Baseball Tournament Rules

All rules, unless specifically listed below, shall be from The Official Cal Ripken Regulations. Any disputes will be resolved by the Tournament Director and will be considered Final.

General Rules:

All teams must submit proof of insurance that lists Spring Ford Youth Athletic League, 190 S. Wall St, Spring City, PA 19475 as additional insured and your official tournament roster, prior to their first game of the tournament. These rosters will be locked in for the duration of the tournament.
1. No player shall be rostered on more than one team at the same tournament.
Tournament officials or umpires may determine the end of games due to weather, darkness or other factors. Suspended games will be resumed, if possible, from the point of suspension (same baserunners, score and count on the batter). If it is decided that any suspended games are unable to be resumed, they will be considered complete games at the last completed inning recorded.
Dugouts are on a first come first serve basis. All teams are required to clean out dugouts of all trash at the completion of each game.
There are free substitutions throughout the tournament.
All players and coaches, besides the two base coaches, must remain in the dugout and outside the field of play.
Music must be played at an appropriate volume and must not contain vulgar language or content. No music is to be played behind the home plate umpire. Walk up music must be turned off BEFORE the batter steps into the batter’s box. Umpires have the right to stop all music if they feel it is a disruption.
Ejections
1. If any coach, player or fan is ejected from a game, that person shall remove themselves from the premises immediately. If the ejected person refuses to leave in a timely manner, their team will be required to forfeit the game.
2. If the same coach, player or fan is ejected a second time during the tournament, they will be suspended from the facility for the remainder of the tournament.
Home team will be determined by a Bocce ball type game for pool play. Home team will be the higher seed in bracket play. If both teams are the same seed, bocce ball will be used to determine the home team.
1. Bocce ball rules: Using a baseball, 1 player from each team, from the batter's box, will roll the baseball towards second base. The player whose ball is closest to the base will choose to be home or away for that game.
GameChanger will be used for scoring games throughout the tournament. Both coaches must verify and agree the final score and innings pitched is correct in GameChanger at the completion of the game. Results must be turned into tournament officials at that time.
Mercy rule is in effect for all ages. Ten runs after four (4) complete innings. 15 runs after 3 innings. Home team will NOT bat if ahead and the mercy rule comes into effect.
Every inning will have a 5 run max, except for the 6th or final inning of the game, which will be unlimited runs.
If the final inning is not the 6th inning, due to time, and determined by the umpire, it will be communicated to both coaches prior to the start of that inning.
If it is the 6th inning, or it is determined by the umpire to be the last inning of the game due to the 1:45 time limit, and the home team is winning, the home team will NOT bat in the bottom half of the inning.
No new inning may start after the 1:45 mark from the start of the game.
Pool play games may end in a tie. If the game is tied after 6 innings in pool play, even if the time limit has not been reached, the game will be considered a tie.
Elimination games will be untimed. Mercy rule is still in effect for these games. If tied after the 7th inning, international rules will apply, until there is a winner. All innings after the 7th inning will begin with the last batted out on second base.
All consolation games will be held to the 1:45 time limit, unless the game is tied and a winner is needed to advance in bracket play. If tied after 6 innings, international rules will apply starting in the 7th inning with the last batted out on second base.
Seeding
1. Head to head
2. Fewest runs allowed
3. Run differential
4. Runs scored
5. Bocce ball
In game protests
1. No protests will be allowed for judgement calls.
2. Protests will be allowed for rules only and must be declared prior to restart of play. A $100 payment must accompany any protest to be an official protest, and must occur prior to the next pitch. Payment will be returned if protest is upheld.

Pitching Rules:

GameChanger will be used throughout the tournament to track innings pitched. Coaches must verify and agree innings pitched is correct at the completion of their respective games.
Pitching limits:
1. 3 innings max per game with 6 innings max per day.
2. Tournament max is 10 innings.
1 pitch shall constitute 1 full inning.
If a player exceeds the innings pitched limit during pool play, that player will be disqualified from pitching in the remainder of the tournament.
If a player exceeds the innings pitched limit during elimination play, their team will forfeit the game.
Once a player is removed from the mound, the same player cannot return to the mound in the same game. A second trip to the mound in the same inning results in removal of the pitcher.
Balks
1. 8u, 9u, 10u - No balks.
2. 11u, 12u, - 1 warning per pitcher. Play is immediately dead after a balk. Any subsequent balk will be treated as such, all baserunners will advance one base.
Pitches
1. 8u, 9u, 10u - Fastballs and change-ups only. No breaking pitches.
  1. Penalty for throwing a breaking pitch – no pitch/warning for first offense.
  2. If a breaking ball is put into play, the play will be live and play out. This will also constitute a first offense/warning.
  3. A second offense is an automatic ball.
  4. Continued use of breaking pitches will result in the pitcher being removed from the game as a pitcher.
2. 11u, 12u - May throw any type of pitch.

Base Running Rules:

A courtesy runner may be inserted for the established catcher or pitcher from the previous inning. The substitute runner shall be the last batted out.
Runners must slide or attempt to avoid contact in the event of a play being made on the runner. a. Malicious intent will result in ejection from the game at the sole judgment of the umpire and may not be protested.
Sliding
1. 8u, 9u, 10u - Players shall slide feet first when advancing to the next base. A player sliding headfirst when advancing to the next base, including home plate will result in that player being called out. Players may slide headfirst ONLY when going back to a base.
2. 11u, 12u - Permitted to slide head first, at players own risk.
Leads & Steals
1. 8u, 9u, 10u - Players may not leave the bag until the ball reaches the plate. No delayed steals. Runners can advance on balls overthrown to the pitcher or other fielders. Once the pitcher is on the mound with the ball in his hand, no runner can advance to the next base. Pitcher does not need to be in contact with the rubber, just on the mound.
2. 11u, 12u - Delayed steals are permitted.
Stealing of home is in effect for all ages.

Batting Rules:

Teams must bat their entire lineup.
If a batter must be removed from the line-up due to injury, provided there are at least 8 batters remaining in the batting order, their position in the batting order will be skipped without being recorded as an out. Once removed from the line-up, the player can not play the remainder of the game.
If a player is ejected from a game, an out will be recorded each time the player should have made a plate appearance.
No fake bunt followed by full swing. This will result in a Dead ball, and the batter will be out.
Dropped third strike
1. 8u, 9u, 10u - No dropped third strikes.
2. 11u, 12u - Dropped third strike is in effect.
USA bats ONLY. Bats must have a USA Baseball stamp.
1. A batter that shows an intent to use an illegal bat i.e. when the batter enters the batters box with an illegal bat, will result in 1 team warning. One a second offense, batter will be out, and the head coach will be ejected from the game.
Infield fly rule.
1. 8u, 9u - No infield fly.
2. 10u, 11u, 12u - Infield fly IS in effect.

Warm Ups:

Games may start early! Please be prepared to play 20 minutes prior to scheduled start time!
No use of the infield prior to game time. (Outfield only)
No soft toss with hard balls into the fencing area around the fields.
There are 5 batting cages available at the complex. A team may only occupy 1 batting cage if other teams are waiting.
1. Please limit the usage to 30 minutes per team.
Only the batter and the pitcher are allowed in the cage at one time. 6. Two bullpens are available with 2 mounds each. a. A maximum of 10 minutes per team if other teams are waiting. b. Any player catching in the crouch position MUST wear a facemask and cup.