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Rules & Forms

Scorecards

Team Managers are responsible for signing the umpire's scorecard after each game to verify accuracy.  The umpire's card indicates winner/loser, game score and pitching records.  This card is used by the tournament director as backup data for seeding and pitching records. 

These cards will be considered accurate once turned in whether your signature is on it or not.  Please make sure to do this immediately after each game.  The umpires will not stand around and wait on you.

Tournament Rules at Big League Dreams

  1. All teams must have online roster and team insurance.
  2. All teams MUST have copies of Original Birth Certificates for EACH PLAYER (photo copy ok) upon request.
  3. In the event of bad weather, Tournament Director may change tournament format and length of games at his discretion to complete the tournament.
  4. Tournament director may change tournament format to run tournament more smoothly and accomodate the number of teams for that weekends tournament.  This is because the number of teams vary from weekend to weekend.

Refund Policy:   

  • All Refunds will be based on a 3 game format. You will receive 1/3 for any game not played (includes 4 game minimum tournaments).
  • Refund policy for state tournament is based on 2 games.
  • Refund before tournament once schedule is out must have a replacement team in order to receive refund.

Age divisions:

  • Age cut-off is April 30th. To determine your team's tournament age:
    • 1. Find your oldest player on the team
    • 2. What will his age be before May 1, 2010?   
    • 3. This is the age divisionyou are eligible to play.  Players may play up in age division, not down!


MAJOR LEAGUE RULES SHALL APPLY. MODIFICATIONS LISTED BELOW

Bats:

  • Big Barrel Bats ok (ages 6-14)
  • Age Divisions 15U and older must use high school approved equipment.

Steel Cleats:

  • 13U and up may use steel cleats.
  • BIG LEAGUE DREAMS – Metal cleats are not allowed on the mound but ok for other positions.

Pitching rules: - USSSA Pitching Rules apply 7u-14u

  • 15u-18u Coaches Discretion
  • Please sign and check score card after each game.
  • Pitching Violation: Forfeit of game.

Batting and Re-enter:

  • Teams elect to bat 9 players, or bat 10 as EH or bat entire roster! Starters may re-enter only one time in original batting order.
  • May start game with 8 players. The 9th spot in the batting order will be an out. Cannot play with 7 players.

Big League Dreams- Time Limits:

  • 7u 70 minute games
  • 8u 70 minute games
  • 9u – 12u 1hour and 30 minutes
  • 13u-14u 1 hour and 40 minutes
  • Championship game: 6 innings for ages 7u-12u, 7innings for ages 13u-18u, no time limit when time allows. The Big League Dreams complex requires games to end at a certain time on Sunday. If we’re on time, there should be no problems. If not, tie breaker rules may come into play.
  • Championship game: time limit may be changed at Directors discretion.
  • In the event of light rain, if it becomes to dangerous to use the machine, games may revert to Coaches pitch in order to complete game. In this case, it will be 6 pitches, no stealing. Bunting is ok.

Extra inning in Playoffs/elimination games

  • Texas Shootout – Bases loaded, 1 out. Last 3 outs of previous inning will be put on base.
  • During pool play a tie is ok.
  • Championship games will not use the International rule. The game will be played until we have a winner, when time allows.

Run Rule:

  • 15 runs after 3 innings, 8 runs after 4 innings and there after. Home team always will get last bat if they are behind in the ball game

Home Team Determined by:

  • Pool Play coin flip.
  • Play Off higher seed.
  • Championship game higher seed.
  • Dugout. First come, first served.
  • Home Team has official book and will maintain tournament official book.
  • All changes must go through home plate umpire.

Protest:

  • Protest will be ruled on immediately by tournament director and chief umpire. Rules can be protested, not judgement calls. $75 fee is required for protest! Will be returned if call is changed.

Intentionally walk a batter:

  • Coach must tell home plate umpire and point to first. No pitch has to be thrown. 7U/8U NO INTENTIONAL WALKS for Machine Pitch.

Courtesy Runner:

  • For pitcher and catcher. First eligible player not in game, then last out. Same runner can not run for pitcher or catcher in same inning anytime, mandatory with 2 outs.

Ejection:

  • Coaches or Parents, Spectators ejected from a ball game can be supended from games throughout the tournament.  Suspension is at the discretion of the tournament director.  If a coach, parent or spectator is suspended from a game they must remain at least 300 feet from the field of play for that game. 
  • Parents causing problems can forfeit your game.

Game Baseballs:

  • Each team will provide 2 game baseballs per game.
  • Baseballs will be returned after game. Please have your player's shag baseballs that go out of play!
  • Backup baseballs must be provided by teams playing.

Machine Pitch rules (7u, 8u): This is just like real baseball but with a machine and no leadoffs.

  • Same as tournament rules except:
  • Must have a pitcher and catcher.
  • 10 defensive players with 4 outfielders.
  • May steal all bases after ball crosses the plate
  • Bunting is ok.
  • Must control forward progress of all runners before time out will be given.
  • Machine will be set at 40mph for 7u and 42mph for 8u
  • 4 pitches per batter. Foul ball on 4th pitch, you continue your at bat
  • Reset machine anytime with permission from the umpire
  • Pinch run for catcher only anytime mandatory with 2 outs.
  • Resume play between innings within 2 minutes.
  • MAX RUNS: 5 PER INNING (INNINGS 1-4)
  • UNLIMITED RUNS (INNINGS 5 & 6)

Coaches Pitch Rules:

  • Each batter will be allowed six pitches or 3 strikes, unless he hits a foul ball on the sixth pitch. He will be allowed to continue.
  • Tournament play allows 10 defensive players for all ages.
  • A fair ball hitting a coach pitcher will be declared a foul ball.
  • Ball is dead when returned to the infield and in the umpires judgment play has stopped.
  • The umpire shall determine the position or the runners when the ball becomes dead.
  • A team will be restricted to scoring 5 runs per time at bat (innings 1-4) and unlimited runs (innings 5-6). Run rules are in effect.
  • There shall be a player pitcher who shall be stationed within 10 feet of and behind the rubber at the time of the pitch         The catcher shall be located in the catcher’s box, no more than 8 feet behind home plate.
  • All 8 year old and younger games will require roster batting.
  • There will be no:
    • A) Base on balls
    • B) Base awards for batter hit by a pitch
    • C) Infield fly
    • D) Stealing
    • E) Courtesy runner for the catcher anytime, mandatory with 2 outs.
  • Runners may not leave the base until the pitched ball reaches home plate. A runner who leaves early will be declared out. The pitch will be called a no pitch. A team will be permitted to issue an intentional walk by notifying the umpire of the desire. A team will be limited to a maximum of three (3) intentional walks per game and only one to any individual batter.

Playoff seeding in the following order: Head-to-head, Runs Allowed, Runs Scored, Coin Flip. If three or more teams are tied after pool play, then the first tie breaker will be runs allowed.

Check-in one hour before first game. Be ready to play 30 minutes before any of your games.


 

OPEN BASE DIVISIONS – Major League Rules

CLOSED BASE DIVISIONS – No leadoffs. If runner leaves early, Little League rules apply. First time, runner goes back if possible. 2nd time, runner will be out.

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