Tournament Rules

 

 

* National Federation High School Rules will be followed with the following additions.

 

General

 

1. Age Requirement: May 1st will be the designated date to determine all age groups.

   Photocopies of birth certificates are required and will be in the possession of the

   Head Coach / Team Manager at all times during the tournament.

 

EXAMPLE: to play for a 9U team, a player can NOT turn 10 before May 1st.

 

2. Roster: 18 players maximum. Rosters turned in at registration are FINAL no revision

and or additions will be allowed. Birth Certificates will be reviewed at registration, and

there needs to be one for every player, if for some reason you do not have one for a

particular player, this player will not be allowed to participate. Sorry but no exceptions.

 

3. Insurance: All teams are required to have their own team coverage. You will need to show a copy of this at registration.

 

4. Players can only play on one team in the selected age group during the tournament.

 

5. Uniforms with numbers are required. No duplicate numbers allowed. Players use the

same number throughout the tournament to help keep accurate pitching logs.

 

6. Protest Fee: $100. cash ( Rule interpretation only ).

 

7. Home Team : Will be determined by coin flip during Pool Play. There is no

particular dug out required. When games are done by seeding

(Playoffs and Championship Game), higher seed will always be Home Team.

If teams are the same seeding during playoffs and or Championship Game a 

Coin toss will determine Home Team.  

 

8. Game Time: Start time is forfeit time. Umpire will determine Start Time and record it

with the Official Score Keeper.

 

9. Home Team is the Official Score Keeper.

 

10. Player Minimum: Teams can start and play a game with 8 players, but will have to record an out for that 9th spot vacant. If player shows up late he can fill that spot that’s recording the out at anytime during the game.

 

11. Length of Games:

Play 6 innings or NO NEW INNING AFTER (1 Hour 30 minutes)

***** DROP DEAD TIME IS - 1 Hour 45 minutes *****

 

Batter must complete their at bat once DROP DEAD has been called.

Once an inning begins it must be completed. However, if the home team is ahead and batting when time expires, the game is over and the inning is not completed.

 

Or and if visiting team takes the lead in inning that DROP DEAD is called. That inning will not count. If will revert back to last full inning score.

 

12. There will be 90 seconds between half innings. Hustle in and hustle out!

Repeated violation of this rule can result in penalties of balls and strikes issued to first hitter.

STALLING will not be permitted! If in the umpires opinion feels a manager is stalling, he may refuse to allow a visit, make a player step in the box, etc. to keep the game moving. Please attempt to get in as many innings as possible and maintain integrity to the game.  

 

 

13. Tie Games : No extra innings in pool play, even if time remains. Tie games in pool play will be recorded ˝ win and ˝ a loss. There has to be a winner on Sunday elimination games so the California Tie Breaker rule will go into effect for Playoffs & Championship Games only. California tie breaker rule. (batting team will place the last out of the previous inning on 2nd base and will be charged with one out, this will continue each inning until there is a winner.)

 

14. Championship Games: No time limit, Mercy Rule in effect.

 

15. Mercy Rule: All games and all divisions – 12 runs after 3 innings, 8 runs after 4 innings.

 

16. Metal Cleats: 11u and 12u only. NO METAL CLEATS ON THE MOUNDS

 

17. Bats: Must have USSSA stamps on all bats to be used

 

18. Extra Hitter (EH) : 17. Teams may elect to bat 9 players AND OR bat 10 players with the 10th player being an EH.  The EH is considered a defensive player and may switch in and out defensively.  Teams may also bat their entire roster. If team bats roster or has no subs when a starter is injured, then an out is recorded each time the injured player's spot comes up. Once a player is removed due to injury, he may not return Starters may re-enter one time only in their original spot.
Only ages 15 and up may use the DH, but only if they are not using the EH. Teams may play with 8 players with an out being taken for each time the 9th spot comes up. 9th player may be added any time during the game

 

 

 

  19. Courtesy Runner (CR): NEEDS TO BE A SUBSTITUTE IF ONE IS

AVAILABLE, IF NOT USE THE LAST OUT .

A CR will be allowed for the pitcher and or the catcher at anytime. The CR will be a substitute player not currently in the game. Teams batting entire lineup may use last out as a CR.

 

20. Pre-Game Infield : None. All teams are encouraged to warm up as much as possible

outside the game field where there is room.

 

21. Umpires : All conversations with an Umpire should be after a time out has been

called. Any conversations should be done in a calm and professional manner.

Verbal abuse will not be tolerated and may cause a manager/coach to be ejected.

Cursing and throwing of equipment will be cause for immediate ejection.

 

22. Ejections : Any Manager/Coach or player ejected from a game will sit out the

 next game also. Manager/Coach are responsible for the conduct of their fans also.

 

23. Any team using illegal players and players that were not originally

recorded on the original roster shall be subject to disciplinary action

ranging from forfeiting a game, removal from the tournament and

possible suspension from all Tournaments for 1 year.

 

24. Bad Weather: Tournaments could be played during wet weather conditions.

 Games could be shortened and the format may change. Managers / Coaches will be

 made aware of any changes before games start.

 

25. Refunds : Rain outs = 1 game played we refund 50% of the entry fee. 2 games played

there will be no refund. Cancellations = 14 business days before the tournament a full 

refund will be given, 13 businesses days or less a credit of the full amount will be applied

towards a future tournament. 

 

 

26. No Shows : Any team that doesn’t show up for their games will forfeit their entry

fee. 

 

27. Tournament Director will make final decisions on all tournament questions.

 

28. Mandatory Slide or Avoid Rule will be in effect at all age levels. A player will be

called out when he does not slide or make an effort to avoid a collision when the

defensive player has the ball and waiting to make a tag. If in the opinion of the umpire

the act is deemed to be malicious, the runner will be ejected from the game.

Runners are not allowed to go after a defensive player to break a play at any base. Runner must make attempt towards the base.  

 

29. Flagrant collision: Any player, in the judgment of the umpire, flagrantly colliding with any fielder that has the ball and trying to dislodge the ball (especially the catcher) is subject to immediate ejection. The player must slide or aviod.

This is for the safety of all players. Please talk to your players about this ruling as it is universal with all organizations.

 

Dimensions

 

​Division ​Bases ​      Pitching Distance

 

​10u ​  ​60/65 ft. ​      46 ft.

​11-12u​65/70 ft.                 50 ft.  

 

 

 

Pitching Rules

 

1. There are no pitching restrictions (innings or pitch count) Coaches are expected to use common sense in protecting the arms of their players.

 

2. One pitch thrown is considered an inning pitched.

 

3. 8 warm-up pitches to start, five pitches thereafter.

 

4. Umpires will show leniency on balks in 10u and below.

 

5. A pitcher cannot be removed and then brought back in to pitch during the same game.

 

6. Intentional Walk: Manager / Coach will inform umpire and point to 1st base.

No pitches need to be thrown.

 

7. No “fake to third” by a pitcher, who does not step off the rubber; is a balk.

 

8. Mound Visits: Each team is allowed three charged visits to the mound during a game

A charged visit is a trip to the mound by a Manager / Coach and the pitcher is not

removed. After the third charged visit to the mound, every visit to the mound will result

in the pitcher being removed. An uncharged visit is when the Pitcher is removed from

mound. Visits are cumulative for the entire game.

 

9. Scorecards must be signed by both team Managers / Coaches after the game to

verify the score and innings pitched. Coaches Please make sure all information

on the card is correct in regards to the score and pitchers.

 

10. If pitching rules are violated and the infraction is detected, the situation will

be reviewed by the Tournament Director. Consequences may include elimination

of team from the event and suspension for the following year, the coach and/or

player will be ejection from the game. The game may revert back to the start of

the inning (or when violation of the player occurred) if the infraction was detected in that inning.

 

 

Managers are responsible for the conduct of his players and fans at all times. Managers are subject to ejection if his players or fans are out of control.