INDIANA ELITE TOURNEY RULES
1. Tournament director will make every effort to treat all teams with fairness. If questions or disputes arise about policies and procedures, coaches shall bring them to the attention of the Tournament Director for resolution. Any interpretation and decision of the Tournament Director shall be final.
2. Professional umpires have been assigned to each game. Coaches should treat them with respect. With regard to on-field calls, the decision of the umpires shall be final.
3. The home team for pool games shall be determined by a coin flip and will keep the official scorebook. Either an umpire or a member of tournament management must be present for the flip. Teams shall reconcile scores after each inning. The higher seed will be the home team throughout bracket play.
4. Teams will be responsible for all foul balls on their side of the diamond.
5. There will be no infield practice. NO SOFT TOSS INTO THE FENCES. We have batting cages spread throughout the park for you convenience.
6. All scores must be reported to the tournament director of your age group via text message. Each team is to report to alleviate any discrepancies.
· 10U – Chris Bush 317-979-0505
· 10U – Paul Godsey 317-615-9138
· 14U – Chris Young 317-753-8845
· 15U – Chris Rice 317-777-2447
· 16U – Troy Lundy 317-409-1012
· 17U – Mike Chitwood 317-345-6696
7. The Tournament Director may modify the number or length of games when necessary due to weather, field, or scheduling issues. This includes modifying the time limit if games get backed up.
8. No Glass containers allowed in the dugout. NO COOLERS ALLOWED IN THE BALL PARK, there is a fully stocked concession stand.
9. All participants are competing at their own risk. By participating you agree to hold the Tournament Director, tournament officials, tournament hosts harmless from any liability resulting from participation in the tournament.
Additional Notes:
A copy of team’s Proof of Insurance must be provided and on hand at all times.
Rainout Info: Indiana Elite will update our website (www.indianaelitebaseball.org). There will be no calls unless director feels necessary.
Smoking and alcoholic products are prohibited At the Facility. Failure to comply will result in dismissal from park and possible team suspension from tournament with no refund.
PLEASE BE WARNED -- Our tournament has "zero tolerance" for any physical confrontations by players, coaches, fans or anyone else. Upon the first violation, the violating party shall be removed from the facility for the remainder of the tournament.
Age Cutoff: May 1st.
Playing Rules
The official playing rules for the tournament shall be the NFHS (high school) rules with the following exceptions:
Length of Game
All games will be 7 innings in length for 13u – 15u
All games will be 6 innings in length for 6u – 12u.
Extra Players
13u - 15u only - Roster batting is optional. You may bat 9, use an EH, and/or a DH. Free defensive substitution is allowed if you bat your roster or use EH, with the exception of pitchers. A pitcher may re-enter the game defensively, but not as the pitcher. The player in the DH spot is not allowed to be used for free defensive substitution.
6u – 12u – Must bat roster, opposing team has the option to match the other lineup. So if one team has 10 players and the other has 12, the team with 12 can bat only 10 if they wish to do so. If this is done, normal substitution rules apply for the team only batting 10 of 12.
If a team fails to field 9 uniformed players at game time, the Tournament Director may issue a forfeit victory. The team that wins the game by forfeit will be credited with a 7 – 0 victory for tie breaker purposes.
Pitching Limitations
No pitching limitations. Please use best judgment, especially for younger divisions!!!!
Time Limits (POOL PLAY & BRACKET PLAY)
6U - 8U - 1 Hour 30 minute
This means you cannot start another inning after 1:30, but once that inning is started, the game will finish with that completed inning.
9U – 13U - 1 Hour 45 minute
This means you cannot start another inning after 1:45, but once that inning is started, the game will finish with that completed inning.
14u – 16u – 1 Hour 50 minute
This means you cannot start another inning after 1:50, but once that inning is started, the game will finish with that completed inning.
The start time shall begin at the conclusion of the plate meeting. The home plate umpire or his designee shall monitor the official time. Once an inning starts, it must be completed. The official time is ended when the third out of the bottom of the inning is recorded. If the home team is ahead when the time limit is reached, the game is over and the bottom half of the last inning shall not be played.
The Tournament Director reserves the right to modify the time limit for pool games in the event of weather or scheduling issues. There is no time limit in championship games (unless the Tournament Director deems it necessary due to weather or scheduling issues).
In the event of inclement weather preventing the completion of a game, the game shall revert to the previous complete inning. A game that has 4 completed innings for 7 innings games, and 3 completed innings for 6 innings games, when inclement weather strikes will be considered a complete game. If a game has not reached these innings discussed above when inclement weather strikes, the game will be resumed where it stopped.
NO TIME LIMIT FOR CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES!!!!!!
Mercy Rules
· 12 runs after 3 innings
· 10 runs after 4 innings
· 8 runs after 5 innings
Metal Spikes
Metal spikes are allowed for 13u and above
Tie Games
If a game is tied and time is remaining, we will use the following tiebreaker:
Each team will start the inning with a man on second base and 1 out. The base runner will be the last batted out from the previous inning (for clarification, this is the player who had the last official at bat in the previous inning). Each batter will start with a 1 -1 count. There will be one extra inning. If the game is still tied, it shall be recorded as a tie. If there is not time remaining the game will be recorded a tie.
Intentional Walks
There will be no pitches thrown to intentionally walk a batter. Notify the umpire, and the batter will be awarded first base. NO INTENTIONAL WALKS IN 8U AND BELOW.
Courtesy Runners
Courtesy runners are optional for the pitcher/catcher. Courtesy runners are mandatory for the catcher after 2 outs have been recorded. The courtesy runner shall be a player not currently in the lineup OR if you are roster batting, the last batted out. The pitcher or catcher for this rule is the pitcher or catcher of record.
Ejections
If a player is ejected during a game, the name of the player will remain in the batting order and count as an out when the batting order reaches that player. If a player or coach is ejected from a game, he will serve a one game suspension. The suspension must be for the next game the team plays.
Injuries and Early Departures
If a player becomes injured (as ruled by the umpire) and is unable to continue playing, his spot in the batting order shall be skipped with no penalty. Once the injured player leaves the batting order, he is done for the remainder of that game. If the team is not roster batting, and a substitute is available, he must be placed in the injured players spot in the lineup.
Tournament Format
All teams will play pool play games weather permitting. At the completion of pool play teams will be seeded for Bracket play. If a tiebreaker is needed to determine Championship Round seeding, the following tiebreakers shall be used:
a. Overall won-lost record
b. Head-to-head (only applies when two teams are involved)
c. Least number of runs allowed throughout the tournament
d. Coin flip
Refund Policy Due to Weather
1 game played – 50% refund
2 games played – 0% refund
Playing Distances per division:
a. 6U – 8U Coach Pitch
b. 9U - 10U – 46/65
c. 11U - 12U – 50/70
d. 13U – 54/80
e. 14U – 16U – 60/90
Bat Restrictions:
6U-8U:
shall use only 2 1/4 bats. No big barrel bats will be allowed
9U -13U:
must comply with bat restrictions which are simply 2 3/4 max barrel with 1.15 bpf stamp or BBCOR.
14U:
Must use Drop 5 Max with 1.15 bpf, or BBCOR. We follow USSSA bat restrictions.
15U – 16U:
BBCOR
MISC: DURING GAMES
Two adult base coaches are allowed during a game. Players are allowed to coach bases, but must wear helmets. Two Coaches per team will be allowed to sit on buckets outside the fence during play.
Slide rule does not apply however the rule states that the runner must attempt to avoid contact on close plays where a tag may occur. A collision between runner & fielder will be the umpire’s decision on ejection and umpire’s ruling is final. A player ejection based on the slide rule is for that game only.
Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated: any player or coach ejected from a game for unsportsmanlike conduct will serve the remainder of that game, plus the next game. Managers and coaches are responsible for the behavior of the entire team, parents included. At the umpire and site supervisor’s discretion, unruly fans will be warned once, and then suspended from the ballpark for the remainder of the tournament.
Coach Mound Visits
Two free mound visits, must remove pitcher on third visit. Two visits in same inning, you must remove pitcher. After starter is removed, you get 1 free visit, must remove pitcher on second visit.
Balks: Balks will be called at all ages at umpire’s discretion. 9u and 10u will receive a balk warning PER PITCHER prior to balk being called.
Protests: to protest a rule interpretation you must submit $100 cash. The game will be delayed and a ruling made by the Tournament Director and/or Umpire-In-Chief, (UIC). All decisions are final. Judgment calls cannot be protested. For age challenges, a protest must be filed with the umpire, U.I.C, or Tournament Director prior to the final out of the game. The player challenged must show a birth certificate to the Tournament Director, Site-Supervisor or UIC. If the challenged team cannot produce a birth certificate then the player is ineligible and the game is forfeited. If player is over-age, the team must forfeit all games the over-age player participated in. If protest is upheld, the $100 will be returned, if protest is denied, you must forfeit the $100. All coaches must have your player’s birth certificates with you at every game.
9U - 12U: No fake bunt/Swing (automatic out)!!!!
7U - 8U Tourney Rules and Information
Each team may field only 10 players per inning. The infield consists of 6 players: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, SS, pitchers helper and catcher. The outfield will consist of 4 fielders, no short fielders. Team with fewer than 9 players will be able to participate, but we will call an out on the 9th batter each time. Each team will bat the lineup.
Adults will pitch overhand from the pitching rubber. One foot must be touching the rubber when the pitch is thrown or designated line.
Each inning will consist of 3 outs. Each batter is allowed 6 pitches or three swinging strikes, with no called strikes or walks. After 6 pitches, the batter will be declared out unless the 6th pitched is fouled. A batter can’t end his at bat on a foul ball. Unlimited fouls on/after the 6th pitch.
There will be no leading off or steals. Runner may start to advance when the ball hits the bat, not prior. A warning should be given for the first infraction, all others will be an automatic out.
Once the batter hits the ball, play continues until the lead runner is forced back to a base, or stopped. After the lead runner is stopped, the play is dead and time will be called. If the lead runner is stopped at 3rd base and there is a runner on 1st, the runner on 1st will be awarded 2nd base if he is more than half way once the runner on 3rd is stopped and time is called. Once the play is stopped the umpire may call time to stop play. The advancement of runners is simply a judgment call, please do not argue these.
The pitchers helper will position himself within 5 feet of the adult pitcher, but not in front of him. The pitchers helper must also wear a helmet. A face mask is optional but highly recommended.
Infield flies and dropped third strike rules are not in effect.
NO bunting is allowed
All play will stop upon injury to a player.
Adult pitchers are a part of the playing field, just like the umpire. If they intentionally interfere with a batted ball, the ball is dead, the batter is out and no runners may advance. If adult pitcher intentionally interferes with a thrown ball, the ball is dead and the runner nearest home is out.
Run rule: Maximum of 6 runs in one inning until the 5th and 6th inning which will be unlimited runs allowed.
Once the batter steps into the batter box and the coach is ready to pitch, the catcher must be in a crouched
catcher’s position giving the pitching coach a target. Catchers will not be allowed to stand during the pitch.
6U Extended Rules:
All rules for 7u and 8u are the same for 6u except 2 of them. The first being that we will allow a coach to be in the outfield with the team (1 coach). And the other is the biggest rule change that needs to be noted and read and understood.
6U will play “Control in the Infield”. This simply means that when an infielder gains control of the ball in the infield…from a ball coming in from the outfield or ball past the infield chased down by an infielder, the runners may advance to the next base, but no further. The lead runner does not have to be stopped in the 6u division. Once the infielder has possession of the ball in the dirt portion of the infield, the offensive player can advance at his own risk, but only to the next base. IF THERE IS A PLAY ON THAT PLAYER TRYING TO ADVANCE AND HE IS FORCED OR TAGGED OUT, THEN HE IS OUT. IF THERE IS AN OVERTHROW HE MAY NOT ADVANCE ANOTHER BASE. THIS ELIMINATES THE MERRY GO ROUND EFFECT.