2017 BIG D EASTER BONNET Classic
Rules of Play
Presented by Bud Light, Prudential, Dallas Woody’s, Round-Up Saloon, JR’s Bar & Grill, TMC and PSSA
Teams, Players and Ratings
• All players/coaches/managers must sign the player roster at registration or at the fields prior to the first game
in which they plan to participate. Photo ID will be required to register. You must be 18 years of age or older to
participate in this tournament.
• 2017/current NAGAAA database player ratings are to be used and will be verified prior to the tournament. No
adjustments to the current NAGAAA ratings will be permitted. Non-NAGAAA players must be rated according to
the 2017 NAGAAA 27-point rating system. Teams will be placed in Divisions according to NAGAAA Division
Criteria.
Game Rules
• The tournament will follow 2017 USA Softball (ASA) and NAGAAA (including limitation of 3 non-LGBT players
per roster) rules with the following exceptions/affirmations:
General Rules that Apply to Pool Play and Double Elimination
• If your team is not a member of ASA, please notify us immediately. For insurance reasons, we need to make
sure every team is ASA certified prior to taking the field.
• All players must register prior to taking the field. Registration closes before the first pitch of double elimination
bracket play. Any player found playing without having signed the player roster is subject to tournament
ejection and the team will forfeit that game. Any previous games where that player participated are also
subject to forfeiture.
• All games will be 55 minutes with no new inning starting after time is called.
• All games will be played with a 1 and 1 count, with 1 courtesy foul allowed.
• Each team is required to COMPLETELY fill out line-up cards (including first and last names, jersey numbers and
positions): one copy to the umpire, one to the opposing team.
• Home team is required to keep official score in provided official score book. Umpire will confirm runs scored at
the completion of every half inning with each bench. Official score book will be final. Official score book must
not be removed from field.
• 3 copy lineup card will be provided and must be used during the tournament.
• Game time is forfeit time.
• All bats must currently be approved by USA Softball (ASA) for play. NO EXCEPTIONS. Bats must be available for
umpire inspection prior to each game. Players using an illegal or banned bat will be ejected from the
tournament and the game will be forfeit.
• Teams may bat up to 12 players (10 position players plus 2 EH).
• Pitching height will be called according to NAGAAA rules (6’ – 12’).
• One courtesy runner per inning is allowed. Courtesy runner can be anyone on the lineup card, including subs. If
the player chosen as a courtesy runner is due up to bat while on base, that player will be out on their base and
will hit in their assigned position. Hitting substitutions are not allowed in this circumstance.
• No stealing allowed.
• Run Rule is as follows: 20 runs after 3 innings, 15 runs after 4 innings, and 10 runs after 5 innings.
• Home run limits per game are as follows: C Division - 1 per team, per game, D Division - 0 per team (unassisted
over the fence). In C division, additional home runs (more than one) will result in an out. In D division, any over
the fence home runs result in an inning ending out.
• Any player ejected from a game is ineligible to play in their team's next game and may be eliminated from
tournament play at the discretion of the tournament directors.
Pool Play
• Each team will play a minimum of 2 pool play games
• Home team will be determined by 2 coin flips. For the first flip the umpire will assign each team a side of the
coin with the winner calling the 2nd toss.
•
Most pools will consist of 3 teams, because of number of teams, some pools will have 4 teams. Double
elimination play will be determined by assigning seeds based on pool play results, within each pool. Best
records within each pool will receive the highest seed assigned randomly to that pool, second best record the
second highest seed in that pool, etc. If teams within the same pool have the same record, the next highest
•
seed within the pool will be determined by random draw. Bracket play placement will be available soon after
the end of your pool’s play.
Games may end in a tie.
Double Elimination Bracket Play
• Because of seeding method, there will be no overall bracket seeding, therefore home team will be determined
by a double coin flip, with the exception of the championship game where the team coming from the winners
bracket will be the home team. If there is an “if” game, home team will be determined by double coin flip.
• Ties will be played out using the International Tie-Breaker Rule. The last out of the previous inning will go to
second base. Play will resume with each team getting three outs, the count starting at 1-1 (with a courtesy
foul), playing complete innings until the tie is broken.
Protests
• Final ratings for all teams will be available at the tournament administration / registration table and all
preliminary ratings rosters (as of Wednesday 4/12/17) from your division will be available in your manager’s
packet.
• A $150 cash deposit plus $25 per question being protested is required with a correctly completed protest form
(found on the website and in your manager’s packet) in order to file a protest. All protests must be submitted
to the home plate umpire before the end of the game. All monies will be refunded if the protest is upheld and
forfeited if the protest is denied.
• Protests on Rules Interpretation must be submitted to the plate umpire prior to the next batter. The game will
continue and the protest committee will be called to make a decision immediately following the game.
• The tournament directors will have final say on all protests.
• If a player is successfully protested but their revised rating does not exceed the limit for their team's division
and their revised team rating is still below their divisional limit, the team and player will both be allowed to
continue and the protested game's result will stand.
• If a player protest is upheld and that player's revised rating exceeds the limit for their team's division but their
revised team rating is still below the divisional limit, that player will not be allowed to continue play and the
team will be assessed a loss but will be allowed to continue.
• If a player is successfully protested and their revised rating causes their team's rating to exceed the limit for
their division, that team will be assessed a loss and will not be disqualified from the tournament.
• If a Rules Interpretation protest is upheld, the game will start over at the point of the protest.
Miscellaneous
• Unsportsmanlike conduct will NOT be tolerated. Umpires will give warnings at the coin-flip and will not be
required to give another one once play has started.
• The tournament director reserves the right to make any necessary changes to rules and/or the schedule in
order to complete the tournament.
• In the event of inclement weather, all efforts will be made to play as many games as possible to complete the
tournament. Weather updates will be made on the Big D Easter Bonnet Classic Facebook Page.
Good luck, and welcome to Dallas!!