Batting Order Question

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Mar 28, 2020
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Our team is brand new to TB and I haven't been a parent in TB since 2012.

Our 1st tournament we had a batting order of 12 girls. No one questioned it and the girls played in 5 games.

This morning for the 8am game. This is their 2nd tournament ever.

When the 11th girl in the order came up to bat she was called out as an illegal batter. We were informed that there could be only 10 girls in your batting order and you could have 2 designated as flex for injuries. But those two could not be in the batting order. So we were hit with 2 outs back to back.

I went online to USSSA and started looking for the rules. I don't see a MAX number any where.
We are trying to understand why we were allowed to have 12 last tourney and only 10 this tourney.

Is it different rules by association?
Is the rule different by tournament director?

We are looking down the road. If we need to only play certain associations so all 12 of our girls can be on the batting order.
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
You need to read the rules of the tournament you are playing in. USA allows the roster to be batted in pool play, but in elimination play it goes to normal tournament rules with only 9 batters and the dp/flex option.

This is the USSSA rule and looks like you should have been allowed 11 batters, assuming you had them listed correctly on your lineup card.

Sec 1. PLAYERSA team shall consist of at least nine players, whose positions shall
be designated as; (1) Pitcher, (2) Catcher, (3) First Baseman, (4) Second
Baseman, (5) Third Baseman, (6) Shortstop, (7) Left Fielder, (8) Center
Fielder, (9) Right Fielder. In addition, a team may optionally include a
DP/FLEX and/or up to two Additional Players (APs). The maximum number
of players in the lineup is 12; the maximum number of batters in the batting
order is 11
 
Mar 28, 2020
285
43
Sec 1. PLAYERSA team shall consist of at least nine players, whose positions shall
be designated as; (1) Pitcher, (2) Catcher, (3) First Baseman, (4) Second
Baseman, (5) Third Baseman, (6) Shortstop, (7) Left Fielder, (8) Center
Fielder, (9) Right Fielder. In addition, a team may optionally include a
DP/FLEX and/or up to two Additional Players (APs). The maximum number
of players in the lineup is 12; the maximum number of batters in the batting
order is 11

Thanks I couldn't find this to save my life. Now I know the rules so as the keeper of the schedule I have to go back are relook every tournament we have scheduled. Looks like the coach is going to have to have a talk with the parents slotted 12...and 11 to reset expectations......that sucks
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
Check with your tournament director, USSSA allows for rostered batting.

RULE 5. PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES:

D. (Non-ELITE SELECT divisions): ROSTER BATTING OPTION Teams may utilize additional APs to bat their entire roster (i.e., ALL players present; no DP/FLEX allowed) subject to the restrictions of Rules 5.2 and 5.3.

Whatever Non-Elite Select divisions are, but my DD's 18U team has been roster hitting for the last two years, and never had a question about it.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Umpires get the lineup card before the game right? Are they not allowed to say something about it if they see it is wonky?
 
Feb 13, 2021
880
93
MI
Not only are they allowed to, they SHOULD. This is part of preventive umpiring. Make sure all positions are listed, if there isn't a DP/Flex listed, comment on it. "Coach you are going straight 9 today?" That being said, it isn't the umpires responsibility to do this, that is you don't get toi complain about it if it didn't happen. What you can do, if there are any questions, is ask the umpire before hand...
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
In our area it is also common to have “tournament rules” in USSSA.

Example:

- Pool play and bracket play all tournament: Can bat entire lineup or straight USSSA by choice. If batting entire line up player or players leave game, they can’t return to that game. If batting everyone and player or players leave the game for any reason by umpire judgement (Exception ejection) skip over them without an out being called. No team can play with less than 8 players. If a team starts a game straight USSSA, they must finish straight USSSA

And like they said above, that should be covered in plate meeting.

When you bat everyone, technically you don’t have subs to come in the game if a player gets injured. This is where usually you have to take an out when that player comes up in lineup. Usually the other coach will volunteer to not do this- after all a coach batting everyone is obviously just trying to get all his players in the game. So by agreement they just kind of scratch that player from the lineup and play the rest of the game.

I personally prefer ASA rules.
 
Mar 28, 2020
285
43
This is the USSSA rule and looks like you should have been allowed 11 batters, assuming you had them listed correctly on your lineup card.

The story of a a new team

We didn't list them on the card right. We had all the names but we didn't have it listed right......it was one of those things where it was up to the opposing coach to let it go, but they waited then called us out.....

no issues we knew there would be learning curves for the coaches and kids. We learned today. The girls had fun and they were competitive in every game today, top that with making it to bracket play tomorrow so all is good.
 

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