Tournament Rules
Effective January 1, 2020 Triple Crown will be using National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball rules with the modifications that are listed below.
NFHS Softball rules, plus Triple Crown rules will apply.
Age Cutoff: December 31, 2019
All Showcase Games:
1. Mercy rule: No Mercy Rule for all games.
2a. Lineups: Free defensive substitution. On Offense, you may use one of the Line-Up Options below or bat your entire roster.
2b. Courtesy Runners: If you are batting your entire roster, you may use your last recorded out as a courtesy runner for the pitcher and catcher. If you are not batting your entire roster, then USA Softball rules apply.
3. 12 minute workouts for team in 1st base dugout followed by a 12 minute workout by team in 3rd base dugout.
4. Time Limits: All Saturday games will be 1 hour 30 minutes drop dead. All Sunday games will be 1 hour 30 minutes drop dead.
5. Team listed first - First base dugout unless occupied from previous game.
6. Home team determined by coin flip.
7. Home team will supply official scorekeeper.
8. Protests -- NONE -- the decision of the field umpire(s) will be final.
9. Games may end in a tie.
10. Clean dugout after each game.
10 AND UNDER SPECIALTY RULES:
1. 35' pitching distance
2. 11" ball
12 AND UNDER SPECIALTY RULES:
1. 40' pitching distance
2. 12" ball
14U, 16U and 18U SPECIALTY RULES:
1. 43 ft pitching distance
2. METAL CLEATS ARE ALLOWED
DP / FLEX and EP Rules:
OPTION 1: **You want to bat nine players. Those nine can play any position on defense without reporting to the umpire. Those nine can NOT change order in the batting order even though they may be playing different positions each inning.
OPTION 2: **Use of DP/Flex 10 players are listed on the line-up, but only 9 bat. The DP can bat for any player that you designate prior to the start of the game and this player is designated as the Flex, playing defense only. Any of the 10 players, including the DP can play on defense. The DP and the Flex can play defense at the same time. When the DP plays defense, any other of the nine "batting" players may be removed from the defense, but is not considered to have left the game. If the Flex is removed from the defense, the Flex is considered to have left the game. DP is batting for the pitcher (Flex) and as the game goes on, all available subs have been used. In the 5th inning, the SS is not ready to go out onto the field - she has to visit the restroom. So, the coach sends the DP out to play SS. This is not a substitution, it is merely a "defensive" position swap. The DP is now handling the defensive function of the SS and is handling the offensive function of the pitcher. Next inning, the SS is back & ready to take the field, but the LF now has to go to the restroom. Now, the DP is going to play LF defensively - just like at SS the earlier inning. All this time, the DP is still the DP, the pitcher is still the pitcher, the SS is still the SS, and LF is still the LF. There have been no lineup additions, just defensive position changes. The DP is like any other starter, there are no limits as to the number of innings or positions played on defense. The only limitation is that if the DP plays defense for the Flex, the Flex is out of the game. But that's OK, as the Flex is also a starter and can re-enter one time. Just like if the Flex bats or runs for the DP, the DP is out of the game and can also re-enter one time. The Flex is a starter and may re-enter. If you do this, the lineup goes from 10 to 9 (original change) and now back to 10 - with the re-entry of the Flex. If/when this happens, the Flex is still the Flex and the DP has remained the DP all along. You may also decide later that the Flex should bat or run for the DP with the DP now leaving the game. Lineup goes from 10 to 9 (original change) to 10(Flex re-entry) to 9. And the DP is also a starter & may re-enter at a later time. So here we see the lineup going from 10 to 9 to 10 to 9 & back to 10. This is just 1 example of the flexibility/versatility of the DP/Flex positions.
OPTION 3: **Use of the EP/EH (Extra hitter or Extra player). This basically gives you the ability to hit 10 and any 9 of those 10 can play defensive. You do NOT have to list the EP/EH at the bottom of the line-up. This player can be placed anywhere in the line-up. One inning you can sit your SS and the next inning you can set you LF as long as the line-up doesn't change you don't have to report the defensive changes--see above. If you use this option, and you have no subs, and if a player were to get hurt, you'd be forced to take an out every time that player came up to bat.
OPTION 4: **Use of the DP/Flex with the addition of the EP/EH. This allows you to have 11 players in the ball game. You are batting 10 and you have one player designated as the Flex.
OPTION 5: You may bat your entire roster, but must keep the integrity of your lineup.
NOTE: Franchisees May Have Variations
NFHS Softball rules, plus Triple Crown rules will apply.
Age Cutoff: December 31, 2019
All Showcase Games:
1. Mercy rule: No Mercy Rule for all games.
2a. Lineups: Free defensive substitution. On Offense, you may use one of the Line-Up Options below or bat your entire roster.
2b. Courtesy Runners: If you are batting your entire roster, you may use your last recorded out as a courtesy runner for the pitcher and catcher. If you are not batting your entire roster, then USA Softball rules apply.
3. 12 minute workouts for team in 1st base dugout followed by a 12 minute workout by team in 3rd base dugout.
4. Time Limits: All Saturday games will be 1 hour 30 minutes drop dead. All Sunday games will be 1 hour 30 minutes drop dead.
5. Team listed first - First base dugout unless occupied from previous game.
6. Home team determined by coin flip.
7. Home team will supply official scorekeeper.
8. Protests -- NONE -- the decision of the field umpire(s) will be final.
9. Games may end in a tie.
10. Clean dugout after each game.
10 AND UNDER SPECIALTY RULES:
1. 35' pitching distance
2. 11" ball
12 AND UNDER SPECIALTY RULES:
1. 40' pitching distance
2. 12" ball
14U, 16U and 18U SPECIALTY RULES:
1. 43 ft pitching distance
2. METAL CLEATS ARE ALLOWED
DP / FLEX and EP Rules:
OPTION 1: **You want to bat nine players. Those nine can play any position on defense without reporting to the umpire. Those nine can NOT change order in the batting order even though they may be playing different positions each inning.
OPTION 2: **Use of DP/Flex 10 players are listed on the line-up, but only 9 bat. The DP can bat for any player that you designate prior to the start of the game and this player is designated as the Flex, playing defense only. Any of the 10 players, including the DP can play on defense. The DP and the Flex can play defense at the same time. When the DP plays defense, any other of the nine "batting" players may be removed from the defense, but is not considered to have left the game. If the Flex is removed from the defense, the Flex is considered to have left the game. DP is batting for the pitcher (Flex) and as the game goes on, all available subs have been used. In the 5th inning, the SS is not ready to go out onto the field - she has to visit the restroom. So, the coach sends the DP out to play SS. This is not a substitution, it is merely a "defensive" position swap. The DP is now handling the defensive function of the SS and is handling the offensive function of the pitcher. Next inning, the SS is back & ready to take the field, but the LF now has to go to the restroom. Now, the DP is going to play LF defensively - just like at SS the earlier inning. All this time, the DP is still the DP, the pitcher is still the pitcher, the SS is still the SS, and LF is still the LF. There have been no lineup additions, just defensive position changes. The DP is like any other starter, there are no limits as to the number of innings or positions played on defense. The only limitation is that if the DP plays defense for the Flex, the Flex is out of the game. But that's OK, as the Flex is also a starter and can re-enter one time. Just like if the Flex bats or runs for the DP, the DP is out of the game and can also re-enter one time. The Flex is a starter and may re-enter. If you do this, the lineup goes from 10 to 9 (original change) and now back to 10 - with the re-entry of the Flex. If/when this happens, the Flex is still the Flex and the DP has remained the DP all along. You may also decide later that the Flex should bat or run for the DP with the DP now leaving the game. Lineup goes from 10 to 9 (original change) to 10(Flex re-entry) to 9. And the DP is also a starter & may re-enter at a later time. So here we see the lineup going from 10 to 9 to 10 to 9 & back to 10. This is just 1 example of the flexibility/versatility of the DP/Flex positions.
OPTION 3: **Use of the EP/EH (Extra hitter or Extra player). This basically gives you the ability to hit 10 and any 9 of those 10 can play defensive. You do NOT have to list the EP/EH at the bottom of the line-up. This player can be placed anywhere in the line-up. One inning you can sit your SS and the next inning you can set you LF as long as the line-up doesn't change you don't have to report the defensive changes--see above. If you use this option, and you have no subs, and if a player were to get hurt, you'd be forced to take an out every time that player came up to bat.
OPTION 4: **Use of the DP/Flex with the addition of the EP/EH. This allows you to have 11 players in the ball game. You are batting 10 and you have one player designated as the Flex.
OPTION 5: You may bat your entire roster, but must keep the integrity of your lineup.
NOTE: Franchisees May Have Variations
