Viewpoint Benefit Tournament Rules

Organization
Four brackets of play will be established, with a Viewpoint team as host in each bracket. Each host team will
invite three additional teams for their bracket. The host team will strive to invite teams of approximately
equal skill level. Each team will play three games within their bracket, two on one day and one on another
during the four day tournament.
Rosters
All teams should seek players appropriate to the division or level at which the team plays during the league
season. Replacements for illness or injury should be of equivalent skill level and are subject to prior approval
by the host team manager and tournament director. Questions by visiting team or host team managers should
be resolved prior to the tournament date. Violations of the spirit of this standard may result in disqualification
from a tournament or disbarment from future Viewpoint events.
All players must be 50 years of age or older before 31 December of the following year.
Fees and prize money
The entry fee is $100.00 for each team. The entire amount of the entry fee will be donated to a charity
selected by the Viewpoint Senior Softball Association, and no prize money will be awarded.
Disqualification of a team will result in forfeiture of fees.
Administrative Procedures
Tournament Director will provide for the participating teams; the tournament rules, team roster/batting
line up form (1 for each game if necessary), injury waiver form, the tournament schedule, and the
overview of rules/information. Tournament entry fees will be collected prior to playing any games.
A completed team roster should be delivered to the tournament director as early as possible, no later than
30 minutes prior to the teams first scheduled game. Viewpoint waiver sheets must be signed by each
player before participating in the tournament, and be presented to the tournament director before game
time.
Batter lineup forms, legibly completed, must be presented to the tournament director at least 15 minutes
prior to game time.
Changes
Any changes to these rules must be approved by the ViewPoint Senior Softball Association Board of
Directors.
Rules of play
Amateur Softball Association (A.S.A.) rules will apply unless amended herein.
Game time is forfeit time.
Each game will be played with a 60 minute clock. After 60 minutes the current inning and one
additional inning will be completed.
The defensive player limit is eleven (11). Play may begin or continue with as few as eight (8) players.
A run rule for the visiting team will be used in VPSSA tournaments. This will be determined by a coin
toss prior to the start of the game. The team winning the coin toss will choose to be the home or visiting
team which will be in effect for the duration of the game.

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A maximum of five runs will be allowed for each team each inning except the final inning, which is
unlimited.
The game will be complete if the losing team has played five or more innings and the differential is 12 or
more runs at the end of an inning or at the end of a half inning if the home team is ahead.
A flip-flop procedure will be used. If the home team is trailing by 8, 9, 10 or 11 runs at the start of the
open inning they become the visiting team until the conclusion of the game.
If a player is not available to bat when scheduled, for any reason other than injury, and there is no
substitute available, an out will be assessed for each scheduled at bat. If the player is injured the lineup
spot may be skipped without penalty, but the bypassed player may not reenter the game.
Each player may run as a courtesy runner only once per inning. Courtesy runners must be in the batting
lineup. The courtesy runner must enter the game before the first pitch to the succeeding batter, and will
be considered in the game when he or she touches any portion of the base occupied by the runner
replaced. Effect: A base runner improperly replaced will be declared out. Courtesy runners from
home will not be considered.
Only ASA approved bats are to be used.
The effect of entering the batters box with an unapproved or altered bat is that the batter is out and is
disqualified from the game.
The use of bat warmers is not encouraged but will not be called illegal by umpires.
An expanded plate and strike zone will be used. In the event of a play at home the catcher may contact
any portion of the plate.
65 foot base paths will be used at VPSSA tournaments.
The protective screen covering the scoreboard in centerfield will be considered to be entirely above the
outfield fence. Any batted ball that strikes any part of the protective screen on the fly will be considered
a home run.
Pitcher protection:
Use of a mask and shin guards is mandatory. The Viewpoint Senior Softball Association has a
mask and a pair of shin guards available for use by participating tournament teams. The
tournament director will be responsible for provision and return of the equipment.
If the plate umpire or either pitcher considers that the afternoon sun poses a serious threat to the
safety of the pitcher, the use of a pitching screen will be mandated for both pitchers. The screen
will be positioned a minimum of 3 feet and a maximum of 6 feet in front of the pitching rubber,
and must be touching or overlapping an imaginary line from the edge of the pitching rubber to
the edge of home plate.
A batted ball which strikes the screen before being touched by a defensive player is a dead ball
strike, except that if the batter has two strikes one additional strike will be allowed.
A thrown ball which strikes the screen remains in play.
Revised December 9, 2014
VT

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