8U-12U Tournament Rules
Tournament Format
The tournament will consist of pool play among teams in a division, followed by playoffs as detailed on page 5 section “Playoffs.” Please bring schedule conflicts to the attention of the Tournament Director for your age group. Every effort will be made to schedule games around those restrictions.
Tiebreakers:
Division:
1. Won-Loss Record with Fewest Number of Forfeit Losses
2. Head-to-Head Results
3. Average Runs Allowed of Games Played
4. Average Runs Scored of Games Played
5. Coin Flip
Bracket (In age brackets where there are 3 Divisions for seeding):
1. Won-Loss Record with Fewest Number of Forfeit Loses
2. Average Runs Allowed of Games Played
3. Average Runs Scored of Games Played
4. Coin Flip
Once the tie has been broken among teams, that team is no longer considered tied if the next tie breaker must be used among other teams.
Note: Scores from forfeited games will not count for tiebreaker purposes.
Teams
• Team rosters can have a maximum of 15 players
• Players must be of eligible age for their group as of April 30
• No player may be on two rosters in the same age bracket.
• Players may “play up” one age group, and may be registered in two age groups as long as they are eligible in both groups.
• No changes to team rosters are allowed
• Teams are allowed one adult manager, two adult coaches and one adult scorekeeper
• No other adults are allowed in the dugout
Team records
Teams must have the following information with them at all games:
• Complete roster of players including names, uniform numbers, and birth dates
• Listing of team manager, coaches, and scorekeeper with contact numbers
• Copies of team insurance certificate
• Copies of player’s birth certificates – If you do not, player will be removed from game!!!!
Game times and location
Game times are listed on the schedule (home team determined by coin flip before each game).
No inning may begin later than 1 hour and 45 minutes from the official start time of the game. All games will have a hard stop at 2 hours from the official start time of the game. If a team cannot field at least nine players that team will forfeit the game. The umpires, who have the sole authority to decide on game forfeiture, will designate the official start time. Umpires also have the discretion to start the official game time if they feel teams are unnecessarily stalling the start of the game.
A regulation game will be six innings for ages 8 through 12. Games should be able to be completed in the allowed time slot, however when necessary, evening games on unlighted fields may be ended due to darkness and declared official by the umpire. Extra innings should be played if the game is tied after the regulation innings and the inning can be started before the 2 hour time limit. If a game is tied at the end of an inning when the time limit is reached, the game will be declared official and will count as a tie during pool play. When a game does not finish to its natural completion, but has reached the point to qualify as an official game, the final score will be determined by reverting back to the score as of the last full inning. Playoff games must be continued until one team wins, with no time limit. No game can continue past 11:00 p.m.
An official game is 4 complete innings or 3 1/2 innings if the home team is winning. If a game is stopped by the umpire for any reason and has reached the “official” status, the game will be over and the existing score and outcome will be final if it cannot be restarted within the 2 hour time limit allotted for that game. If a game is stopped before it has reached “official” status, it will be resumed when possible at the point where it was stopped.
A 10 run rule will be in effect for all games except the championship game. If a team is ahead by 10 or more runs at the end of the 4th inning (or top of the 4th if home team is winning), the game is over. For the championship game, the team losing by 10 or more runs at the end of the 4th inning has the option to concede, and the game will be over.
For 8-year old teams, the maximum number of runs a team can score in any one inning is 5 runs, with the exception of the last inning. However, the time limit and 10 run rule will remain in effect.
Pre-game infield practice will NOT be allowed. Starting games on time takes precedence over pre-game practice. Batting practice is not allowed on the playing fields. Please be prepared to start your games up to 15 minutes early on weekends in the spirit of fitting all the games for that day in at a reasonable hour.
Inclement weather
In order to complete all scheduled games, every attempt will be made to play games as scheduled. We will try to cancel games as early as possible before game time. Decisions on canceled games will be posted on our website at Team managers will be notified, when possible, via email, phone call, or text message. If you have not been contacted by a tournament official and the game has not been postponed on the website, the game will be on until cancelled at the field. We apologize if you must make an unnecessary trip to the field, but it is not always possible to make a final decision before game time.
After a rainout, managers should contact the Tournament Director, Jeff Warzeniak at 908-930-0407 or with the game to be re-scheduled. Managers are responsible for checking their e-mail and other messages in a timely manner. Forfeits will apply if a message has been left and your team does not show up for a game or contact the Tournament Director to re-schedule. (We do not want any forfeits, so we will make every effort to contact you).
Refund Policy
Due to inclement weather : 0 games played = 90% (10% would be credited to future BBSI events), 1 game played = 60%, 2 games played = 30%.
Non weather related : All payments are non-refundable after April 30th, 2015.
Safety rules
Rules and procedures to promote safety at all times are of paramount importance. The league officials and umpires will have authority to enforce safety rules and to regulate activities on the field, dugout, and stands in order to promote a safe playing environment.
• Only 1 batter is allowed in the fenced on-deck area at a time
• Batters in the on-deck area must have a helmet on at all times
• Player catchers must wear a helmet and facemask when warming up a pitcher
• Only players, manager, coaches and scorekeeper are allowed in the dugout
• No batting practice is allowed on the field
• No soft toss into the fence
• Catchers must wear cups during the game
Uniforms and Equipment
Only approved Little League / Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth equipment is allowed. Uniforms must follow general Little League / Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth rules. Each team must supply two new game baseballs to the umpire at the start of the game.
Big barrel bats are NOT allowed, including the 50/70 levels. Bats may not exceed 33” in length, and the bat barrel may not exceed 2¼" in diameter. Only 2¼" barrel non-wood bats marked BPF 1.15 will be allowed. Wood 2¼" barrel bats are allowed.
Umpires and officials
Two umpires will be assigned for 11U & 12U games. 8U-10U games will have one umpire throughout pool play and two umpires in the playoffs. All tournament umpires have completed official training courses and have experience in local leagues. Umpires are granted authority to regulate the game and activities on the field in order to promote safety and fair play. Ensuring a high level of quality umpiring is a high priority of the tournament officials and Bridgewater Baseball. Specific concerns may be directed to the Tournament Director.
Tournament officials will be present during all games. They are responsible for all tournament activities, including resolving any issues and assisting teams whenever possible.
Protests
Only rule interpretations may be protested. All decisions will be made by the tournament officials that are present at that game. All protests must be settled before the next pitch. No protests will be accepted after the next pitch or later in the tournament. Please make sure you ask the umpire to stop the game and call for a tournament official at the appropriate time or the protest may become null and void.
Playing rules
The overall playing rules will follow Official Cal Ripken League, except where specifically noted below or as determined by tournament officials. Rulings by umpires may be appealed to tournament officials, however, it should be noted that umpires will generally be given significant authority by officials and will only rarely be overruled and only under extraordinary circumstances.
Game roster
Each team must maintain a game scorebook and supply a team lineup that indicates pitcher availability to the opposing team manager and umpire prior to the start of the game. Scorekeepers should reconcile results periodically throughout the game, and should inform opposing scorekeeper of any changes in the lineup as they are put into effect.
Teams must start the game with a minimum of 9 players. Pitchers may not re-enter the pitching position once removed from this position during the game. If for any reason a team is forced to go down to eight players, the game may continue. Any player withdrawals that leave fewer than 8 players will result in an immediate forfeit.
Batting
Bat the entire roster, or play 9 with an optional 10th extra hitter (EH), for all games including playoff games. We highly recommend that teams bat their full roster of players (if a team brings 12 players to the game we recommend batting 12 players). If a player becomes injured or has to leave the game, that player’s spot in the batting order shall be skipped without an out being charged. Players arriving late for a game will be inserted at the end of the batting order.
Player substitution and re-entry
There will be free defensive substitutions with roster batting. If not roster batting Cal Ripken substitution rules must be followed. No defensive minimum playing time is required for any player.
Stealing and base running
In the 8U, 9U and 10U brackets, base runners may not leave the base until the ball passes home plate. Cal Ripken League leaving early rule applies.
The 11U and 12U brackets will follow Cal Ripken 50/70 Rules.
All runners must slide OR avoid contact at any base, and especially at home, whenever there is a play or throw to the base. Runners who do not slide will be called out for interference. Umpires are given authority for determining player’s intention to slide or avoid contact.
Runners may NOT slide head-first into any base. Players will be called out. Players may dive back head first to a base.
Speed up Rule – The catcher may be substituted for a base runner at any time. The substitute base runner will be the LAST batted out. The catcher MUST be the catcher of record from the last half inning.
For 8-year old teams, these additional rules apply:
Stealing is allowed of second and third bases only. Stealing of home is not allowed. Base runners may not leave base until the ball passes home plate. Base runners may steal only one base per batter. Cal Ripken leaving early rule applies. The base runner may only score as a result of a play developing off a batted ball, or as a forced advance due to a walk or hit batter.
Infield fly
The infield fly rule will be enforced and will be called and ruled upon by the umpire at all levels except 8U. There is no infield fly in the 8U division.
Pitching rules
For ages 10 through 12, pitchers may pitch a maximum of six innings in any two consecutive games (e.g. 3-3-3, 6-0-6, 2-4-2 are maximum permitted situations). The maximum number of innings for a pitcher is ten innings for the tournament, including playoff games. The pitching limits are NOT reset for the playoffs.
For the 8 and 9 year old teams, each pitcher may pitch a maximum of 2 innings per game.
One pitch to a batter counts as an inning pitched. Once a pitcher takes the mound and delivers a warm-up pitch, the pitcher must pitch at least one pitch to the first batter unless the above rule would be violated. Team managers are responsible for ensuring that eligibility of each pitcher is correctly specified on the line-up card presented to the opposing manager and is followed throughout the game. Any pitching rules contained herein that are violated will result in a game forfeit.
Up to 8 warm-up pitches are allowed at the start of the pitching assignment, and up to 5 pitches are allowed between innings.
One trip to the mound per pitcher in an inning is allowed. A second trip per pitcher in an inning will result in the removal of the pitcher. A coach must ask the umpire for time before crossing the foul line. (There is no limit on number of trips to the mound per game.)
Balks will not be called in the 8U-10U 46/60 brackets. The balk rule will apply in the 11U 50/70 and 12U 50/70 brackets. No balk warnings in “A” Brackets, 1 warning per pitcher will be given in “B” and “C” brackets.
Playoffs
Playoffs in all age groups will be single elimination.
There will not be a time limit in playoff games.
If there is 1 Division in an age bracket, the top 2 teams will move on to the Championship Game (#1 seed will play #2 seed). #1 Seed is home team in the Championship Game
If there are 2 Divisions in an age bracket, the top teams in each division will move onto the Championship Game (Winner of Division 1 will play Winner of Division 2). Coin flip for home team in Championship Game.
If there are 3 or more Divisions, the top team in each division will move onto the playoffs.
If 3 Divisions - we will establish #1, #2 and #3 Seed. The #2 Seed will play #3 Seed, with #1 Seed getting a first round bye. #1 Seed is home team in the Championship Game.
If 4 Divisions - Division 1 Winner will play Division 4 Winner & Division 2 Winner will play Division 3 Winner in the first round. Coin flip for home team in Championship Game.
Rules for coaches
An adult coach must be used at 3rd base. Either an adult or player may coach 1st base, but players must wear a batting helmet while on the field.
Only the team manager may discuss calls with any umpire. Managers are expected to treat umpires respectfully. Questions of rule application may be discussed calmly with the umpire. The umpires judgment calls may not questioned.
The team manager is responsible for the conduct of his players, coaches, scorekeeper, and spectators. The use of foul language or abusive treatment of umpires or the opposing team will not be tolerated and the team manager is expected to take appropriate action. Team managers, coaches, and players may be ejected by the umpire without warning for:
• Abusive treatment of umpires
• Touching an umpire in any way that would not be considered accidental
• Unnecessarily delaying the game
• Instigating and promoting unsportsmanlike conduct
• Drinking alcoholic beverages within the complex or participating in a game under-the-influence
• Involvement in any physical confrontations
Continued violation of these rules following a manager, coach, or player ejection will result in a game forfeit. Any person, including spectators, ejected from a game for any reason will be denied re-entry into the Bridgewater Baseball complex for the remainder of the tournament.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the grounds of the Bridgewater Baseball complex. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted on the grounds of the Bridgewater Baseball complex.
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