Youth Baseball Rules

Rules: USSSA rules (except rules listed below) govern play unless modified by this document, or by the Tournament Director. 6 inning games or no new inning after 1:45. 13u-14u 7 innings with no new inning after 1:55.

10u - 12u can swing any size baseball bat (USSSA/USA/BBcor or wood)

13u - Drop 8, Drop 5 or Bbcor (USSSA/USA/BBcor or wood)

14u - Drop 5 or Bbcor (USSSA/USA/Bbcor or wood)

Age Requirements and Age Verification: Each team must present a team roster and be prepared to present birth certificates (or valid documentation) to the tournament director. If a player does not have acceptable identification proving a date of birth, they will not be able to participate in the tournament until the players age can be verified by the Tournament Director. Valid proof of age will be determined at the discretion of the Tournament Director.  Grade exceptions must be applied for and granted prior to the event.

12u = 6th grade, 13u = 7th grade, 14u = 8th grade

Rosters: Each team is required to submit roster/liability waiver form with parent signatures before the start of their first tournament game. To save time in reviewing, teams are encouraged to email completed rosters to CooperTatom@yahoo.com prior to the day of the tournament. Players shall only physically play for one (1) team per tournament per weekend regardless of age division.

Start times are approximate. Teams should be prepared for early or late starts in tournament play.

These events are AA events. AAA or higher must play up in age division.

A coin flip determines home team in pool play. The higher seed determines home team in bracket play games. Lineups and Substitution Lineups must be declared at the plate conference and used for the entire game. Teams may use 9-player or continuous line-ups. A "DH" (designated hitter) and "EH (extra hitter) is permitted.
Examples of most commonly used lineups are:

• A 9-person lineup with subs. Subs have one re-entry into the same lineup position.
• A 9 person lineup with a DH (10th person). Subs have one re-entry into the same lineup position.
• Continuous lineup – All players bat; any 9 may play defense.

Injured or Removed Players: Any injured player on base with no subs available will be called out and “scratched” from the lineup. If a player cannot bat or is removed from the lineup due to injury, the player will be called out if removed from a base with no sub and that spot in the batting order is
considered an out the next time his spot comes up in the lineup if the team opted to use a continuous batting order or does not have an available sub.

Speed-Up Rule: At any time, the team at bat may use courtesy runners for the pitcher and/or the catcher ONLY. The courtesy runner must be the last recorded out. The Speed-Up Rule applies to any type of batting lineup.

Official book: Home team is responsible for keeping an “official” scorebook. The home team may elect to have a representative of the visiting team keep the “official” book. If a team chooses to not keep a scorebook of the game that is being played, that team has no right to debate the results that the other teams’ scorebook states. If neither team keeps a scorebook, the scorecard that the umpires keep will be the only official document for that game.

Mercy Rule: (10u - 12u) 15 runs after 3 innings, 8 runs after 4 innings. (13u-14u) 15 runs after 3, 10 runs after 4, 8 runs after 5 innings.
Umpires are responsible for tracking the start time for each game and enforcing time limit rules. Mercy rules and time limits apply to all tournament games, including the championship. A new inning begins at the moment the third out is recorded in the bottom of an inning.

Tie Game Resolution Procedure: In pool play if a game is tied and time is still remaining on the clock an extra inning of regular play is allowed to attempt to break the tie. If there is a tie and the clock runs out in pool play the game will be entered as a tie. Completion of an inning in process when the clock runs out is required. No additional innings will be played in pool play if time has expired. A tie is considered a half-win and a half-loss in the standings.
In bracket play, tiebreaker inning(s), if needed, will be played to determine the winning team. Extra innings are counted as innings pitched. Two outs equal 2/3 of an inning. Seeding tie breaking is record, head to head, runs allowed, runs scored and then run differential.

Pitching: U10-U12: Maximum of 6 innings in one day; Maximum of 8 innings during a two day span. Pitching: U13-U14 Maximum of 7 innings in one day; Maximum of 8 innings during a two day span  If it is discovered that a player has exceeded the pitching limitations, the opposing team must file a protest with the umpire and Tournament Director before the umpires leave the field of play in that game. A team that is found to be in violation of innings pitched restrictions will forfeit the game in which the violation is discovered, if protested properly, and if in bracket play will not be allowed to advance further in the championship bracket.  The manager will be ejected.

Protests: All on-field complaints, questions, or protests must first be handled by the field umpire, or the Umpire-in-Chief. The Tournament Director does not override, adjust, or change umpire judgment calls. Protests involving player eligibility must be presented to the field umpire or Umpire-in-Chief and Tournament Director. Once a game has ended and umpires have stepped off of the field of play, protests will not be considered.