WFSA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
2023 TOURNAMENT RULES
1. Start Times: Game start times will be approximately 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted on your schedules. Should a team fail to arrive or have a full team ready to play (8 or more under the 8-man start and finish rule) by the scheduled start time, a maximum 30-minutes grace period will be allowed and the exact amount of time given that team will be deducted from the original starting time so that the game will be shortened by that amount of time. (Example: if the game starts 15 minutes late due to one team’s being late, no full inning will start after 1 hours and 15 minutes after play has begun.) Assuming the game starts within the 30-minute grace period, the late team will forfeit one run for every 10 minutes to the other team and the game will start at 1-0, beginning with the first minute. In other words, if the start time is 8:30, the score is 1-0 at 8:31; 2-0 at 8:41; 3-0 at 8:51; and a forfeit at 9:01. (However, the actual forfeit score “in the scorebook” for tiebreaker purposes will be 7-0.) This rule will not apply if the late team is coming off a back-to-back game, and games that start late due to the previous game’s running over (and not due to a team’s lateness) will not be shortened. (E.g. if both teams arrive to a scheduled 4:30 p.m. game on time and have to wait until another game finishes and do not start until 5:00 p.m., that game will be allowed the full time under the 2 hour Time Limit rule, provided there is adequate light.) START TIMES WILL BE ENFORCED.
2. Time Limit: 1 hour 45 minutes time limits for all pool play games. No new inning may start after the 1 hour 45 minute mark. If two teams are tied after 7 innings and have not played 1 hour 45 minutes, they may continue to play up to 1 hour 45 minutes using the NCAA Rule that states: If, after the completion of at least seven innings of play, the score is tied, the following tiebreaker will be played to determine a winning team: Starting with the top of the 8th inning and each half-inning to follow, the last scheduled batter for that half inning will be placed on second base (e.g., if the No. 5 batter is the lead-off batter, the No. 4 batter in the batting order will be placed on second base), however no new inning may start after the 1 hour 45 minute mark. All games tied at the end of the 1 hour 45 minute mark will remain a tied game. There is a 2 hour time limit for playoff and championship games.
3. Games Called Due to Darkness: With exception of Playoff games, any game that has gone at least (5) complete innings before being called because of darkness (on an unlighted field) will be deemed a “complete game” or “regulation game” for “pool play purposes” in accordance with the 2011 NCAA Rule (6.16). The WFSA will do its best to see to it that travel times between games are minimized so that games can begin on time and games scheduled at 4:30 p.m. on fields without lights can begin on time and “be completed with 7 innings of play”. If a game during pool play has past (5) complete innings and the game is called due to darkness by an umpire before the bottom of the inning is complete, then the score of the game will revert back to the previous inning and the game will be ruled complete. For Playoff games only, at the discretion of the umpires and the tournament director, games to be “called due to darkness” will either be moved to an available field with lights the same evening (after checking in with the Tournament Directors’ office) or continued until the next day at another field (to be determined by the Tournament Director) so that these games can go a full 3 hours or 7 innings of play; provided, however, the “continuation of the game” is in accordance with the 2011 Official NCAA Rule (4.16).
4. Games Called Due to Rain: With exception of Playoff games and Championship games, any game that has gone at least (5) complete innings before being called because of rain, will be deemed a “complete game” or “regulation game” for “pool play purposes” in accordance with the 2011 NCAA Rule (6.16). WFSA will do its best to ensure that all pool play games are given every consideration to complete as many innings as possible (to be determined by the tournament director) in case of rain. If a game during pool play has past (5) complete innings and the game is called due to rain by an umpire before the bottom of the inning is compete, then the score of the game will revert back to the previous inning and the game will be ruled complete. For playoff or championship games only, at the discretion of the umpires and the tournament director, games will be “suspended due to rain” and will be continued at the point where the game was suspended on an available field that is playable the same day or evening, or continued the next day at the same field or another field (as determined by the tournament director) so that these games can go a full 2 hours or 7 innings of play.
5. Mercy Rule: The WFSA follows the run rule that is used by the WFSA rule committee. There will be a 20-run rule after 3 innings, 15 after 4 and, 10 runs after 5 innings.
6. Protests: All protests must be filed at the field with the plate umpire and with a tournament official at the time in the game the manager believes an umpire’s decision is in violation of these rules. We will follow the rules exactly in accordance with the 2011 Official NCAA Softball rulebook. By filing a protest, the manager agrees per this rule to submit a $150 cash, non-refundable fee (refundable only if you prevail) to the tournament field official or umpire at the field. If a protest is made, the game will stop and the protesting manager must call the number provided at check-in, and the plate umpire will contact the umpire coordinator. A tournament official will listen to the protest, and after consulting with the tournament rules committee, the umpire coordinator and tournament director; will make a decision regarding the protest. There will be no time added to the clock during a protest. The clock will remain running to keep the tournament on schedule. It will be the umpire and teams responsibility to get the game back on time through their combined efforts. Remember, an umpire’s “judgment” call cannot be protested, only rules interpretations. PLEASE NOTE: Only the tournament director has the authority, if needed, to stop the clock or to add time remaining to the game.
7. Eligibility Protest: All protests with regard to age/identity or ex-pro/college rule must be protested on the field to the umpire and opposing team manager with the number of the specific player in question. By filing a protest, the manager agrees per this rule to submit a $150 cash, non-refundable fee (refundable only if you prevail) to the tournament field official or umpire at the field. If a protest is made, the game will stop and the protesting manager must call the number provided at check-in, and the plate umpire will contact the umpire coordinator. A tournament official will listen to the protest and, after consulting with the tournament rules committee, the umpire coordinator and tournament director; will make a decision regarding the protest. There will be no time added to the clock during a protest. The clock will remain running to keep the tournament on schedule. It will be the umpire and teams responsibility to get the game back on time through their combined efforts. Remember, an umpire’s “judgment” call cannot be protested, only rules interpretations.
PLEASE NOTE: Only the tournament director has the authority, if needed, to stop the clock or to add time remaining to the game. Eligibility protests must occur before the game begins. If a protest happens during the game, the game must be stopped immediately with the specific player in question. If a player’s age or identity is in question and protested, the opposing manager must provide that specific player’s proof of age and identity with a valid picture ID. Any player unable to produce a valid picture ID will be ineligible to continue or play in the game. If a player’s identity or age makes him ineligible to play, the player will not be allowed to continue in the game. The WFSA rules committee will then determine if the game has been tainted and if a protest/consequence should stand in the game and/or tournament for the violating team. A protest of the age/identity or ex-pro/college rule by the losing team after the game has been completed will not merit protest consideration.
8. Reporting Scores: Both teams must report all scores within 1 hour of completion of the game to the tournament scoreline. It is the team manager’s responsibility to verify their team’s score with the official tournament headquarters records. No discrepancies will be altered after seeding for playoffs.
9. Tiebreakers: See official WFSA Tiebreaker rules attached.
10. Additional Rules: If a team registered for the tournament decides not to come, and does not communicate with tournament officials until after the schedule has been completed, the following rule will apply: The schedule will be played as written and each team scheduled to play the said team which did not show up for the tournament will receive a forfeit win of 7-0. No pro-rated refund of a team fee will be given as a result of a forfeit win. If a team decide to stop playing a championship game and leave for any reason the following rule will apply: The championship game will be called a forfeit loss for the team who decides to leave or stop playing the game, and the championship will go to the remaining team. No warming up in the infield or around the dugouts. Use ONLY the outfield area to warm-up. Do not warm-up in front of the dugouts. No SOFT-TOSS or hitting softballs into the fences. No alcohol on the softball fields or in the dugouts at all. No smoking on the softball fields or dugouts at all. No tobacco on the softball fields or dugouts at all. Use only the restrooms provided. If you are caught not using the restrooms, both the player and the team will forfeit their game and be ejected from the facility and will not be allowed to play at that facility the rest of the tournament. All other rules of softball (set forth in the 2011 Official NCAA Rules published by the NCAA), amended by the rules set forth in the WFSA Manager’s Rulebook and Guidelines, except as amended above, apply.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF GUARANTEED POOL GAMES WILL BE FOUR (4) FOR ALL THE DIVISIONS (AS PUBLISHED ON PROMOTIONAL FLYERS) AND THERE WILL BE ONE OR TWO ROUNDS OF PLAYOFFS, FOLLOWED BY CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES, FOR EACH SEPARATE DIVISION UNLESS ALTERED BY EVENTS OR HAPPENSTANCE BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE WFSA, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INCLEMENT WEATHER, WAR, RIOTS, CIVIL DISORDER, FIELDS BEING OUT OF ORDER, OR ACTS OF GOD.
The WFSA reserves the right to refuse any player or team permission to participate in a tournament. The WFSA reserves the right to add, delete, merge or create divisions or divisional formats based on the number of teams entered at any time before the tournament, and will give every effort to give teams advance notice, however WFSA may not be able to do so. If a team planned to enter a deleted division, that team may play in another division or receive a refund minus your deposit, or transfer the balance to another WFSA National or National Championship Tournament, provided it is at least 5 days prior to check-in. The WFSA also reserves the right to make changes to the rules or make changes in prizes and/or giveaways (but with a substitute of equal or greater value), which would then be effective upon notice to the teams participating in the tournament.