TOURNAMENT RULES

FT Softball Tournament Rules

Revised 09/15/2025

1. Tournament brackets/seedings and schedule will be created by the FT Softball Rec Director based on the number of teams in each age group.

2. All teams in each age group will be seeded via a blind draw rather than by their regular season record. The first team name that is drawn will be the #1 seed, and this format will be followed until all teams are seeded.

3. All tournament games leading up to the Championship Game will last 70 minutes and will have a run limit of 6 runs in any one inning. If teams are tied when time has expired and the home team has completed the inning, the USSSA International Tiebreaker* rule will be used.

4. The tournament Championship Game will be played for 6 innings with no time limit and no run rule in the 6th inning. If teams are tied after 6 innings and the home team has completed the inning, the USSSA International Tiebreaker* rule will be used.

5. All league rules will be followed by the umpires. Warnings and/or umpire “lessons” will not be utilized.

6. All rostered players who are present for the game must be included in the batting lineup and must play a minimum of every other inning on defense. All other position rotations/limitations that are followed during the regular season are not required during tournament play.

7. The 8U age group will continue to be limited to 2 innings of player pitch, and if the maximum number of walks per inning is reached (2 walks for 8U, 3 walks for 10U), a coach from the batting team will pitch the remainder of the inning. Otherwise pitchers in all age groups may pitch unlimited innings.

8. Franklin Township Softball League age group rules are used when a rule is not covered by the above specific Tournament rules.

*International Tie-Breaker Rule

During tournament games, if the teams are tied when time expires, the following procedures shall apply:

"At the start of the inning in which the tie-breaker rule is used, the offensive team shall begin its turn at bat with the player who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half inning being placed on second base (e.g., if the number 5 batter is the lead off batter, the number 4 batter in the batting order will be placed on second base). The umpire and the scorekeeper will determine that the proper runner has been placed at second base and the inning shall begin."