Spearfish Youth Baseball Association’s

2011Tournament Rules

  1. Home team determined by flip of a coin and responsible for “Official Book”.
  1. All games are 6 innings. In case of a tied record in Pool Play portion of the Tournament, the following system applies (with three team pools the only tie possible is if all teams go 1 – 1):

a.The teamswill be seeded by runs allowed in their pool play. The team with fewest runs allowed in pool play will be seeded #1, second fewest seeded #2, most runs allowed seeded #3.

b. If a tie still exists, then team with most runs scored in pool play games will advance.

c.If a tie still exists, then a coin toss will decide the winner.

**Ten run rule applies after 3 ½ or 4 innings. Please have players hustle on and off the field.

  1. Each pitcher is allowed to pitch 6 outs per game, 24 outs for the tournament. Once a pitcher is relieved, they may not return to the mound during that game. A catcher may move to pitcher in this tournament. Balks will not be called. Batter may not run on dropped third strike. All teams will play 9 players in the field, with the option of batting 10 players. If a team cannot field 9 players, a minimum of 8 players is required to start a game. If one team only fields 8 players the lack of the 9th hitter is an out taken at the bottom of the order.
  1. Time limit: No new inning will be started after 1 hour and 45 minutes from the start of the game.
  1. All players on roster must play 6 defensive outs and 1 at bat during the game. Starters that were replaced may re-enter the game, but must wait until the player he was replaced by has one at bat. Substitutes that are out of the game may re-enter to replace an injured player. If a team chooses to have an extra hitter (EH), no bench player may replace the EH and the EH has met their playing requirements are not required to play in the field.
  1. A runner is allowed one extra base on an overthrown ball which leaves the field of play or enters the dugout area (the ball is considered dead). If, however, the overthrown ball remains in the field of play then runners may advance any number of bases at their own risk.
  1. Any runner leaving their base before the pitched ball crosses the plate is automatically out. The ball is dead as soon as the runner leaves the base illegally and the pitch is declared a “no pitch”.
  1. Base runners may advance during the throw back from the catcher to the pitcher. The ball remains alive until the pitcher has full control of the ball on the pitching mound or the umpire declares the ball dead. Runners may not advance when the ball is declared dead. Courtesy runners are encouraged to run for catchers when there are 2 outs. Players who currently are not in the game or batting as the EH may run for the catcher or an injured player.
  1. Sliding is highly encouraged at 2nd, 3rd, and required at home if there is a play at that base. It is the responsibility of the runner to avoid contact with the defensive player when they are reaching a base if they do not slide. This rule is not designed to penalize incidental or harmless contact, it is to avoid injury. It is at the umpire’s discretion to call a runner out for making contact with a defensive player when the runner did not slide or make an attempt to avoid contact. A little common sense goes a long way on this rule. No headfirst slides except diving back to previously held base! Headfirst slides will result in automatic out called.
  1. Only “Little League” approved bats are allowed. Maximum bat barrel size is 2 ¼ inches. Please practice good sportsmanship towards the umpires, coaches, and players. Any umpire harassment or unsportsmanlike conduct is subject to ejection from the game or tournament upon the umpire’s discretion. All other baseball rules apply. The Spearfish Youth Baseball Association uses the Little League Official rulebook.