2009 NAFA World
Series Tournament Rules
Tournament Rules and Protest Committee:
Benjie Hedgecock, NAFA Executive Director, Loren Lathrop, NAFA Vice
President, Jon Kegel, NAFA Vice President, Carley Parish, NAFA
Umpire-In-Chief, Robert Hernandez, Tournament Director, Mike Watson,
Tournament Director, Mike Clark, Tournament Director.
NAFA Golden Rule:
Games are won and lost between the white lines. Great Fastpitch
teams don’t rely on technical rule interpretations and rule or
procedure manipulations to win. Great teams win with great athletes
exhibiting fine sportsmanship. Always treat your opponents and the
officials with the same mutual respect that we all desire. Play by
the NAFA Golden Rule, and we will have a great organization and
World Series.
1-Tournament Rules Order:
These tournament rules are the first priority in regards to a
precedence. The second priority is any decision made by the
Tournament Committee in relation to an item not addressed in these
exceptions. The Third priority is the NAFA Official Rules of
Softball for any item not specifically covered in these rule
exceptions and not ruled on by the Tournament Committee.
2-No courtesy runners. New
shorthanded rule.
You may finish with
less than you started with by taking an out in the lineup for the
person that is dropped due to injury. You may NOT drop a person due
to an ejection. You must have 8 players to continue a game.
3-Uniforms and Equipment:
The Official bat list is included and is listed on the website. All
players must be in like uniforms with a number on the jersey. Each
player must wear a hat. The catcher must wear a protective mask and
throat protector. Batters and base runners must wear a helmet (preferable
NOCSAE approved) with double ear-flaps(Canadians Single Ear
Flaps).
4-A team consists of (8), 9
players or (10 with the DB/DS Rule).
You must have 8 players to start and finish a game or it is a
forfeit. If you start with 8 you must take an out in the 9th
spot in the batting order.
5-Run Rule:
The 7 run rule shall
apply to all games in the 5th inning
and 12 run rule in the third
inning. All games will be played until there is a winner. NAFA has
no time limit and no tiebreaker for the Regular World Series
although the Masters World Series may have a time limit.
6-Leading Off (Clarification):
The base runner may not leave the base until the ball leaves the
pitchers hand. Penalty: Dead Ball, No Pitch, Base-runner is out.
7-On Deck Circle:
The on deck batter may use either on deck circle as long as he is
behind the batter when using the opposite circle.
8-Re-entry:
Only the starting players including the DB and DS (providing you
stay at 10 players), may leave the game and re-enter one time. The
Starting players must occupy the same batting position in the
lineup. NOTE: Substitutes may not re-enter.
9-NAFA DB (Designated Batter) & DS (Defensive Specialist) Rule:
DB: A player may be listed as a Designated Batter. The DB may bat
in any one of the nine spots in the lineup, but must be selected
prior to the game and must be included in the lineup card presented
to the umpire. If the DB or his substitute(s) enter the game on
defense, the DB and DS positions are terminated for the remainder of
the game.
DS: When a DB is used, a non-batting player (DS) must be listed in
the 10th spot in the line up for defensive purposes
only. The DS may enter the game on offense for any one of the nine
players listed on the line-up card, but that will terminate the DS
for the remainder of the game. The DS will then be locked into that
spot in the batting lineup for the remainder of the game. The DB
may play defense for any player except the DS, but the DS must stay
on the field or they are considered to have left the game.
Re-entry Clarification
The DB and DS as starting players, have a reentry while in the
ten-player lineup. If the DB enters the game on defense it is not
considered a substitution by the DB, however, if the DS enters the
game on offense, the DS shall be considered a substitute and forfeit
his ability to re-enter. Explanation: The DB is in one of the
original nine batting positions, but the DS is not. If the DS is
substituted for while in the DS spot, the DS may reenter into the DS
spot or reenter into any spot in the batting order. If the DS
reenters into the DS spot they lose the option of substituting later
into the batting order as they have already used their reentry
substitution. Once a team has gone from the ten-player lineup to
nine, they may never go back to ten.
10-Pitching:
The pitcher must start with one foot on the pitching plate. The
pitcher may lift his foot above the pitching plate as long as he
sets it back down on the plate prior to leaping. Leaping is legal as
long as the pitcher does not replant and push off again from the
back foot. A Crow hop is a step in front of the plate and is illegal
whether the pitching has a traditional style or leaping style.
PENALTY: Delayed dead ball, ball on the batter, There is no
advancement of runners penalty unless forced by a walk on the batter.
The offense gets the choice of the result of the play or the illegal
pitch penalty.
Pitching Warm-ups. Five (5) pitches to start the game and Three (3)
between innings. Five (5) for any new pitchers.
11-Ejections and Behavior:
Profanity of any kind will not be tolerated. The umpire has the
choice to warn, or eject a player or team for profanity. If you are
ejected for unsportsmanlike behavior prior to the 6th
inning you are only ejected for the remainder of that game. If you
are ejected in the 6th inning or later, you are ejected
for the next game as well as the remainder of that game you got
ejected in.
12-Unannounced/Unreported Substitute:
If a substitute fails to report, the
substitute is legally in the game when: he enters the batter’s box
and a pitch is thrown or declared (illegal), he replaces a player on
base or he takes a defensive position. There is no penalty.
Other Pertinent Information: Lineup cards are
in the Coaches Packets. Balls, additional lineup cards and the
double coin toss for home and visitor will be controlled by the NAFA
Rep at the Bracket Board, 30 minutes prior to the start of each
round of games at the Bracket Board. The team at the top of the
bracket will take the 3rd base dugout unless a team is
staying for back-to-back games.
The tournament committee reserves the right to change any aspect of
this event that they see fit including field assignments especially
to protect teams playing in multiple classes and for sun fields,
game times, playing rules, behavioral exceptions, limiting
players to non-pitching roles and disqualifying players from
pitching or playing if in their sole judgment it is determined
to be beneficial to the event. Team medical and liability insurance
is the responsibility of each individual team and player and
spectator in the event. Each player and coach waives their right to
sue any NAFA official and agrees to hold harmless both NAFA and all
host cities. Each player by taking the field, and each spectator by
entering the park, or anyone parking their car near a park
understands and agrees that the game of Fastpitch softball is a
dangerous athletic activity and that it can cause serious injury and
even death in rare occasions to participants and spectators and to
their cars or property.