Fastpitch FAQ / North Carolina USSSA Charlotte Metro (2024)

FAQs

How many mound visits are allowed in Usssa softball? ›

Mound Visits:

4 visits are allowed for each game.

The maximum number of players in the lineup is 12; The maximum number of batters in the lineup is 11. The DP/FLEX must be declared before game. Otherwise they may never be in the game. The DP's name is listed where they are batting in the batting order.

USSSA Rule 7.04 C: “Whenever a tag play is evident, a runner must slide or seek to avoid contact with the fielder and / or catcher. Malicious contact shall supersede all obstruction penalties. Malicious contact is solely up to the discretion of the Umpire.

Coaches are allowed 1 mound trip per inning, on the second mound trip, the pitcher must come out. 2.9. Coaches are allowed a total of 3 mound trips per pitcher, on the 4th trip, the pitcher must come out.

For purposes of this Rule 5.10(l), replacing the pitcher shall constitute one trip to that pitcher that inning, regardless of whether the manager or coach chooses to go to the mound, or whether the pitcher remains in the game at a different position on defense.

Points are awarded to member teams, based on their order of finish in USSSA Events.

NIT's are tournaments that award World Series berths and higher team points. In 2024 there will also be Super NIT's. These Super NIT's will award the usual World Series berths and will also award a berth to the Elite World Series.

Pitching Rules Important Reminder

If you pitch more than 3 innings in a day, you must rest the next day. There is an 8 innings max for three days for all ages. Remember, you must always look back 2 days from the current day to check on the 8 Inning max.

USSSA bats are illegal in the Little League organization because they have “too much pop.” Removing these bats from the available list was primarily implemented as a safety issue.

USSSA (240 lb Compression): New NTS USSSA Bats have a higher compression than the Thumbprint models meaning that they will have less pop to them. As of September 1, 2020 Bat Manufacturers can only make USSSA bats that meet the 240 lb Compression test with this New USSSA NTS Stamp.

Are rolled bats illegal in USSSA? ›

Bats that are broken, altered or that deface the ball are illegal. Materials inside the bat or treatments/devices used to alter the bat specifications and/or enhance performance (e.g., shaving, rolling or artificially warming the bat barrel) are prohibited and render the bat illegal.

In American high school softball, most states use a mercy rule of 20 runs ahead in three innings or 10 in five innings.

Running through first base is significantly faster than sliding in collegiate baseball and softball players. Sliding into first base should only be attempted when avoiding a tag from or a collision with a fielder.

This continues until a ball is put in play or batter strikes out. If the batter chooses not to swing at the 6th pitch, she will be called out. Slash/slap hitting, where the player squares to bunt and pulls the bat back and swings, is not permitted in this division.

Mound visits had no time limit prior to the 2016 season, when Major League Baseball began limiting visits by managers and coaches to 30 seconds. The rule limiting each team to six mound visits per nine innings was instituted prior to the 2018 campaign and changed to five per nine innings prior to the 2019 season.

Mound visits: Every team will have four mound visits per game with their pitchers, down from five trips in 2023. An extra mound visit, however, will be issued for the ninth inning if the defensive team has no visits remaining at the end of the eighth inning.

The starting pitcher can re-enter as a pitcher only once. If the starting pitcher is removed as pitcher, re-entered as pitcher, and then again removed as pitcher, she may re-enter the game in any position with the exception of pitcher.

If the game goes into extra innings, each team is granted one additional mound visit per extra inning. This ensures that teams can continue to manage their pitchers effectively without depleting their mound visits entirely.