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FIELD LOCATIONS

All North Star Classic games are conveniently located in Eagan, MN, at two separate field complexes. Each complex is only a 25-minute drive from downtown Minneapolis, and only a 5-minute drive between complexes.

TOURNAMENT RULES

There will be no meeting prior to the tournament. All teams are expected to have knowledge of and comply with all USA Softball rules and modifications outlined in the tournament rules; by completing registration, all registered players and non-players are in agreement. Questions regarding the contents on this page can be directed towards the Tournament Committee. Questions regarding any rules during the tournament will be handled by the umpire officiating the game.

Rules

North Star Classic will abide by USA Softball rules, except as modified below. All rules are subject to change or to be clarified by the North Star Classic Tournament Committee in partnership with the Tournament UIC.

1. AGE: Players must be at minimum 18 years of age by the first date of tournament play to register and play. Non-players must be at minimum 16 years of age to register. Age requirements will be enforced by sponsor bars per the policy of the establishment.
2. RATINGS: We will follow the 2023 iPride and ASANA Player rating guidelines. Submit 2023 player ratings when completing official team roster. Player ratings must be submitted on the official NSC roster form at minimum of 2 weeks prior to the tournament for validation by the Tournament Committee.

iPride Softball

• Open A Division: There is no maximum team or individual player rating.
• Open B Division: All teams rated 180 or lower; no players rated above a 20.
• Open C Division: All teams rater 140 or lower; no players rated above a 15.
• Open D Division: All teams rated 110 or lower; no players rated above a 12.
• Open E Division: All teams rated 75 or lower; no players rated above an 8.
• Legends C: All teams rated 140 or lower; no players rated above a 15. Players must be 50 or older, or turn 50 in the 2024 calendar year to play on a Legends team.
• Legends D: All teams rated 110 or lower; no players rated above a 12. Players must be 50 or older, or turn 50 in the 2024 calendar year to play on a Legends team.

ASANA Guidelines

• Womens A Division - Team that has no more than two (2) Elite players, and any other combination of players of any classification
• Womens B Division - Team that has no Elite players, no more than four (4) roster “A” division players, and any other  combination of players of any lower classification, and whose highest 10 rated players sum rating does not exceed 824
• Womens C Division - Team has no Elite players, no “A” division players, no more than three (3) roster “B” division players rated 70-79, and any other combination of players of any lower classification, and whose highest 10 rated players sum rating does not exceed 674.
• Womens D Division - Team has no Elite players, no “A” division players, no “B” division players, no more than three (3) roster “C” division players rated 51-65, and whose highest 10 rated players sum rating does not exceed 519.

3. ROSTER: Teams may have up to 20 players on the roster and bat no more than 12 players. USA Softball substitution rules still apply.
4. REGISTRATION: All players, coaches, and managers must register by checking in with a valid form of identification and signing the tournament release form (i.e. registration book) prior to stepping on the field. No one is allowed on the field or in the dugouts (including score keepers, fans, etc.) without first signing the tournament release form.
   1. Playing an unregistered player in any game will result in forfeit of the game and the unregistered player will be disqualified from continuing to play in the remainder of the tournament.
   2. The registration book with the official team roster will be available at the Registration Party on Friday, and at fields located near the concession stand on Saturday and Sunday approximately 1 hour prior to the first scheduled game.
5. UNIFORMS: All players should wear a jersey with a unique number. Temporary numbers and marked jerseys of a different color are discouraged, but permitted. Jewelry must be removed or securely taped prior to playing. Tournament wristbands may be worn during play.
6. PRACTICE: No practice is permitted on the tournament fields.
7. SUBSTANCES: The use of alcohol or smoking is not permitted within a dugout or on a field of play.
   1. Must be 21 years of age to purchase or consume alcohol.
   2.  Alcoholic beverages purchased on-site can be consumed within the confines of the complex, but is not permitted within a dugout or on a field of play. Sale of alcohol will be available after 10AM in accordance with state and city laws.
   3. Outside alcoholic beverages cannot be brought into the complex.
8. MINIMUM PLAYERS: Teams must start the game with at minimum 9 players.
   1. If a team plays with 9 players, the number 10 spot in the batting lineup is taken as an out.
   2. Once a game starts, if an additional registered team player arrives, they can be added as the number 10 spot at the bottom of the batting lineup.
   3. Any additional late players can be added as a substitute player, but cannot be added to the batting lineup without substitution. Scheduled game start time is forfeit time.
   4. Teams playing back to back games will be permitted a reasonable amount of time to move fields for consecutive games.
   5. It is encouraged that teams are aware of potential game times before leaving the complex between pool play and tournament play, or other breaks between games.
9. LINEUP CARDS: Starting lineup and available substitutes must be filled out on lineup cards (provided) prior to the start of the game. A copy must be given to the umpire and opposing team manager during the pregame conference. Additional cards will be available at concession stands and designated locations.
10. HOME TEAM: Home team will be determined by the following:
    1. Coin toss for pool play games; the officiating umpire will determine who will call the coin toss.
    2. Higher seed for all winners’ bracket games.
    3. Coin toss for all loser bracket games; the officiating umpire will determine who will call the coin toss.
    4. Undefeated team for the championship game, and by coin toss if an "if game" is require.
11. PITCHING: Pitch arc is 6-12 feet per iPride Softball rules.
12. BATS: USA Softball banned bats will not be permitted within a dugout or on a field of play. Permitted bats must be in "good" playing condition and will be evaluated upon the discretion of the officiating umpire.
13. BATTING: Each batter will start with a 1-1 count.
14. COURTESY FOUL: No courtesy foul will be provided. A foul hit with a 2 strike count will be counted as the third strike and the batter will be called out.
15. SAFETY BASE: The double base shall be used at first base as outlined by USA Softball rules. Noting, when a play is being made on the batter-runner, the defense must use the white portion and the batter-runner the contrasting color portion of the base.
16. BASE RUNNING: Base stealing and leading off is not allowed.
17. HOMERUN: iPride Softball homerun limit rules are in effect: 
    Open A: 5 home runs per game allowed
    Open B: 3 home runs per game allowed
    Open C / Legends C: 1 home per run per game allowed 
    Open D / Legends D: 0 home runs per game allowed
    Open E: 0 home runs per game allowed
    1. Any homerun over the limit ends the half inning for the batting team.
    2. For Northview field 1 only, any ball hit over the fence is a ground rule double regardless of the division.
    3. For interdivisional play between Open A & Open B Division teams, the home run limit is that of the lower division team. An inning-ending out applies to both teams after the limit is reached.
18. SUBSTITUTIONS: USA Softball substitution rules apply. This means that to replace a player on the lineup, you must enter a legal substitute. If the original player re-enters the game, they must do so in their original lineup position. Once a player has exited the game a second time, he/she cannot re-enter the game. This only applies to substitutions which change the batting order. Players in the batting order changing fielding positions or going between extra hitter and fielding positions are not considered substitutions.
19. COURTESY RUNNER: The USA Softball rule for courtesy runners will be used. Any eligible player on the official lineup including available substitutes may be used as a courtesy runner. A single courtesy runner may be used once per inning. If a player is a courtesy runner and remains on base when required to bat, the player is called out.
20. GAME TIME: The official game start is when the officiating umpire calls the start of the game. The official game end is after the final pitch within the limits defined herein or at time expiration.
    1. No new inning shall start after 50 minutes in pool play, 55 minutes in tournament play, or 60 minutes in championship games and "if" games.
    2. Pool play games may end in a tie at the end of inning 7 or at the end of the current inning once time has expired.
    3. The international tie-breaker will be used in the event that tournament play games end in a tie.
21. OFFICIAL SCORECARD: The coach or manager from each team must sign or initial the official umpire's game scorecard at the end of each game to confirm the correct score and winner is marked. Signed official scorecards are final and cannot be later disputed. The official scorecard is used to determine seeding and brackets for tournament play.
22. PROTESTS: Protesting is permitted using the following guidelines.
    1. The protesting team's manager must notify the officiating umpire (or if multiple umpires are officiating, the umpire behind home plate) prior to the official game end (refer to game time above) of his/her intention to protest by handing the umpire a completed protest card (available at information table) and the protest fee in cash.
    2. The protest fee is $100 for the first question and $50 per question for all subsequent questions. 
    3. All protests will be given to the Protest Committee which will consist of a NSC Tournament Director, NSC Committee Members, or League Officials (total of 3 members).
    4. Protests filed without written explanation and the proper fee will be rejected by the officiating umpire or Protest Committee and play will continue.
    5. After the Protest Committee has met with both team managers, they will make a decision before either team is allowed to continue further pool play or tournament play games.
    6. In the event the protest is upheld, the fee will be refunded to the protesting team; otherwise the fee is forfeited and retained by the NSC.
    7. Protest Committee decisions are final. It is the sole discretion of the Tournament Director to determine whether the conditions for a protest are accepted.
    8. Protests based solely on a decision involving accuracy or judgement on the part of an umpire will not be considered.