2025 Tournament Details -DRAFT
Tournament Director:
Bob Burnett - 617-331-3681 - MeghanBurnettFoundation@gmail.com
Umpire-in- Chief: Buddy Brooks -617-212-5552
Check-in: Upon arrival, Coaches should text 413-575-2400 with their name and team name from a phone number you will want to receive text updates on.
Rules: All games will be played in accordance with the USA Softball Rules and USA Softball of MA Local Tournament Required Rules.
Required Documentation from each team:
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USA Softball National Background Check documentation for all adult bench personnel
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Safe Sport Certification for all adult personnel to be on field and players 18 years of age or older.
All adult team personnel must have documentation of the above on their person when on a playing field or dugout. No adults can be on the field or in the dugout without these credentials.
All teams are required to have the following Documents available upon request (binder). USA Softball reserves the right to reject any team from the tournament who fails to do so.
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USA Softball Team Registration
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USA Softball Roster, signed by a USA Softball official (either wet or electronic)
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Insurance certificates
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Birth certificates
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Coaches must have either the Background check card or their profile from Register USA on their person at all times throughout the tournament
Failure to produce Birth Certificates upon request will result in a forfeit. Players ages must be in accordance with the USA Softball Age chart for all ages.
4 Game Guarantee (Weather Permitting). 3 Games in Pool Play (Friday and Saturday). Single elimination on Sunday. Seeding for Elimination Round will be based on Standings after Pool Play.
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Reporting Scores: At the the completion of each game in pool play, the winning Team (Coach) is responsible to ensure scores are reported immediately. If score is not received, the game will be recorded as a 2-2 tie and any error in seeding will not be changed after 4:00 pm.
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Seeding: Tie Breakers after Pool Play:
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Head to Head results
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Least runs allowed
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Most runs scored
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Coin flip
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Sunday Brackets will be posted on website by 7:00 pm, Saturday evening. Coaches can check the Tournify App any time after 7:00.
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Sunday - Single Elimination Format. Same as Saturday except Championship Game is 7 innings with no time limit. Championship Fields are Veteran’s Field (18U) and Lynnfield High School Field (14U)
Restrictions on the field:
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Only Players and Coaches are allowed in the Dugout/Bench areas and/or within 10 feet of the foul lines. USA Softball requires all coaches to keep their valid USASoftball/Background Check Certification ID Card on their person at all times.
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No Infield or Batting practice allowed on the Infield prior to the games. Teams may use the Outfield areas to warm up prior to the games. Pitchers/Catchers will be allowed in the infield only after receiving permission from the grounds crew as we don't want the grounds crew getting hit with an errant throw.
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Metal Cleats- are not allowed at Lynnfield High School (14U). Metal cleats are allowed at all other fields
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A Double coin flip will determine the Home Team for Pool Play games. Higher seed has their choice in Elimination Round games (Sunday).
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Lineups- must be presented to your opponent and the Umpire (10) minutes prior to game time. The Home Team’s scorebook is the official Scorebook. Scorers from each team should check between innings to confirm score. All substitutions must be reported to Umpire and opponent prior to making substitutions
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Teams batting everyone will not be allowed courtesy runners, pinch runners or pinch hitters. If a player is ejected when batting everyone, the game will be forfeited.
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Pool Play Games - The following batting line-ups are allowed.
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Straight 9 and/or DP/Flex - Teams may bat 9 players with or without the DP/Flex.
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Continuous Order - When batting “up to” all roster players, any additional batter(s) shall be listed as an EP and may be listed anywhere in the batting order and may play defense at any position.
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Example - A team may choose to bat 11 players and list one additional player as a substitute. A team is NOT required to bat all 12 players.
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Elimination Games -
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• Teams may use “straight 9” or DP/Flex. Both lines may use only one EP in their lineup (a max batting order of 10 players). Teams that bat everyone in their line-up will take an out if a player is removed for any reason other than an ejection.
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Time: Games must start on time. Games will be 1 hour, 30 Minutes (unless modified in cases of inclement weather per USA Softball of MA Local Tournament Required Rules). No inning may start after the time limit has expired. Pool Play Games can end in a tie, even if time hasn’t expired. Elimination round games (Sunday) must produce a winner. The International Tie Breaker rule will be in effect beginning with the 8th inning or if the time limit is reached before the 8th inning of a tied elimination round game. There is no time limit for the Tournament Championship Game, but the International Tie Breaker rule will be in effect beginning with the 8th inning if needed.
Run Rule: Per USA Softball- 15 runs after 3 innings; 12 runs after 4 innings; 8 runs after 5 innings (4.1/2 innings if home team is ahead)
Officiating: The goal is to employ (2) USA Umpires for each game. If there is a shortage of umpires this weekend, some pool play games will use (1) Umpire per game.
Both teams will pay the umpires at the plate before the game. Cost for (2) umpires will be $65/team. Cost for (1) umpire : $45/team.
The umpires will be doing the best they can and may not always have the best angle. They will always use their best judgement and any disagreement must be addressed appropriately and with civility. Coaches should always exercise a high level of decorum especially when in front of both teams and spectators.
• Disputed Calls/Protests: All protests must be settled immediately before proceeding with the next live pitch or play. Home Plate Umpire has the final authority on all protests. The Home Plate Umpire may consult with the Tournament Director concerning Special Tournament Rules. Only the Head Coach is allowed to discuss protests with the Home Plate Umpire. All protests must be presented to the Home Plate Umpire in a civil manner. The Umpire has the Authority to refuse to consider protests without discussion or consultation with the Tournament Director.
• Ejections: Any player or coach ejected from a game by an umpire will also not be allowed to participate in their team’s next game. Ejected players are allowed to remain on the bench for the remainder of the current game and the next game. Ejected Coaches are not allowed to remain on or near the Bench/Dugout area for both the current game and the next game. (We hope this rule will not be used).
Weather: The Tournament Director reserves the right to change the tournament format because of inclement weather ( including impending inclement weather) or other unforeseen conditions. These changes include but are not limited to shortening of games or eliminating games.
• Rain Delays: The Time Limit continues to be in effect during a Rain Delay (Clock does not stop during Rain Delay). Should any game be suspended due to inclement weather and restarted within the original 1 hour 30 Minute time limit, the game will be resumed from the point at which suspension of play was called.
• Inclement Weather: If a game is stopped due to inclement weather or other unforeseen reason and not re-started within the 1 hour 30 Minute time limit, the Score of the game will be official based on the score at the end of the last full inning played (or half-inning if the Home Team is ahead) A minimum of two complete innings must be played for this rule to be implemented.
• Cancellations: In the event of a rainout and cancellation of Tournament on Sunday, the highest seed from Saturday will be the tournament Champion. Refunds will be made only if the entire tournament is cancelled.
Additional Team Responsibilities:
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This Tournament is a charity event and will provide (2) game balls for each game, beyond that it is each team's responsibility to provide additional balls as needed. We ask that both teams to work together providing replacements for lost batted balls.
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First Aid- Teams are responsible for their own First Aid needs.
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Take the field promptly at the beginning and clear out of the bench areas promptly at the end of games.
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Coaches are responsible to ensure trash is picked up in and around their bench area after each game.
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After each game, please return the game balls to the umpires or Field Coordinator.