2008 TOURNAMENT RULES

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COACHES:  We fully realize and understand that tournament play can bring out the highly competitive nature of players, coaches, and fans but we expect the coaches of all teams to set an example of sportsmanship and proper perspective in this recreation activity. Quite simply, it is our belief that coaches have a duty to control their players, their fans, and especially themselves and set the tone for proper and acceptable behavior at this event. Ask yourself: “If I was watching this game as a neutral observer, would I deem that coach, that player, or that fan as out of control?” You can make a difference. Please do your part.

1. Playing rules at all age levels will be based on the Official USSSA Baseball National Bylaws in effect for 2007.  For rules not covered in the USSSA Official Rules or specific tournament rules that are listed below, we will defer to the Ohio High School Athletic Association rule book.  Each head coach is charged with complete knowledge and understanding of the tournament rules for their respective team.  In the event of a conflict between these exceptions and the specific tournament rules which follow, on the one hand, and the USSSA Bylaws, on the other, the exceptions and specific tournament rules will control.

2. A Tournament Director may manage or coach a team in this tournament.

3. A player, coach or fan may be ejected for foul language, abusive behavior, harassing an umpire, malicious contact, or unintentional tossing of the bat following a bench warning for bat tossing. The ejection is for that game.  A second ejection will result in dismissal of that person from the tournament.

4 .Age Requirements/Birth date cutoff: In all age divisions the USSSA age criteria (birth date as of May 1) applies.

5.  Jewelry of all kinds is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to earrings, tongue, nose, eyebrow and lip piercing jewelry, medallions, bracelets (including rubber bands and “Armstrong-like” bands), necklaces and finger rings. Exceptions are religious medals and medical I.D. bracelets, both of which must be taped to the body.

6.     Protests/conflicts are to be decided by the plate umpire.  The plate umpire may confer with a tournament director or official prior to a final ruling, but in all cases the plate umpires’ ruling is final.  No further protests will be permitted.

7.     Force Play Slide Rule will be enforced: in the event of a force play the runner must slide on the ground and in a direct line between the two bases.  Runner need not slide directly into the base as long as the runner slides or runs in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder (fielder does not have to attempt throw if he has been interfered in this manner or if the throw has been altered as a result of being interfered with). Dead ball, automatic double-play, no runs can score. Remaining base runners return to the base they occupied before the play began.

8 .  Metal Spikes are NOT permitted at ages 9-12.

9.   At the 9, 10, 11, & 12 year-old levels, games will be 6 innings.  At 13 & above, games will be 7 innings.  No new inning may start after 2 hours in all 6-inning games, 2 hours 15 minutes at the 13 & 14 age levels.  There will be no time limits during semi-final and final games.

10.    The run rule will be 12 after 3 innings and 8 after 4 for all 6-inning games.  In 7-inning games, the same run rule will take effect at 4th and 5th innings, respectively.  NOTE:  The home team shall not bat if the mercy/run rule is met prior to the bottom half of the listed inning.

11.   In 6 inning games (ages 9, 10, 11 & 12), pitchers can pitch a maximum of 3 innings.  In 7 inning games (ages 13 & 14), pitchers can pitch a maximum of 4 innings.  One pitch constitutes an inning. 

If there is an infraction of the pitching rule, it is the option of the offended team to choose either of the following remedies:

A.      offensive play is recognized and enforced with new pitcher brought into the game at the current point; or

B.       the offending pitcher is removed from the game and play reverts to the top of the inning in which the violation occurred.

12.   Each coach must have birth certificates available for each dressed player for review by a tournament official if requested.

13.   Once a pitcher leaves the mound, he may not pitch again in that game.

14.   Starting players may re-enter once in the game and only in their original spot in the batting order.  Subs do not have re-entry capability.

15.   An optional Extra Hitter (EH), if used, must be in the batting order at the start of the game.  The EH is like a 10th position and may play in the field.  (Bat 10, field 9).  If the EH is used, the Designated Hitter (DH) may not be used.  If the EH is not used, the DH may be used for any position player, not just the pitcher.

16.   A courtesy runner for both pitcher and catcher is optional at all times and mandatory with 2 outs.  The courtesy runner must be a player not in the active lineup at the time.  The re-entry status of a courtesy runner, pitcher or catcher is not affected by this rule.

17.   During Pool Play, the home team will be determined by a coin flip.  During Bracket Play, the higher seeded team will be the home team.

18.   Balks--in the 9, 10 & 11 year-old divisions, 1 warning per team, per game will be given.  At these age levels only obvious infractions will be called--minor wiggles will not be called unless a runner is put in jeopardy.

19.  Umpires—All umpires are certified and licensed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.  Umpires are not required to be eligible for USSSA membership.  One umpire will officiate 9, 10  year old pool games except that 2 umpires will officiate all semi-final and final games.  Two umpires will officiate at all other age levels (11-14.)

 20.   Inclement Weather – the home plate umpire will determine the question as to continuance, delay and resumption of play due to rain, lightening, etc.

21.  Weather delays – in bracket play  teams and umpires must remain at their site for a minimum of 60 minutes during rain delays.  Teams and umpires must await word from a tournament official (site director) for status of resuming or canceling play.  Any team that departs a site without getting official word of the game’s status will be declared loser by forfeit. In pool play, after a 60 minute-rain delay games will be considered a tie unless they have met the official game criteria. Any runs scored will be counted toward tie-breakers.  If a game is rained out only runs scored in the same amount of innings for each team will count.  In other words, if team A is the visitor and they have scored 2 runs in the 1^st inning and two runs in the 2^nd inning, and team B has scored 1 run in the 1^st inning but has not completed their half of the 2^nd inning, only the runs scored in the 1^st or last complete full inning will be counted for both teams (in this example team A would be credited with 2 runs and team B would be credited with 1 run).

22.   Darkness – If play is suspended for the evening, the game will be resumed at its point of suspension on the following morning at 8:00 am at the same field unless otherwise directed by a tournament official.  Further, the head coach of each team may agree to conclude the game at the time of suspension so long as tournament officials are notified.

23.   Tie-breaker criteria is listed below.

24.   Due to the number of fields used to accommodate the tournament, there may be some slight variation in the field dimensions and pitching distances outside of the tournament committee’s control.  Both teams on a particular field will be subject to the same distances and variation, if any.   Below are the recommended distances for base lengths and pitching mounds.