9 / 10 yr. old Rules

USSSA Rules will be used except as outlined in this document

This tournament is a USSSA SANCTIONED  tournament; therefore EACH team must present the following if the check-in director no later than one (1) hour before the start of their opening pool play game.

• Copy of Official USSSA Roster/birth certificates -  Roster to be left at check-in

• Proof of Insurance

• Payment of all fees associated with tournament

• 1 new baseball and 1 good used baseball per game

Rosters, birth certificate, proof of insurance and payment of tournament fees will be required BEFORE your first game.  There will be no exception and refunds will not be issued for failure to adhere to this policy.  Although matching uniforms are not required, no two players may have the same number.   

This tournament will have two (2) pool games followed by a single elimination bracket.  Pool game will begin on Friday night and run through Saturday.  The elimination round will begin Sunday morning.

Texas Tournament Baseball will adhere to the rules set forth by USSSA, except for those outlined below.  This list of rules is not intended to be a complete but only those TTB have  modified and/or we feel are important enough to bring to your attention.

Tournament Rules:

The following criteria will be used to seed teams after pool play: 

1) Won - Lost Record
2) Least Runs Allowed
3)  Run Differential +-8
4) USSSA points coming into the tournament.
5) Coin Toss. 

Ties resulting in more than two teams will use the same criteria as above eliminating teams one at a time.  If two teams are tied after all advancement criteria have been used, then a coin flip will determine seeding and advancement in the tournament. The coin flip will be done by a tournament official with both coaches present, if possible.  If both coaches cannot be present, then more than one tournament official will be present for the coin flip.

Games will be six (6) innings in length with the a fifteen (15) run rule in effect after three (3) inning of play, ten(10) after four and eight (8) run rule in effect after five innings of play.  

POOL Game time limits will be 1 hr. 30 minutes per game.  BRACKET GAME time limits will be 1 hr. 45 minutes per game except for the Championship Game which will be played with a 2 hour time limit. 

During pool play, a game can end in a tie; however in bracket play, a winner must be determined. 

• DURING BRACKET PLAY ONLY:
  IF THE GAME ENDS WITH THE SCORE TIED, THE GAME SHALL CONTINUE USING A MODIFIED CALIFORNIA TIE-BREAKER RULE.

• CALIFORNIA TIE-BREAKER:

  • Each half inning will start with the bases loaded and one (1) out.

  • Each team will continue the batting order from the previous inning, with the three (3) previous batters occupying the bases, with the last batter occupying 1^st base, the next batter occupying 2^nd base and the 3^rd batter occupying 3^rd base.

  • The game will continue until a winner is determined.

•  Example:
  The game ends in a 3-3 tie. The visiting team determines the # 4 batter is due up.  The team will put the # 3 batter on first, the # 2 batter on second, and the # 1 batter on 3rd.  There will be one out in the inning and both teams will play like this until a winner is decided.

PITCHING LIMITATIONS USED IN THIS TOURNAMENT:

NO Metal cleats are allowed in this age division.

Teams will be allowed to bat 9, 10 players (EH).  Unless declared before EACH game, it will be assumed the team will bat only 9.   If batting 10, then the extra player will be considered an EH - Extra Hitter. NO DESIGNATED HITTER.  The high school re-entry rule will apply to all substitutes.  A team may finish the game with ONE less player than they started with; however upon the loss of the second player, regardless of the batting order you have chosen, the game will become an immediate forfeit.  If a team only has nine players and loses a player for any reason, an out will be record each time that batter comes to the plate to bat.

We will allow roster batting; HOWEVER THE COACHES MUST DECLARE HIS/HER INTENTION TO BAT THE ENTIRE ROSTER BEFORE THE GAME BEGINNINGS.  FAILURE TO DO SO WILL CONSTITUTE BATTING OUT OF ORDER.

A courtesy runner for the catcher and pitcher is optional.  The courtesy runner must be a player not currently active in the ballgame.  If no legal substitutes remain to courtesy run, the last batted out is the courtesy runner. 

Each team must have at least eight (8) players to start; the ninth position will be recorded as an out each time he/she is to appear at the plate.

During tournament play, there is no infield before the game. 

A malicious contact rule will be in effect during the tournament. Any runner that does not attempt to avoid contact with a fielder who HAS THE BALL and is waiting to make the tag will be call out and the ball is dead.  Any runner CRASHING into a fielder who HAS THE BALL and is waiting to make the tag will be ejected from the game and both teams will be warned.

Home team will be responsible for the official book and game cards.  Visitors will be require to operate the scoreboard.  

Home/Visitor does not determine dugout assignments (i.e. first come first serve).

A coin flip by the coaches before the umpires arrive at the field before each game will determine the home team. During bracket play the team with the highest seed will be home team.

Upon completion of the game, umpires will return game cards to the pavilion office.  Both coaches must return to the pavilion office no later than 30 minutes after the conclusion of the game to sign the game cards.  Game cards will contain the final scores AND pitching records for that game.  Once you sign a game card, you are stating that the information on the card is correct.  Any objections to the umpires game card will require that both coaches be present with their respective scorebooks.  Any coach which does not show up to sign the game card within 30 minutes of the end of the game will be stating that the information on the game card is correct.  There will be no changes to game cards after the manager's have signed or the allotted time to sign has expired.

REFUND POLICY: TTB will follow USSSA refund policy.  Full refund if no games are begun; 1/2 refund if 1 game is started; no refunds once second game started.  TTB will make every effort to accommodate the conclusion of the tournament, including changing dates, alternate location etc.