2007 NAFA World Series
Tournament Rules
Tournament Rules and Protest Committee:
Benjie
Hedgecock, NAFA Executive Director, Loren Lathrop, NAFA Vice
President, Jon Kegel, NAFA Vice President, Carley Parish,
NAFA Umpire-In-Chief, Mike Clark, Host Committee, Robert
Hernandez, Raccoon River Tournament Director, Mike Watson,
Des Moines Complex Tournament Director.
NAFA
Golden Rule:
Games are won and lost between
the white lines. Great Fastpitch teams don’t rely on
technical rule interpretations and rule or procedure
manipulations to win. Great teams win with great athletes
exhibiting fine sportsmanship. Always treat your opponents
and the officials with the same mutual respect that we all
desire. Play by the NAFA Golden Rule, and we will have a
great organization and World Series.
1-Tournament Rules Order:
These tournament rules are the
first priority in regards to a rulebook. The second priority
is any decision made by the Tournament Committee in relation
to an item not addressed in these exceptions. The Third
priority is the Official Rules of Softball for any item not
specifically covered in these rule exceptions and not ruled
on by the Tournament Committee.
2-No
courtesy runners. New
shorthanded rule.
Beginning
in 2007, you may finish with less than you started with by
taking an out in the lineup for the person that is dropped
due to injury. You may NOT drop a person due to an ejection.
You must have 8 players to continue a game.
3-Uniforms and Equipment:
The Official bat list is
included and is listed on the website. All players must be
in like uniforms with a number on the jersey. Each player
must wear a hat. The catcher must wear a protective mask and
throat protector. Batters and base runners must wear a
helmet (preferable NOCSAE approved) with double
ear-flaps.
4-A
team consists of (8),
9 players or (10 with the DB/DS Rule).
You must have 8 players to
start and finish a game or it is a forfeit. If you start
with 8 you must take an out in the 9th spot in
the batting order.
5-Run Rule:
The 7 run rule shall apply to
all games in the 5ht inning and 15 run rule in the third
inning. All games will be played until there is a winner.
NAFA has no time limit and no tiebreaker.
6-Leading Off (Clarification):
The base runner may not leave
the base until the ball leaves the pitchers hand. Penalty:
Dead Ball, No Pitch, Base-runner is out.
7-On
Deck Circle:
The on deck batter may use
either on deck circle as long as he is behind the batter
when using the opposite circle.
8-Re-entry:
Only the starting players
including the DB and DS (providing you stay at 10 players),
may leave the game and re-enter one time. The Starting
players must occupy the same batting position in the lineup.
NOTE: Substitutes may not re-enter.
9-NAFA
DB (Designated Batter) & DS (Defensive Specialist) Rule:
DB: A player may be listed as
a Designated Batter. The DB may bat in any one of the nine
spots in the lineup, but must be selected prior to the game
and must be included in the lineup card presented to the
umpire. If the DB or his substitute(s) enter the game on
defense, the DB and DS positions are terminated for the
remainder of the game.
DS: When a DB is used, a
non-batting player (DS) must be listed in the 10th
spot in the line up for defensive purposes only. The DS may
enter the game on offense for any one of the nine players
listed on the line-up card, but that will terminate the DS
for the remainder of the game. The DS will then be locked
into that spot in the batting lineup for the remainder of
the game. The DB may play defense for any player except
the DS, but the DS must stay on the field or they are
considered to have left the game.
Re-entry Clarification
The DB and DS as starting
players, have a reentry while in the ten-player lineup. If
the DB enters the game on defense it is not considered a
substitution by the DB, however, if the DS enters the game
on offense, the DS shall be considered a substitute and
forfeit his ability to re-enter. Explanation: The DB is in
one of the original nine batting positions, but the DS is
not. If the DS is substituted for while in the DS spot, the
DS may reenter into the DS spot or reenter into any spot in
the batting order. If the DS reenters into the DS spot they
lose the option of substituting later into the batting order
as they have already used their reentry substitution. Once
a team has gone from the ten-player lineup to nine, they may
never go back to ten. (Exception AAA)
10-Pitching:
The pitcher must start with
one foot on the pitching plate. The pitcher may lift his
foot above the pitching plate as long as he sets it back
down on the plate prior to leaping. Leaping is legal as long
as the pitcher does not replant and push off again from the
back foot. A Crow hop is a step in front of the plate and is
illegal whether the pitching has a traditional style or
leaping style. PENALTY: Delayed dead ball, ball on the
batter, There is no advancement of runners penalty unless
forced by a walk on the batter. The offense gets the
choice of the result of the play or the illegal pitch
penalty.
Pitching Warm-ups. Five (5)
pitches to start the game and Three (3) between innings.
Five (5) for any new pitchers.
11-Ejections and Behavior:
Profanity of any kind will not
be tolerated. The umpire has the choice to warn, or eject a
player or team for profanity. If you are ejected for
unsportsmanlike behavior prior to the 6th inning
you are only ejected for the remainder of that game. If you
are ejected in the 6th inning or later, you are
ejected for the next game as well as the remainder of that
game you got ejected in.
12-Unannounced/Unreported Substitute:
If a
substitute fails to report, the substitute is legally in the
game when: he enters the batter’s box and a pitch is thrown
or declared (illegal), he replaces a player on base or he
takes a defensive position. There is no penalty.
Other Pertinent Information:
Lineup
cards are in the Coaches Packets. Balls, additional lineup
cards and the double coin toss for home and visitor will be
controlled by the NAFA Rep at the Bracket Board, 30 minutes
prior to the start of each round of games at the Bracket
Board. The team at the top of the bracket will take the 3rd
base dugout unless a team is staying for back-to-back games.
The tournament committee
reserves the right to change any aspect of this event that
they see fit including field assignments especially to
protect teams playing in multiple classes and for sun
fields, game times, playing rules, behavioral exceptions,
limiting players to non-pitching roles and
disqualifying players from pitching or playing if in
their sole judgment it is determined to be beneficial to the
event. Team medical and liability insurance is the
responsibility of each individual team and player and
spectator in the event. Each player and coach waives their
right to sue any NAFA official and agrees to hold harmless
both NAFA and all host cities. Each player by taking the
field, and each spectator by entering the park, or anyone
parking their car near a park understands and agrees that
the game of Fastpitch softball is a dangerous athletic
activity and that it can cause serious injury and even death
in rare occasions to participants and spectators and to
their cars or property.
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