Rules & Info · Armed Forces SlugFest

Tournament Rules Bat Rules Age Chart Insurance & Rosters Refund Policy Payments

01 · The Format

Tournament Rules

These are the standing rules for all SlugFest events: the Zombie Apocalypse SlugFest and the Armed Forces SlugFest. Play by them and there are no gray areas.

Format & Guarantee

2 pool-play games Saturday, seeding teams into Sunday.
Single-elimination bracket Sunday — win or go home.
Minimum 3 games guaranteed, weather permitting.
2 umpires and game baseballs provided for every game.
Home team in pool play is decided by coin flip; in bracket play the higher seed is home.

Game Length

Games are 6 innings or a 1 hour 45 minute time limit — whichever comes first.
No new inning starts after the time limit. An inning that has begun is completed.
Championship games have no time limit and are played the full 6 innings.
Pool games may end in a tie; bracket games play extra innings (international tiebreaker — runner on second — after regulation) until a winner is decided.

Run Rule / Mercy

12 runs after 3 innings
10 runs after 4 innings
8 runs after 5 innings

The run rule applies in both pool and bracket play, including championship games.

Pool-Play Tiebreakers

1. Head-to-head result
2. Run differential (capped at ±8 per game)
3. Fewest runs allowed
4. Most runs scored
5. Coin flip

Lineups, Runners & Re-Entry

Batting options: teams may bat 9, bat 10 (with an EH), bat a continuous line-up of all rostered players, or use a straight 9 with substitutes. Declare your option to the umpire and scorekeeper before the game and keep it for the whole game.
Free defensive substitution when batting the roster; standard sub rules apply when batting 9 or 10.
Re-entry: any starter may re-enter one time in their original batting slot.
Courtesy runners are allowed for the pitcher and catcher at any time (recommended with two outs to keep pace). The courtesy runner must be a player not currently in the game, or the last batted-out when batting the full roster.
A player who arrives late may be added to the bottom of the order without penalty.

All rules are subject to final confirmation by the Tournament Director, whose ruling on the field is final.

02 · Legal Lumber

Bat Rules

By Division

8U – 12U: bats must be USA Baseball (USABat) stamped or USSSA (BPF 1.15) stamped. Barrel up to 2¾".
13U: USSSA (BPF 1.15) up to drop -8, USABat, or BBCOR. Barrel up to 2¾" for USSSA, 2⅝" for BBCOR.
14U: USSSA up to drop -5, USABat, or BBCOR (-3).
15U – 17U & 17+: BBCOR (-3) only for metal/composite; barrel 2⅝".
Wood bats are legal in every division and always welcome — this is a wood-bat-friendly event.

General

Bats must carry a visible, unaltered stamp. No shaved, rolled, doctored, or de-stamped bats.
An illegal bat found in a game results in the batter being called out and, on a second offense, ejection of the head coach — consistent with standard youth-baseball enforcement.
When in doubt about a specific model, ask the Tournament Director before game day.

Bat standards mirror current USA Baseball / USSSA youth travel-ball norms and are subject to final confirmation by the Tournament Director.

03 · Where Your Team Plays

Age Chart

A player's tournament age is their age as of August 31, 2026. A team plays up to the age of its oldest eligible player. Use the birth-year window as a guide — the Tournament Director confirms any borderline age before bracket play.

Division	League Age (as of 8/31/26)	Typical Birth-Year Window
8U	8 & under	Sep 2017 – 2018 or later
9U	9 & under	Sep 2016 – Aug 2017
10U	10 & under	Sep 2015 – Aug 2016
11U	11 & under	Sep 2014 – Aug 2015
12U	12 & under	Sep 2013 – Aug 2014
13U	13 & under	Sep 2012 – Aug 2013
14U	14 & under	Sep 2011 – Aug 2012
15U	15 & under	Sep 2010 – Aug 2011
16U	16 & under	Sep 2009 – Aug 2010
17U	17 & under	Sep 2008 – Aug 2009
17+	High-school upper (open)	2008 & earlier (see TD)

Divisions carry A B C tiers so every team lands in a fair bracket. Cutoff date and windows are subject to final confirmation by the Tournament Director.

04 · Paperwork That Matters

Insurance, Rosters & Birth Certificates

Insurance

Every team must carry its own general liability insurance.
Provide a certificate of insurance before your first game.
The tournament, its directors, and host facilities assume no liability for injury; each team is responsible for its own players and coaches.

Rosters

Submit your official roster before your first game.
Rosters lock once bracket play begins — no additions after that point.
A player may appear on only one roster per event.

Birth Certificates

Have a birth certificate available on request for every player.
Used only for age verification in the event of a protest.
A team that cannot verify a challenged player's age may forfeit affected games.

Documentation requirements are subject to final confirmation by the Tournament Director.

05 · Money Back

Refund Policy

Before the Event

On or before the registration deadline: full refund minus a non-refundable processing fee.
After the registration deadline: 50% refund if your spot can be filled from the waitlist; otherwise no refund, as fields and umpires are already committed.
Once bracket play begins, no refunds are issued.

Weather / Act of God

0 games played: full refund minus the processing fee, or a full credit toward a future AFSF event.
1 game played: 50% refund or credit.
2 or more games played: the event is considered complete — no refund.
Credits toward a future event are honored for 12 months.

All refund and credit decisions are subject to final confirmation by the Tournament Director.

06 · Squaring Up

Payments

Entry Fee & How To Pay

Entry is $775 per team. Register your team on this site, then send the entry fee directly to the tournament by any of these:

Check — payable to Frank LeClair or SlugFest, mailed to 5790 Meadow Drive, Frederick, MD 21702
PayPal — fredericksluggerfest@yahoo.com (use the Friends & Family option so neither side pays online fees)
Venmo — @ArmedForcesSlugFest (last 4 digits: 7256)
Zelle — 240-344-7256
Cash App — $FranklinLeClair
Credit card — email FrederickElite@yahoo.com (card fees apply)

Your spot is confirmed once payment is received, and balances are due in full by the registration deadline.

$775Per Team

Register on this site
Pay by check, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Cash App

Fees and deadlines are subject to final confirmation by the Tournament Director.

You've read the fine print

Now grab your bid

$775 per team · Armed Forces SlugFest registration is open now. The Zombie SlugFest returns in October 2027.

$775 per team · The Zombie Apocalypse SlugFest returns in October 2027. Dates are being set now, and registration opens here.

Register Your Team → View Live Brackets

Questions? Email Tournament Director Frank LeClair — FrederickElite@yahoo.com