CFT Tournament Rules & Policies

NFHS Softball rules, plus CFT rules will apply. CFT Tournament Rules listed here will supercede the NFHS rulebook.

Age Cutoff: December 31st, 2023

Pool Play Rules

– No lineups will be provided on Saturday pool play games. Batting order, courtesy runners, & defensive substitutes will be handled at each coaches discretion allowing coaches to rotate players in & out of the game multiple times. Sunday will be played by the NFHS rulebook with the exceptions of those rules listed below.

RUN RULE:

– 8 after 4 innings

TIE GAMES:

– Ties can only occur on pool play games. All bracket games must have a winner. If at the end of 7 innings, or time limit expires, the next inning starts with a runner (the batter scheduled to bat last in the respective half inning) at second base on Sunday.

GAME TIME:

– Game time is forfeit time unless the delay is created by CFT.

HOME TEAM:

– Coin Flip for all pool play games. Higher seed will be the home team on Sunday.

COURTESY RUNNER:

– Pool play will be courtesy runners for any player due to open lineups & open substitutions. In bracket play, a courtesy runner may be used for pitcher and catcher only with a player who has not participated in the game. For example a sub who bats in the 3rd inning is not elgible to be a courtesy runner for the rest of that game whether in the lineup or on the bench as they have participated in the game.

Time Limits (Pool Play Only): Pool play games will be no new inning after 80 minutes & drop dead at 90 minutes. Scores will revert back to the last completed inning if 90 minutes drop dead time is hit & the inning is not completed.

DUGOUTS:

– Team listed on the top half of the bracket will occupy the third-base dugout.

– If a team is already occupying a dugout from a previously played game, they will remain in that same dugout.

Drop Dead:

– If games are one hour or more behind on pool play games, the director can move all future games played to a drop dead format with scores finishing as is. There will be no revert to last inning.

PROTESTS:

– Protests will be a 100-dollar deposit. The protest must be provided in cash to the UIC. If the coach is correct in the ruling, the full 100 dollars will be refunded. If incorrect, the 100 dollars will not be refunded. . All protests must occur before the completion of the game. The game is officially completed when the umpires leave the playing field.

ROSTERS:

– All players must be on team’s roster prior to the start of the tournament. Date of birth must be included on the roster for each player.
– Teams must provide proof of insurance at the beginning of the tournament.

– Roster will be turned in to tournament director.

– College players are not allowed to be on a team’s roster and may not participate in any CFT event. If any player listed on a college’s roster is caught playing in the event, the team will be disqualified from the tournament as this poses a safety risk.

PITCHING RULE MODIFICATIONS:

– While the pitcher takes the signal, her stride foot may be on or behind the pitcher’s plate as far back as desired.

– Once the pitcher initially sets the toe of her stride foot, she CANNOT move it to increase the distance behind the pitcher’s plate.

– In addition, the pitcher shall take (or simulate taking) a signal from the catcher.

– Pitchers will be allowed to have their pivot foot become airborne during delivery, but re-planting will not be allowed.This was commonly referred to as leaping before.

INTENTIONAL WALKS:

A request made to the umpire by the defensive coach, catcher, or pitcher, for the purpose of awarding the batter first base. The request may be made prior to or during the at-bat. For the purposes of an appeal: an intentional walk is considered an at-bat, therefore, an appeal of the previous play cannot be made following the intentional walk. When an intentional walk is awarded by the umpire, it is considered the same as throwing a pitch.

GAME BALLS:

– CFT will provide the game balls.

METAL CLEATS:

– 10U & 12U players may not wear metal cleats.

– 14U, 16U and 18U can wear metal cleats unless notified in advance due to facility rules.

EJECTIONS:

– Any coach, player, and/or spectator ejected from a game may be required to not participate in their next scheduled game. This will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the UIC of the event.

DECISIONS:

– The UIC shall have final decision on all rule & behavior questions. Any questions regarding teams, playing times, or special requests will be addressed by the tournament director.

LINEUP OPTIONS – DP / FLEX and EP Rules:

– OPTION 1 – Straight nine: Those nine players can play any position on defense.

– OPTION 2 – DP/Flex: 10 players are listed on the line-up, but only 9 bats. The DP can bat for any player that you designate prior to the start of the game. That player is designated as the Flex and must be listed at the bottom of the lineup. The flex must be the last player in the lineup at all times. If the flex is not playing defense, that must be reported as you will be dropping the flex & the flex will be charged a substitution for leaving the game. The flex may come back into the lineup in the DP or Flex position. The player who leaves the lineup will be charged the substitution when dropping the flex or bringing the flex in on offense for the DP.

– OPTION 3 – EP: This gives you the option to bat 10 players and any 9 can play defense. This player can be placed anywhere in the lineup.

– OPTION 4 – DP/Flex and the EP: This allows you to have 11 players listed in the lineup. Only 10 will bat & any of these players can play defensively. The Flex must be listed on the bottom spot of the lineup card. The last slot will be the flex. If the flex is not playing defense, that must be reported as you will be dropping the flex & the flex will be charged a substitution for leaving the game. The flex may come back into the lineup in the DP or Flex position. The player who leaves the lineup will be charged the substitution when dropping the flex or bringing the flex in on offense for the DP.

DEFENSIVE SUBSTITUTIONS:

– Free Defensive Substitutions. Only pitcher and catcher substitutions need to be reported.

10 AND UNDER SPECIALTY RULES:

1. 35′ pitching distance

2. 11″ ball

12 AND UNDER SPECIALTY RULES:

1. 40′ pitching distance

2. 12″ ball

14U, 16U and 18U SPECIALTY RULES:

1. 43′ pitching distance

2. METAL CLEATS ARE ALLOWED

SEEDING PROCEDURE: (First factor is Win-Loss record)

Two Way Tie:

1. Head-to-Head

2. Runs Allowed

3. Runs Scored

4. Run Differential (maximum of 10 runs)

5. Coin Flip

Three (or more) Way Tie:

1. Runs Allowed

2. Runs Scored

3. Run Differential

4. Coin Flip

Insurance & Background Check Team Requirements

– All teams playing in CFT events will adhere to that all volunteers, coaches, paid staff, and any other individuals who have access to minors have a criminal background check conducted & confirm that anyone who has a conviction on their background check are not allowed to have contact with the team/organization. All teams must also hold an insurance policy with sexual abuse & molestation (SAM) policy coverage with a minimum of $1 million per occurrence.
-CFT highly encourages all organizations to require their volunteers, coaches, paid staff, & any other individuals who have access to minors to become Safesport certified. The certification link can be found under staff links on the menu.

Park rules

– No Pets inside the parks, no outside food or drinks, teams can bring in one water cooler with drinks only. These are rules supplied by the city of each park we have no control over these rules.

– California Fastpitch Tourneys, Tournament Directors and Officials, City of Stockton, City of Lodi, City of Manteca, San Joaquin County, McNair High School or Arnaiz Stadium shall assume no responsibilities for the injuries, losses, or damages as a result of these tournaments. Teams are required to carry there own insurance policies.

– Central Valley Admission, 8 dollars person, 6 dollars for senior & military, kids under 6 are free /

– Bay Area Admission,$10 person $8.00 for senior & military, kids under 6 are free / Arcadia Sports Complex and Alden Oliver Complex

RAIN OUT, FREE ENTRIES, & REFUND POLICY:

–If you enter a tournament and the entire tournament is cancelled due to rain or some other unforeseen event, we will apply your paid entry fee to another CFT Tournament. Refunds will be handled at the discretion of the tournament director. Minus 50% of the entry fee due to incurred cost.

– If you withdraw from the tournament for any reason when we start the schedule typically 10 days prior to, or after the schedule has been posted on the California Fastpitch Tourneys web site, your fees will be nonrefundable.

– 50% of your paid entry will be credited or refunded in the case of a rain out or stoppage.The other 50 percent will be non-refundable due to expenses for the specific event if the event has started & is stopped for any reason. The non-refundable amount may increase at the tournament directors discretion depending on the amount of costs incurred for that event.

– If games have been played & the tournament must be stopped, you will be credited for the games that you did play based off of the original 50% refund. The remaining refund will be refunded by check.

– If you enter and paid but we cannot fit your team into the tournament you will receive a refund in full, you may apply the total amount to another tournament within that calendar year.

– Free entries cannot be utilized on showcases, qualifiers, or cash events. CFT holds the right to revoke any earned free entry and/or reset the amount of events to earn a free entry in the instance of team committing any offense detrimental to CFT events including. but not limited to signing up to an event & backing out, poor sportsmanship, & defamation of CFT. For example, a team penciling into an event & backing out is detrimental to CFT as other teams expect you to participate & may sign up in anticipation to play your team. Resetting the clock would be if you played in 2 events then penciled into a third event& backed out of the third event, CFT holds the right to reset your numbers of events back to zero.

Thank You

Shannon Dubois (209-639-2079)

California Fastpitch Tourneys [email protected]