06/17/2026
🌟 Managers – A Few Friendly Hotbox Tournament Reminders! 🌟
We’re excited to have everyone out at the tournament and hope you’re ready for a fun weekend of softball! 🥎😄 The schedule will be live later today. Please help us keep things running smoothly by keeping these important reminders in mind:
👥 Your Team, Your Responsibility
First and foremost, managers are responsible for their players. Please make sure everyone on your team is respectful to the umpires, other players, and each other. We’re all here to compete, have fun, and enjoy the weekend! 🙌😊
🥎 Ball Rules – Please Come Prepared!
Here’s how game balls will work for the tournament:
Men’s Division
The umpire will provide 1 ball per team per game.
After that, teams are responsible for providing replacement balls.
If the batting team causes a delay of more than 45 seconds because a ball isn’t ready, a strike will be called… and another strike every 45 seconds until a ball is supplied. ⏰⚠️
Coed Division
The umpire will provide 1 ball per gender per game.
After that, teams must provide replacement balls.
Same delay rule applies: more than 45 seconds caused by the batting team = strike called, and every 45 seconds after until a ball is in play. ⏳🥎
👉 Bottom line: COME PREPARED! 😅
📋 General Tournament & Complex Rules
Please review these carefully:
Casual profanity rules will be in effect. This is at the umpire’s discretion, and their call is final. 🗣️
No va**ng, smoking, or alcohol in dugouts or on the fields at any time. 🚭🍺❌
No dogs inside the fenced complex area. 🐶🚫
No glass containers inside the complex. 🍾❌
No motorized vehicles inside the complex. 🛵🚫
No metal cleats allowed. 👟❌
Signed rosters must be turned in to the concession stand by the start of your last Saturday game.
If not turned in, your team will not be added to Sunday’s bracket and will forfeit the rest of tournament play. 📄⚠️
For bracket games, rostered players only.
If you haven’t paid online yet, please do so before your first game at the concession stand.
Payment accepted: check, cash, or credit card 💳💵
🌧️ Rainout Policy
Umpires on the field will determine whether weather or field conditions are unsafe.
If a pool play game has completed 3 full innings, it will count toward seeding.
If bracket games cannot be finished, prizes will go to the highest remaining seed in the bracket.
If the tournament is fully rained out, refunds will be based on games completed vs. games guaranteed. ☔
🚨 Disqualifications & Ejections
Disqualifications
A player may be disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct at the umpire’s discretion.
A disqualified player must leave the field for the rest of that game.
A 2nd disqualification means that player is done for the tournament. ❌
Ejections
A player may be ejected for severe and/or repeated unsportsmanlike conduct.
Ejected players must leave the entire softball complex for the rest of the tournament.
A player may also be ruled ineligible if the umpire feels they are too intoxicated to play.
GVSA has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for mistreatment of umpires. 🚫😡
🧢 Pick-Up Player Rules
Teams cannot just add players to bring in “ringers” for later games.
All players must be registered and rostered for that team.
In the case of injury, teams may pick up up to 2 players, but:
The tournament director must be notified before the game
Those players must sign a roster before playing
Emergency pick-ups are not allowed if the team already has 10 rostered players
(An 11th player cannot be an emergency pick-up)
Emergency pick-ups cannot replace ejected players. 📝
🏆 Bracket Format
Tournament format is a 4-game guarantee:
3 pool games
1 bracket game
Bracket is single elimination.
Seeding is based on:
Record
Run differential
Runs scored 📊
📌 Rule Modifications from USA Rules
Saturday – Pool Play 🗓️
No new inning after 50 minutes
Drop-dead time is 60 minutes
If at the top of the inning, score reverts to the last completed inning
If in the bottom of the inning, the current score stands
Home team is decided by coin toss
Home team keeps the official book
Winning team must report scores to the concession stand
Open number of batters in the lineup
No run rules in effect
Home Run Rules (without home run bands):
Men’s: 2
Coed: 1
💥 Home Run Bands
Pool Play only
$30 per band
Non-transferable
If you lose it… you lose it 😅
Foul Bands
Pool Play only
$25 per band
Allows 1 extra foul per at-bat
Sunday – Bracket Play 🏅
No new inning after 50 minutes
Drop-dead time is 60 minutes until semifinals
Semifinals and after: no time limit
If at the top of the inning, score reverts to the last completed inning
If in the bottom, the current score stands
Run rule for Championships:
20 after 3 innings
15 after 4 innings
10 after 5 innings
12 batters max; all others must substitute
Home team goes to the higher seed
Tournament Director may impose time restrictions if needed due to extenuating circumstances ⏱️
🎉 Final Reminder
Let’s keep it competitive, respectful, and fun for everyone! Thanks for helping make this a great tournament weekend 🥎💙
