“LOCAL RULES” for All-Star Tournament

 

Unless noted prior to the event, the following “local” rules will ALWAYS be in effect.  If the rule is not discussed below, Southern Sports will follow the Dizzy Dean rule.  Southern Sports reserves the right to change the following rules at any time.  All teams will be made aware of changes prior to the start of their event.  If there is a rules question for younger age groups that are not applicable with Dizzy Dean, the tournament director will make the final decision on interpretation.  

 

RESPONSIBILITY OF KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING RULES It is the sole responsibility of each team’s head coach to understand all rules and guidelines that are presented in this document, as well as in the Dizzy Dean rule book. 

FINAL DECISIONS The Tournament Director shall have final decision on all tournament questions/decisions. 

TEAM ROSTERS All teams must present an online player roster to Southern Sports Promotions prior to their first game of each event.  If a team has previously submitted an online roster to Southern Sports, that will be treated as the current roster.  It is the team’s responsibility to make any changes necessary to their Southern Sports roster for the current event.  In the event that a roster is challenged, during an event, the current (online or recently submitted) roster will be the roster of record.  If a team’s roster is challenged, via an official protest, that player must be on the team roster.  If the player is not listed, the team will forfeit any games in which that player has played during the event.  IF THE CHALLENGED TEAM DOES NOT HAVE A ROSTER OF RECORD, THE TEAM MAY BE FORCED TO FORFEIT GAMES PLAYED TO THAT POINT.  THE ONLY WAY TO VIEW ANOTHER TEAM’S ROSTER IS TO FILE A PROTEST DURING THE GAME, AND SUBMIT $300 CASH AS A PROTEST FEE. 

PLAYERS ON MULTIPLE ROSTERS No player is allowed to participate on more than one team for each event.  For example, organization rosters have to designate players on one specific team in conjunction with their submitted rosters.  In addition, no player is allowed to play on more than one team even if those teams are in different divisions, or age groups.  PENALTY FOR THIS VIOLATION IS TEAM FORFEIT OF ALL GAMES IN WHICH THE PLAYER PARTICIPATED IN WITH SAID TEAM(S). 

MINIMUM PLAYERS A team can play an official game with no less than 8 players.  If a team plays with 8 players, that team must have a designated out for the 9th position in the batting order.  If a team loses a player due to injury or illness, a designated out will be recorded in that position of the batting order.

AGE REQUIREMENT

May 1, 2021 will be the designated date to determine ages. Photocopies of birth

certificates MUST be kept with the team coach/manager at all times. Failure to provide documentation, upon request, will result in an age/rules violation.

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BIRTH CERTIFICATES/PROOF OF AGE 

Each team MUST have copies of birth certificates available throughout the tournament. An age protest, like any other protest, requires a $300 cash protest fee. If an age protest is lodged against your team, you MUST provide proof of age (eligibility). If you cannot do so, you lose the protest and the protesting team 

gets their money back. If you are able to prove proper age (and eligibility) for your player, the protesting team loses the protest and the protest fee.

PROTEST FEE

$300 cash (on rule interpretation only). Must be paid at time of protest. Pro

tests must be submitted before the next pitch of the game, if the protest is play specific. Before the next pitch is thrown, it is the sole responsibility of the head coach to stop the game in order to protest rules interpretation. More 

general protests must be submitted prior to the conclusion of the game.

 

GATE FEES

Southern Sports does charge a gate fee to all who attend events. In most cases, an individual gate fee will be charged as attendees enter the respective parks. The individual gate fee is as follows: Adults $5, teenagers/seniors $3, and children under 13 years of age are free.

Some facilities will not collect individual gate fees, and require a team gate fee be paid by the team prior to their first game. This type of gate fee will be communicated prior to events. Current parks where this will happen are Blackburn Park and other selected parks.

 

FIELD DIMENSIONS

5u-8u-Coach Pitch

Base distance is 60 feet, pitching mound is 46 feet.

8u-Kid Pitch 

Base distance is 60 feet, pitching mound is 40 feet

9u-10u

Base distance is 65 feet, pitching mound is 46 feet

11u-12u

Base distance is 70 feet, pitching mound is 50 feet

13u-14u

Base distance is 80 feet, pitching mound is 54 feet

 

TIME LIMIT PER AGE GROUP:

5u-8u is 1:15 or 6 innings

9u-14u is 1:30 or 6 innings

 

Run rules for all age groups: 7 runs per inning

LINE-UP OPTIONS Teams may bat a nine (9) player line-up, ten (10) player line-up using an Extra Hitter (EH) or continuous lineup of all present, eligible, uniformed players.  Such line-up must be declared before the start of the game and used the entire game.   If a team uses a line-up that contains substitute players, all starting players may be removed and re-enter the game once, but must re-enter in their original position in the batting order.  Non-starters are not allowed to re-enter.  When a starter re-enters, the player in the starter’s batting position in the batting order must be removed from the game and is ineligible for the remainder of the game. If a team uses a line-up that contains ten (10) players, the player in the Extra Hitter position has free defensive substitution.  If a team uses a continuous line-up, all players other than the nine (9) defensive position players are Extra Hitters and may move freely in defensive positions with the exception of the pitching position. When using the continuous lineup and a player has to leave the game for any reason, that position in the line-up becomes an out when that at bat comes around.  IF A TEAM DOES NOT FOLLOW THIS RULE, IT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OPPOSING HEAD COACH TO STOP PLAY.  AT THAT TIME THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR WILL REVIEW THE SITUATION, AND MAKE THE FINAL DECISION ON THE SITUATION.

GAME BASEBALLS Teams must provide all game balls. Two new balls are required to begin the game.  The baseballs are not required to be a specific brand but must be comparable to Diamond DOL-1 baseballs. 

GAME TIME/START TIME There is no “grace period” for teams.  If a team is not present at game time, it will result in a forfeit.  Game time starts at the completion of the home plate meeting, and the game time will be announced at the conclusion of that meeting.  No changes in games time limits will be allowed…..ALL game time limits will follow what is stated in these rules unless altered directly by the tournament director.  The umpire crew is the only “official” timed clock.  

HOME TEAM Determined by coin flip in pool play. In bracket play the better seeded team will be given choice of home/visitor. Home team is required to keep the official book.  The visiting team is required to have an adult manage the field score board.

FIRST AND THIRD “PICK-OFF” The traditional fake to third and make a throw to first in first and third situations IS allowed in Southern Sports events for 12u.

SLASH BUNT: No slash bunts are allowed.

BAT RULE 7u–13u: There is no restriction on weight or length as long as the bat has been marked with “BPF 1.15” stamp.  “USABat” stamped bats are also allowed.  Wood bats are allowed.  

COURTESY RUNNERS (Not used if batting entire line-up.) A courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher or catcher. The courtesy runner must be a substitute player that has not been in the game. A courtesy runner may run for either the pitcher or catcher, but not both in the same inning. Two courtesy runners (one for pitcher, one for catcher) may be used if the team has eligible substitutes for both roles. If there are no substitutes available, THE TEAM MAY USE THE LAST BATTED OUT AS THE COURTESY RUNNER. IF THE TEAM IS BATTING THE WHOLE LINEUP, THEN IT WOULD BE THE LAST BATTED OUT FOR THE ENTIRE GAME FOR PITCHER AND CATCHER. THE SAME RUNNER CAN NOT RUN FOR BOTH THE PITCHER AND CATCHER WITHIN THE SAME INNING. 

PITCHING LIMITS  It is the responsibility of each team’s manager to challenge pitching violations by notifying the Umpire and filing a protest with the tournament director.  A protest may be filed at any point after the pitcher in violation records any out beyond his legal limit AND while the pitcher in violation is in the game as the pitcher of record.  If such violation is the last recorded out of the game, the protest MUST be filed prior to the Umpire and the teams leaving the field of play. 

PITCHING LIMITATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

All age groups: 6 innings max per day, 8 innings max per tournament

If pitching rules are violated and the infraction is detected, the situation will be reviewed and consequences will be determined by the tournament director. Consequences may include, but are not limited to, the following: coach and/or player ejections, game forfeiture, removal of team from the tournament, suspension from additional tournaments. 

ADDITIONAL PITCHING RULES 1) One additional inning per game, per player starting in a team’s 5th game played 2) Pitching/Score cards MUST be signed by both teams at the conclusion of games. Once the cards are signed, the information becomes official, and will be utilized for record keeping. Online pitching logs are NOT official records.  Data entry errors can occur, and the physical pitching card will be the only “official” record utilized when determining pitching/roster violations. 3) Pitching limits will be based on 1/3 concept.  Each recorded out is 1/3 of an inning against the pitcher. 4) ONLY turfs or molded cleats can be utilized on the mound by the pitcher….no spikes.

VISITS TO THE MOUND  Each team is allowed three charged visits to the mound within a game. A charged visit is a trip in which the manager or coach does not remove the pitcher. After the three charged visits are used, every trip to the mound will result in the pitcher being removed. A visit is not “charged” when the manager removes the pitcher from the mound. Remember, charged visits are cumulative for the entire game (visits are not tracked “per pitcher”). No restrictions on visits per inning. 

TIED POOL PLAY GAMES If a full length game is tied, it will result in a tied score, even if time has not expired.

CRITERIA FOR SEEDING IN BRACKET PLAY 1) Won – Loss record 2) Head to Head (if only two teams are tied) 3) Runs Allowed 4) Run Differential (max = -7/+7) 5) Runs Scored 6) Coin Toss 

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FORMAT Games are 1:45. Run rules are still in effect.  No coin toss….Highest seed will be given the choice of home/visitor.  In the event of a tie at the end of an official game, the last “batted out” will be placed on second base with no outs and the game will continue until a winner is declared at the conclusion of innings played. 

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – IS CALLED PRIOR TO THE NATURAL ENDING OF THE GAME Should an official game end due to circumstances such as lights/darkness issues.  The final result will correspond to the score at the end of the last completed inning.  For example, in the middle of the 6th inning, the game is called due to darkness…..the score at the end of the 5th inning will become the official game score to be posted/recorded. 

ADVERSE WEATHER Southern Sports Tournaments will be played in adverse weather conditions. The format may be changed to lessen time limits or reduce innings to complete the tournament. Coaches and players accept these conditions when entering the tournament. 

OFFICIAL GAME:  In the event of natural occurrences to include weather, field conditions, or any other situation that causes a game to be STOPPED and it cannot be physically or reasonably continued, the game will be considered an official game if the teams have played 3 1/2 innings with the Home Team winning or 4 complete innings if the Home Team was losing after 3 1/2 innings.  If stoppage is required after the 4th inning, the winner will be determined based on the last inning both teams completed an equal number of times at bat.  For instance, if the Visitors are batting in the top of the 5th and they score 3 runs to go up 5 to 4, if the game is STOPPED, the Home Team will be declared the winner because at the bottom of the 4th, they were winning, 4 - 2.  This is based on a STOPPED game that cannot be completed for various reasons to include time constraints, not a POSTPONED or DELAYED game that can be continued. If stoppage is required before a game can be considered "official", and the game cannot be continued:  During pool pay, the team winning after the last complete inning (that was played) will be considered the winner, regardless of the inning.  During bracket play, the winning team will be the highest seeded team in this scenario.  Only Tournament and/or Site Directors can STOP a game and consider it an official game. 

FINAL STANDINGS IN EVENTS THAT ARE NOT FINISHED If an event is canceled while in progress, final standings will be determined in the following way…. 1) For there to be any final standings, all teams in a specific division MUST finish at least one pool play game.  The final standings will be based on the first completed game for every team, utilizing the criteria section for seeding to bracket play 

2) If all pool play games are completed, the division will be seeded in the normal fashion prior to bracket play, and the bracket seeding becomes the official final standings.  IF NO BRACKET ROUND IS COMPLETED, AWARDS WILL ONLY BE GIVEN TO #1 AND #2 SEEDED TEAMS IN EACH AGE GROUP. 

3) If the event is stopped during bracket play, the last fully completed round for the bracket will determine the official standings based on the seeded teams that would advance to the next round from the fully completed bracket round.  IF NO BRACKET ROUND IS COMPLETED, AWARDS WILL ONLY BE GIVEN TO #1 AND #2 SEEDED TEAMS IN EACH AGE GROUP. 

REFUND POLICY There will be a $100.00 administration fee charged for complete rain outs; 1 game started = 50% of entry fee; 2 or more games started = no refund.  Online payment service charges are non-refundable. 

CODE OF CONDUCT Southern Sports Promotions, and all facilities we participate at during our events, have a zero tolerance policy on behavior by players, parents, and coaches.  It is the SOLE responsibility of the team’s head coach to manage the behavior of its coaches, players, and parents throughout the event. This includes, but is not limited to, possession of alcohol on park property - use of foul language - any type harassment towards players, parents, coaches, umpires, tournament officials, park staff   or others - interference with games.

Any individual who conducts themselves in an unsportsmanlike manner is subject to removal from the tournament, and from the park property without further explanations.  If it is deemed necessary, the head coach can be ejected from the game due to behavior of his/her players, parents, coaches, or team’s fans behavior. 

PLAYER AND COACH EJECTIONS Any player or coach ejected from a game, will not be allowed to participate in their next game of the event.  Tournament Director will make all final decisions on suspensions.

Mercy rule in effect when losing team is unable to equal lead when scoring maximum runs in all remaining innings. (If you're down 10 with 1 inning to go, it's all over.)

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AGE-SPECIFIC RULES

Infield Fly

5u-8U-No infield fly rule

9u-14u Infield fly rules applies

Dropped 3rd strike

5u-10u No dropped third strike rule. Batter is automatically out. 

11u-14u Dropped 3rd strikes rule is in effect. Batter must be tagged out or thrown out.

Steals and leadoffs

Coach Pitch: Runners ARE NOT allowed to lead off. Runners CANNOT steal. 

8u Kid Pitch-10u: Runners ARE NOT allowed to lead off. Runners CANNOT steal home. Stealing takes place once the ball crosses the plate. If a catcher throws down to the 3rd in an effort to pick the runner off and the ball gets by, the runner cannot score. If runners are on 1st and 3rd and the runner attempts to steal 2nd and throws down to 2nd, the runner on 3rd CANNOT advance to home.

11u-14u Runners are allowed to lead off. Runners may steal home.

Balks

8u-10u Balks are not called unless pitcher fakes throw to batter, and the pitch or non-pitch will be counted as a ball.

11u-14u Balks will be called, discuss at plate meeting as to warnings. If no discussion, no warnings.

More Coach Pitch rules

A batter will receive five (5) pitches before being declared out. 

• He will be called out on three (3) swinging strikes.

• If fifth (5th) pitch is fouled, he may continue to bat.

• If fifth (5th) pitch is fouled and caught it is an out.

• If the fifth (5th) pitch or 3rd strike is a bunted foul the batter is out.

Coach pitcher must pitch overhand

 

Any base runner leaving the base before the ball reaches home plate is out. Stealing is not permitted. Runners may not advance on wild pitch or passed ball.

No bunts allowed

10 defensive players allowed, 4 must be in the outfield.

The defensive player listed as pitcher will stay in the 10 foot circle until 

ball is hit. He/she is not required to wear a mask, but is allowed to.

 

No coaches allowed in the outfield behind the players. There can be up to 2 coaches in foul territory.

 

Play shall be called dead when:

-All advancement of runners is, in the judgment of the umpire, halted.

 -A batted ball does not travel beyond the 20 foot arc drawn in front of home plate.