Tie Breaker Question
 

Disclaimer: I am a softball guy that does USA Softball and NFHS, so that is why I am asking!

My grandson was playing in a USSSA Baseball tournament last weekend and they went to extra innings. This was 7U coaches pitch and the tie breaking procedure they used was as followed:
1) last player that will bat that inning goes to 2B
2) Start with a 1-1 count
3) Only get 3 pitches (normal rule is 5 pitches)

So my question is this correct by USSSA baseball rules? Understanding they could have has tournament specific rules but I just wondered if this was correct by "standard" rules. The first step sure, but I don't understand the 1-1 count or the reducing the number of pitches. I thought the tie breaker rule was to help teams score to remove the tie, not try to get more outs!

Really?
 

I'm sorry, but I don't understand why this is a question! 7U? Come on! Maybe to get the game over ASAP!? Enlighten me, please!

Well first off I agree 7U is crazy, but that's a whole other topic.

I guess my point in asking this question, like most questions was to find the answer. It was to educate myself some on baseballs tie breaker procedures. Is it common to have a 1-1 count when going to extra innings. And to your point, of getting the game over ASAP, once you have a tie game you need runs, not outs to finish the game. Again my point in the question of how does it make sense to have parts of the tie breaker rule to get outs quicker when the goal is to provide teams with a chance to get runs so you can finish the game.

Maybe the goal is not to get outs but to save the pitchers' arms -- those coaches can get tired!

What happens after three pitches? With just three pitches, there is an incentive to swing the bat at anything close, which would keep the game moving. If the time-at-bat is over after three pitches, with the ball not being in play, a walk or strikeout, just no out recorded and the next batter up, the changes might be to speed the game up by shortening at-bats.

I do agree, at that age the coach puts the ball where they swing on a number of batters! It's more of a coach hitting the bat rather than a batter hitting the ball!

It is a three strikes your out sort of thing. So starting with a 1-1 count, two swings and your out, or after the third pitch they are out. So again speed up the inning but if we don't score a run it will keep the game going, not expedite the completion of the game as we have to have a winner.

I guess the thinking is if you get kids swinging, something game-ending is bound to happen sooner or later!