directors are committed to ruling on all conflicts in a way that is both (1) fair to the teams involved and (2) good for the tournament as a whole.