Baseball Rules

Bases Loaded Tournament Rules

Updated 6/22/15

ROSTERS:
Teams are required to submit to the Tournament Director a roster form before their elimination game. We will use the Dixie Youth player age guidelines for this tournament. Any coach may ask to review any team's birth certificates. If you do not have a player's birth certificate on hand for verification, your team will forfeit all games that the player in question participated in. If it is determined that a team used an illegal player in a game, that team will be immediately expelled from the tournament without refund of registration fees.

SPORTSMANSHIP:
All players, coaches, parents, and fans are expected to show exemplary sportsmanship during the tournament. Players and coaches who are ejected from a game must sit out their team's next game and may not be present at that game. A player or coach that is ejected twice will be expelled from the tournament and asked to leave the park. Coaches are responsible for their parents and fans' conduct. Parents and fans may also be ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct.

NO COACHING FROM THE STANDS:
Bases Loaded has a strict policy prohibiting parent and fan coaching from the stands. Shouting specific instructions to players from the stands can result in an ejection from the field area.

PITCHING RULES:

The following totals apply PER PITCHER for the Tournament:

8 – under	8 innings total
10- under	10 innings Total
12- under	12 innings Total
14- under	No Limitations

Coaches should consider the health and well-being of their pitchers when determining the proper amount of rest needed between innings pitched.

BATTING ORDER: Continuous batting order with FREE Defensive Substitutions (If you bat ALL your players and one gets hurt or leaves, etc.., it is an AUTOMATIC OUT when that players turn comes up in your lineup) OR Bat 9/Play 9 with DH OR Bat 10/Play 9 with EH (let umpire know and other team which one will be used) You must have Seven players at ALL times in order to play.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS: You must have 7 players to participate at any point during a game.  Falling below 7 players will result in a forfeit.

SPEED-UP RULE: All teams are required to be ready to play 30 minutes before their scheduled game time.  If the previous game ends early, the following two teams will take the field to keep the schedule on time as much as possible.

SCOREBOARD/OFFICIAL BOOK/UMPIRES CARD:  Before every game, both teams will turn in a lineup card with starting pitcher.  Umpires will keep track of runs per inning and pitching changes.  The visiting team will furnish someone to run the scoreboard.  The home team will furnish someone to keep the official book. 

MERCY RULE FOR ALL AGE DIVISIONS:15 run after 3 innings, 10 runs after 4 innings, and 8 runs after 5 innings. Run Rule remains in effect in ALL Games, including CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

BATS: In accordance with Dixie Youth rule 1.10, 2 ¾’ bats are illegal and the following bats are Legal A.- 2 1/4” bats as defines by the rule. B - 2 5/8” bats as defines by the rule.

To be Legal the bat need to have a stamping of BPF 1.15 & or Dixie Youth approved or BBCOR Certification.

Illegal bat Penalty: A batter who uses an illegal bat shall be called out and all runners shall return to the bases occupied by them at the time such batter took his position in the batter’s box if protested by the opposing team manager prior to the first pitch to the next batter. A batter uses a bat when he takes the first pitch from a pitcher during any time at bat. The bat becomes illegal when the batter receives the first pitch during his turn at bat. He does not have to hit the ball. Batter will be called out and any runners must return to the base they occupied prior to the first pitch to the batter.

BATTERS HELMETS: The use of a chin strap and or face guards including C-flap is not mandatory but when used must be in compliance with Dixie Youth rule 1.16

HEAD FIRST SLIDE: Head First slide is NOT allowed in any age division when the player is wearing a helmet with a face guard; C-flap or chin strap. This is a safety measure. Players NOT wearing this type of helmet may slide head first.  This rule only applies when advancing to a base and does not apply when returning. The penalty for violation is an out.

FAKE BUNT/SWING AWAY RULE Contact with the ball is not necessary to  constitute a violation which will result in an out. Fake Bunt and then swing is only allowed in 14U.

HOME TEAM DETERMINATION :Home team is determined by flip of the coin at the home plate meeting. The home team will furnish the official scorekeeper and the visiting team will furnish the scoreboard operator. NO game will start until there is an official book and scoreboard operator.

PROTESTS: There will be a $150.00 fee payable in cash for any protest. You can ONLY Protest a RULE, not an INTERPRETATION or JUDGEMENT call by the umpire!

CONDUCT:T eam coaches & managers are responsible for the conduct of parents, players and other team spectators. Use of profanity will not be tolerated and the head coach plus the violator will be immediately ejected. If any manager or head coach is thrown out of any game by the umpire, that manager WILL NOT be eligible to coach/manage in his/her team's next scheduled game. The Tournament Director can override this rule by letting the manager coach in his/her next game if he so chooses. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR TOBACCO ALLOWED.

ALL PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE OR IN THE PARK ARE SUBJECT TO EJECTION BY THE UMPIRE, ANY BASES LOADED COMMITTEE MEMBER, OR THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR FOR VIOLATION OF ANY CODE OF CONDUCT RULE.

GAME LENGTH: 6U = 5 innings or 1:10
7U = 5 innings or 1:1

8U=  5 innings or 1:20

10U = 6 innings or 1:30;

12U = 6 innings or 1:40;

14U-= 7 innings or 1:50
(Drop Dead!!! in Pool Play). No game will be played out after time limit or inning limit. The Final score is the score at the end of the time limit! In elimination play, games have to be played out until there is a winner! When time limit is up & home team is batting & home team is ahead, the game is over!
Umpires will keep official time. NO Time Limit in Championship Game!

BASEBALLS: Each team must provide (2) two new baseballs per game. Each team is responsible for shagging foul balls.

TIE BREAKERS: (Bracket Play Only) Games will not end in a tie. Upon completion of the allotted innings or time, if the score is tied there will be one additional inning until a winner is determined.

OFFICIAL GAME: If a game is stopped because of weather, a minimum of seven (7) minutes must elapse before a game can resume.  If a game is called because of rain or other acts of God and cannot be resumed, it is an official game if FOUR INNINGS have been completed in a 6-inning game or if the HOME team is ahead in the bottom of the 4th inning; FIVE INNINGS have been completed in a 7-inning game OR if the HOME team is ahead in the bottom of the 5th inning.  If the game is called prior to this point, the game shall be the same as it was at the time of the last completed pitch.

·         Age Control date is APRIL 30th, 2011

·         Use of an illegal player or the use of an illegal pitcher in a game will result in immediate forfeiture.

·         Steel Spikes allowed ONLY in 14U age division and up!

Refund Policy: No Games 100%, 1-Game - No Refund !!
***No refunds will be issued as a result of a team being ejected from the tournament for code of conduct violations or if a team has been expel for illegal use of a player or pitcher****

FIELD DIMENSIONS: 6U: 36/50, 7/8U: 43/50, 10U: 46/60, 12U: 50/70, 14U: 54/80

GAME RULES:

We will follow Dixie Youth Baseball Rules with the following exceptions:

6U SPECIFIC RULES:

1. All pitches will be thrown overhand by the manager or coach from the rubber.
2. Each batter will be allowed five pitches. In the event the fifth pitch is fouled off, the player will remain at bat.  The player will remain a batter until they miss the fifth pitch or the ball is put in play.
3. Foul line is a 10 foot arc from back of home plate. The batter must hit the ball beyond this line to be considered a fair ball. No bunting is allowed. Bunts will be considered "foul balls". (This is a judgment call by the umpire.)
4. A runner must make an apparent attempt toward second base in order to be tagged out when over running first base. (This is a judgment call by the umpire.)
5. The pitching circle is 12 feet in diameter. A defensive player must have control of the ball inside the circle or be in front of the lead runner and request time in order to stop play. However, all other base runners may advance until time is called by the umpire. Once time is called, all runners will either advance to the nearest base or return to the last base, in relation to the halfway line.  The player in the pitcher position must keep at least one foot inside the circle and remain parallel with the coach pitcher until the ball is hit.
6. Halfway lines between the bases will determine the runner's position when play stops. The halfway lines must be clearly defined by the manager who prepares the field.
7. No one is allowed in front of the halfway line between any bases. If the defense is out of position, time will be called for the manager to move players and a warning will be issued.  Upon the second warning from the umpire, obstruction will be called and all base runners will advance one base. Two coaches will be allowed in the outfield grass only on defense and are not allowed to enter the infield during the play.
8. If a ball hits the coach who is pitching the ball, it is considered a live ball.  It is required that he/she move across the opposite foul line and into dead ball territory as soon as the ball is hit and remain there until time is called by the umpire.
9. All players present can play on defense. Outfielders must be positioned outside the base path and remain in the outfield until the ball is hit. Teams may use only 4 infielders plus a pitcher; no outfielder may play “short” in the infield.
10. Upon completion of the play that scores five runs, the inning and each inning thereafter for the team on offense is complete. There will be no continuations. Ten runs will be allowed in the fifth inning only. In case of a tied game, only 5 runs will be allowed in subsequent innings after the fifth inning.

 

8U SPECIFIC RULES:

1. Each team will play all players present regardless of number of players present on opposing team.
2. Base stealing WILL BE ALLOWED after the ball crosses the plate. Runners will not be allowed to steal home. Should a runner leave early, they will be called out.
3. A base runner can advance only one base on an over-thrown ball. If the ball goes out of play, each base runner will advance two bases from the last base occupied.
4. Upon completion of the play that scores five runs, the inning and each inning thereafter for the team on offense is complete. There will be no continuations. Ten runs will be allowed in the fifth inning only. In case of a tied game, only 5 runs will be allowed in subsequent innings after the fifth inning.
5. The infield fly rule will not apply.
6.  A pitcher removed from the mound shall not return to the mound in the same game.
7.  If a pitcher hits 3 batters in the same game, the pitcher must be removed from the mound.
8. It will be mandatory for all batters to wear helmets with protective masks.
9. Bunting will be allowed.
10. All games will be Kid pitched only.
11. 9 players will play defense.

10U SPECIFIC RULES

1.       6 innings or 1:30 Time Limit

2.       5 Runs – Innings 1 Thru 5

3.       Unlimited Runs in the 6th inning only.

4.       Infield Fly Rule in effect

5.        Runners will be allowed to steal bases including home after the ball crosses home plate.

6.       No Lead Off’s

7.       No BALKS!!

12U SPECIFIC RULES:

1.       Drop third Strike will apply. 

2.       Balks will be enforced.

3.       Infield Fly Rule Applies.

4.       All games will be played according to Dixie Youth O-Zone Rules.

14U SPECIFIC RULES:

All baseball rules apply. See pitching Rules 2 1/4” bats are not legal for this age group.