FLORIDA DIAMOND FASTPITCH RULES ARE A COMBINATION OF NFHS, FHSAA & BABE RUTH
FLORIDA DIAMOND FASTPITCH TOURNAMENT FORMAT
At Florida Diamond Fastpitch (FDF) we offer a 4 Game Guarantee that is 2/2 format. 2 Pool games on Saturday and 2 Bracket games on Sunday. The Bracket games format is a TRUE Double Elimination with NO "IF" game for the Championship game. This format is for 2-day Tournaments.
At Florida Diamond Fastpitch (FDF) we offer a 4 Game Guarantee that is 3/1 format. 3 Pool games into a Single Elimination game. This format is for 1 Day Turbo Tournaments. This will ensure your team does TRULY get that 4 Game Guarantee.
GATE FEES
At Florida Diamond Fastpitch (FDF) we don't have any Gate Fees at any of our tournament locations. The only time any Gate Fees will be applied is IF the fields require a team gate fee (which is VERY rare).
UMPIRE AND TEAM ENTRY FEES
Games fee for Team Entry is 8u $100.00 and 10U and up $275.00.
There will be two umpires on the field.
This is pay at the plate $50 per game, per team.
In an rare event there is 1 umpire then the team will only pay $30 a team.
FDF AGE CHART (BABE RUTH RULES)
The age of the player on December 31st of pervious year to December 31st of current year.
The players' age for a division will be determined by December 31st of the previous year and the player division will determine the eligible the entire sanction year. All players must meet the babe ruth age requirements to be put on a teams current roster. A player may play up and be rostered up in an age division if they chose to.
ROSTERS (Tourney Machine)
Rosters should be updated online with all players no later than 7:00AM of the day of the tournament. The rosters will be locked at 7:01 AM and cannot be changed after that without permission from the tournament director. This is the manager/coach's responsibility to make sure all players including guest players are registered online prior to the first game of the tournament starting.
IF NO ROSTER IS UPLOADED OR UPDATED ON TOURNEY MACHINE AND A CHALLENGE IS MADE REGARDING THE ROSTER, THE CHALLENGE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AND THE TEAM WILL FORFEIT THAT GAME FOR PLAYING A NON-ROSTERED PLAYER, THAT NON-ROSTERED PLAYER WILL BE REMOVED FROM PLAYING THE REMAINDER OF THE TOURNAMENT.
SCORE KEEPING (FDF)
During ALL games the Umpire will go to home book and Visitor book every Half inning. It is the Head coach's responsibility to inform the umpire at the plate meeting who is keeping book for your team. Once the umpire has went to BOTH books and the 1st pitch is thrown in the next inning the score is CERITFED and CAN NOT be changed. It is a final and official score for that inning,
ALL teams are allowed to use Game changer HOWEVER, if there is a discrepancy in the score a paper book MUST be present to compare the innings and runs. GAME CHANGER will not be allowed for this.
It is MANDATORY for each team to have a paper book regardless if you use game changer or not.
TEAMS STARTING GAMES OUT (FDF)
A team may list and bat all roster players on their line up both seeding and bracket play if they elect to.
A team can elect to only bat 9 players on their line up line up both seeding and bracket play.
A team can elect to only bat 9 players and use a DP/FLEX (NFHS) on their line up line up both seeding and bracket play.
In the event a team only has 8 players, a team may start with 8 players without the penalty of receiving an out for the missing 9th player. A team cannot finish with less than 8 players in the game.
DUAL ROSTER RULES (FDF)
Florida Diamond Fastpitch (FDF) does allow dual roster players for emergency purposes ONLY with permission of the Tournament director. This applies to teams in different age divisions within the same tournament as long as they are ONLY playing up in a division and NEVER down. Players rostered on one team may not be rostered on any other team in the same age division, NOR can they pitch in both age divisions.
Players are NOT allowed to play down in age division regardless of if you are age eligible if you are originally rostered with a higher team (meaning a team that is an age above the team they are guesting for EX: 10U player cannot play down on an 8U team). This rule also applies even when your team is NOT playing in an FDF Tournament or NEVER been sanctioned with FDF or NEVER played in an FDF tournament ever.
The terms to discover this illegal player is by looking at game changer/USSSA rosters system/FDF roster system or any other roster systems in other tournament sanctions. Once the player is deemed illegal the player will be removed from the tournament. The team must then take an out or replace her with an legal substitution.
If a team has 10 original players or more (8U is the exception being 11 players) on a roster and in a tournament, a coach cannot remove an original player or bench an original player to put in a dual-roster player in a game.
TIME LIMITS FOR GAMES
2-Day tournaments are One Hour 15 Minutes. No new inning after 1 hour and 15 minutes.
1- Day tournaments are considered Turbo and are One Hour. No new inning after 1 hour.
There will be no time outs allowed by either defense or offense coaches in a game if there is 5 Minutes or less on the clock, this will eliminate a team trying to delay the game. FDF umpires may determine any exceptions necessary to this rule for the safety of the players.
ALL COACHES SHOULD HAVE THEIR TEAMS READY TO PLAY 30 MINUTES before THE POSTED GAME TIME. THE 8:00 AM GAME NEED TO HAVE THEIR TEAMS READY TO PLAY 15 MINUTES before THE POSTED GAME TIME.
ELECTION OF THE HOME TEAM (FDF)
During pool play: The home team will be decided by a coin flip.
During Elimination Games : The higher seed has the election of being the home team.
Championship Game: If your team has been undefeated the whole bracket you have the right to elect to be the home team. If no team has been undefeated then upset comes into play and they will get to elect to be the home team being higher seed.
*Upset is if a lower-seeded team beats a higher-seeded team, the winner will assume the higher-seeded team’s Bracket ranking.
POOL PLAY SEEDING (Tourney Machine)
1. Win-Loss Record
2. Runs Allowed
3. Runs differential
4. Coin Flip
*Note: This calculation is determined by taking the total runs scored minus the total runs allowed. The maximum run differential per game is +10 or –10. Our system auto defaults to a 10-run differential.
FORFEITS
If a team elects to forfeit before a game begins, the forfeit will be recorded at an 1-0 score. The Team who elects to forfeit their game must still pay the umpire fee for the scheduled games ($100.00).
TEAM CANCELLATION POLICY
Once your team has registered for a Tournament you are considered playing in an FDF tournament. You may at any time request to be removed from a tournament before the confirmation email/text without penalty,
Once a team confirms entry, they cannot back out without paying the full tournament fee as you reserved and taken a spot from another team.
Once the schedule comes out a team cannot back out without paying the full tournament fee as you reserved and taken a spot from another team.
CHALLENGES/PROTESTING
To challenge the age of a player, the head coach must first pay a $100 fee and name the specific player in question. Then FDF will review the birth certificate of the player, it is the responsibility of the head coach to produce a copy of the player's official Birth Certificate, either a hard or electronic copy. If the coach is not able to produce the official Birth Certificate, the player in question will be deemed ineligible and the coach will have to forfeit that game and remove the player for future games. The Coach WILL receive the $50.00 back if they win the Challenge.
If a coach wishes to protest a game, the head coach must pay a $150 fee. Protests can ONLY be made on the basis of a Rule interpretation and must be done so before the game as completed. The director, will then investigate, review the rule and render a ruling. The time on the clock WILL NOT stop during this process. The Coach will not receive the $150 back.
COURTESY RUNNERS (NFHS RULE)
Teams may utilize courtesy runners for the catcher or pitcher. Courtesy runners must first come from the pool of eligible substitutes in the dugout. If a team has no eligible substitutes, the player who was the last completed at bat shall become the courtesy runner.
RUN/MERCY RULES (BABE RUTH RULE)
Games shall be declared complete games and ended upon fulfillment of any of the following run/mercy rule criteria.
12 runs after 3 innings
10 runs after 4 innings
8 runs after 5 innings
PITCHING REGULATION EXCLAMATION (FHSAA RULE)
The pitcher cannot step back from their set position, or the pitch is considered illegal. The pitcher can start back not step back. The pitcher's hands must be apart upon stepping on the rubber. Once hands come together the back foot cannot relocate. Pitching limits are at the Head Coaches' discretion. "Florida Diamond Fastpitch" considers the safety and health of our players to be a high priority and we ask that coaches and parents be mindful of the number of pitches a player throws throughout the weekend.
DEFENSIVE COACHES RULE (FHSAA RULE)
Defensive coaches are NOT allowed on the field at any time unless they call time out first and are granted the time out. There is an exception in 8u as they are allowed 2 defenses coaches on the field. All other coaches, when on defense must remain their ENTIRE body (feet included) inside the dugout or in the doorway of the dugout with the door closed completely at all times. If there is no door to close, then the coach ENTIRE body must be COMPLETLEY inside the dugout (feet included). The coach may not bring a bucket or chair or stool or foreign object on the field to sit on or leave on the field during the game. Coaches who violate this rule will be issued one warning before being restricted to the dugout. This rule is to ensure players, umpires and offensive coaches' safety while on the field.
ADVANCE TEXAS TIE BREAKERS (NFHS RULE)
In the event of a tie score at the end of regulation play, either by time limit or inning limit, a Texas Tiebreaker will begin. The Texas Tiebreakers will begin with the LAST COMPLETED AT BAT of the previous inning starting on SECOND base and there are NO OUTS in the inning. If at the end of one inning the game is still tied, FDF will use the ADVANCED Texas Tie Breaker from this point forward. In the second inning, the LAST COMPLETED AT BAT will go to SECOND base and the batter PRIOR to the last completed at bat will go to THIRD base and there are NO OUTS. In the third inning, and for the duration of the game, the LAST COMPLETED AT BAT will go to SECOND base, the batter PRIOR to the last completed at bat will go to THIRD base and the batter PRIOR to that will go to FIRST base and there are NO OUTS.
ALL DP/FLEX Rules Apply. ALL Substitution Rules Apply to the Advance Texas Tie Breaker.
FLORIDA DIAMOND FASTPITCH REGULATIONS ON WEATHER/RAINOUTS POLICIES
When we are in a lightening and/or weather delay, EVERYONE must exit the facilities and seek shelter. Any team not following the rules (including spectators) is subject to immediate ejection/forfeit/suspension. Note: Spectators not following the rules will subject their team to ejection/forfeit/suspension. Coaches and/or Mangers are responsible for their team (including spectators), not FDF.
POOL PLAY/REGULATION GAMES POLICY
Games that do not make it to regulation (4 complete innings for a 7-inning game or 6-Inning game for 8U) due to weather/darkness the game would be considered complete at the end of the last complete inning regardless of if it is one inning or more that has been completed. However, there must be at least one inning completed for this rule to apply. If tied at the end of the last complete inning, then the game would stand as a tie. If the game has not started or one inning has not been completed and the Tournament needs to move to Bracket play, the game will end with a 1-1 tie.
ELIMINATION GAMES FOR WEATHER
A) If NO Elimination games have not started in your division, due to weather or darkness, FDF will revert to Bracket Seeding.
B) If an Elimination game begins in your division but one full inning is not completed, due to weather or darkness, FDF will revert to Bracket Seeding.
C) If an Elimination game begins in your division but is not complete, due to weather or darkness, FDF will revert to the last COMPLETED inning to determine the winner. If the last completed inning is a tie, a coin flip will take place for the team to determine who will be the winner and advance to the next game for award purposes.
D) If a lower-seeded team beats a higher-seeded team, the winner will assume the higher-seeded team’s Bracket ranking. For example, the #6-seeded team wins their first game against the #4 seeded team, the #6-seeded team will take the place of the #4 seeded team with regard to Bracket Seeding.
E) If an Elimination game reaches the championship game but did not start due to weather or darkness, FDF will determine the winner by Higher Seed and will refer to Rule "D".
F) If an Elimination game reaches the championship game but did not finish or due to weather or darkness, FDF will determine the winner by the last completed inning. If the last completed inning was a tie then FDF will determine the winner by Coin Flip.
RAINOUTS POLICY FOR CREDIT/REFUNDS
In the event of unforeseen circumstances or inclement weather causing games not to be played during the tournament, the team fees paid for the tournament shall be as follows:
1. If the team finishes 3 or less games, the team shall be issued a prorated credit to the next FDF event they choose to attend WITHIN THAT SAME SEASON. Either Spring or Fall. NO credit will be applied from Spring to Fall and Vice Versus. No credit will be given for games that have completed at least 3 full innings in a game.
2. If the team finishes 4 full games, no credits shall be issued.
3. If the event is completely rained out and/or cancelled, the team entry fee shall be fully refunded if the team chooses or can be applied as credit to the next tournament the team is entered in. (Completely rained out and/or cancelled meaning ZERO games were completed in the Tournament in any division).
4. FDF reserves the right to charge a registration fee up to $75.00 to cover out of pocket expenses when issuing the prorated credits.
5. The amount of credit given will be determined by the amount of games played.
