Important Rules Reminder
Time Limits:
7u-8u: 1 hour and 30 minutes (1:30)
9u-13u: 1 hour and 35 minutes (1:35)
**Teams should be prepared to play 30 minutes ahead**
**All time limits CAN be modified by a tournament official**
Ejection Policy:
ALL Ages: Any manager, coach, or parent that is ejected for ANY reason from a game in a Florida USSSA Baseball sanctioned event will automatically be disqualified for their next scheduled game in that event. Florida USSSA Baseball still reserves the right to suspend for longer depending on the severity of the occurrence.
Rosters:
ALL Ages: Please verify that your rosters are up to date. All players must be online and eligible prior to your first game of the event. The “Guest Player” feature will close at 11:59 the evening prior to the event. All teams must have a copy of each player’s birth certificate on hand in case of protest. Digital images will NOT be accepted.
Approved Line-Ups (9u – 13u):
7.02.D.1 Teams may bat a nine (9) player line-up, or a nine (9) player line-up with a Designated Hitter (DH), or a ten (10) player line-up with an Extra Hitter (EH), or a 10 player line-up with a DH and EH, or a continuous line-up of all present, eligible, uniformed players. Such line-up must be declared before the start of the game and used the entire game.
Pitching Limits (See next page for examples):
9u-12u: Maximum innings in 1 day is 6 innings (18 outs)
13u-14u: Maximum innings in 1 day is 7 innings (21 outs)
8u-14u: *Maximum innings in a 3 day event is 8 innings (24 outs). Any pitcher that pitches more than 3 innings (9 outs) in one day must rest the next day
ALL Ages: A pitcher (starter or reliever) once removed from the mound may NOT return to the pitching position for the remainder of the game
Cleats:
7u-13u: Non-metal cleats shall be worn, all turf complex. NO Metal Cleats!
Tie Games:
Pool: Pool play games CAN end in a tie
Bracket: CANNOT end in a tie! At the end of the time limit or last inning, whichever comes first, the last batted out of the previous inning will be placed on 2nd base with NO OUTS. This will continue until there is a winner (Universal Tie-Breaker).
Pitching Rules Important Reminder
- You can never pitch more than 3 days in a row.
- You can never pitch more than 6 innings in a day for 12 and under and 7 in a day for 13 and U
- If you pitch more than 3 innings in a day, you must rest the next day.
- There is an 8 innings max for three days for all ages. Remember, you must always look back 2 days from the current day to check on the 8 Inning max.
- An out has to be recorded before a pitcher is in violation of any pitching rules.
- A day of rest does not reset pitching
Examples that apply to all ages 14 and below:
- Day 1: 3innings, Day 2: 0 Innings, Day 3 max is 5 innings.
- Day 1: 1 inning, Day 2: 1/3inning, Day3: 2-1/3 inning, Day 4 player can’t pitch because would be 4th day in a row. Day 5: max of 5-2/3.
- Day 1: 6innings, Day 2: 0 innings, Day 3: 2 innings max.
- Day 1: 2innings, Day 2: 3 innings, Day 3: 3 Innings, Day 4: 0 innings, Day 5: 5 innings max.
Example that only applies to 13 and Up:
- Day 1: 7 innings, Day 2: 0 innings, Day 3: 1 Inning, Day 4: 3 Inning, Day 5: 4 Inning max
Any verbal answers received by park staff will still be the responsibility of the coach to make sure he is within the pitching guidelines. It is easy to be confused when talking about pitching. Please use this along with the national USSSA rule book to determine what pitching you have left each day.
Complex Policies – Click Here
FAQs
Pitching Rules Important Reminder
You can never pitch more than 3 days in a row. If you pitch more than 3 innings in a day, you must rest the next day. There is an 8 innings max for three days for all ages. Remember, you must always look back 2 days from the current day to check on the 8 Inning max.
How many pitches can a 13U pitcher throw? ›
What is the height of the pitching mound in USSSA? ›
Pitching mound height: 6 inches for younger players below the age of 11; 8 inches for older players 11-13 years old. Pitching mound diameter: 10 feet. Pitching rubber: 18 inches long.
How many mound visits are allowed in USSSA? ›
4 visits are allowed for each game. Any mound visit/charged conference after the 4th visit will result in the removal of the pitcher from the game and the ejection of the offending coach the pitcher must be removed from the game. They may not re-enter the game as pitchers. Any mound visits over 4 will not be allowed.
How many innings can a 12u pitcher pitch? ›
If the batter hits the pitched ball, the runner that left early will have to stop at the base they were going to. If the runner is tagged out as a result of a play, the out will stand. 15. A pitcher will only be allowed to pitch 3 innings per game and a maximum of 6 innings per week.
Can a pitcher pitch all innings? ›
Determining who earns the win is covered by Rule 9.17 of the 2021 Official Rules of Baseball. The starting pitcher must pitch half of a nine-inning game - he must complete the fifth inning for his team - and leave with his team in the lead.
How many pitches can a 14-year-old throw? ›
According to USA Baseball and Major League Baseball's Pitch Smart guidelines, a 14-year-old should throw no more than 95 pitches in a single game, with a recommended four days of rest following the game.
What happens if a pitcher throws too many pitches? ›
Once the pitcher throws 66 or more pitches, he must now rest four days before he can pitch making him ineligible to throw on Saturday.
Is there a pitching limit? ›
If a pitcher reaches the 110 pitch limit while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until one of the following occurs. o The batter reaches base, o That batter is retired, or o The third out is recorded to complete that half-inning or game.
What is the mercy rule in USSSA baseball? ›
* Mercy Rule: 9u-12u: 6 inning games
15 runs after 3 innings (or 2 1/2 innings)
Metal cleats are allowed by position players in 13U & 14U divisions. However, no metal cleats are allowed on any portable pitching mounds. Molded cleats or shoes suitable for play on gym surfaces are required. Bats: We will follow the USSSA Rule Change For 13U & 14U.
Can you slide head first in USSSA baseball? ›
No head-first slides are allowed. If a player attempts a head first slide, he/she will be called out. A second offense in the same game may result in ejection from the game.
Can you have 2 mound visits with the same batter? ›
The manager or coach is prohibited from making a second visit to the mound while the same hitter is at bat, but if a pinch hitter is substituted for this batter, the manager or coach may then make a second visit to the mound, but must then remove the pitcher.
Does pitching change count as mound visit? ›
Players may visit the mound during an inning break or pitching change without being charged with a mound visit, provided that the mound visit does not prevent the pitcher from complying with the inning break or pitching change time limits set forth in On-Field Regulation 2-7.
What happens if a team exceeds mound visits? ›
In circ*mstances in which a team is forced to make an unintended pitching change by operation of this Rule, and there is no relief pitcher warming up in the bullpen, the manager or coach who violated the Rule by exceeding his team's allotted number of mound visits shall be subject to ejection from the game.
How many innings can a pitcher pitch? ›
A pitcher shall not be permitted to pitch more than a total of seven innings in: (a) one game, (b) in two games the same day, or (c) a total of two games on two consecutive days. In (a), (b), and (c), if the player is the pitcher at the end of the seventh inning in a tie game, he may pitch a total of nine innings.
How many innings does a pitcher have to pitch? ›
First, a starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings (in a traditional game of nine innings or longer) to qualify for the win. If he does not, the official scorer awards the win to the most effective relief pitcher.
How many innings can a pro pitcher pitch? ›
In modern baseball, a starting pitcher is rarely expected to pitch for more than seven or eight innings, at which point, responsibility for the game is passed to relief pitchers, including specialist pitchers such as setup pitchers and closers.
How many innings can a pitcher pitch in a series? ›
Pitching Limits
Once a pitcher uses all of their innings, they may not pitch anymore until playoffs. Once playoffs begin, innings will reset for each pitcher and they will be granted 9 innings to pitch.
