Tournament Rules
OD Sports/SM Baseball
TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
Tournament Rules
The Playing Rules for ODSportsare the same as the Official National Association of High School Rules, except those rules and regulations in this Special Section.
Section 1 AGE DIVISIONS
1. The following are the official age categories:
6 & 8 under (Coach Pitch)
9 & Under / 10 & Under
11 & Under / 12 & Under
2. The player's age on May 1st, is his competition age.
Section 2 ROSTER & DOCUMENTATION
1.All Teams must be registered to participate in this tournament
2.Each team must complete and submit the Roster with no less the 9 and no more than 15 players. Players may not be added to the roster after the team's first game.
3.Copies of birth certificates, passport or resident alien cards are required for all players on the roster, and must be available along with the “Official Roster" (You May be asked to Provide Original Birth Certificates or other Original form of Proof of age, In the event that a protest is filed. Failure to do so, may result in forfeiture of the game.
4. Parental signatures Authorization/Release for each player must be completed, signed by parent or legal guardian and the original turned in as the OFFICIAL Team Roster form.
Team Roster, completed parental signatures authorization/release, and copies of birth documents must be in the Head Coaches Possession at all times. Enter Roster on-line www.smybaseball.com (manager login - username and password will be provided)
5. RAIN OUT REFUNDS: Full refund if no game is begun; ½ refund if 1 game is started; no refund once a second game begins.
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SECTION 3 PLAYING FIELD
1. Distance between the bases:
6U,7Uand 8U 60'
9U & 10U 65'
11U & 12U 70'
13U 80'
2. Pitching distance:
8 & Under 42'
9U 44" & 10U 46"
11U & 12U 50"
SECTION 4 PITCHING REGULATIONS.
1.This Tournament DOES NOT have Pitching restriction. Each coach is responsible for his pitchers.
2.If a pitcher is changed to a defensive position or removed from the line-up he may not return to pitch in that game.
SECTION 5 REGULATION AND OFFICIAL GAME
1. A regulation game consist of six (6) innings in 6-8U Coach Pitch, 9U, 10U, 11U, & 12U Divisions.
A) In Pool Play, when a regulation game ends in a tie, the game will be score as a tie game. In the elimination round, if a game ends in a tie, we will use the International tie-breaker. Last batted out goes to 2nd base with no outs. This will continue until a winner is declared. This format will also be applied to the in the Championship Game.
B) All games, including the Championship Games, will be played with a run rule of: 15 after 3 innings; 10 after 4 innings; and 8 after 5 innings.
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2. Official Game
A) A game is Official if it is suspended for any reason after 2 ½ or 3 innings have been played in the 6-8U Coach Pitch, 9U, 10U, 11U, & 12U Divisions,
B) If a game is suspended for any reason (Except expiration of time-limit) before becoming an Official game, it shall be continued from the point of curtailment as a make-up suspended game.
C) Consolation round suspended games may not be completed.
3. Time Limits
A) All games (Except the Championship Game) will have a time limit.
1) Time limit for the 6-8U COACH PITCH is one hour and Twenty minutes (1:20).
2) Time limit for the 9U,(1:35) 10U Divisions is one hour and forty-five minutes (1:45).
3) Time limit for the 11U,12U Divisions is one hour and forty-five minutes (1:45).
SECTION 6 PROTESTS AND FORFEITS
1. Protest may be made on rules infractions only, not on judgment calls by the umpires.
A) The Tournament Commissioners shall make all final determinations on any protest.
B) A Protest requires a $100 Protest Fee (Cash Only) per protest. If the protest is upheld the fee will be refunded immediately. If the protest is denied the fee is forfeited.
1)Challenging the age of a player is considered a Protest, and requires the $100 Protest Fee.
C) All protest must be made to the umpire-in-chief prior to the next pitch, play or attempted play.
D) The Tournament Commissioners shall rule on the protest prior to play continuing.
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2)Forfeits
A) Any team that loses a game by forfeit shall be withdrawn from the tournament without claim or refund.
B) Forfeit time is ten (10) minutes after the scheduled start time of the game.
SECTION 7 RULES OF CONDUCT
This Tournament has a ZERO Tolerance for ALL Parents, Players & Coaches, which means that if you're ejected from the game YOU'RE GONE for the TOURNAMENT.
1.The only people allowed in the dugouts or on the field are the players, manager and coaches.
2.No manager or coach may smoke on the field or in the dugouts.
3.The player, manager or coach that is ejected from a game shall be penalized as determined by the Tournament Commissioners, with a minimum one (1) game suspension.
SECTION 8 OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER
1. Each team must maintain its own scorebook. The umpire-in-chief will maintain the game score and Official Game Sheet.
SECTION 9 SPECIAL RULES
1. A runner for the pitcher & catcher can be used at any time. The runner shall be a substitute, if no substitute, then his team's last out. If the last out is the pitcher, then the first out of the inning shall run.
2. The batters and runners must use double earflap helmets at all times. There is no penalty.
3. All teams must be in complete uniform. This includes shirts, pants and caps. Manager and coaches must wear cap and shirts.
4. Metal cleats are permitted only in the 11U,12U Divisions ONLY.
5. The steal of home, squeeze play, bunting or attempted/fake bunt with a runner on third (3rd) base in not permitted in the 9U Divisions. Runners may score on pass balls, wild pitches and on the catchers throw. The first time it happens in a game, the play is null and void unless the defense elects to take the result of the play, and the manager is warned. The next time it happens in the game, the runner is out, and the manager is ejected from the game.
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6. The GAME SHEET must be completed prior to each game. All players (starting line-up and substitutes) must be listed.
7. The catcher must use a mask and catcher's helmet at all times, including when he is warming up the pitcher.
8. Metal bats may be used/needs to have USSSA sticker.
9. The Re-Entry Rule shall be used. This is only for the starting players and they must re-enter into the same position in the batting order. The player re-entering may play a different defensive position.
10. In a situation in which a team does not have an eligible substitute for a player that becomes ill or is injured, the last player removed from the line-up may re-enter the game without penalty. A team may finish a game with 8 Players. The position in the line-up for the player that is not playing (the 9th player) shall be an automatic out.
11. An Extra Hitter may be used. This is an extra hitter in the line-up. The Extra Hitter may enter the game on defense and the player leaving the field becomes the Extra Hitter. You may change the EH every inning and have a different player as the EH.
12. Slide Rule: Head first slide at home is NOT permitted for al division except 12U. Anyone sliding head first to home plate will be called out. Players advancing to second with intent to break-up a double play must slide directly into the bag. All calls regarding rough play, sliding, etc., shall be judgment calls of the umpires. Penalty: Runner is out and the ball is dead. All runners must return to the last base they legally had advanced to prior to the infraction.
13. Baseballs: Each team is to provide 2 new and one used baseball per game. Additional baseballs may be required during the game. All baseballs must be “Cushioned Cork Center" and shall be approved for tournament play by Pony League, Little League, Babe Ruth or NFHS. Cork and rubber center baseballs are NOT PERMITTED.
SECTION 10- 6U,7U and 8U COACH PITCH & 9U DIVISIONS
1.In the 6-8U Coach Pitch and the 9U Divisions ten (10) players may play on defense.
2.In the 6-8U Coach Pitch and the 9U Divisions all players bat in the batting order. There shall be free defensive substitution. If a team has more players than the other team, they may elect to bat the same number of players as the opponent. The other player(s) are then treated as regular substitutes. Only those players in the batting order may be substituted for freely.
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3.In the 7U-8U Coach Pitch Division Bunting is allowed, one per inning. Second one in the same inning will be out.
4.In the 6-8U Coach Pitch Division once the ball is thrown into the pitcher's area or when an infielder with possession of the ball calls time-out (in the infield), the ball is dead and all runners must return to the nearest base. A chalk line will be used between the bases to aid the umpire in determining if a player advances / returns to a base once the ball is dead.
A) If the runner is more than half way to the next base, he may continue to that base. If he is not, he must return to the previous base.
5. In the 6-7U Coach Pitch Division a batter shall receive a maximum of 5 pitches. After the 5th pitch he is out. In the 8U division only If he hits a foul ball he shall receive another pitch. Three (3) strikes and the batter are out only on the 8U division.
6.In the 6-8U Coach Pitch Division the inning is over when a team gets three (3) outs or 10 Batters. The last Inning if time permits is unlimited runs.
SECTION 10 TOURNAMENT FORMAT
1.The Tournament Format will be either one of the following, dependant upon the number of teams in the Division.
A) Round-robin pool play format & Single elimination tournament, with teams seeded and advancing to the championship round.
SECTION 11 SEEDING AND TIE-BREAKER FORMAT
1.After completing pool play, all teams will be seeded in the championship round.
2.Seeding is determined by each team's win / loss record within their pool/group.
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3.Teams with the identical win / loss record within their pool/group will be seeded following the below listed tie-breaker system:
A) First: Winner of head-to-head competition is higher seed. If all teams with the same win / loss record did not face each other then you go to B) below.
B) Second: Run differential
C) Third: Team with the least number of runs allowed is higher seed.
D) Fourth: Team with the most runs scored is higher seed.
E) Fifth: If teams are still tied, then a coin toss will determine the higher seed.
4. Wild Card team(s) (if any) shall be seeded following the same format as above.
SECTION 12 PRE-GAME
A flip of a coin determines the home team. In the Championship game only (Quarter-final the higher seeded team is home team or team coming from the winning bracket in the semi finals )
1.Teams will not be permitted to take batting practice or infield practice on the playing fields.
2.The GAME SHEET must be completed and signed by both managers prior to the start of the game.Each manager must sign the GAME SHEET at the conclusion of the game.