EVENT DETAILS

Pony Rules

• Divisions are based upon a player’s 2024 PONY League Age (as of April 30, 2023).  Players may play up in age but may not play down.
• Major League Baseball rules will apply with exceptions noted here or in the PONY Rulebook.
• All pitching & scores and results will be posted on usssasocal.com which will link to the national site on usssa.com
• AA divisions will use normal USSSA pitching rules.
• In 7u/8U, a runner may steal a base but may not break contact with base until ball is released from pitchers hand. If a runner leaves early and the ball is not put n play, the runner must return to previous base unless he is thrown out. If runner leaves early a 2nd time, he is out. If a runner leaves early and ball is put in play, the runner is out, (Delayed Dead Ball) Each team will receive one warning per game. ON the second subsequent violation by any player on the same team, the runner will be declared out.
• In 7u/8U, batter is automatically out on dropped 3rd strike and runners may advance at their own risk
• Ages 7U-14UTeams may elect to bat 9 players OR bat their entire roster.  In the 6U, teams will bat their entire roster. Starters may re-enter one time only in their original spot in the batting order. In 6U, all players will bat.  No DHs are allowed.  Teams may start or play with 8 players.  The 9th position will be an out every time up.  Teams batting their entire line up that have an injured player that cannot hit may close up their line up with no penalty.  The player cannot return to the line up that game.  If they are batting their entire line up and a player is ejected, the empty spot is an out each time it comes up.
• All protests will be ruled on immediately and all decisions are final.  To protest a game, the umpire must be informed that the game is being played under protest and a tournament director will make a ruling immediately.  Do not continue the game under any circumstances.  Once the next pitch is thrown, both teams have lost the right to protest. 
• Courtesy runners will be allowed for the pitcher and catcher at any time.  The courtesy runner will be someone not currently in the game or if the team has no substitution, the last out.
• All conversations with an umpire should be conducted after a time out has been called and done so in a calm and professional manner.  Verbal abuse of the umpire will not be tolerated and may result in ejection from the game and teams being expelled from the tournament Absolutely no verbal abuse of the youth umpires will be tolerated.
• To intentionally walk a batter, a coach simply needs to inform the umpire and point to first base with no pitches thrown. One offensive time out per inning will be allowed.
• Home team will be determined by coin flip and occupy the 3rd base dugout.  Each team will provide a scorekeeper will all changes going through the home plate umpire.  In playoff rounds, higher seeds will automatically be the home team.
• There are no BBQ’s allowed in Fountain Valley Sports Park.  No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park.  RV parking is allowed only on the service road by the golf course.  No RV parking will be allowed in the parking lots.  No overnight parking is allowed.  The snack bar is a major fundraiser for Fountain Valley Pony, please support it.  Parking is allowed in marked spaces only.  Some spaces will be reserved for USSSA/FVPB staff.  Parking in these spots or removing the cones marking these spots will result in your car being towed.  With the large number of teams in one location, parking will be an issue. Please carpool whenever possible. 
• Managers do not have to be in uniform for this tournament.  Teams must be nonduplicating numbers.  No uniform protests will be allowed.
• In all star divisions, USA bat rules apply.  IN PONY-14U, BBCOR or USA Bats are allowed

Welcome!

FOUNTAIN VALLEY SPORTS PARK, 16400 BROKHURST STREET, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA 92708
WEST GARDEN GROVE PONY, 12345 SPRINGDALE STREET, GARDEN GROVE, CA 92845
(Located behind Bell Intermediate School)

We are excited to have your team participating in the 2024 FVPB/USSSA Memorial Day tournament in Fountain Valley/West Garden Grove this coming weekend.
Here are a few reminders...
With over 100 teams participating, we strongly encourage you to get there early as parking is at a premium. Please car pool where possible. All teams must have a representative check in 1 hr prior to first game. If your first game is on fields 1-2-3-4-5, please check in at the Director Booth in the quad by field 1. If your teams first game is on field 6-7-8-9-10 or 11 please check in at the Directors booth behind field 8 next to the snack bar. If you are playing at West Garden Grove Pony, please check in with the director next to the snack bar. It is there that they will receive their Pitching Log which they must fill out and have umpire sign after every game. They must have copy of roster & book of birth certificate copies & proof of insurance for review by director. Teams playing 1st games on fields 1-6 at FV will have check in next to snack bar in center of complex of fields 1-4. Teams playing on fields 7-11 will check in with director behind field 8 next to FVPB Snack Bar. For teams playing 1st game at West Garden Grove Pony, check in will be next to snack bar in center of complex.

For ages 10 AA & 12AA, regular USSSA rules will apply with real time results on usssa.com.

For warm up areas, please use the soccer fields B & C behind field 10 or the grassy area between as well as field 12 & 13 in the outfield only.

Field 14 & 15 are closed and no warm on those fields is allowed. No live BP is allowed.

Whiffle balls or hitting nets only.

We will have a limited number of Tournament Shirts for sale at the check in areas. Shop early as sizes will sell out quickly.

We have snack bars set up at all locations. Please support them.

Playoff seedings will be available online 30 minutes after final game ends in all divisions. Teams must be ready to play when playoff game is scheduled The 5th seed & 6th seed will play Sunday afternoon at WGG Pony field in PONY division with winner advancing to Monday.

It is your responsibility to know when and where you play. Please check the schedule for updates and keep in contact with your team representative who will be in contact with tournament personnel.

We recognize that this has been a difficult year with all of the rain outs and the delay in selecting all star teams. With this in mind, we know that some leagues have had delays in receiving all star uniforms which means some will be using their rec uniforms which may not match or may have duplicate numbers. For this reason, we will not allow any uniform protests. What we are asking is to make sure that the umpires know who is who by being descriptive on the line up card. If a team has two number 8s and one is in Reds jersey and the other is in a Dodger jersey, note it on line up card to eliminate confusion.

We look forward to a great weekend of baseball. Should you have any further questions, please see one of our directors on the field.

Good Luck to all

John & Julie Gleason
Baseball First/USSSA