Babe Ruth Tournament Rules

Games shall be played under the Babe Ruth rule book AND LOCAL BY-LAWS unless specified below.

1.         GAMES TIMES: 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise advised.

2.         No new inning may begin after 2 hours (new inning starts when the last recorded out is made against the home team). 

3.         If, after expiration of regulation time, or seven innings, whichever occurs earlier, a game is tied, teams will continue play utilizing the tie breaker rule – last recorded out from previous inning starts on 2^nd base and inning starts with no outs.   There will be no time limit for the championship game.  The championship games will consist of 7 innings.   Championship games will NOT have 2 hour time limit.  Additional innings will be used if, at the conclusion of the seventh inning, the game is tied.

4.         No runs restrictions per inning.  Mercy rule in effect.  See #6

5.         Pitching:

                        A.        Pitchers may pitch no more than15 innings during the entire tournament.  If a pitcher has pitched one pitch to a batter, that constitutes an inning pitched. 

                        B.        No pitcher may pitch more than seven (7) innings in two consecutive games.  (See page 25 of Rule book).  This is a rolling 7 innings (i.e. can pitch 4 innings in game #1; 3 innings in game #2; 4 innings in game #3 etc).   

                        C.        A starting pitcher may reenter as a pitcher in the same game as long as said pitcher has not exceed the allowable innings.  No other pitcher may reenter after being removed from the mound.

                        D.        A violation of these pitching rules will result in a forfeit of the game in which the violation occurred and will result in the particular pitcher being ineligible to pitch the remainder of the tournament. 

                        E.         Every manager will record pitchers used during every game on a “Pitching Record” provided by the league.  The information required in this record will include the pitcher’s name, jersey number and innings pitched for each game.  The information will be recorded in ink and will be updated throughout the game as pitching changes are made.  Prior to the start of a game, the Managers will exchange Pitching Records so that both teams are aware of which players are eligible and which are ineligible.  At the conclusion of the game the Pitching Record will be signed by both coaches and the umpire.  Any disputes regarding a pitcher’s eligibility must be resolved prior to the pitcher throwing a pitch. 

                        F.         If a manager fails to complete the Pitching Record as required, said failure will result in the presumption that all players on the team’s roster have exceeded the allowable innings.  The result of all players’ ineligibility will result in a forfeit of the remaining tournament games for that manager’s team.

6.         MERCY RULE: 10 run rule in effect after 5 innings (4 ½ for home team) for all games, except for championship games.

7.         HOME TEAM:  The higher seeded team shall be home team throughout the tournament with the exception of the championship game.  For the championship game, home team will be determined by a coin flip.

8.         NUMBER OF PLAYERS NEEDED TO PLAY:  Our local rule allows a team to play with 8 players.  If a JV or Varsity team has fewer than 10 players for any particular game, that team may request permission from the league for additional players from another team within that team’s high school boundary.  

            8.1       If a Varsity team requests additional players those players will be drawn from the JV within the same high school boundary. 

            8.2       If a JV teams requests additional players, those additional players shall first be drawn from the other JV team within that team’s high school boundary.  If there is no second JV team within the same boundary, or there other JV team is playing the same night, then permission maybe sought from the league for Varsity players to move down to assist the JV team in need of players. 

            8.3       The league will help determine which players will move, after talking with the team’s coaches. 

            8.4       Under no circumstance will players be moved up or down from a team on a night when that team has a game. 

9.         PROTESTS: Any protest shall be resolved before the game will continue.  Only rule infractions are subject to protest, not umpire discretionary calls.  The Tournament coordinator shall render the final decision.

10.       EJECTIONS: If any player, Manager, Coach or fan is ejected from any tournament game, the ejected individual shall also be suspended from attending the next game.  If an ejected individual refuses to leave the game following the ejection, that individual’s team will forfeit the game.  All Managers and coaches should re-read Rules 4.06, 4.07, 4.08, 4.15(f), 9.01 and 9.05 in rule book. 

11.       JUDGMENT CALLS: RULE 9.02 --

“Any umpire’s decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final.  No player, manager, coach or substitute shall object to any such judgment decision.

Players leaving their position in the field or on base, or managers or coaches leaving the bench or coaches box, to argue on BALLS and STRIKES will not be permitted.  They should be warned if they start for the plate to protest the call.  If they continue, they will be ejected from the game.                   

12.       RULE 9.05(d) –

“After receiving the umpire’s report that a trainer, manager, coach or player has been disqualified, the league president shall impose such penalty as he deems justified, and shall notify the person penalized and the manager of the club of which the penalized person is a member.”