Mahtomedi Tournament 2009 Rules

 

 All coaches must have team roster and birth certificates available for inspection.  Any team found to have used an ineligible player will be immediately disqualified from competition

 

1.         All teams must be community-based or approved by the tournament director.   'A or (AAA)’ brackets are for skilled teams which compete in an 'A' league or 'A-level' tournaments.  'B (or AA)' brackets are for teams which are less competitive than 'A' teams and compete in 'B-level' leagues or 'B' tournaments.  This 'B' bracket is meant for 2nd or 3rd  teams from a community or for teams from small communities which do not compete at the 'A' level (2nd teams from a community can still be 'A' teams).

 

2.         Each team must furnish a new ball for each game played.

 

3.         Official tournament schedule is the bracket board posted at the Tournament Headquarters.  It will also be maintained on our tournament website.  Check this continually for any changes. It is your responsibility to keep abreast of all changes affecting your team’s play. In case of  rain delay: check in at the Tournament Headquarters.

 

4.         Home teams shall be determined by coin toss.

 

5.         A 10 minute grace period is allowed for a team’s first game of the tournament. Game time is forfeit time for all remaining games.

 

6.         Ten-run rule: The 10-run rule is in effect throughout the entire tournament. For ages 10-12, games shall end at the conclusion of

         3 ½ innings (home team) or 4 innings (visiting team) if the score differential is 10 or more runs. For ages 13-15, games shall end at the

         conclusion of 4½ innings (home team) or 5 innings (visiting team) if the score differential is 10 or more runs. A 15 run rule will be in effect

         after 2 ½ innings and 3 ½ innings respectively.
 

7.         Pitching/Base Distance Guidelines:                      Bat Size Restrictions:

10 & 11  (46 feet/ 60-65 feet)                                    10 .. bats must be 2 Ό” or smaller

11, 12 & 13’s.....bats must be 2 Ό” or smaller with no restrictions or

           12 & 13 (52 feet/ 75 feet)                                          2 Ύ” (or less) and  minus 9 weight differential or smaller

           14, 15 (60 feet 6 inches/ 90 feet)                              14’s……2 Ύ” (or less) and minus 5 weight differential or smaller.

15’s……2 5/8” (or less) and minus 3 weight differential or smaller                                                            

Shoes: 10,11 & 12 Divisions METAL SPIKES ARE NOT ALLOWED.

 

8.     10 and 11 and Under Modifications:

a.    Leading off/stealing:  10: Base runners may not leave the base until the ball crosses home plate.

11: Base runners may not leave the base until the ball leaves the pitchers hand. 

Penalty: If the runner leaves too soon – dead ball, base runner is out.

 

b.       Dropped third strike: On a dropped third strike, the batter is out; base runners may advance at their

                     own risk. The ball remains live.

 

9.      12, 13 & 14, 15 Modifications:   MSHSL/National Federation Rules apply to leading off, dropped 3rd strike, etc.

 

10.   Game Length/Time Limits in Group Play:

 

                a.    10,11 and 12's: 6 inning games. No new inning shall begin after 1 hour and 45 minutes of play.
                b.    13, 14, 15. 7 inning games. No new inning shall begin after 1 hour and 50 minutes of play.
                c.    There is no time limit on bracket games.


11.    ReEntry Rule:   MSHSL rules apply. Note: 10,11, 12, & 13 age divisions must use free substitution

                and bat the entire bench.    Pitchers in 10, 11, 12 & 13 may only reenter game as a pitcher once in a game.

 

          At ages 14 and 15:  All MYAS (Gopher State) Re-entry and Substitution Rules including Starting Pitcher, Extra Hitter (EH)  and Designated Hitter (DH)

          are used and are governing in this tournament.  15U leagues will only have the option for the Designated Hitter (DH).  14U leagues will have an option

          to use the Extra Hitter (EH) or the DH.  Detailed description of these rules are provided at the end of this rules document.

                                                                                                                                    

 

12.   Minimum Number of Players:  Each team must start the game with 9 players and if due to injury or illness

may finish with 8. The affected spot in the batting order is an out. A team reduced to less than 9 players due to ejection shall forfeit.

 

13.  Age Restriction:  Subject to MYAS age qualification – May 1st cutoff date.

 

14.   Pitching Restrictions: Teams must keep track of innings pitched during each game and verify with the opposing coach at the

 end of each game.

             

a.        10: 3 innings per game/ 4 per day;

11,12:  3 innings per game/ 6 per day;

        13:  4 innings per game / 8 per day;

        14 and 15:  7 innings per game / 12 per pool; Championship round: 7 per game/ 10 total (Cannot exceed 10/day)

 

b. Legal Pitches (10,11 & 12) The following pitches will be legal, fast balls, straight change-ups, palm balls, and knuckle balls. All other pitches (including but not limited to knuckle curves, curve balls, sliders, etc) shall be considered illegal. 1st offense – warning. 2nd offense – pitcher and head coach are disqualified for the remainder of that game. NOTE: 12’s will revert to High School rules for legal pitches on the first Monday of June.

 

b.       Balks (10 and 11): No balks can be called unless umpire judges the pitcher is intentionally being deceptive.

 Exception: A fake pitch is a dead ball and all runners advance one base. Note: High School rules apply to 12, 13 & 14 & 15.

 

Two trips to the mound are allowed per pitcher in a game for 10, 11, 12 & 13-under age groups. On the second trip the pitcher must be removed from the pitcher position. High school rules will apply for the 14 & 15- U age groups.

 

15.  Courtesy Runners: 10-13’s  A courtesy runner will be allowed for catchers in all divisions.  Players who have participated in the game in any other capacity are ineligible to serve as courtesy runners until all players have participated. If all players have participated, then the courtesy runner will be the last player that made an out.

 

16. Only individuals listed on the “official tournament roster” may occupy a position on the bench.  Exception:  One batboy and one scorekeeper may also occupy the bench.

 

17.    Any player, coach, or manager ejected from a game  for an unsportsmanlike act shall be prohibited from participating in any remaining contests in the tournament.  Any parent or fan ejected from a game will not be allowed at any tournament fields for the remainder of the tournament.

 

18.   There shall be no smoking or consumption of alcoholic beverages in, near, or adjacent to any tournament facility.

 

19.    Suspension of games:  If any portion of the tournament is unplayable due to inclement weather, the tournament director reserves the right to do whatever is necessary to complete the tournament, including but not limited to the changing of the tournament format and shortening or cancellation of games. The Tournament Director shall reach the final decision.

 

20.   Tie Games (Pool Play): If after regulation the game is tied, each team receives ½ point. There are no extra innings in pool play.

 

21.   Tie Games (Championship Series):  Games will be played until the winner is determined without time limits.

 

22.   Tie Breaker:                A. Head to head for two teams.

B. If three (or more) teams tied or teams did not play each other, all teams will be ranked and the tie broken by:

1. Least runs allowed in all games.

2. If still tied, Total runs scored in all games.

3. If still tied – coin flip.                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                           


Additional rules for 14U and 15U Tournaments

SUBSTITUTION RULES for 14U and 15U Tournaments

Pitcher: If a starting pitcher is withdrawn from the game, they may re‐enter the game once.

Starting Players: Any of the starting players may withdraw and re‐enter once, including a player who was the designated hitter, provided said player occupies the same batting position whenever they are in the lineup. A substitute who is withdrawn may not re‐enter.

Exception: Replacement of injured players and/or courtesy runners. If an active player sustains an injury that requires them to leave the game and their team has used all of its available substitute players, the coach may substitute for the injured player with the first player on the bench who had previously lost their eligibility via the re‐entry rule. Teams will not be penalized should a player be removed due to illness or injury. (Please refer to Rule 31 in the NFHS rule book.)

Courtesy Runners: The team at bat may, at any time, use courtesy runners for the pitcher and/ or the catcher. Players who have already participated in the game in any other capacity are ineligible to serve as courtesy runners until all players have participated. Exception: Should an injury, illness or ejection affect the courtesy runner, another courtesy runner for the pitcher or catcher may run. (Please refer to the NFHS rule book on page 66 for suggested speedup rules.)

MYAS  EXTRA HITTER (EH) AND/OR DESIGNATED HITTER (DH)

15U leagues will only have the option for the Designated Hitter (NFHS 3‐1‐4).

14U leagues ONLY will have the option of using an Extra Hitter (EH) or a Designated Hitter (DH). This will give a team a 10‐player line‐up which MUST BE DECLARED BEFORE THE START OF THE GAME and used for the remainder of the game. The player in the EH position, while not actually playing a defensive position, will be treated as such for substitution. The NFHS re‐entry rule applies to the EH position.

Options for play are as follows:

1. Use neither the DH or EH, giving nine players in the batting order and the same nine players on defense.

2. Use only the DH, not the EH, giving nine players in the batting order, one of which is replaced by another line‐up player on defense.

3. Use only the EH, not the DH, giving 10 players in the batting order, of which nine play on defense.

4. Use both the DH and EH, giving 10 players in the batting order, but one of the nine defensive players is replaced by the DH in that batting order. However, the DH can be removed during the game according to NFHS rules.

Approved Ruling: Players can move freely in defensive positions with the exception of the pitching position; the EH is considered a defensive position.