SSE Rules
2022 Spring Bullhead City exceptions:
5 game guarantee. Game times will change when "if" games are not played. Team manager is responsible to monitor game time changes.
Dudley 44 375 balls will be used, teams will receive 3 SY balls. Teams may purchase additional balls at field based on availability. We will have SY, ZN and Advanced for sale. If you bring your own Dudley balls they must be checked and approved by director.
Teams will be moved after pool play to achieve competitive balance if necessary.
Every attempt will be made to have a minimum of 6 teams per division. Division with less than 6 teams will not receive 2nd place awards. 14 prizes will be presented to winning teams.
Excess wind: At Director’s discretion strike only format may be used.
1. General
1.1 These rules are specific to Senior play. Directors may need to amend a specific rule due to requirements outside their control, if this is needed, amended rules will be posted prior to the start of the tournament and distributed to managers prior to the first game of the event. Rules will not be changed during a tournament unless it is a health, safety, weather conditions, or government directive.
1.2 These are general rules of play. Specific rules for Masters (35+), Women’s and Co-ed follow these general rules.
1.3 We will not charge individual player fees.
1.4 Teams will be required to submit a roster prior to the first game of tournament. Teams may be required to supply documentation supporting players ranking (i.e., a nationally recognized senior program rating, a tournament roster, etc.)
2. Age Divisions & Classifications
2.1 Age Divisions: A valid government picture ID will serve as proof. Players must have ID available at games if questioned by tournament officials.
A. Masters - 35 & 40 plus.
B. Seniors - 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 & 85 plus.
C. Exceptions -
70 Rec/AA are allowed four 69-year-olds, two 68-year-olds, 3 total AAA players.
75 Rec/AA are allowed four 74 & two 73-year-olds. 3 total AAA players.
75 AAA are allowed 4 74-year-olds.
80 & 85 All classifications are allowed four 1-year underage & two 2-year underage
2.2 Classifications
A. Major Plus - Run limit per half inning will be five. Home Run limit will be five over the fence. Home runs over the limit will be outs.
B. Major - Run limit per half inning will be five. Home Run limit will be five over the fence. Home runs over the limit will be outs. Major teams are allowed to have three Major Plus players.
C. AAA - Run limit per half inning will be five. Home Run limit will be three over the fence. Home runs over the limit will be outs. AAA teams are allowed to have three Major players.
D. Rec / AA - Run limit per half inning will be five. One home run will be allowed. Rec/AA teams are allowed three AAA players.
E. Directors can move a team to another classification after pool play to balance competition
3. Equipment
3.1 Bats
A. 40 and over division may use any 1.21 or 1.20 BPF stamped bat.
B. 35 and over division may use 1.20 BPF stamped bat.
3.2 Balls
A. 12” COR44, 375psi Compression Dudley ball shall be used.
B. Three balls will be supplied per team/event.
C. Each team in a Championship game will be awarded an additional ball.
D. Additional balls may be purchased from the director based on stock on hand.
E. Teams may bring their own Dudley balls as listed. Teams supplying their own balls must, prior to a game, have directors physically approve balls they want to use.
F. If a tournament uses a different ball than what is listed in 3.2 A it will be listed at registration.
3.3 Protective Equipment
A. Pitchers - Must wear a face mask covering protecting eyes, nose, and mouth at a minimum. Pitchers are strongly encouraged to wear shin guards and chest/heart protection
B. Infielders - Highly recommended to wear the same as a pitcher and encouraged to play at back of infield.
C. No Metal Cleats
4. Playing Field - (see diagram)
4.1 Base Distance shall be 70’
4.2 Home Plate strike zone mat shall be used 21’ x 36’ at a minimum
4.3 Scoring line shall be in line with the first base line and shall begin 6 inches from outside edge of home plate towards back stop. A player shall be out if they cross through batter’s box unless avoiding a collision at home.
4.4 Pitching box shall begin fifty feet from home and extend ten feet towards second base the width of pitching rubber.
4.5 Pitching Screen - May be used (team supplied) for 65 & 70 Rec/AA, 75-80 Rec/AA & AAA, all 85 classes. Screen shall be limited to 3’ by 6‘ and placed from the center of pitching rubber toward first or third.
A. A pitcher must retreat behind the screen if used until the ball is struck by batter. Batter will be awarded first base if the pitcher fails to comply if the batter was out by pitcher play.
B. A batted ball hitting the screen shall be deemed a foul ball strike as second strike.
C. A batter shall have 1 batted ball hitting the screen after the second strike be considered a dead ball.
D. A ball hitting the screen from a defensive player shall be considered “live”.
4.6 Batter’s Box shall be 3’x 7’. Batter must have one foot in the box prior to pitch & both feet must be in the box when striking the ball or the player will be called out.
4.7 Commitment Line shall be 30 feet from scoring line towards third base.
5. Game Play
5.1 Mixing Ages /Divisions: If more than one upper-level team is entered into the tournament – they will be seeded into their own championship / playoff bracket after pool play. If not, we will use run spot throughout the event. Division with less than six teams will receive a prorated prize package.
5.2 Batters will start with a 1 & 1 count. Foul ball after the second strike will be an out.
5.3 Caught foul balls in the field of play shall be considered live and players may advance after catch.
5.4 Runners must stay within 3 feet of baseline or be called out.
5.5 Players may only retreat to a base on a caught ball or in a run down. Players retreating in a force out situation will be called out.
5.6 Infield fly rule. Catchable ball at umpire’s discretion.
5.7 Sun in pitchers’ eye, umpire’s discretion. Pitchers may move up to 3 feet from the side of the box. Must pitch the entire inning from that position only.
5.8 Mixed Division/Classification games. Lower Division/Classification Runs per inning & Home Run over fence limit will be used, Over the fence balls up to upper divisions limit shall be a single and players on base will move to the next open base. Home Runs past upper division total will be outs.
5.9 Pitch/Batter Rules
A. Pitching arch will be a minimum of 6 feet and a maximum of 12 feet from the ground
B. Pitchers must present the ball then in one underhand continuous motion deliver the ball to the plate.
C. Pitchers must allow the batter five seconds to prepare for pitch and deliver within the five seconds.
D. Pitcher/Batter will have a ball/strike called if exceeding rule C.
E. Batter / Pitcher will be allowed one time out per each batter's appearance of up to thirty seconds.
F. Pitchers must face forward while delivering pitch.
G. Batters will start with a 1 & 1. No foul to waste on third strike.
H. If a screen is used it cannot be moved/removed once pitch is delivered. A new pitcher may remove the screen.
5.10 Managers time out. 1 per inning no more than 30 seconds in length.
5.11 Catchers must have at least one foot within the width of the plate and stand no closer than one foot behind the batter's box.
5.12 Defensive Players -
A. Up to 10 players. 70 and up 11. 80 and up twelve.
B. Teams may start a game with 9 players
C. Teams may not compete with less than eight players at any time.
5.13 Teams may bat entire roster.
5.14 A player will be deemed illegal if not on an official card and be called out when challenged by the opposing team.
5.15 If a player in batting order leaves the game and there is no replacement his next at bat only will be an out only.
5.16 Pinch Runner - Any player on a game card may pinch run one time per inning. Penalty, out when challenged.
5.17 Sliding: No sliding at first base or scoring line unless avoiding contact. Umpire’s discretion.
5.18 Safety bag at first base must be used unless to avoid collision. Umpire’s discretion. Player out.
5.19 Run rule;15 after 4 – does not need to reach open inning
5.20 Tie Game - will begin the extra inning(s) using the International Tie Breaker (ITB) until a winner is determined. When using the ITB a courtesy runner cannot be used for the runner placed on 2nd base until the runner has advanced to 3rd base.
6. Uniforms: Players and coaches wear shirts, so they are easily identified as a team. Any decision on uniforms is handled by the tournament officials and is not subject to team protest. Each player’s jersey must have a number on the back and all numbers must be unique.
7. Line-ups: Tournament officials will provide line-up cards if needed. Official line-ups must be submitted to the opposing team and scorekeeper (if available) prior to the last inning of the preceding game and given to the umpire prior to game.
8. Bench area:
8.1 Players, coaches, sponsors, and a bat person are the only individuals allowed in the bench area. All players must stay in dugout or out of play area. One (1) on deck hitter allowed.
8.2 No Alcohol, Sunflower seeds or smoking of any kind in the dugout or field of play
8.3 No disruptive music: Loud, vulgar, etc. Determined by one person complaint.
8.4 If defensive team has a player or bat outside dugout and gets hit by thrown ball the ball is dead, and all runners advance one base.
8.5 Teams must clean up the dugout after each game (remove garbage etc.)
8.6 Poor Sportsmanship will not be allowed! NO F Bombs NO Throwing the Bat NO Taunting, Penalty, player is ejected. After game umpire will advise director of ejection and a ruling will be made if player is allowed to continue in tournament. Two (2) ejections in same tournament, player is ineligible for remainder of tournament.
9. Forfeit Time: Game time is forfeit time. Teams should be prepared to immediately start a game once the preceding game is completed, and teams clear the dugout. Teams are required to be ready to play up to 30 minutes early.
10. Game Length:
10.1 Pool plays 55 minutes to open, 75 minutes to the end of the game. Winner is the team that leads at the end of the last complete inning. Games may end in tie.
10.2 Bracket play 60 minutes to open.
10.3 Championship games are 7 innings.
10.4 Exceptions may be required due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e. weather, field restrictions, emergencies, etc.).
11. Infield Practice: No infield practice will be permitted once the game starts. Warm-up is allowed in designated areas only. Teams may warm-up in the outfield grass if time permits.
12. Team seating / Home Team: The home team in pool play will be determined by a coin flip. Brackets will be a choice of higher seed. Unless agreed otherwise, the team listed first, or higher seed will use the third base dugout. The team listed second, or lower seed will use the first base dugout. In the event a team plays back-to-back they will not be required to move to another dugout.
13. Roster residency:
13.1 Teams are allowed to draw players from adjoining states to their own. Up to three players may be used from outside this area if teams have less than two players above minimum to start a game.
13.2 Teams 80 and above may draw unlimited out of area players.
14. Run Spot: 5 per level or age (in tournaments where we must combine levels). A run spot will be given at start of the game not per inning.
15. FORMAT: ALL scheduled pool play games count towards seeding in Championship play unless stated otherwise. Ties in the standings in preliminary pool play will be broken by:
A. Record
B. Head-to-head
C. Fewest runs allowed
D. Then run differential
E. Coin flip
16. PROTESTS: The tournament committee will decide all protests. As manager, please be familiar with the rules of the game including proper protest procedure. Any protest of an umpire's rule interpretation must be made before the next pitch in the game. Player eligibility protests must be made prior to the start of the game. Only managers may address umpires or Directors, all others will be required to stay in dugout or defensive position.
17. Ejection Rule: Managers are responsible for team conduct. Players, managers, and spectators will receive no warning to stop unsportsmanlike behavior (i.e., questioning calls, pitch, language, etc.). Unsportsmanlike behavior will result in the offending party being ejected from the game. Second occurrence will result in manager and offending party being removed from the game and team will be assessed an out for offensive team, defensive team will be assessed an out at next at bat.
18. Score Keeping: Umpires are responsible for keeping score.
19. Determining your team level of play:
19.2 Players may play down one age or classification; their rating will remain the same.
19.2 Players playing down two age levels will count as one classification lower. (i.e., 55 Major+ may play as a 40 Major player).
19.3 NCS/AWS Player Rankings Trump all other promoters Roster Rankings
19.4 If not rated by NCS/AWS we go by what your ranking is from any National organization.
19.5 If you are not ranked you will be considered a Major player in your age group.
19.6 You may be required to supply a roster from a national promotor confirming players ratings.
19.7 Any Adult Conference or rated C or higher player will be considered as a Major Plus player.
20. Tournament Delay -
20.1 If any event of delay or suspension of play by an occurrence outside of Directors control (i.e., weather, disaster, field condition, etc.) the game must be resumed at the exact point where it was stopped. It is the manager's responsibility to contact the Tournament Representative at the field for rescheduled game information.
20.2 In the event the tournament can't be completed within the scheduled time frame and more than forty percent (40%) of the scheduled bracket games have been completed, the official final order of finish will be determined by the position of the teams in the bracket. The following procedures will be used to break ties and among teams in the same spot in the bracket:
A. Win-loss records except among undefeated teams.
B. If only two teams are tied for a position and have played each other, the winner of that game. If still tied, pool play tie breakers will be followed.
C. We will do everything we can to complete the event due to a delay including modifying game time length, pitch count, format, etc.
D. If an event cannot be completed per above, the Director will advise teams of a reschedule or credit towards a future event in a timely manner.
21. Team Entries and Cancellations
21.1 Teams are encouraged to register early. Promoters are encouraged to offer a pay later or deposit option. Your spot is not guaranteed until payment in full is received. You will be notified if a tournament is nearing a SELL OUT for payment in options above.
21.2 Should a team withdraw for any reason from our tournament once the team has been entered, the cancellation/withdrawal must occur prior to the tournament deadline, being “SOLD OUT” or prior to the brackets/game times being posted on the association’s website or no later than 5:00pm on the Wednesday prior to the tournament, whichever comes first.
21.3 Cancellation email must be sent and be confirmed by the tournament promoter.