Rulings · Protests · Cheat sheet
Set this once when you get to the complex. Every answer is scoped to it.
12U: 70-foot bases, 50-foot pitching distance.
USSSA · 12U · 0 outs · 0-0 count · Bases empty
USSSA Baseball / Fastpitch Official Rules
Rule Book
Set the book and the division, then ask me the situation. I'll give you the ruling, the penalty, and where it lives in the book — and I'll tell you when it's a local ground rule instead.
A reference aid, not the final authority — the umpire's ruling on the field governs.
USSSA baseball generally permits leadoffs and stealing at all ages, with 8U and some 9U events restricting stealing home or requiring the ball to cross the plate. Confirm the age-group grid for the event before enforcing.
USSSA age-group rules grid
🏟️ Little League
No leaving early below Intermediate — In Major and below, a runner may not leave the base until the pitched ball reaches the batter. Leaving early is not an automatic out — the umpire calls the runner out only on the prescribed penalty sequence; in Minor/Major stealing is otherwise allowed.
Dropped third strike does not apply in Minor/Major — In Little League Major and below the batter is out on a third strike the catcher does not hold; the batter may not run. Intermediate (50/70), Junior and Senior use the standard uncaught-third-strike rule with first base unoccupied or two outs.
🏆 USSSA
Leadoffs and stealing by age — USSSA baseball generally permits leadoffs and stealing at all ages, with 8U and some 9U events restricting stealing home or requiring the ball to cross the plate. Confirm the age-group grid for the event before enforcing.
🎓 NFHS
Standard stealing, uncaught third strike applies — Runners may leave at any time, and the batter becomes a runner on an uncaught third strike when first base is unoccupied or there are two outs. In softball the same applies but stealing is legal once the pitch is released.
🐴 PONY
Stealing allowed with division limits — Stealing is permitted in Mustang and above once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand; Shetland/Pinto divisions typically do not permit stealing. Leadoffs are legal in the older divisions.
Judgment calls — safe/out, balls and strikes, fair/foul, catch/no catch — can never be protested under any of these books.
1. Call time before the next pitch
Request time from the plate umpire and state clearly: “I am protesting the application of a rule.” Once the next pitch or play happens, the protest is dead.
2. Name the rule, not the call
Judgment (safe/out, ball/strike, fair/foul, catch/no catch) can never be protested. Point to the rule you believe was misapplied, and ask the crew to get together.
3. Fix the situation in writing
Log inning, outs, count, runners, score, batter and the exact ruling before play resumes. The committee decides from the recorded situation, not memory.
4. Get the tournament director or UIC to the field
The event's director or umpire-in-chief rules on site before play resumes. Have the posted event rules and your protest fee ready — most events require cash, refunded when the protest is upheld.
5. Play resumes under the ruling
Once the director rules, the game continues; the ruling stands for the rest of the game even if a later review disagrees.
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