7U & 8UMachine Pitch Rules Each Tournament may have exceptions to these rules to best serve different regions of play. Please check with your tournament director for any exceptions. The Below Rules will be used for National and World Series Play. 1. National Federation rules apply with the following Top Gun rule exceptions for 8u Machine Pitch along with the Top Gun general rules on www.playtopgunsports.com website. 2. Age Cut off. a. Age 8 and under. Cutoff date is May lst. A player must not turn 9 before May 1 51 of current season. b. Please have Birth Certificates or copies available for inspection at check-in before each tournament if requested. 3. The Top Gun approved Baseball must be used for all Top Gun Tournaments. This is a hard regular baseball and must be used in all Play Top Gun Sports sanctioned tournaments. 4. On-Line Rosters: please make sure that your rosters are up to date and on line with Top Gun Sports for this event, We will be using this for all home runs, wins, and losses. All teams should make sure you have this done before playing your first game. Coaches please have with you at all times during the tournament a copy of your on line roster, birth certificates, team insurance naming top gun additional insured. If we have a protest on the field and you cannot produce these. This could result in a forfeit. Please be sure you have your certificate of insurance, if you are using another brand of insurance Top Gun must be listed as additionally insured. 5. Regulation Game is 6 innings. a. Time Limits for Regular Tournament play games are one hour and fifteen minutes. Championship games are one hour and thirty minutes. b. Time Limits for Super Savers Tournaments Games are one hour fifteen minutes. c. When time limit expires the inning you are currently playing is the last inning. If time limit expires after the 3rd out is made of the inning, a new inning would start. d. Pool Play games will end in a tie if teams are tied after regulation. e. International Tie Breaker Rule: Bracket games if tied will revert to international tie breaker rule if tied after regulation. This rule will be used for all bracket play games except the Championship game of a bracket. At the end of regulation or when time has expired, teams will place the last out made in the previous inning at 2"d base with no outs. Each team will bat until a winner has
been determined. If the catcher is the last out made, a previous out runner can run if so desired. f. Home Team: All pool play games will be determined by a coin toss and will be the official scorebook. If there is any discrepancy in the score. The umpires will gather both scorebooks along with the scorecard to determine what is correct. g. Highest seed will have choice to be home or visitor team in all bracket games.
6. If a team drops below 8 players for any reason, the game is ruled a forfeit by the site director. 7. Pick-Up Player Rule: Top Gun is opened rostered. Any team may pick up players from another team long as the player is not rostered on teams in the same tournament or tournament weekend, regardless of age division. Players may not play on 2 separate teams in the same event or weekend. No exceptions to this rule are allowed. Once the first of the tournament begins, that roster is frozen and no additional players may be added unless approved by the tournament director. If it is found that a player is ineligible, the penalty will be as follows. If a player is found to be ineligible prior to the start of the tournament, the player or players will be expelled from the tournament. If a player is found to be ineligible after the tournament has begun, not only will the player be expelled, but the entire team will be expelled from the tournament. Coaches are responsible to see that their teams meet all eligibility requirements. No team refunds. 8. The base paths are 60'. Recommended fence distance is from 140 feet to 200 feet. 9. There is a thirty-foot safety arc from the back tip of home plate which extends from the first base line to the third base line. 10. In regard to the 30 foot safety arc, if an infielder crosses that line before the ball is hit, the offensive team has the option of either declaring the batted ball a no pitch, or they may accept the outcome of the play. 11. The front of the pitching machine is set at forty-six feet in a straight line directly toward second base from the back tip of home plate. a. There is a box that extends five feet to either side of the pitching machine and five feet behind the pitching machine. b. This mark is considered a safety mark for the player playing the pitcher position. c. The player playing this position is not able to cross this mark until the ball is batted. d. The pitching machine speed for SU is 40-44 MPH with a setting of 10-4-3 on the spring loaded machine. e. The pitching machine speed for 7U is 38-42 MPH with a setting of 9-3-3 on the spring loaded machine 12. There is a five foot mark drawn on either side of the pitching machine toward first base and third base. This mark is considered a safety mark for the player playing the pitching position. The player playing this position is not able to cross this mark until the ball is batted. 13. Each batter is allowed five pitches or three strikes. If a batter hits a foul ball on the fifth pitch, he or she is allowed to continue batting until he or she does not make contact with the ball or puts the ball in play.
14. Each team may only score a maximum of 5 runs for the first inning. The 2"d, 3rd, 4 1 \ 5th innings the lead team may always be able to score 5 runs even though the lead could be greater than 5 runs. The team that is behind when batting after the first inning, may always be able to even up the score, and score 5 additional runs, this applies to the 2nd, 3rd,4\ 1 5th innings only. The 6th inning or any additional innings played are unlimited sconng. 15. A fair batted ball hitting either the pitching machine or the umpire running the machine is declared a dead ball. The batter is awarded first base and each runner on base advances one base from their original position. 16. If the pitching machine throws a ball which, in the opinion of the umpire, isn't hittable, it shall be declared a no pitch and it won't count as one of the allowed five pitches 17. If a pitched ball accidently hits a batter, it shall be declared a no pitch and the batter doesn't get awarded first base. 18. If a pitched ball is declared to be a no pitch by the umpire, but the batter swings at it, the no pitch call by the umpire is negated and the play continues. 19. The catcher must be properly equipped. a. The catcher must be located in the catcher's box, no more than four feet behind home plate. b. If a catcher continually refuses to position himself within four feet behind home plate, the coach shall replace that player. 20. Umpires call time after every play and declare the ball dead. Time should be called as soon as all three of the following occur: a. The lead runner stops attempting to advance. In regard to whether the lead runner has stopped attempting to advance that is an umpire judgment call. Some coaches will keep their runners dancing around off of the base trying to draw a throw. This is not to be considered trying to advance and the play should be declared dead. b. The ball is in the possession of a fielder in the infield c. No defensive play is imminent 21. The mercy rule for all six inning games is 15 runs after five innings, or four-and-onehalf innings if the home team is ahead. 22. If the home team has run ruled the visiting team, the game is declared complete and the winner is declared. 23. There are no: a. Base on balls, or intentional walks b. Infield fly rule c. Base stealing
24. All teams must roster bat for all games and use ten defensive players. a. Teams can begin a game with eight players, but one player must be a catcher. The team takes an out for the ninth and tenth spot until each player arrives. b. Players that arrive late after the game has started may be added to the bottom of the lineup. c. All team players present in uniform and in the dugout will bat in asset batting order. d. The entire roster means all players present at that game and dressed to play. e. Coaches may not elect to delete players from the playing roster to gain an advantage. Setting out players for big games is classified as unsportsmanlike conduct. Violation may result in team disqualification from the event. f. Because teams are roster batting, there is free substitution on defense. The batting order must remain the same. g. Players that are listed on the lineup card must bat in order. h. Players that become hurt or sick during the game will receive one out for the sick or injured player. However the sick or injured player may not return to the game. (The one out will be recorded upon removal of the sick or injured player from the game in their next or current at bat. No out will be recorded on their next time through the batting order.) 1. Only six (6) infielders can be played. J. Four (4) outfielders will be used and outfielders may not cover 2nd base for a put out on the first throw. Outfielders must play behind the 90' mark on each field. Teams that start with less than 10 players must play a full infield. 25. Courtesy runners are only allowed for the catcher of record. 26. Runners may not leave their bases until the pitched ball crosses the front edge of home plate. a. A runner who leaves early is declared out, and the pitch is declared a no pitch. b. If bases are loaded with no outs and a runner leaves the base early, but the batter hits a single or better, the runner who left early is out, and the pitch is declared a no pitch. No runs score. 27. Slide Rule o Runners are not required to slide, but if they elect to slide, the slide must be legal o A runner must slide directly into the base o If a tag play is imminent, the runner should slide or seek to avoid contact. Jumping over a player is not considered avoiding contact. Runner is out! o An imminent tag play requires possession of the ball by the defensive player o A player may not initiate malicious contact. It is solely the umpire's judgment call that determines whether the contact is malicious. 28. Bunting is permitted. a. No fake bunts allowed, player showing bunt may not fake bunt and swing in an effort to hit the ball. PENALTY IS THE PLAYER IS OUT, AND THE BALL IS DEAD. b. Bunting situations only, all players including the pitcher may charge the bunt on the first sign of a bunt.
29. If a pitcher leaves the five foot mark before the ball is batted, the offensive team has the option of either declaring the batted ball a no pitch, or they may accept the outcome of the play. The only exception is a bunted ball. 30. Bat restrictions, there are no bat restrictions in 7U & SU. Bats must be made of an approved material, and they must be smooth and round. Bats may be large barrel or composite. The penalty for using an illegal bat will follow the penalty of the National Federations of High School Rules. 31. Protests: A protest must be made verbally with the umpire by the offended team at the time of the play and before the next pitch is thrown. A fee of $100.00 cash (refunded if upheld) must accompany the protest. All decisions of the protest committee shall be final. Only the decision involving the Misinterpretation of Misapplication of a rule may be protested. No protest shall be allowed in matters solely on the umpires judgement. 32. No metal cleats allowed. 33. Jewelry: Top Gun follows the National federation rule on Jewelry with the exception of Phiten breakaway necklaces, players will be allowed to wear them during play. 34. Forfeits: Tournament Directors are in charge of all operations for Top gun events. Umpires may eject coaches, players, and/or fans, but DO NOT have the authority to forfeit games under circumstances. If an individual is ejected, that person must leave the venue immediately and game time will be stopped. Site Director must be notified immediately! If the ejected person(s) does not leave the premises immediately, police will be called. Game time will resume once the issue is resolved. 35. Ejections: Manager, Coach, or Players in all age divisions, the first occurrence results in the suspension for the game and removal; from the game venue, and also the next scheduled game. The coach is not permitted at the game venue for his suspended game. The second occurrence during a tournament results in suspension for the remainder of the tournament well as possible impositions for sanctions subject to the review of Top Gun Baseball. 36. Ejections in the Line Up: In case of and ejection in the line-up. There will be an out in that position each time at bat. Machine Pitch roster bats. Therefore there are no subs to fill that spot. Each at bat for the ejected player will result in an out. 37. Tournament Director always has the authority to revise or change the format due to rain or any other reason he feels necessary, in the best interest of the tournament. 38. The Tournament Director shall have final decision on all tournament questions, but must follow Top Gun procedures. 39. Head Coach Responsibility: The head coach of each team is held responsible for the conduct of their assistant coaches, players, and fans. He should make sure that all rules of the tournament are explained to each member above.