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(Effective 2009 season) No children under 18 years of age will be allowed in any team’s dugout unless they are a player on that team’s roster. This includes all USSSA leagues and tournaments.
18 & Over program: **These rule changes maybe incomplete as written below. Please refer to the 8th Edition Rulebook printed on usssa.com web site for complete ruling.
Sec 8. Uniforms A. Caps are optional, however when worn they must be alike. Sec. 9 Gloves/Mitts A. The glove/mitt worn by the catcher may be any size. B. The glove/mitt may be a maximum of two colors unless judged by the umpire to be distracting. Glove lacing and manufacturer’s logo are not considered one of the two colors permitted. Glove lacing may be any color other than that of the ball. A glove/mitt worn by players that is entirely gray, white or optic in color is illegal. A gray, white or optic colored circle on the outside or inside of the glove/mitt that gives the appearance of a ball or is judged to be distracting by the Umpire is illegal. Sec 12. Bunt, Attempted. An attempted bunt (“offer”) is any movement of the bat toward the ball when the ball is over or near the plate area. Holding the bat in the strike zone is considered an attempt to bunt. In order to take a pitch, the bat must be pulled back away from the ball. If an attempted bunt results in a foul ball, it is treated as any other foul ball, if the batter has two strikes and this happens, he is out. Sec 58. Strikeout. A strikeout is the result of the pitcher getting a third strike charged to a batter. In Fast Pitch, this usually results in the batter being out. Anytime first base is unoccupied, or there are two outs, and the third strike is not caught, the batter-runner is entitled to advance. See exception in 10, 9, 8 & Under section. Sec 4. The Run Rule awards a win to a team that has a 12 runs lead after 3 completed innings or 2 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead, 10 runs after 4 completed inning or 3 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead, 8 runs lead after 5 completed innings or 4 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead. RULE 5. Players and Substitutes Sec 1. PLAYERS A team shall consist of at least nine players, whose positions shall be designated as; (1) Pitcher, (2) Catcher, (3) First Baseman, (4) Second Baseman, (5) Third Baseman, (6) Short Stop, (7) Left Fielder, (8) Center Fielder, (9) Right Fielder, and a designated hitter and/or up to two additional players. A. A team must have the required number of players present in the dugout or team area to start or continue a game. B. The team’s lineup card shall include name, jersey number, position and batting order of each starting player and should include each eligible substitute. All listed starters must be present in the team area. Lineups become official after they have been exchanged, verified and then accepted by the Plate Umpire during the pregame conference. Eligible roster members may be added as substitutes at any time. C. At the time the pitch starts, all fielders shall be on fair ground except the catcher who shall be in the catcher’s box. Sec 2. Playing short. (not new) A team shall be allowed to play one player short. The batting position the team can not fill shall be designated as the absent player. When the absent player is scheduled to bat, an out shall be declared for each turn at bat. A team may play short under the following circumstances: A. A team may begin the game with eight (8) players. The absent player shall be listed in the ninth (9th) batting position. Under no circumstances shall a team be allowed to have less than eight (8) players in the batting order. B. If a team begins play with the normally allowed number of players, that team may continue a game with one less player than is currently in the batting order whenever a player leaves the game for any reason other than ejection. If the player leaving the game is the batter or a runner, they shall be declared out. The players who have left the game cannot return to the lineup. Exception: a player, who has left the game under the blood rule, may return. C. The team may not play short if there is an eligible substitute available. If an eligible player arrives, they must enter the game immediately. Sec 3. Additional Player – (not new) Up to two additional players can be used to increase the batting lineup to 10 or 11 batters. The additional player(s) will be placed in the line up in the batting position(s) to be occupied. The additional player(s) can also be used on defense (only 9 defensive players in the field), but must keep the same position in the batting order. The additional player(s), if used, must be selected prior to the start of the game, and their name(s) must be included on the line up card presented to the Umpire. Failure to declare the use of the additional player(s) prior to the game precludes the use of an additional player(s) in that game. If a pinch-hitter or pinch runner is used for an additional player, that player becomes the new additional player. The original additional player(s) may re-enter like any other player under the re-entry rule. If an additional player is used, the position must be used the entire game. RULE 6. Pitching Rule Sec 1. A legal pitch shall conform to the following: A. Prior to the pitch, the pitcher shall take a position with: (1) the pivot foot on or partially on the surface of the pitcher's plate; (2) the non pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitcher's plate. Both feet must be on the ground within or partially within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate. The hands must be apart. The pitcher may not take the pitching position on the pitcher's plate without possession of the ball, and the pitcher may not simulate the pitching position with or without the ball when near the pitcher's plate. B. Preliminary to pitching, the pitcher must take a position with the shoulders in line with first and third base with the ball in the glove or pitching hand, with the hands separated. C. While in this position, the pitcher shall take (or simulate taking) a signal from the catcher. D. After completing “C” above, the pitcher shall bring the hands together in front of the body for not more than 10 seconds before releasing the ball. The hands may be motionless or moving. RULE 8. Base Running Sec 2. The Look-Back Rule is in effect when the ball is live, the batter-runner has touched first base or has been declared out, and the pitcher has possession of the ball (e.g. has the ball in her hand, glove, under arm or chin, between her legs) within the 16-foot circle. Any runner(s) in motion may continue without stopping or may stop and immediately move directly back to the last base touched. Sec 19. Double First Base The Double First Base shall consist of a base in fair territory that is white in color and a base in foul territory that is colored. A. A batted ball hitting or bounding over any part of the white portion is declared fair. A batted ball hitting or bounding over only the colored potion is declared foul.
Protest fee is $100.
Protests of player eligibility shall be charged per player.
(This is a National/World Series Rule). There is no fee for a
roster protest in IL USSSA play. (Effective 2008 season) The following changes have been enacted:
Fast Pitch By-Laws, Article IV, Section 10. All players participating in USSSA Fast Pitch youth tournament play shall have proof of age in possession of their team manager at all times. Proof of age must be verified by a government issued document that identifies the player by name, gender and birth date. Failure to produce a copy of such document upon demand by and deemed non-fraudulent by a tournament official will result in the offending team losing the game, being eliminated from the tournament, being placed last in the standings and forfeiting all awards, sponsor’s travel money and tournament berths that would have been awarded at the tournament.
If any errors such as base or pitching distances are found, they
need to be changed immediately. (Effective 2004 season) Sec.1. THE YOUTH FAST PITCH PROGRAM WILL BE DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING CLASSIFICATIONS. A player’s age on December 31, of the previous calendar year determines the age classification in which the player is eligible to participate. Roster Information Changes
Team rosters can have a maximum of 20 players. If you qualify for the World Series your roster becomes frozen. If you have 17 players or less listed on your roster you can add up to 3 players. (If you listed 18 players you can pickup only 2, etc.) The team manager can add the players up to 72 hours prior to the start of a tournament. A team manager may release up to 3 players from his qualified frozen roster; all such releases must be made on or before 7 days prior to the start of the World Series. A team manager cannot replace a released player with an add-on. When your roster is added to the ISTS web site, Tournament Directors can add your All Tournament Team, Best Offensive Player, MVP awards, etc. from this site for each tournament. This cannot be done unless your team roster is on ISTS.
NEW
- A player shall not compete in any tournament with more than
one team during the same tournament. This includes different
age groups. (Effective for 2003) Rule 6. Players and Substitutes – Sec. 5.E. Re-entry, any player may be withdrawn from the game and re-entered once, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever in the line-up. A violation results in an illegal substitution. A substitute who is withdrawn may re-enter.
Pitching distance for 12U – 40 feet. |
