MUSKEGO WARRIORS YOUTH BASEBALL 15TH ANNUAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT JUNE 22-23rd, 2019 AND JUNE 29-30th, 2019 RULES AND REGULATIONS - AGES U8/U9/U10/U11/U12/U13/U14 Age Cutoff is May 1 st. You must be able to provide proof of player age upon request. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit. Rosters are limited to 15 players. Player may only be on one roster. Roster must be turned into concession stand prior to first game. Rosters are frozen after first pitch of first game. UMPIRES WILL REPORT SCORE TO CONCESSION STAND FOLLOWING EACH GAME RULES FOLLOW HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL FEDERATION RULES WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS: 1. GAME DURATION: Six (6) inning games or one hour and forty-five minutes in duration, whichever occurs first. No new inning will begin after the time limit has been reached. The next inning starts at the moment the last out from the previous inning is made. Home plate umpires will keep official time. In the event of injury, the umpire will stop the time. There is no time limit for championship games. Please be ready to play 30 minutes prior to scheduled game time in case tourney can be sped up. Any team, which does not take the field within 10 minutes of the start time, shall forfeit the game upon the opposing team taking the field and throwing the first pitch. 2. TIEBREAKERS AFTER SIX INNINGS: If the score is tied after 6 innings or one hour and 45 minutes, the California tie breaker rule will apply. (California rule Pool Play: Maximum of two innings) First inning, place the person who made the last out in the previous inning at second base to start the extra inning with a 2-1 count on the batter. Second inning, place the person who made the last out in the previous inning at second base with a 2-1 count and 1 out. If the score is tied after two innings in pool play, the game is over and ends in a tie. On Sunday, California rule applies and will be played until there is a winner. If California rule exceeds two innings on Sunday, the California rule will continue as it was played in the second California Rule inning (2-1 Count w/ 1 out) until a winner can be determined. 3. MERCY RULE: Team ahead by 12 runs after three innings, 10 runs after four innings, 8 runs after five innings will be declared the winner. For example, if the home team is ahead by 12 runs or more after the top of the third has been played, the game is over and the home team is not allowed to bat in the bottom of the inning. In the championship games, same Mercy Rules apply.
4. LINEUPS: A team must have a minimum of eight players to start the game. If the game is started with eight players, the 9th position in the order is then an automatic out. The out only applies to the first time through the order. If the player arrives before his at bat, he is allowed to bat and the team is not automatically penalized an out. Give the opposing manager your lineup card fifteen (15) minutes before game time. 5. WARMUPS: No infield or batting practice on the infield prior to any game. No soft toss against any fences. 6. PITCHING RESTRICTIONS: 3 innings per pitcher per game, except at U8. U8 may pitch up to 2 innings per game. One pitch constitutes an inning. Violation of this rule will result in forfeiture by the offending team. Once a pitcher is removed from the game as a pitcher, he cannot return as a pitcher. Only five (5) warm-up pitches between innings and after pitching change. Coach is allowed two (2) visits to the mound to talk to a pitcher in an inning, but must remove that pitcher on the second visit. Balks will be called in U11-14 divisions. U11s will receive one balk warning per pitcher. Second incident will result in balk. U12s will receive one balk warning per team. U13-U14s will not receive balk warnings. 7. BATTING: U8 thru U12 will bat continuous. Continuous batting order allows for free substitution of defensive players. If a player becomes injured and cannot bat when his/her turn, there is an automatic out only the first time that spot comes up in the line up. U13 and U14 may bat continuous or bat with the following options: U13 and U14 may bat only nine (9) however no DH is allowed. A starter may reenter the game once and then only in the same batting spot. A substitute may not re-enter. U13 AND U14 may use the extra hitter (EH) option. The EH (extra hitter) is designed to be used as a 10th hitter in the lineup. The coach at the beginning of the game must designate if he using the EH for the game. Once he has decided to use the EH he must continue to do so throughout the game. If at any time the team is left with less than ten (10) players, the spot vacated in the batting order by the missing player is an automatic out each time that position comes to up to bat. If the team uses the EH rule and bats 10 players, the player occupying the EH position in the batting order may be substituted into the game as a defensive player. Another player then becomes the EH. If that team starts a game with an EH, they must end game with an EH. 8. INJURIES: Should an injury during the game prevent a manager from fielding nine (9) players, he may, without penalty of forfeiture, replace the injured player with a player previously in the lineup, but only if use of all other eligible players has been exhausted from the roster. Previously used pitchers in the game may not return as pitchers. When batting continuous order, if a player leaves the game due to an injury or illness, there is an automatic out for that player the next time his spot comes up in the batting order. His spot is then skipped on subsequent at bats. Once the out is taken, this player may NOT return to this game.
9. COURTESY RUNNERS: Courtesy runners may be used for the pitcher and catcher any time, but mandatory for the catcher when there are two outs. The courtesy runner should be a substitute and may be used as a pinch runner only once in an inning. If no eligible substitute is available, then the player who made the last out will be allowed to run for the pitcher or catcher. If a team is using a continuous batting order, the player making the last out must be used as the courtesy runner for the pitcher or catcher. 10. BASERUNNING/STEALING: Leadoffs are only allowed in U11-14. In U10, a base runner can steal after the ball leaves the pitcher s hand. In U8-U9, a base runner can steal after the ball crosses the plate. Any runner leaving a base early will be called out. This will also result in a dead ball situation, or no pitch. There is no warning. In U8 and U9, delayed stealing is not allowed and no advancement on walks. In U8, the batter may not advance to second base on a walk. In U9, the batter may not advance to second base on a walk if catcher returns ball directly to the pitcher and the pitcher is on the rubber. If the batter runs to second while the pitcher has the ball and is on the rubber, the batter will be called out. In U8, the only way a runner may advance to home is via a batted ball in play, bases loaded walk or unless a defensive play is attempted on him. On errant throws to the pitcher, stolen base and errant throw to second, the runner cannot score. No Head first sliding into home plate. When there is a play at any base the runner must either make a legal slide or avoid contact. The runner may be called out for violation of this rule. Two points of emphasis: (1) on any force out, the runner must either slide directly into the base or run himself/herself out of the play avoiding contact with the fielder; and (2) for a play at the plate, when the catcher is attempting to catch a thrown ball, the runner must either make a legal slide or avoid contact, but if the catcher is not attempting to receive a thrown ball and is in the base path, then the catcher has committed obstruction and the runner is awarded home. Any incidental contact is a judgment call by the umpire. Malicious contact: If an umpire believes that a player initiates malicious contact then that player will be ejected for the remainder of the game and will be suspended for the next game. 11. DROPPED 3 rd STRIKE & INFIELD FLY RULE: U8/U9/U10 The batter may not advance on a dropped third strike. All other runners may advance at their own risk. The infield fly rule will be enforced for all age groups, however, the umpire must use good judgment whether the infielder can actually catch the ball. 12. BATTING RESTRICTIONS: Bats there are no bat restrictions on diameter, drop, etc. Bats banned by USSSA are not allowed. No faking a bunt and then swinging away at U8-U12. If a batter uses an illegal bat or fakes a bunt (U8-12), he/she will be called out.
13. EQUIPMENT: All batters and runners must wear helmets with earflaps. No exceptions. Metal cleats are allowed for only U13-U14. Any player warming up a pitcher and takes the position of the catcher, the player must wear an approved mask. 14. HOME TEAM / SEEDING: For Saturday s games, the fields will be considered neutral. The home team shall be determined by the toss of a coin. The winner of the toss has the choice. A game that is forfeited for any reason will result in a score of 6-0. Top seed on Sunday will be home team and occupy third base dugout. Seeding for Sunday is determined by 1) Overall Record, 2) Head to Head, 3) Runs Allowed, 4) Runs Scored, 5) Coin Toss. For age groups with six teams, top four seeds will advance to championship bracket, seeds 5 and 6 will play a consolation game on Sunday. 15. PROTESTS: No protests allowed on umpire judgment calls. When a manager claims that an umpire s decision is in violation of the tournament rules, he/she shall first attempt resolution with the umpire. If resolution cannot be made, a formal protest may be made to the field supervisor or tournament director. The field supervisor or tournament director must immediately call a conference of all umpires working the game, and a decision shall be reached after discussion. All protestable plays must be resolved before the next pitch is thrown or before the umpires leave the field for a contested play that ends the game. 16. BEHAVIOR: No player, manager, or coach will be allowed to use profane or abusive language to players, umpires or anyone connected with the game. This includes your spectators and parents. Our umpires and supervisors will take whatever measures are necessary to ensure good sportsmanship. There will be no smoking or chewing within the confines of the playing area, and absolutely no alcohol is allowed in the parks, unless sold and purchased via tournament concessions. (Advise your spectators). 17. CARRY-INS: Limited to Gatorade or water for baseball players only. No coolers allowed. 18: INCLEMENT WEATHER/REFUNDS: Games rained out will be attempted to be rescheduled and possibly shortened to ensure completion. Games may be shortened to 1 hour and fifteen minutes if needed. If inclement weather occurs during ongoing games, the following will apply: U13-U14 games may be considered complete games with 4 innings complete, all other divisions may be considered a complete game with 3 complete innings played. If tournament is 100% rained out, a 75% refund will apply. If only one game is played, a 50% refund will apply. If more than one game is played, zero refund applies. Tournament Director or Muskego Warriors Youth Baseball Staff reserve the right to change the format of any tournament to a single elimination format. This would only take place once it has been determined that there is NO possible way to finish the published format due to weather or field conditions. Field condition cancellations due to weather are under the control of the City of Muskego Parks and Recreation Department.
QUICK REFERENCE RULES SUMMARY U8 U8 U9 U10 U11 U12 U13 U14 Pitcher s Mound / Bases Advance on Dropped 3 rd Strike 43 46 46 50 70 50 70 6 90 6 90 No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Leading Off No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes After ball After ball After ball Stealing crosses crosses leaves home home pitcher s Yes Yes Yes Yes plate plate hand Infield Fly Rule* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Continuous Batting Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Optional Optional Order Extra hitter No No No No No Optional Optional Balks No No No Yes 1 Warning Per Pitcher Yes 1 Warning Per Team Yes No Warnings Yes No Warnings Metal Cleats No No No No No Allowed Allowed * Infield Fly for All Ages, Umpire must use good judgment whether player would catch ball TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS/FIELD SUPERVISORS: Tournament Directors: Field Supervisors: TBD TBD U8 U9 U10 U11 U12 U13 U14 Director Of Umpires: Mike Schmidlkofer 262-914-8472