INGOMAR FRANKLIN PARK ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Rules for 8 year old Tournaments
2007
Little League Baseball Rules with the following exceptions:
1. ROSTER: Maximum of fifteen (15) players. No more than four (4) adults on the bench, which includes the manager, two (2) coaches and a scorekeeper. Roster must be submitted prior to first game. Outfield coaches are not permitted.
a. Roster Challenges: Teams must furnish birth certificates upon request. In the event the challenge is upheld, your team will forfeit the tournament and all remaining games.
2. AGE: Player cannot have reached his 9th birthday by April 30, 2007.
3. HOME/VISITING TEAM: Determined by a toss of a coin at the beginning of the game.
4. PLAYERS on the FIELD: Ten (10) players. Team forfeits with less than nine players unless an injury occurs during the game. Team must forfeit if it has less than eight players on the field after the injuries. If playing with less than the number of players the game is started with, an out is recorded for the batting position of the missing player(s).
a. If ten (10) players are used, the team will field four (4) outfielders. Each outfielder must be positioned at least 20 feet behind the baselines. No rover is permitted.
5. STARTING TIME: Fifteen minutes grace to field the minimum of nine (9) players. If a travel delay occurs, please call the Blueberry Snack Shack at (412) 741-6877 or the Bracket Director.
a. START of GAME: Warm-ups, five (5) minutes to the home and away team, time permitting.
b. BETWEEN INNINGS WARM-UPS: Six (6) pitches maximum.
6. UNIFORMS: Players must be in baseball uniforms. Metal cleats are NOT permitted.
7. PITCHING: The adult pitcher will pitch from the center of the pitching circle (marked by chalk) at a distance of 40 feet. The Pitcher's circle shall be defined by a chalk line with a diameter of twelve (12) feet.
a. All pitching must be overhand.
b. Each batter will get three (3) strikes or eight pitches, whichever comes first. If a player fouls off the eighth pitch or any pitches thereafter, that batter will continue to bat until the batter puts the ball into play, strikes out or is called out on pitches. There are NO WALKS.
c. If a batted ball strikes the adult pitcher, the ball is dead and ruled a dead ball. Pitch is played over and the pitch does not count against the total pitch count of balls and strikes..
d. The adult pitcher must immediately leave the pitching circle and move toward the baseline in the opposite direction to where the ball is hit. If the pitching coach intentionally interferes with a defensive player or his throw in the opinion of the umpire, then the batter is OUT and all runners return to the base where they were before the hit.
e. The adult pitcher is not permitted to coach the batters or base runners. One team warning will be given. The second warning will result in that batter or base runner being called OUT.
8. STOPPING PLAY: The play stops when the pitcher has control of the ball with at least one (1) foot inside the pitchers circle. Pitcher may make an immediate play after fielding a batted ball. If he does not and instead holds the ball, runners advance one base if forced.
a. Chalk lines will be drawn halfway between all bases with the exception of home plate and first base.
b. When play stops, if a base runner is past the halfway line (more than halfway to the next base), he or she is awarded that base. If the base runner has not passed the line, he or she returns to the base that he last touched. One full foot must be past the line.
c. The fielder playing the pitching position must wear a batting helmet and must be in the pitching circle until the ball is hit.
9. ROSTER OPTIONS: All players of the team who appear for the game must bat in a set order. Any late arrivals will be added to the bottom of the batting order.
10. IN–FIELD FLY RULE: NOT in effect.
11. NO SLASH BUNTING: Batter will be called OUT. Runners will return to the base they were on prior to that pitch. The defensive team has the option to waive this call (example player hits into a double play).
12. NO BUNTING: Batter will be called OUT. Runners will return to the base they were on prior to that pitch. The defensive team has the option to waive this call (example player hits into a double play).
13. BAT THROWING: The umpire will issue one game warning; thereafter the batter will be called OUT. Runners will return to the base they were on prior to that pitch. The defensive team has the option to waive this call (example player hits into a double play).
14. Runners cannot leave the base before contact is made by the bat. One team warning will be given. All subsequent violations will result in that runner being called OUT. Runners will return to the base they were on prior to that pitch. The defensive team has the option to waive this call (example player hits into a double play).
15. STEALING HOME: NOT permitted.
16. SLIDING: Must slide or avoid contact rule is in effect. If a player does not slide, any contact, other than incidental contact, will result in an "out" call. Players are advised to slide in order to avoid this consequence.
a. Head first sliding is not permitted unless the player is returning to a base. The consequence is that the player will be called OUT.
17. UMPIRE CALLS: You may NOT review or appeal a judgment call. Any rule questions will be resolved prior to the game restarting. Only the MANAGER can review or appeal a call.
a. Protest: Solved immediately on the field by the umpires and the Bracket Director if necessary. Managers are the only individuals who may dispute a call by an umpire. They must object utilizing an appropriate tone and appropriate words.
b. Managers may not object to any ball or strike calls.
c. If the manager objects to a field call, he must be able to cite to a particular Tournament Rule or the Little League Baseball Rule Book. No judgment calls may be challenged.
18. RUNS: The ten (10) run surrender rule applies after the fourth defensive inning.
a. There will be a 6 run limit per half inning, except the 6th inning and any extra inning.
b. In the 6th inning and extra innings, three outs must be recorded.
c. In the 1st through 5th innings, runs will count until the play that scores the 6th run is complete. Hence the maximum possible runs per inning for the 1st through 5th innings are 9 runs.
19. SHORTENED GAMES: During bracket play, any game suspended (by weather, curfew, or 10-run-rule) after the losing team has batted four (4) complete innings is a complete game. If the game is not a complete game, it will be resumed at the exact point of interruption.
a. On a weeknight, no inning of the first game may start after 8:00pm, and no inning of the second game may start after 10:15pm. The late game limit also applies to the weekend games.
b. During the playoff round, all games will be played a full six innings, except in the case where the 10-run-rule comes into play.
c. Only the Umpires and the Bracket Director can call a game.
20. SPEED UP RULE. A courtesy runner may be allowed for the catcher only (of the previous inning) once there are two (2) outs in the respective half inning. Runner must be a player WHO MADE THE LAST OUT. This will be permitted one time per inning. Other than a courtesy runner for the catcher (or as a result of an injury) no pitch runner is permitted.
21. FAN BEHAVIOR: Managers are responsible for their fans' and coaches' behavior. Any player, manager or coach ejected in a game will not be permitted on the playing field for the next game.
22. TOURNAMENT FORMAT: First round will consist of 4-team divisions with round-robin play. Four teams will advance from the first round to the championship round. For 8 team brackets, the top two teams from each four-team division advance (chosen using tiebreakers within that division). Top seed in first division plays second seed in second division and vice versa. Winners play for 1st (no consolation game). For 12 team brackets, the top team in each division advances (chosen using tiebreakers within that division, if necessary) and then one wild-card team is chosen either if it alone has the best remaining record or using tiebreakers among all teams from both divisions that are tied with that record. Wild-card team is seeded 4th, seeding among division winners determined by overall record and then tiebreakers.
23. TIE BREAKERS:
a. Head-to-head
b. Fewest runs allowed for all games
c. Fewest runs allowed in games between all tied teams
d. Coin flip
i. if at any step the number of teams remaining tied is the same as the number of teams to select for advancement, those advance and coin flip used to determine which has higher seed
ii. if at any step the number of teams remaining tied is more than the number of teams to select for advancement, continue with the next tiebreaker for only the teams remaining tied after the previous tiebreaker
iii. if at any step one team wins, advance that team (giving it the highest remaining seed) and if necessary start again from tiebreaker 1 to select another team from the remaining teams
EXAMPLE
A, B, C all tied at 2-1, D lost all games.
A beat B 7-5, B beat C 6-4, C beat A 5-4.
A and B both beat D 10-1, C beat D 16-2.
A allowed 11
B allowed 12
C allowed 12
A advances on tiebreaker #2. If needed, B then advances on tiebreaker #1
EXAMPLE
A, B, C all tied at 2-1, D lost all games.
A beat B 7-6, B beat C 6-4, C beat A 5-4.
A and B both beat D 10-1, C beat D 16-2.
A allowed 12 (11 against tied teams)
B allowed 12 (11 against tied teams)
C allowed 12 (10 against tied teams)
C advances on tiebreaker #3. If needed, A then advances on tiebreaker #1.
EXAMPLE
A, B, C all tied at 2-1, D lost all games.
A beat B 7-5, B beat C 6-3, C beat A 5-4.
A and B both beat D 10-1, C beat D 16-2.
A allowed 11
B allowed 11
C allowed 12
If two teams are to advance, A and B both advance on tiebreaker #2.
If only one team is to advance, flip coin between A and B (even though C would have won tiebreaker #3 since it lost tiebreaker #2)
I.F.P.A.A. ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY
FOR INJURIES, DAMAGED OR LOST PROPERTY.