Hello Coaches:
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for bringing your teams to Napa this weekend for our Napa Valley Express 2013 Express/Roadrunner Summer Invitational Tournament. I hope it will be an enjoyable weekend for you and your players. I know that our organization truly enjoys having you in town and we look forward to your teams returning for many more years to come.
Game Schedules will go up on website Monday or Tuesday. This is a new system for us so please contact us if you have any questions. All games for this tournament will be played at NVLA Softball Complex. (Westwood Elementary) Address and directions are included in this document.
I want to wish you all the best of luck the rest of the summer and moving forward and I hope to see you all again at our next Tournament. Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Napa Valley Express
Ron Walston
www.napavalleyexpress.net
707-337-8216
Napa Valley Express
2013 Tournament Rules-10u 12u
1. Rules will be 2013 ASA with exceptions noted.
2. Proof of age is required and the burden lies with the manager if challenged
3. All protests MUST go through the Home Plate umpire and his/her decision is final.
4. A coin toss will determine home team at the start of each game on Saturday. The first team listed will occupy the third base dugout unless already occupied. On Sunday the higher seed will be home team and will occupy the third base dugout unless already occupied.
5. No new inning will start after 1 hour 10 minutes. Exception, the championship game on Sunday will have a 1 hour 40 minute time limit. Run rules will apply to all games. Saturday pool play games can end in a tie and 5 points will be awarded to each team. Sunday elimination games will go to international tiebreaker if tied after 7 innings or if time has expired.
6. Run rules: If a team is ahead by 12 runs after three innings, 10 runs after four innings or 8 runs after five innings the game will end and the team leading will get the win.
7. Courtesy runner for the pitcher and catcher are allowed.
8. Extra player (EP) is allowed. The EP may be listed anywhere in the batting order. Any 9 of the 10 batters listed may play defense and will be known as FREE DEFENSIVE SUBSTITUTION. Any change of the EP to a defensive player will not be a substitution. DP and FLEX may also be used.
9. All line-up changes must go through the umpire.
10. Seeding for Sunday elimination games will be based on wins and losses. 10 points for a win, 5 points for a tie and 0 points for a loss. If two teams have the same record, the first tie breaker will be head to head, then fewest runs allowed, then most runs scored and if still tied a coin toss will decide. If more than two teams have the same record, head to head will be bypassed.
11. Line ups must be given to the umpire and opposing team before each game.
12. Home team is the official scorebook. Final score MUST be reported to tournament director or Express board member after each game.
13. Game time is forfeit time. Each team is responsible for knowing time and location of their games.
14. Any player who has been rendered unconscious or seriously injured may not resume play without written consent from a physician.
15. Any questions regarding rules should be brought to the attention of the site director before starting play.
2013 8U TOURNAMENT RULES
ASA Rule modifications & Tournament Procedures
1. All Games will be governed by the ASA Rules and Guidelines for
2013 Fastpitch Softball, except where modified with these rules.
2. Age requirements: 8 years or under as of 12/31/2012.
3. Each team’s manager must check in at the welcome table and present of copy of proof of insurance for their team.
4. Teams not present at game time will forfeit the game. Teams should
arrive early enough to be ready to play at game time.
5. A team should consist of at least 9 players at the start of the game.
Ten (10) players maximum are allowed on the field at one time
(4 outfielders).
6. Teams listed first for each game will have the third base dugout. For
back-to-back games on the same field, teams will remain in same
dugout.
7. Line-ups must be presented to the umpire. There will be one umpire
per game.
8. Home teams will be determined by a coin toss by the umpire prior to
each game at the time line-ups are presented.
9. Home team may provide a scorekeeper for each game if requested by umpire.
10. No protests will be allowed. Umpires will make on-the-spot decisions
regarding rule interpretations or situations not specifically covered by
the rules.
11. Managers are responsible for the conduct of their players and fans.
Any player, coach, or fan that displays unsportsmanlike conduct on or
off the field, or causes any incident or action unfavorable to the
tournament, may be removed from the grounds.
12. Umpires, during games, and/or tournament officials have the
responsibility of ejecting coaches, players, or spectators for abusive
language or other acts that are contrary to the objectives of the ASA.
a. A warning for the first offense may be issued at the umpire’s
discretion.
b. The second offense by coaches or players will result in
ejection of the responsible individual(s) from the game.
c. Third and subsequent offenses by a spectator will result in the
ejection of (1) Manager, (2) coaching staff, and (3) players.
13. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on the premises or parking areas, no smoking and no dogs or pets allowed.
14. Each team is responsible for cleaning their side of the field and dugout at the completion of their game.
15. No stealing. A secondary lead can be taken once the ball has been
pitched. No enforcement of the infield fly rule.
16. No advancing on a dropped third strike, passed balls or wild pitches.
17. During pool play (Day 1) games are 4 innings max. No new inning
may start after 65 minutes but any inning that has started may be
finished. On Sunday (Day 2) the same time limits apply; however, the
championship game shall be 4 innings with no time limit.
18. Five runs per inning max for the first 2 innings, unlimited after that.
Mercy rule in effect: game ends when one team is ahead by 10 or
more runs.
19. Base paths are 55 feet. The pitching distance is 32’ 6” from front of
the rubber to the back of home plate. An 11 inch reduced impact ball
will be used.
20. A secondary lead is permitted at the runner’s risk once the ball leaves
the pitcher’s hand. Runners may be picked off and may not advance In case of an overthrown pick-off attempt.
21. Outfielders must be on the grass during the pitch.
22. Two inning max per pitcher per game.
23. Pitchers must start with both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate
and any step from there must be a forward step.
24. Continuous batting for entire team and free substitution is allowed.
25. Hit by Pitch Rule: Upon the 3rd batter hit within an inning by the
same player pitcher, the pitcher must be removed from the mound for
the duration of the inning. Pitcher will be allowed to pitch the next
inning provided it is her second inning.
26. No walks allowed – after the player pitcher pitches four (4) called
balls, offensive coach will come in to pitch. The pitcher will pitch
unless the batter has struck out, hit the ball in play, or there have been 4
called balls, whichever occurs first.
27. Coach pitching rules: a. Coach pitches from mound. b. Coach must
start with both feet in contact with the pitcher’s rubber. c. Strike count
stays the same, Ball count goes to zero. d. Umpire remains and calls
Balls and Strikes. e. Three pitches maximum by coach unless fourth
pitch is a foul ball or foul tip. f. Foul balls and foul tips count as a
strike, but a foul ball or foul tip will not be recorded as an “out” for
the third strike unless the ball is caught. g. Batted ball that hits the
coach pitcher is a dead ball and counts as no pitch against the batter.
coach. h. Catcher for defensive team shall remain in position and not
stand up during coach pitch. If catcher stands the Umpire may call no
pitch and it will not count as a pitch.
28. Hit batter is awarded 1st base by the umpire, but in the event that the
batter made no attempt to avoid the pitch, the pitch will be counted as
a ball and the batter will not get the base. The hit batter may choose to
decline the award of first base and continue batting- please encourage
the girls to stay and hit. A girl that is injured by a pitch may be
replaced by a pinch runner for any duration required in order for the
injured player to recuperate.
29. Batter and Runner advancement rules:
Situation 1 Balls hit to outfield (grass), or balls hit to infield (dirt) and
a fielding error occurs and ball goes into the outfield (grass)
Result:
Runners may advance the bases until the ball is thrown into
the infield (crosses edge of grass), or to the pitcher (does not need to
catch the ball), but they will be called out if physically tagged by the
fielder.
Situation 2: Balls hit to infield (stays on dirt)
Result:
Runners may advance only to the base they are running
towards. Ball thrown to 1st base stops all play even if there is an
overthrow. A ball thrown to 2nd, 3rd, or Home does not stop play if
there is an overthrow. Maximum one base advancement on an
overthrow or overthrows to bases other than 1st (multiple overthrows
do not yield multiple advancements). Ball thrown to pitcher’s circle or
pitcher (does not need to catch the ball) stops all play.
Fielder must attempt a play or throw to the pitcher’s circle or pitcher to stop play.
30. Coaches are not permitted on the field during defensive play, unless
time is called for quick adjustment. Coaches are permitted on the field
between innings to assist in placement and positioning of defensive players.
Umpires will not permit play to resume until all coaches have left the field.
Directions to the NVLA Softball Complex -1255 Freeway Drive Napa, CA 94558
From the Sacramento area take HWY 80 west to Jameson Canyon Road/ CA-12 towards Napa-Sonoma. From HWY
12 go right (north) onto HWY 29 towards Napa/Sonoma. Take the First Street exit and go left over the highway. At the
second stop light turn left onto Freeway Drive, the softball complex is on the right-hand side across from the car wash.
From the San Francisco area take HWY 80 east to Marine World Parkway/ CA-37 towards Napa. From HWY 37 go
right (north) onto Sonoma Blvd/ HWY 29 and take the First Street exit and go left over the highway. At the second stop
light turn left onto Freeway Drive, the softball complex is on the right-hand side across from the car wash.
From the Santa Rosa area take HWY 101 south towards San Francisco and exit in Petaluma at the E. Washington St
ramp. Take E. Washington to Adobe Road and turn right- Adobe Road becomes CA-116. Turn left onto CA-121 to the
stoplight at HWY 29. Turn left at the light and take HWY 29 north to the First Street exit and go left over the highway.
At the second stop light turn left onto Freeway Drive, the softball complex is on the right-hand side across from the car wash.