! Dear Coaches, Parents and Players,

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1 ! Dear Coaches, Parents and Players, Welcome to the USSSA Spooktacular Tournament, Oct , 2017 at the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Club and McAuliffe Park in East Hartford, CT. We look forward to a successful and exciting event. Please read this all as there is IMPORTANT information. Coaches please send this file to All your parents. NOTE A NEW PROCESS FOR ONLINE SCHEDULES, BRACKETS AND SCORING ALL tournaments will now be scheduled, scored and seeded online through the USSSA s system on their national website. We will no longer use the old online system that was used in our CT events in prior years. See the Event Homepage on the USSSA site for all the tournament information. Access this site on your computer, tablet or phone now and during the event for live updates, scores, seeding and brackets. Event Homepage Event Info Tab has the link to download a PDF with rules, park rules, map of the park Directors Tab has all the contact info Look Who s Coming Tab lists all teams and divisions Venues Tab has fields info and links to Google Maps (PW is Pratt & Whitney and MP is McAuliffe Park) Schedule Tab has the pool play and bracket schedules Scoreboard Tab has lives scores during the tournament Division report tab has the tournament s final results. THIS IS A THEMED HALLOWEEN TOURNAMENT. Costumes are encouraged for ALL teams. Coaches, and umpires are encouraged to wear costumes. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Team Costumes in each division. COSTUMES ARE SATURDAY ONLY. SUNDAY IS REGULAR UNIFORMS. Use our Rainout Line Service for all weather and playability updates. You can call in for updates, get them via and/or text. You can also download the FREE app. Go to our our Rainout Line homepage: 1. Fall Time Limits: Due to the size of the event and limited light pool play will be 1:10 games. Elimination games will be 1:15 games except for the finals which will be 7 inning games, light permitting. See rules below. 2. Rosters: You must go to the USSSA website and complete your roster if you have not already done so. It must then be printed and signed by all players, parents and manager. You must show your USSSA roster and proof of insurance at check-in. You do not need to present birth certificates but you will need them in the event there is a challenge. Check in at the park where you play your first game. 3. No Music or boom boxes, Alexas etc: allow during warmups or games. We are many people in a shared space and I cannot police both the volume or the content and to avoid issues we do not allow them. 4. Parking - Cars will now be allowed to park in the outfields of field 5, 6 and 7 and in the special area behind fields 5 and Warm-up: Since we use temporary outfield fences, warm-up areas have been created behind the outfields of fields 1, 4, 6, 7. TEAM TENTS are not allowed in the warm up areas. Tents are allowed in the walking area between fields 2, 5, 3, NO WARM UP in the walking area between fields 2, 5, 3, Concessions available at Pratt ONLY. The LL concession stand will be closed at McAuliffe Park. Plan accordingly. 7. Ice is sold at Pratt for your convenience. 8. Park Rules: Please make sure all parents receive the info and obey park rules, particularly: No dogs, smoking, grilling or alcohol anywhere in the park. Anyone with alcohol or drugs will be ejected from the park for the duration of the tournament. We thank you and look forward to seeing you. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. David Rocha USSSA State Fastpitch Director (CT, RI, MA) Office, Cell david.rocha@usssa.com

2 ! Shop at the Fastpitch Nation Tent Fastpitch Nation has something softball for every one and at really great prices! This year Fastpitch Nation will be on hand offering the FPN MOBILE PRO SHOP with equipment from Mizuno, Demarini, Louisville Slugger, Easton, Bownet, Rip - IT, and more. Everything is at prices you cannot find online or in stores! For your shopping convenience we accept DEBIT, CREDIT CARDS AND CASH. Assorted Softball T Shirts, Hoodies Pinnies, and other Softball Apparel including many styles of sweatpants and shorts, and more. A HUGE variety of custom softball designs, expressions and the Tournament Design printed on site. Equipment such as bats, gloves, batting gloves, hitting nets, bags, balls, training devices and more. DEMO BATS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO TRY! The largest selection of headbands in all varieties anywhere. Sunglasses Softball magnets and window decals Softball accessories such as scorebooks, line-up cards, gorilla gold, chin straps, bat grip, etc. Use our new Rainout Line Service. All weather and playability updates will be made and distributed with an exciting new tool called Rainout Line. You can call in for updates, get them via and/or text. You can also download the FREE app. To go our our exclusive Rainout Line homepage to go: Dedicated Phone Number - (860) Get alerts every time field and tournament status is updated. Get Text alerts every time field and tournament status is updated. Download FREE apps for ios and Android for full info as well as map links to the field.

3 Directions to Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Club Fields For GPS users insert the address: 560 Silver Lane Entrance, East Hartford, CT From I - 84 East or West take the Roberts Street/ Silver Lane Exit. See sign for Rentschler Field. Turn left on Silver Lane and follow to fields on the left and turn left into the complex. During the tournament there is no entrance from or exit to Clement Rd. PRATT & WHITNEY PARK RULES PARKING- Cars will now be allowed to park in the outfields of field 5, 6 and 7 and in the special area behind fields 5 and 6. NO RVs may park in these lots. FOOD - There is full service professional food vendor NO DOGS - There are no dogs allowed anywhere in the park. NO SMOKING - There is no smoking allowed anywhere within the park. NO ALCOHOL - There is no alcohol allowed anywhere in the park. Anyone with alcohol or drugs will be ejected from the park for the duration of the tournament. NO GRILLS OR COOKING ALLOWED ON THE PREMISE. WARM-UP RULES - warm-up areas have been created behind the outfields of fields 1, 4, 6, 7, and the right field of 3. NO WARM UP in the walking area between fields 2, 5, 3, 6. BATHROOMS - There are large spacious bathrooms. Please take care in keeping them clean as they are the club member locker rooms. MERCHANDISE - There is a large variety of merchandise, tournament T shirts, Apparel and softball equipment and novelties available. Cash, Debit and all Major Credit Cards Accepted.

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5 TOURNAMENT RULES 1. Current USSSA rules and regulations will apply to the tournament unless modified by this document. 2. Tournament Format: Pool play to single elimination. 3. Game time limits. In pool play no new inning will start after 1 hour 10 minutes. In elimination play no new inning will start after 1 hour 15 minutes except for the finals. In Championship games no time limit will be used. All games will be 7 innings except for 10U which is 6 innings. It will be the judgement of the UIC and Tournament Director to change to a timed game based on how much available light there is at the start of the Final game. For games with time limits, innings in progress after the time limit has expired, will be completed. A game can end in a tie in pool games. In elimination and championship games, ties will be played out using the international tie breaker rules. If a championship game is called due to weather or darkness or some other uncontrollable situation, and the game is tied the team with the higher seed shall be declared the winner. Every effort will be made to complete every scheduled game within the time limit. In the event of rain delays, the Tournament Director reserves the right to reduce the time limits of all remaining games and/or change the format of the tournament to reach a conclusion and determine a champion. 4. The clock begins immediately after the pre-game conference ends. If the time limit is up and the home team is leading and at bat, then the game ends with whatever the score is at that point (ie, the final inning is not completed in this case this is not the same as the drop dead rule). 5. Standard USSSA mercy rules in effect for all games (12 after 3; 10 after 4; 8 after 5). 6. In pool play, the winner of a coin toss prior to the start of a game will have choice of being home or visitors. In championship play the higher seeded team will have the choice of home or away and choice of dugout. 7. Coaches and rostered players are the only ones allowed to be in the dugout or bench area during the games. Bat boys/girls are not permitted unless they are a rostered player. 8. The tournament director reserves the right to change, shorten, modify, or alter games and/or schedule in order to conclude the tournament successfully. (See rain out policy item #27). 9. Team and individual awards will be presented to the first and second place teams. 10. Players in the game are prohibited from wearing jewelry such as rings, watches, earrings whether covered with tape or not, bracelets, necklaces (including cloth and string type), or other hard decorative items. Unadorned devices with no sharp edges or points, such as bobby pins, barrettes and hair clips, no longer than 2 inches, may be worn to control a player s hair are permitted. Medical alert bracelets or necklaces are not considered jewelry. If worn they must be taped to the body, so as to remain visible. 11. Metal cleats are allowed for teams 13U and older. 12. For pitchers no tacky or sticky substances (such as Gorilla Gold towels or rock rosin) may be used as a substitute for a powdered drying agent such as regular rosin bags which are legal. 13. Protests on any issue other than an umpire s judgment will require a $100 cash fee. Protests on an umpire s judgment will not be allowed and no fee will be accepted. Protests on rule or procedural interpretations during a game must be made before the next pitch and will be decided upon before the game is allowed to continue. Protests on rule/procedures that occur at the end of the game must be made before the next game begins on that field. Protests on player eligibility must be made before either team starts their next game and will be decided upon before either team continues play. The protest committee will be made up of any part of the following: tournament director, site director, tournament UIC, site UIC or any of their designees. If the protest is upheld the $100 will be refunded. If the protest is denied the fee will be forfeited. 14. Game time is under the control of the umpires on the field. 15. Up to 2 APs (additional players) may be used. They must be on the lineup card and only hit. However, APs may be substituted for defensive players. The DP/Flex may also be used but still only 11 players max can hit. 16. Courtesy runners will be allowed for the catcher and pitcher at any time by a legal courtesy runner. 17. All teams must report to the check-in person at least 1 hour before their first game. You will need the following: Proof of insurance and original signed USSSA roster. All teams must have and be able to produce your official USSSA roster and birth certificates on demand. 18. If an ineligible player participates at any time during the tournament, the player and team manager will be ejected from the remainder of the tournament and all games in which that player participated will be forfeited. Participation is defined as either actively playing in the game or appearing anywhere on the official lineup that s presented prior to the start of a game. Examples of ineligible players include, but are not limited to, playing on two teams in the same event, not being listed on the team roster that was presented prior to the tournament, violating the age requirement, playing under an assumed identity, use of a fraudulent birth certificate, not presenting a birth certificate when requested to do so, etc. 19. If a player, coach or fan is ejected from a game, they are ejected for the game in progress and the next game. Further they must be out of earshot or eyeshot of the game being played by their team. It is the tournament director s discretion if further penalties such as ejection from the tournament are warranted.

6 20. Minimally, the winner and runner-up will receive a berth to any USSSA World Series Tournaments if the event is a qualifier. More berths are awarded based on number of teams in the event. See the website for details. 21. Game time is forfeit time. However, the director s discretion may be used if unique circumstances warrant. Forfeits will be entered as no score (0-0). 22. Teams must be prepared to play 30 or more minutes prior to the scheduled start time of a game, due to mercy games or up to 1 hour early due to weather issues. The tournament director will decide if games start early. 23. Warm-up in the designated warm-up area only. During pre-game no infield will be taken on the field other than the edges of the infield by the outfield grass. Pitchers cannot use the game pitching circle to warm up. 24. In the event of rain, snow or acts of God, the tournament director reserves the right to reduce game times. Refunds will be given according to the following policy. If at least 2 games are played no refund is provided. If 1 game is played a 50% refund is given. If no games are played a 70% refund is given. 25. No game will begin without a correct scorecard. Each scorecard must have minimally the last name of each player, uniform number and position. First names only are not acceptable. The clock will start at the end of the homeplate meeting even if the start of play must wait for a proper scorecard. 26. The home team (official book) will report the scores to the homeplate umpire at the end of the game. Both managers must sign the card for the scores before your teams leave the field. Umpires will report the scores to the USSSA tent. 27. Once pool play is completed, the order of finish is set by the USSSA national system. This is the system used at all USSSA World Series and national events. As long as scores are entered correctly, the results are correct and there is no challenging the results or altering it s seedings. Seeding is determined by the following criteria. Winning Percentage - Descending Number Wins - Descending Number Loses - Ascending Tied Teams (vs. each other) Winning Pct - Descending (Not valid if all tied teams have not played each other) Avg Points Allowed - Ascending Avg Points Differential with a maximum of (8) - Descending Ranking Points - Descending Date Team Entered USSSA Database Once past a tie breaker do not return to previous Head-to-head (if applicable) is used to break ties when only 2 teams are tied. If a team volunteers to play an extra planned pool game due to an uneven number of teams win the division, the worst result will be dropped for that team and will not count toward their point total or run averages, although it does count for their opposing team. 28. Tie breakers. a. If pool game is tied after seven innings (6 innings 10U) and there is still time left, the international tiebreaker will go into effect. A base runner will start at second base with no outs. The runner will be the batter who made the last out in the previous inning. One time expires the inning of the tie breaker will be completed. If still a tie, it remains a tie. b. Elimination tiebreaker international tiebreaker will be used after seven innings (6 innings 10U). A base runner will start at second base with no outs. The runner will be the batter who made the last out in the previous inning. 29. We look forward to your participation. Remember to act appropriately and to keep it fun.