ALL USA RULES SHALL APPLY, EXCEPT AS MODIFIED HEREIN
Player Registration: All players must register with a Government ID before taking the field. Players must register before the start of their division’s first elimination game to be eligible for the remainder of the tournament. A team manager/designated representative may request for a late player registration only to the Tournament Director before the start of games Saturday morning.
Game Time: Game Time will be considered as Forfeit Time. Both managers must be ready with a completed line-up sheet ten (10) minutes prior to game time for a coin toss when called by the umpire. Teams must have a minimum of nine (9) players at game start time.
Home Team: The home team will be determined by a coin toss during pool play games. The higher-seeded team will be the home team in bracket play games. The home team for the championship and IF games will be the team emerging from the winner's bracket. Managers must keep track of their seeding as once the game has started, errors will not be reversed.
Scorekeeper: The home team is the official scorekeeper. Scores should be confirmed at each half inning with the plate umpire. It is each manager’s responsibility to initial and confirm the umpire’s scorecard and that the correct winning team is indicated at the conclusion of every game. Upon leaving the field, the Umpire's scorecard becomes official.
All Pool Play, Double Elimination, and Semi-Final Games: Start with 1-1 count. No new inning after 50 minutes. No courtesy foul. USA run rule is in effect.
All Championship and IF Games: Start with 1-1 count. No new inning will start after 55 minutes. No courtesy foul. USA run rule will still apply.
Double Elimination Bracket Play: Seeding will be determined on each team’s win-loss-tie record in pool play based on the following priority: 2-0-0, 1-0-1, 1-1-0, 0-1-1, 0-0-2 and 0-2-0. (Wins-Losses-Ties). The following tiebreakers will be used. Team run differential (tied teams only), followed by total runs scored, and finally a coin toss, if necessary.
Single Elimination Bracket Play: Seeding will be determined on each team’s win-loss-tie record in pool play based on the following priority: 2-0-0, 1-0-1, 1-1-0, 0-1-1, 0-0-2 and 0-2-0. (Wins-Losses-Ties). The following tiebreakers will be used. Team run differential (tied teams only), followed by total runs scored, and finally a coin toss, if necessary.
Tie Games: Pool play games may end in a tie after time expires or the completion of seven (7) innings. For all other games, the international tie-breaker rule shall be applied, with the last batter of the previous inning being placed on 2nd base to start the ½ inning.
Player Line-ups: Teams must begin and finish with nine (9) players to avoid a forfeit. An out will be recorded every time the vacant tenth (10th) batting position has a turn to bat. If a tenth (10th) player arrives, the player must be immediately entered into the game. Any other player arriving after this shall be entered as substitute. Teams may bat up to twelve (12) using two (2) extra hitters (EH). Indicate any EH on the line up sheet.
Bases: If there are two (2) bags at first base, the USA double bag rule is in effect.
USA Run Rule:
20 runs ahead after 3 innings or 2 ½ if the home team is ahead.
15 runs ahead after 4 innings or 3 ½ if the home team is ahead.
10 runs ahead after 5 innings or 4 ½ if the home team is ahead.
Home Runs: Over the fence per game:
Open Division “B” Two (2) over the fence home runs; HR above two (2) will be an out.
Open Division “C” One (1) over the fence home per game; HR above one (1) will be an out.
Open Division “D” No over the fence home runs; any HR is an inning-ending out.
Open Division “E” No over the fence home runs; any HR is an inning-ending out.
Master’s “C” One (1) over the fence home per game; HR above one (1) will be an out.
Master’s “D” Division No over the fence home runs; any HR is an inning-ending out.
NOTE: When a home run is hit, the batter and all runners must touch at least one base and immediately return to the dugout to speed up play.
Courtesy Runners: Limited to 1 per inning, and may be any player listed on the roster. Master’s C & D Divisions are entitled to two runners per inning, and may be any player listed on the roster.
Illegal bats: Only USA-approved bats will be allowed for use. Umpires will be using the current USA non- approved bat list for bat review. Any illegal bat discovered during game will be confiscated and returned at the end of the game and recorded on the line-up sheet. If the same team is found to be using the bat in subsequent games, the team shall forfeit that game. All play occurred while in use of illegal bat will follow USA Rules.
Any bat accused of being altered shall immediately be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director who shall confer with the UIC for further action if any is to be taken.
Uniforms: Each player must wear a team jersey which must be similar in color, style, and must have a player/roster number as described by USA rules. No duplicate uniforms numbers allowed. No bandanas, non- uniform decorations, or tied cloth is allowed on a player's head, neck, or body. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the umpire.
All Exposed Jewelry and Loose Accessories Must Be Removed: This includes, but is not limited to, all exposed body and facial piercing, rings, necklaces (of any kind / style), bracelets, wrist watches, earrings, pagers, cell phones, tobacco tins, unsecured sunglasses atop of ball caps. Medical alert bracelets must be taped to body. Non-removable jewelry must be concealed with athletic tape or Band-Aid type of material. This is for player safety reasons in order to avoid being snagged, ripped out and other safety related reasons.
Open Team Eligibility: 2023 NAGAAA player ratings and classification guidelines will be used for Open division teams.
Divisional Guidelines: Teams may compete in the following divisions based on their Player and Team Ratings.
B division – All teams rated 180 or lower. B division teams are allowed up to two (2) players rated above 20 on their roster, as long as the overall team cap of 180 is not exceeded.
C division & Master’s C division – All teams rated 140 or lower; no players rated over 15 are allowed on a C division team.
D division & Master’s D division – All teams rated 110 or lower; no players rated over 12 are allowed on a D division team.
E division – All teams rated 75 or lower; no players rated over 8 are allowed on an E division team
Only two (2) players per team are allowed to not have existing NAGAAA ratings and they must be approved by the Tournament Director. Such players must have a preliminary rating assigned to them that aligns with the full 28-question NAGAAA ratings guidelines. These preliminary ratings must be validated and approved by the commissioners of the team’s respective association prior to review by the Tournament Director for approval.
There will be no exceptions. B division teams are allowed up to two (2) players rated above 20 on their roster, as long as the overall team cap of 180 is not exceeded.
Protests – Ratings/Eligibility: Any rating or eligibility protests must be brought to the attention of the umpire prior to the last out of the game. A $200 protest fee shall be presented along with a protest form available from the field reps prior to the last out. Protests are allowed in pool play AND winner’s bracket games only. The Tournament Director, field representative, and site UIC will make up the protest committee. Any concerns during double elimination loser bracket games should be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director, field representative, or site UIC. Together, the three will make a final determination of player eligibility. Any decision will be based on the player or team’s current ability on the field taking into account what is fair to all teams involved and the integrity of the tournament. Team scorebooks and notes are helpful in the decision.
Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
Only opposing teams can file a protest for a player’s eligibility or classification.
The protest must include the specific player(s) being protested.
The protest must include the specific question(s) being protested.
The cost to file a protest is:
$200 per player protested for up to 3 questions and $25 per each additional question on the same player during round robin games.
If any aspect of the protest is up-held the total fees will be returned to the protesting team.
All protests will be heard by the established tournament protest committee and that committee’s decision will be final.
If the protest is upheld and the team’s classification exceeds the limit for the division they are playing in or if a player’s classification exceeds the limit for a player in that division the protested game will be forfeited.
The team can continue to play in the tournament as long as:
It wasn’t their 2nd loss in elimination play.
They drop the protested player(s) from their roster that exceed the player classification for their division
They drop the protested player(s) or any other players so that they do not exceed the team classification limit for their division.
Ejections – USA accordance: A player or coach removed from the game by the umpire, usually for an unsportsmanlike act or conduct. A flagrant act will require the player or coach to leave the grounds for the remainder of the game. A team may NOT continue to play shorthanded. If no substitutes are available, the game is a forfeit. If the umpire and/or designated tournament official(s) deems the unsportsmanlike act or conduct as malicious, the ENTIRE team will not be allowed to participate in the remainder of the tournament. All previous games played shall be legal; all games afterwards shall be forfeits. Let's have fun and be good sports!
Player Ejection Penalty: The player shall be removed from the current game only. Tournament officials reserve the right to suspend and/or disqualify any ejected player for futures games of the tournament if ejection
is deemed to be threatening in nature to another player, umpire, spectator, tournament staff, park patron, animals, or morally offensive.
Tournament Integrity: The competitive integrity of all tournament play is paramount. All participants must adhere to the spirit and letter of the rules. The Autumn Classic reserves the right to remove participants for any action that is deemed illegal, harassment, threatening, unethical, and/or detrimental to the success of the event, or constitutes cheating at the discretion of Tournament Officials. Tournament officials shall base rating eligibility issues on participants’ current ability on the field while also taking into account a team’s total ability on the field. Participants are reminded we are here for friends, fun, and softball. The Tournament Director shall have the final say on all eligibility issues regardless of a protest being filed or not, and may take rating action without a team initiating a protest.
USA Rule 4 Section 2 Americans with Disability Act rule applies (explained as needed by the UIC).