2025 DAIRYLAND CLASSIC
SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES

🥎 2025 Dairyland Classic – Tournament Rules

The official 2025 USA Softball (USA/ASA) playing rules will be followed for the 2025 Dairyland Classic, with the following exceptions:

1. Team Roster & Lineup

• Teams cannot play with fewer than 8 players.
• Teams may bat up to 12 players (10 fielders + 2 extra hitters).
• Teams may start with 8 players and add a 9th and 10th.
• Teams may start with 9 and add a 10th.

2. Player Reduction

• Teams can only reduce players during a game due to injuries, without penalty.
• Player ejections result in an automatic out.

3. Player Eligibility

• Players may not be on more than one roster.
• All players must be registered before playing.
• No new registrations after Pool Play ends.
• Exceptions may be granted by the Tournament Director for extraordinary circumstances.

4. Divisional Placements: Teams will be placed into one of 3 divisions based on team ratings, calculated by the sum of the top 10 ratings on the team, as indicated below:

• C Division: Team rating of 130 or lower (no player rating over 14)
• D Division: Team rating of 95 or lower (no player rating over 10)
• E Division: Team rating of 60 or lower (no player rating over 6)

5. Division Adjustments

• Divisions may split into Competitive/Recreational sub-divisions based on team counts and ratings. (i.e. C-Competitive C1 and C-Recreational C2)
• The Tournament Director reserves the right to adjust placements for fair play.
• E Division teams may be moved to D-Recreational (D2) if needed.

6. Player Ratings

• All players must have a 2025 iPride rating.
• Teams may have one non-iPride rated player, rated by their coach and approved by a commissioner.

7. Uniforms

• Uniforms are not mandatory, but similar-colored shirts are preferred.
• Each shirt must have a unique number that is 4” or larger on the back.
• Exceptions allowed by umpire or tournament director discretion.

8. Jewelry

• No visible jewelry allowed during games.
• Exceptions: fitness trackers, medical bracelets, tournament wristbands.

9. Field Access

• No infield or batting practice allowed on tournament fields unless the field is designated as a practice field.

10. Pool Play Home/Away

• Each team will be assigned at least one home and one away game.
• Any odd number of pool play games will result in a random home/away assignment that will be completed before the start of the tournament by the tournament committee.

11. Double Elimination Home Team

• Higher seed is the home team.
• Undefeated teams can’t be the away team vs. teams with a loss.
• "If" games: Home team decided by coin toss if necessary.

12. Scorekeeping

• Umpire maintains the official score. Designated scorekeepers may provide assistance to the umpire.
• Teams must verify score after each ½ inning.
• Managers must sign the official scorecard post-game.

13. Batting Count

• 3 Ball / 2 Strike count (starts at 1-1).
• Foul on second strike = out.
• No courtesy foul.

14. Game Time Limits – All games are scheduled for 7 innings. The umpire will notify managers of the official start time of each game. A time limit is in effect and will supersede the innings as follows:

• Pool Play: No new inning after 50 mins.
• Double Elim: No new inning after 55 mins.
• Placement Games (1st–3rd): 7 innings or 65 mins until there is a winner
• Beer Cups Games: 55 mins (if applicable).

15. Run Rules- apply to pool play and double elimination games.

• 20 runs after 3 innings
• 15 runs after 4 innings
• 10 runs after 5 innings

16. Tie Games

• Pool Play: Games can end in a tie.
• Tournament Play: International tiebreaker will be utilized and game will continue in a one-pitch format.

17. Double Elimination Seeding

1. Win/Loss/Tie record
2. Head-to-head
3. Runs allowed
4. Coin toss

• Extra pool games: In the event a team plays an extra pool game, the runs allowed and the win/loss in that game will not count towards the total, but the results of the game (win/loss) will be used in head-to-head consideration if there is a tie in pool pay occurs.

18. Courtesy Runners

• 1 per inning (must be on lineup or roster).
• Umpire may require a courtesy runner for injury ("blood rule").
• ADA players must be declared before the first Pool Play game and during the pregame meeting with the umpire. If an ADA player requires a runner, this will not count as a courtesy runner.
• Pitchers are not automatically granted courtesy runners.

19. Equipment Rules

• Only USA/ASA legal bats are allowed.
• Bats are subject to inspection at any time.
• Metal cleats are NOT allowed.

20. Stealing

• NOT allowed in any division.

21. Ejections

• Umpires have the authority to eject players or coaches for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Ejections are not protestable.
• Ejected players are not eligible for his/her next game.

22. Umpire Authority

• Once a game starts, the umpire has full authority to rule on any issue not covered here.

23. Home Run Limits

• C Division: 1 over-the-fence HR per team per game is allowed.
• D & E Divisions: 0 over-the-fence HRs are allowed.
• Home runs that occur after the limit has been reached result in an automatic out. It will only end the at-bat inning if it is the third out.

24. Home Run Rounding

• Allowed HRs: batter only needs to touch 1st base.

25. Protests

• No protests allowed for:
• Balls, strikes, safe/out calls
• Player rankings
• There will be no protests of calls made by umpires.
• There will be no protests accepted from or initiated by individual players, teams, and/or coaches.
• Tournament Directors reserve the right to change divisional placement.

26. Rule Changes

• Tournament reserves the right to modify rules at any time due to:
• USA/ASA changes
• Weather
• SSBL League rule changes

Managers will receive an official copy of the rules before the tournament begins.