MADE Baseball League Rules & Structure

To ensure a flexible and balanced schedule, MADE Baseball collects detailed availability and travel information from every participating team before the season begins.

Each team will submit the following details through the scheduling form:

• Availability: Dates and times the team is available to play

• Home Field Location: Primary field(s) and facility information

• Hosting Ability: Whether the team can host games and on which days

• Blackout Dates: Tournament weekends or unavailable dates

• Travel Distance (Weekdays): Maximum distance the team is willing to travel for midweek games

• Travel Distance (Weekends): Maximum distance the team is willing to travel for weekend games

MADE Baseball uses this information to coordinate matchups that minimize travel, respect blackout dates, and maintain competitive balance across all divisions.

The league strives to accommodate each team’s preferences as closely as possible while ensuring a fair and complete schedule for all participants.

All teams must submit finalized rosters prior to the start of the Spring MADE League season.

Teams have two options for submitting their roster information:

1. Manager Portal Entry – Managers may enter players directly into the USSSA system.

2. Excel Template Submission – MADE Baseball can assist with roster entry. Teams may complete the provided Excel template (emailed to all participating managers), and the MADE staff will upload the roster into the USSSA system on their behalf.

Many managers prefer this method as it’s faster and ensures accuracy.

Once a player is officially rostered for the first time, they are assigned a unique USSSA Player ID Number that remains with them throughout their playing career. This system allows USSSA to:

• Track players across teams and seasons

• Prevent date-of-birth errors

• Maintain consistent eligibility records

After a player is added to a roster, their guardian will receive an email invitation to create a free Guardian Account. From this account, guardians can:

• Confirm and manage player information

• Add additional details useful for future recruiting opportunities

Important:

• Each player can only be rostered on one team within the USSSA system at a time.

• A maximum of three guest players are permitted per event, provided they are registered through the Manager Portal and are of equal or lower classification (AA, AAA, or Major).

Teams must schedule a minimum of 8 league games to qualify for the end-of-season tournament included with league registration.

If cancellations occur due to weather, enforcement of this rule will be at the sole discretion of the league director.

MADE Baseball welcomes traditional “tournament teams” by offering flexible scheduling. Teams will submit availability and blackout dates, and MADE Baseball will coordinate matchups accordingly.

MADE Baseball partners with professional umpire associations across Maryland and Delaware.

Umpires are assigned by MADE Baseball and the associations, with assignor fees covered by the league.

Teams can select their preferred association from the list of approved partners.

To participate in MADE Baseball events & any other USSSA event, each team must be registered in the USSSA system, which charges a standard fee of $85 per season to create and maintain a team. USSSA Seasons run from the second Tuesday in August through the following second Tuesday in August.

MADE Baseball offers a discounted option to help teams save:

• $40 if paid through the website

• $35 if paid via Venmo

This service is not a profit center for MADE Baseball. We offer it solely as a convenience to help teams save money and simplify the USSSA registration process.

Teams are encouraged to complete payment early to ensure their team is fully registered and eligible for league play and tournaments.

USSSA Team Registration

Developmental & Local Travel Teams

• Designed for developing teams or those newer to travel baseball.

• Typically made up of players still gaining experience in competitive play.

• Focus is on fundamentals, growth, and balanced competition with similar-level teams.

• Teams generally play a mix of league games and a few regional tournaments.

Common Traits:

• Rosters mainly built from local or community players

• Limited tournament experience

• Competitive at their level, but not yet ready for higher divisions

AAA – Competitive Travel Teams

• Represents advanced teams that compete regularly and perform well in local or regional events.

• Players have stronger skill sets and game awareness.

• Competition is faster-paced, with more strategic play and stronger pitching.

Common Traits:

• Regular participation in regional tournaments

• Players often have multiple years of travel experience

• Balanced roster depth and consistent performance

Major – Elite Travel & Regional Powerhouse Teams

• Reserved for top-tier, elite teams competing at the highest level of youth baseball.

• Teams typically travel extensively and face top programs across states.

• Expect high-level pitching, defense, and advanced game strategy.

Common Traits:

• Rosters include top talent from multiple areas

• Consistently compete in national-level USSSA events

• Focused on preparing players for high-level competition and exposure

Game times match MADE tournament standards:

• 7U–12U: 6 innings | No new inning after 1:45 | Drop dead at 2:00

• 13U–18U: 7 innings | No new inning after 1:45 | Drop dead at 2:00

These limits ensure consistent scheduling and umpire coverage between fields.

Scores can be submitted to your age group coordinator or emailed directly to MADE Baseball.

Please do not text scores.

Teams may use the iScore app, which automatically syncs player stats with the USSSA system.

If no score is reported, MADE Baseball will reference results from GameChanger.

Teams may be reclassified midseason based on results; however, league schedules will remain unchanged.

Teams are seeded into the End of Season Tournament based on their league standings — not random draws — ensuring that every regular-season game matters and contributes to seeding.

Tournament Format:

• Two pool play games (Friday or Saturday)

• Single elimination begins Sunday

• Divisions remain separated to promote balanced, competitive play

Umpire Fees:

Teams will pay umpires at the plate prior to the start of each game. This process helps streamline scheduling and ensures that umpires are compensated directly at game time.

Rainout Policy:

In the event the tournament is canceled due to weather and cannot be completed, MADE Baseball will issue teams a credit toward any future MADE Baseball tournament of their choice.

• Credit value will be valid for 365 days from the date of issue.

• Credits are non-refundable but may be transferred to another MADE-hosted event.

MADE Baseball remains committed to providing a fair, competitive, and well-organized conclusion to the league season for all participating teams.

Managers are responsible for maintaining control of their team, players, coaches, and spectators at all times.

If an umpire determines that a sideline is acting in an inappropriate or unsportsmanlike manner, the manager may be warned, restricted to the dugout, or ejected — all at the discretion of the umpire.

MADE Baseball emphasizes respect and sportsmanship. There is a national shortage of umpires, due in large part to poor spectator behavior. The league expects all participants and spectators to uphold the standards of respect that make the game better for everyone.

If a manager is ejected:

• The umpire will file a report with their assignor,

• The assignor will then forward the report to MADE Baseball,

• Based on the report and the severity of the incident, USSSA will impose a minimum one-game suspension.

Further disciplinary action, including extended suspensions, may be issued at the discretion of the USSSA National Office or MADE Baseball.

Teams are responsible for providing their own baseballs for all league games and the end-of-season tournament.

All baseballs used in MADE Baseball League play must meet the following requirements:

• Game-quality condition (new or lightly used only)

• Official USSSA stamp clearly visible

To make participation more convenient, MADE Baseball offers Diamond DOL-1 USSSA baseballs at a discounted price exclusively for league and tournament participants.

Teams may purchase these on this website, and arrange for pickup at one of the designated pickup dates & times. Shop for baseballs using the button below:

Shop Baseballs

Once the original schedule has been distributed and entered into the USSSA system, it is the home team’s responsibility to notify MADE Baseball and the appropriate umpire assignor of any schedule changes, including cancellations and make-up games, after approval by the guest team.

For weather-related cancellations, it is the home team’s responsibility to notify the umpire assignor promptly.

MADE Baseball will send a weekly game update to each age group reflecting all scheduled games for that week. Both teams are responsible for reviewing these updates and ensuring that all game information is current and accurate.

If an umpire (or umpires) arrive at a field for a game that was previously canceled, the umpire show-up fee will be owed to the umpire assignor for distribution to the umpire(s) who attended. This fee is typically one game fee per umpire.

If a team fails to show up for a scheduled game, the offending team is responsible for paying the umpire(s) show-up fee.

Repeated failures to notify the umpire assignor of changes, or repeated no-shows, may result in the team being removed from the league without a refund.