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.

Tournament Divisions: All Women’s Division players must be classified. Players that do not have established ASANA classifications must fill out a classification form to participate in the Autumn Classic. There may be a maximum of (2) non ASANA rated players per roster and they are subject to tournament director approval) Improperly rated players could be subject to review by tournament staff. Players that have established ASANA classifications must use their most current classification. All classifications are subject to protest.
C Team
A team that has no Elite players, no “A” division players, no more than three (3) roster “B” division players, and whose highest 10 rated      players sum rating does not exceed 674
D Team
A team that has no Elite players, no “A” division players, no “B” division players, no more than three (3) roster “C” division players, and whose highest 10 rated players sum rating does not exceed 519

USSSA Teams
USSSA E or D teams may enter the tournament as a C Team. They will be required to fill out an ASANA ratings for for all rostered players. Conference players or players rostered on A USSSA teams are not allowed on the roster.

Previous Winners
If a team has won their division two years in a row, they will be required to play up a division provided at least 60% of their roster is returning.

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: All divisions will play two (2) pool games that will seed them for double elimination play. This format guarantees every team four (4) games. Seeding for double elimination play will be based on the following:

  1. Win/Loss record
    b. Run differential tied teams
    c. Total runs scored
    d. Coin Toss

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.

Injured Players: If during the course of a game a player is injured and there is no substitute for that player the 1st time up at bat for the injured player will result in an out. This is for the 1st time up at bat only. Injured batter may not re-enter the game once that out has been taken. In the event that an injury leaves the team with less than 9 players to finish the game the game will be a forfeit and awarded to the opponent.

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: An over-the-fence home run in the D division is an automatic 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. 

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. The player using an illegal bat will be  If the same team is found to be using an illegal in subsequent games, the team shall forfeit that game and the manger may be removed from the tournament. 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.

All Exposed Jewelry and Loose Accessories Must Be Removed: 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.

Eligible Players: A player is eligible to play in the Autumn Classic Women+ Division only if they have signed their team’s roster before they play their first game. Player placement on a team’s roster must comply with the division determination rules indicated below:

  • No player is allowed to be on more than one team’s roster that is playing in the Autumn Classic.
  • All players must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Any player on the current ASANA suspension list or suspended by a league is NOT eligible for play.
  • Any team using a suspended player will be disqualified from the tournament and all games played will be forfeited
  • No fees will be returned
  • Autumn Classic follows ASANA rules to determine who is allowed to play in the Women+ Division

Protests – Ratings/Eligibility: The Tournament Director, field representative, and site UIC will make up the protest committee. Any concerns 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. If one of these people is not available, the Tournament Director may appoint an alternate. Due to conflict of interest, none of the protest committee members may be on the team that is under protest.

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.
  • Protests may be filed up until the start of the semi final round.
  • 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:
    • $100 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 can be 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.

Special Situations: The Tournament Directors and/or UIC will resolve and have the final say on any situation that may emerge during the tournament that is not covered by these or USA rules.

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.

ADA Rules:

1) The approved ADA player must have an asterisk next to their name on the lineup. The manager must also verbally confirm the ADA player with the umpire at home plate prior to the start of each game.

2) When a player utilizes the ADA accommodation at the beginning of a game, they must keep that designation for the entire game.

3) The ADA player will be eligible to receive a runner once they have reached first base and must take the runner each time they are designated as ADA on a lineup card.

4) The ADA player is not allowed to advance past first base, regardless of the outcome of their turn at bat.

5) Should an ADA batter/runner advance past first base to any other bases, the opposing coach/manager may challenge that the player advanced to the next base.

a) If the challenge is upheld, the ADA player will be out.

b) NOTE: In the case of a dead ball play, the umpire may advance the runner to the proper location and then the ADA runner will be put in place.

USA Rule 4 Section 2 Americans with Disability Act rule applies (explained as needed by the UIC).