9 Under Closed Rules:
Game Play:
A.) Any team not ready to play at official game time will forfeit the game. No game may start more than thirty minutes prior to its scheduled time, unless arranged by the site director. Teams consist of nine (9) defensive players. A team may start and play the game with eight (8) players, however the ninth (9) player will be considered an out each and every time his/her spot comes to bat in the line-up. No team may add a player to their line up once the official score card has been turned in to the umpire in chief. Any errors to the scorecard "Must” be addressed prior to turning into the umpire in chief. It becomes an “official game card” once handed to the umpire in chief.
B.) Home team will be determined by a coin flip in pool play. Higher seeds will have the option in bracket play. The coin flip will also be used in all championship games.
C.) There will be no balks in this division.
D.) No leading off. Runners must be on the base when the pitcher has come to a natural pitching position and cannot leave the base until the ball has left the pitchers hand. If any runner leaves the base before the ball releases the pitchers hand, the umpire will return the runner back to his/her last base occupied. If the ball is put in play then no runner may advance more than one (1) base beyond the batter runner safely occupied base.
E.) The infield fly rule is in effect.
F.) Batters/runners must be put out or forced out on all dropped or missed third strikes and runners may at their own peril seek to advance home on dropped or missed third (3rd) strikes.
G.) Pitching distance is forty-six (46) feet with sixty (60) feet base path.
H.) If an intentional walked is called for, the pitcher will not have to throw four pitches outside the strike zone. Instead, the team's manager may signal and point the runner to first base. No players can make this call.
Pitching Rule:
For 6 inning 12U and younger, a pitcher cannot pitch more than 27 outs in two days. A pitcher who pitches two consecutive days, must sit out one day from the pitching position. If a pitcher takes a day’s rest, the 27 outs have been reset. No more than 18 outs in one day. Violation of this rule will result in forfeiture of the game being played. A pitcher removed from the pitching position cannot return to the pitching position during a game, but can re-enter to any other position.
Re-entry Rule:
Starters can re-enter only one (1) time in a game. Starters and substitutes are “married” to each other for the re-entry requirements.
Coaching:
A.) The area directly in front of each dugout will ge considered the "coaches area". This area will run the length of the dugout and extend five feet out towards the playing field. Each team may have one manager and one coach in this area during the game. (Some fields do not allow buckets on the field so if your at such a location please respect that parks rules and either stand outside or go into the dugout to sit).
B.) No coach or manager may walk/down the foul line to coach or manage a player(s).
C.) Umpires will have the final "judgement" on awarding or taking away bases should a live ball come into contact with either a coach or any foreign objects that are brought onto the field, such as buckets, folding chairs or stools.
D.) Each team may have a total of "four" (4) coaches in their dugout during a game. You may have three coaches and a scorekeeper but not more than four in total.
**Please note that COACHES or PLAYERS may not call “time-out”, they may only ask and the umpire at his discretion may call an official time out.
Ejection Rule:
Any player or coach ejected from any game will have to leave the park, and may only return for their next scheduled game. They may not return to that field even after the final out is recorded and the game is official completed. Depending on the nature of the ejection, the Site Director and Tournament Director may extend the ejection for the next game or suspend them for the remainder of the tournament.
Run Rule:
9U, 10U, 11U and 12U, six (6) inning games: eight (8) runs after five (5) innings, ten (10) runs after four (4) innings and twelve (12) runs after three (3) innings.
Scorekeeping:
A.) The home team is responsible for the scorekeeping. The umpire will also keep the game score and will be deemed the final decision on any and all score related issues.
SUSPENDED / REGULATION GAMES POLICY
Games that do not make it to regulation (3 complete innings for a 6 inning game or 4 complete innings for a 7 inning game) due to weather / darkness will be considered a suspended game and will be resumed (if possible) from the point of suspension at the earliest time available. If there is not enough time to resume a suspended game, it will be considered complete and official at the end of the last complete inning. Below are some further points to help illustrate this policy:
Pool play / Consolation games:
If a game is suspended prior to being official and there is not enough time to resume – the game would be considered complete at the end of the last complete inning. If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the game would stand as a tie.
Elimination games:
A) If one inning hasn’t been completed and the game is suspended and there is not enough time to resume - the higher seed would advance to the next round.
B) If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the higher seed would advance
C) If tied at the end of the last complete inning and the two teams are the same seed from different divisions entering the game – we would revert back to the tie-breaking system in place
D) If the championship game starts and is not able to complete due to weather/darkness and there is no time to resume – the game would be considered official at the end of the last complete inning.
E) If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the higher seed will be named champions.
* NOTE: Any rules NOT specifically covered above will be referred to the Ages 7 and Under - 12 and Under:
Ages 7 and Under - 12 and Under:
AGE REQUIREMENTS: May 1st 2019 will be the designated date to determine ages. Players exceeding the age of the Division before May 1st 2019, will not be eligible to participate in that division. Players can play in a higher age division.
INELIGIBLE PLAYERS: Teams caught using ineligible players during any part of a tournament will be removed from further participation in the event. Ineligible due to falsified age on the team roster and/or lack of verification by proof of a birth certificate. A player cannot play for 2 different teams in the same event regardless of age division. The opponents of the disqualified team will be awarded a forfeit and scored 6-0/7-0 depending on if the game is a 6 inning/7 inning game.
PROTEST FEES: $100.00 cash (in rule interpretation only). All protest must be done before the next pitch.
GAME TIME: Starting time is forfeit time, unless delay is created by tournament director. Games may begin no sooner than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game time.
HOME TEAM: Will be determined by coin flip in pool play and high seed in Bracket play.
TIME LIMIT: All games have a 1 hour 45 minutes time limit in pool play and up to semi-final games. If home team is ahead, bottom half of inning will not be played if time has expired. Championship games have a 2 hours 15 minutes time limit and home team will be determined by a coin toss If game is tied after time has expired, the California Tie Breaker will be used. ** Local Tournament Directors may institute a time limit for Championship Games.
SUSPENDED / REGULATION GAMES POLICY
Games that do not make it to regulation (3 complete innings for a 6 inning game or 4 complete innings for a 7 inning game) due to weather / darkness will be considered a suspended game and will be resumed (if possible) from the point of suspension at the earliest time available. If there is not enough time to resume a suspended game, it will be considered complete and official at the end of the last complete inning. Below are some further points to help illustrate this policy:
Pool play / Consolation games:
If a game is suspended prior to being official and there is not enough time to resume – the game would be considered complete at the end of the last complete inning. If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the game would stand as a tie.
Elimination games:
A) If one inning hasn’t been completed and the game is suspended and there is not enough time to resume - the higher seed would advance to the next round.
B) If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the higher seed would advance
C) If tied at the end of the last complete inning and the two teams are the same seed from different divisions entering the game – we would revert back to the tie-breaking system in place
D) If the championship game starts and is not able to complete due to weather/darkness and there is no time to resume – the game would be considered official at the end of the last complete inning.
E) If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the higher seed will be named champions.
RUN RULES: 9U, 10U, 11U & 12U (6 inning games); 8 runs after 5 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 12 runs after 3 innings.
SLIDE RULE: Whenever a tag play is evident, a runner must slide or seek to avoid contact with the fielder and / or catcher attempting to jump, leap, or dive over the fielder and / or catcher is not interpreted as seeking to avoid contact. Malicious contact shall supersede all obstruction penalties.
PENALTY: The runner shall be called out and may be ejected from the game at the umpire’s discretion
METAL SPIKES: Not allowed in 12U or younger. (PENALTY: If discovered on offense – Player is out and team warning issued. Next offense is an out and ejection of player and manager. If discovered on defense – Player is substituted for, spiked cleats are removed and team warning is issued. Next offense is an ejection of the player and manager.
EP RULE: Extra Player - Bat 10 players or more, the EP can go into the field for any of the other 9 players in the game. The batting order does not change. Batting the Roster affords the ability to bat the roster and have free subs in the field, but if you lose a player it will be an out in that spot the rest of the game regardless of the reason for the loss. The batting order does not change.
EJECTION: Players and Coaches will sit out the remainder of that game.
PITCHING RULES: For 6 inning 12U and younger, a pitcher cannot pitch more than 27 outs in two days. A pitcher who pitches two consecutive days, must sit out one day from the pitching position. If a pitcher takes a day’s rest, the 27 outs have been reset. No more than 18 outs in one day. Violation of this rule will result in forfeiture of the game being played. A pitcher removed from the pitching position cannot return to the pitching position during a game, but can re-enter to any other position.
BAT REGULATIONS: High School Bat weight/length differential rule is waived in the 13 and under ages. Approved bats are those which are stamped with 1.15 BPF or BBCOR. Wood bats are also approved. No fake Bunting and swinging away.
COURTESY RUNNERS: Courtesy runners are available for both the pitcher and the catcher and may be used at any time. Courtesy runner MUST be someone not presently in the line-up (substitution availability not required). The same player cannot run for the pitcher and catcher in the same inning. If you are batting the line-up, the courtesy runner will be the last recorded out. If a team is batting more than 9 players in the line-up and substitutes are available on the bench, the substitute MUST be used as the courtesy runner. Once this requirement is met, then the last recorded out can be used as the courtesy runner. Both of these options are possible in the same inning. REMINDER: This rule was modified to speed the progression of the game.
TIE BREAKER SYSTEM: Pool play games can end in a tie.
If a playoff game is tied after all innings have been completed (or at time limit), the "California" tie-breaker rule will go into effect.
Each team puts the batter who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half of the inning on second base, continue hitting from where last out was made, and plays out a full inning.
This happens until the tie is broken and the game is complete.
RE-ENTRY RULES: Starters can re-enter 1 time in a game. Starters and the substitutes which replaced them are married to each other for the re-entry requirements.
* NOTE: The above rules govern play at the State and Local levels. Any rules NOT specifically covered above will be referred to the MLB Official Baseball Rule Book.
Ages 13 and Under - 18 and Under:
AGE REQUIREMENTS: May 1st 2019 will be the designated date to determine ages. Players exceeding the age of the Division before May 1st 2019, will not be eligible to participate in that division. Players can play in a higher age division.
INELEGIBLE PLAYERS: Teams caught using ineligible players during any part of a tournament will be removed from further participation in the event. Ineligible due to falsified age on the team roster and/or lack of verification by proof of a birth certificate. A player cannot play for 2 different teams in the same event regardless of age division The opponents of the disqualified team will be awarded a forfeit and scored 6-0/7-0 depending on if the game is a 6 inning/7 inning game.
PROTEST FEES: $100.00 cash (in rule interpretation only). All protest must be done before the next pitch.
GAME TIME: Starting time is forfeit time, unless delay is created by tournament director. Games may begin no sooner than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game time.
HOME TEAM: Will be determined by coin flip in pool play and high seed in Bracket play.
TIME LIMIT: All games have a 1 hour 45 minutes time limit in pool play and up to semi-final games. If home team is ahead, bottom half of inning will not be played if time has expired. Championship games have a 2 hours 15 minutes time limitand the home team will be determined by a coin toss. If game is tied after time has expired, the California Tie Breaker will be used. ** Local Tournament Directors may institute a time limit for Championship Games.
SUSPENDED / REGULATION GAMES POLICY
Games that do not make it to regulation (3 complete innings for a 6 inning game or 4 complete innings for a 7 inning game) due to weather / darkness will be considered a suspended game and will be resumed (if possible) from the point of suspension at the earliest time available. If there is not enough time to resume a suspended game, it will be considered complete and official at the end of the last complete inning. Below are some further points to help illustrate this policy:
Pool play / Consolation games:
If a game is suspended prior to being official and there is not enough time to resume – the game would be considered complete at the end of the last complete inning. If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the game would stand as a tie.
Elimination games:
A) If one inning hasn’t been completed and the game is suspended and there is not enough time to resume - the higher seed would advance to the next round.
B) If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the higher seed would advance
C) If tied at the end of the last complete inning and the two teams are the same seed from different divisions entering the game – we would revert back to the tie-breaking system in place
D) If the championship game starts and is not able to complete due to weather/darkness and there is no time to resume – the game would be considered official at the end of the last complete inning.
E) If tied at the end of the last complete inning – the higher seed will be named champions.
RUN RULES: 13U, 14U, 16U & 18U (7 inning games); 8 runs after 5 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 15 runs after 3 innings.
EP RULE: Extra Player - Bat 10 players, the EP can go into the field for any of the other 9 players in the. The batting order does not change. Batting the Roster affords the ability to bat the roster and have free subs in the field, but if you lose a player it will be an out in that spot the rest of the game regardless of the reason for the loss. The batting order does not change.
DH RULE: MLB Rule - You can DH for any player in the line-up.
SLIDE RULE: Whenever a tag play is evident, a runner must slide or seek to avoid contact with the fielder and / or catcher. Attempting to jump, leap, or dive over the fielder and / or catcher is not interpreted as seeking to avoid contact. Malicious contact shall supersede all obstruction penalties.
PENALTY: The runner shall be called out and may be ejected from the game at the umpire’s discretion
PITCHING RULES: For 7 inning 13U a pitcher cannot pitch more than 30 outs in two days. A pitcher who pitches two consecutive days, must sit out one day from the pitching position. If a pitcher takes a day’s rest, the 30 outs have been reset. No more than 21 outs in one day. Violation of this rule will result in forfeiture of the game being played. A pitcher removed from the pitching position cannot return to the pitching position during a game, but can re-enter to any other position.
PITCHING REGULATIONS: 14U,16U & 18U there are NO pitching rules.
EJECTION: Players and Coaches will sit out the remainder of that game.
BAT REGULATIONS: High School Bat weight/length differential rule is waived in the 13 and under ages. 13U division is a -8 or less. Approved bats are those which bear the stamp for 1.15 BFI or BBCOR. 14U, 16U & 18U divisions are required to meet high school bat specifications (BBCOR). Wood bats are approved. Any younger teams wishing to play in the 14U,16U and/or 18U divisions MUST comply with the bat specifications for those age groups.
COURTESY RUNNERS: Courtesy runners are available for both the pitcher and the catcher and may be used at any time. Courtesy runner MUST be someone not presently in the line-up (substitution availability not required). The same player cannot run for the pitcher and catcher in the same inning. If you are batting the line-up, the courtesy runner will be the last recorded out. If a team is batting more than 9 players in the line-up and substitutes are available on the bench, the substitute MUST be used as the courtesy runner. Once this requirement is met, then the last recorded out can be used as the courtesy runner. Both of these options are possible in the same inning. REMINDER: This rule was modified to speed the progression of the game.
RE-ENTRY RULES: Starters can re-enter 1 time in a game. Starters and the substitutes which replaced them are married to each other for the re-entry requirements.
TIE BRAKER SYSTEM: Pool play games can end in a tie.
If a playoff game is tied after all innings have been completed (or at time limit), the "California" tie-breaker rule will go into effect.
Each team puts the batter who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half of the inning on second base, continue hitting from where last out was made, and plays out a full inning.
This happens until the tie is broken and the game is complete.
*NOTE: The above rules govern play at the State and Local levels. Any rules NOT specifically covered above will be referred to the MLB Official Baseball Rule Book.
POOL PLAY TO BRACKETS
- WIN-LOSS RECORD
- HEAD TO HEAD - IF THERE IS NOT A THREE-WAY TIE OR MORE TEAMS WITH THE SAME RECORD.
- FEWEST RUNS ALLOWED IN POOL PLAY.
- HIGHEST RUN DIFFERENTIAL - WITH A MAXIMUM RUN DIFFERENTIAL OF 10 RUNS PER GAME
- MOST RUNS SCORED IN POOL PLAY.