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SOUTH FARMINGTON BLUES
INVITATIONAL
TOURNAMENT RULES
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All play governed by MHSAA
Rules unless otherwise specified.
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Copies of Birth Certificates
must be shown to Tournament Director.
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Age requirements enforced.
Cut-off date is on or before 4-30.
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Entry Gate Fees are
non-refundable.
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Rain Out Refunds:
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No practicing on infield, no
soft toss batting into fences.
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If a team begins play with
the normally allowed number of players, that team may continue a game
with one less player than it started with, whenever a player leaves the
game for any reason other than ejection. If the player leaving the game
is a runner, he shall be declared out. When the player who has left the
game is scheduled to bat, an out shall be declared for each turn at bat.
The player who has left the game cannot return to the lineup.
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Coin flip determines home
team.
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Home team keeps official
score.
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Both teams report scores
to the Tournament Official.
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No protests, umpire
decisions final.
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Bat rule. Players 14 and
under may use any length and weight bat provided the barrel does not
exceed 2 ¾ inches in diameter. High School restrictions apply to 15U and
16U.
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At any time, the team at bat
may use courtesy runners for the current pitcher and catcher.
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The
courtesy runner(s) must be someone not presently in the lineup.
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The re-entry status of
the courtesy runner, pitcher and catcher is not affected by this
rule.
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Only when a team has no eligible
players, not currently in the lineup, may a player in the lineup be
utilized. That player must then have been the batter on the
last out made.
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If a courtesy runner is determined to be illegal, a legal
replacement (if available) will be substituted.
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The courtesy
runner may only appear once in an inning as a courtesy runner.
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The courtesy runner may enter the game under normal substitution guidelines.
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No
substitutions for the courtesy runner once the runner has entered the
field, except for injury. In the event of an injury, the original
substituted player (pitcher or catcher) must then re-enter the game.
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In all age divisions an
intentional walk may take place by announcement from the catcher or
pitcher.
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No DH
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In all age divisions an
Extra Hitter (EH) will be allowed. This will give a team a 10 player
line-up that must be declared before the start of the game and used the
remainder of the game. If a team is unable to continue a 10-player
line-up for any reason, that slot will be an out. The player in the EH
position, while not actually playing a defensive position, will be
treated as though they are for substitution purposes. The re-entry rule
applies for the EH. Example: Bill is the EH and batting 4th. John is the
catcher and batting 7th. Bill can become the catcher and John the EH.
Both players would remain in their original batting order. All players
can move freely in defensive positions-the EH is considered a defensive
position.
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In all age divisions
starters may re-enter once, but must re-enter in their original position
in the batting order. Non Starters are not allowed to re-enter. When a
starter re-enters, the player in the starters batting order must be
taken out of the game and is ineligible for the remainder of the game.
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Once a pitcher has been
removed from the pitching position (one pitch defensively) that player
may not return as a pitcher.
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Major league rules for
manager/coaches trips to the mounds will apply.
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There is no limitation on
innings pitched by an individual player.
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Game length:
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6 innings, no inning
starts after1 hour 45 minutes, for 9 & 10 under.
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7 innings, no inning
starts after 2 hours, for all others.
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There is no time limit for the
championship game only.
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If a game is tied after a
complete game and when time has expired then a tie will be declared.
Extra innings may be played if time permits.
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Complete Games: A
game shall be ruled as official and complete if it is called by umpires
or the tournament director due to rain, inclement weather, dark or other
reasons beyond our control, provided 4 or more complete innings have
been played (3 ½ if the home team is ahead).
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If a delay does occur
and 4 or more complete innings have been played (3 ½ if the
home team is ahead) the time limit for the game is not suspended
during the delay.
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If, as a result of the
delay the time limit expires, the game will be called a complete
game. Teams will then be awarded a win, loss or tie
accordingly.
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For example:
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If a 14 & Under game is in the 6th
inning, is one hour and 15 minutes old and there is a 30 minute
delay. The teams will have 15 minutes to complete their game
until it is ruled official.
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Or, if a game is in the 6th inning, is
one hour and 15 minutes old and there is a 45 minute delay.
The time limit will have expired and a complete game declared.
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Suspended Games:
If four innings have not been completed, (3 ½ if the home team is
ahead) the game shall be suspended, and resumed from that point, when
safe play can be resumed.
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In the
event of a delay, the umpires will notify both coaches, at the
beginning of the delay, the amount of time the game has remaining.
Upon resumption of the suspended game, the time remaining will be in
effect.
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For example: If a 14
& Under game is in the 3rd inning, is one hour and 15 minutes old
and there is a one hour delay. Upon resumption of the game,
the teams will have 45 minutes to complete their game until it is
ruled official.
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Resumption of Delayed or Suspended Games:
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If the resumption of the game is within
the original time limit for the game. The time of the
resumption of the game after the delay will be the sole
responsibility of the umpire. Coaches will be responsible to
keep their teams together and ready to play. No specific time
will be allowed for team warm-ups after a delay.
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For suspended games:
If at the end of the delay, the resumption of the game will occur
beyond the original time limit for the game, the tournament director
may elect to move the time of the resumption of the game to much
later in the day, or even the next day in order to keep the overall
tournament on schedule.
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Schedule Revisions
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In the event of rain, (or the prediction
of rain) the tournament director reserves the right to change game
times in an attempt to prioritize the championship game and #2
seeded game, above the #3 & #4 seeded games, to provide the best
opportunity for completion of the higher seeded games based upon the
weather conditions and/or weather predictions.
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The tournament director's decision
regarding schedule revisions is final.
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Mercy Rule
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15 runs after 3 innings
for all ages.
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10 runs after 4 innings
for 11 & up.
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8 after 4 innings for 9
and 10 & Under.
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The mercy rule remains in effect for
all games including the championship game.
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Ejection
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Throwing of equipment,
improper language or other unsportsmanlike conduct will not be
tolerated.
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All players must slide
or avoid contact. If a player does not slide and makes contact he
will be called out and may be ejected if contact deemed flagrant.
This is a judgment call and the umpire’s decision is final.
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Ejected players or
coaches are also suspended for the next game. No exceptions.
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Ejected players are out
when it is their turn to bat.
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Tie Breakers
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1st tiebreaker - Head to
Head (where applicable)
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2nd tiebreaker - Least
runs allowed
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3rd tiebreaker - Run
Differential (Maximum 10 runs per game)
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4th tiebreaker - Coin Flip
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A tie breaker will be used only once
when determining the ranking in a particular pool. For
example, when 3 or more teams are tied and each team has beaten each
other, the first tie-breaker (head to head) will not be utilized
again. The ranking will be determined from 2nd tie breaker and
then the 3rd if necessary. If a winner has been decided by the
2nd tie breaker, the higher ranking of the 2nd and 3rd teams is NOT determined by going back to head to head.
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Re-seeding (re-seeding will
only occur when an age group has more or fewer than 8 teams.
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In the event an age group has three (3)
team pools, the runner-up teams from each pool will be re-seeded
after the third game in order to determine the wild card ranking.
The winner of each pool will also be re-seed in order to determine
the ranking of the three pools. The highest seed will play the
wild card team for the semi-finals, with the #2 & #3 seed winners
playing each other for the semi-finals.
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Awards
10U 11
&12's 13 &14's 15 & 16's
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