USSSA has begun making bat stamp and standard changes that affect both Baseball and Slowpitch Softball. Please read carefully as they may affect you!

New USSSA Bat Stamp 2020/2021

"After Much collaboration with our manufacturing partners, USSSA will be transitioning to a new bat testing lab. USSSA has formed a strategic partnership with NTS Chesapeake to validate bats for USSSA Slow Pitch and Baseball Programs. This partnership will provide our participation and manufacturing partners assurance that USSSA is dedicated to growth through game integrity.

In correlation with the new lab we will be rolling out new bat stamps to signify testing under the new Standards and Protocols developed by the USSSA Bat Committee. This process involved months of testing with current USSSA certified bats. Slow Pitch bats certified under the new standards will have an initial retail launch on June 1, 2020. Bats with the 2012 USSSA stamp will be grandfathered in until July 1, 2021. On July 1, 2021, bats with a compression of 240 lbs or greater will be eligible for use on the field of play. This will provide participants with 23 months to use current stamped bats.

USSSA Baseball bat certification will also transition to NTS. There are no foreseeable changes to Standards in Baseball; however, there will be a new USSSA baseball stamp. There will be no grandfathering stop date on old stamp bats, as the new stamp will only denote the bat has been certified by NTS." - Brian Wegman

USSSA BASEBALL RULES

Sep 1, 2019

New USSSA Bat Stamp: USSSA is transitioning their bat testing to a new facility, NTS Chesapeake. There will be a New USSSA Baseball Bat Stamp in 2020 to denote which bats are tested by NTS. The bat standard is NOT changing, only the stamp and ALL Current Bats will be grandfathered in with no stop date.

What does this mean? You'll see a new stamp coming out on USSSA Baseball bats. Both the new and current stamp will be allowed in play for the foreseeable future. Ultimately there is nothing to worry about.

Jan 1, 2020

13u Division Receives a New Bat Limit: Beginning January 1, 2020 all 13u events and all Teams in 13u events must use a maximum of drop 8 (-8) bat with the official USSSA 1.15 BPF mark permanently stamped. All 14u events and all Teams in 14u events must use a maximum of drop 5 (-5) bat with the official USSSA 1.15 BPF mark permanently stamped.

What does this mean? 13u must now use a Drop 8 (-8), Drop 5 (-5) or BBCOR (-3) Bat. You CANNOT use a Drop 9 (-9) or lighter bat!

Penalty: (First Offense) If the Umpire discovers that a bat does not conform to USSSA Rule 7.01.C until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out and/or ejection from the game. If the Umpire discovers that a bat has been used to put a ball in play and before the next legal pitch, the defensive team shall have the choice of the result of the play or the batter being called out and all runners returning to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. (Second Offense) If a team is found in violation of this rule a second time, then the manager shall be ejected in addition to the First Offense penalty.

USSSA SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL RULES

USSSA has decided to change their Slowpitch Bat Standards!

What does this mean? The new bats will have less pop than the current models with the 2012 stamp on them! Current models allow a lower compression of 220 lbs as opposed to the new standard of 240 lbs or higher. They are deadening their bats!

What about NSA? Seeing as NSA also allows the 1.20 BPF or 220 lb compression, will they be changing as well? No, NSA currently does not plan to adopt the 240 lb compression. They will continue to allow all 2012 stamped bats for the foreseeable future.