8U Lee Keeping Memorial Tournament

DUGOUTS – A coin toss determines HOME/AWAY just before each game. Dugouts will be first come, first serve throughout the duration of the tournament. Ladner will occupy the 3^rd Base dugout for all games they play.

TEAM COMPOSITION - All players on the roster are to bat. There is to be a maximum of 6 infielders including the pitcher and catcher, with a minimum of 8 players and a maximum of 9 players on the field for the defensive team.

DEFENSIVE ROTATION – All players must play at least 2 innings in the infield and 1 inning in the outfield every game. Players can play a maximum of 2 innings in the same position, except for catcher, which may be played a maximum of 3 innings. All players must sit once before another player sits twice.

INFIELD FLY- The infield fly rule does not apply.

BATTING - Bunting and dropped 3rd strike are not permitted. When at bat, any team may pull their catcher off the bases to dress for the next inning when there are 2 outs. The last player out will replace them.

PITCHING- Pitching machine distance will be approx 46 feet from the plate. The pitching machine is operated by the team at bat. The pitching machine shall be set at speed level 7. The person operating the pitching machine may move batters verbally within the batter’s box to give them the opportunity to succeed in hitting the ball. Coaching the batter in the box with swing fundamentals and slowing the pace of the game will not be allowed.

OUTS – 3 swings without making contact constitutes an “out”. 3 called strikes without swings, as determined by the plate umpire, also constitute an “out”. Balls are allowed, and will be called by umpires. It is expected that there will be few balls called as most pitching machines are consistently throwing within the strike zone; however, this allows for an errant ball to be called as such. No walks are allowed. In the unlikely event that 4 balls are called, the batter will continue their at bat until the ball is put into play, or 3rd strike is called (it is recommended that if the pitching machine is throwing consecutive balls that ‘time’ is called, and the pitching machine is re-calibrated).

BALL – A regulation 45CC Baseball will be used for all games.

BATS – 2 5/8” maximum barrel size. 30” max length.

UMPIRES – Managers, Coaches, Players and Parents are not allowed to visit the Umpires. Any confrontation or abuse of umpires will result in ejection. Should any spectators be ejected, this will result in the ejection of offending teams head coach. Please remember these are 10-12 year old kids who are learning just as much as our players.

DEADBALL - If the ball hits the pitching machine or the pitching machine operator, the batter is awarded first base; the ball is declared dead, all runners will advance one base from time of pitch.

BASE RUNNING AND SCORING - If a base runner stops forward movement, he must return to his previously occupied base when a fielder has control of the ball in the infield and in the judgment of the Umpire, there is no throw or attempt to make a play on any of the base runners. Runners may only advance one base per fielding error, per play. Additional bases may not be taken on subsequent errors. If there is an attempt to field the ball and make a play to a base fielder, and the ball makes contact with the base fielder’s glove, but is not caught, the baserunner must still stop; further advancement is not allowed.

OBSTRUCTION – Obstruction will be called on a defensive player if the bag or plate is not partly exposed. The entire orange portion of the safety base must be entirely exposed. Defensive players may not stand on the baseline without the ball. The runner will be awarded the base if there is obstruction.

INTERFERENCE – Interference will be called on an offensive player if the runner contacts a fielder outside of the straight line between bases.

BATTING ORDER - All players will be included in the batting order. Players will be listed in the order they are to bat. Players arriving late will be added to the end of the batting order without penalty.

LEADOFFS - Leadoffs are not allowed. The ball must cross home-plate before the base runner(s) can leave the base(s). When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball crosses home plate the Umpire shall call “Leadoff”. All base runners and batter will return to their original positions with the count on the batter to remain the same, No outs shall result and no runs shall score.

STEALING- Stealing to 3rd only is allowed at any time during the game, however, the ball must cross home-plate before the runner can attempt a steal and there must be at least one strike called on the batter. Runners may not Steal 2^nd at anytime and also may not advance to home on an overthrow from a steal attempt to 3^rd.

SLIDE/AVOID – Slide or avoid rule is in effect. No headfirst slides are allowed. All offending players will be called out. No sliding into 1^st base runners will be called out.

CATCHER INTERFERENCE - Catcher interference rule is in effect. No pitch is to be called.

TIME LIMITS - An official game consists of 6 completed innings – time permitting. Any inning starting after 1hr 40 mins from the first pitch of the game shall be declared the open inning. No further innings will be played after the open inning.

RUN LIMITS - 3 outs or 4 runs will complete a half-inning, except for the open inning, which has a run limit of 10. If a team is leading its opponent by at least ten 10 runs after 5 or more innings (or after 4-1/2 innings if the home team has a 10-run lead), the game shall be determined and the team ahead is declared the winner.

KEEPING SCORE: There will be 2 scorebooks provided. One will be clearly marked AWAY and one will be clearly marked HOME. Scores for each game should be kept in these books which will be handed out at the beginning of each game, after the coin toss determines home/away. At the end of the game, both books must be returned to the tournament coordinator. The HOME team book is the official score, so please ensure there are no discrepancies prior to submitting to the tournament coordinator.

STANDINGS - Upon completion of round robin games teams will be seeded based upon record. In event of a tie the formula will be:

1. 1. Head to Head
   2. Runs Against Per Defensive Inning (in games between tied teams)
   3. Run Differential
   4. Runs Against Per Defensive Inning (all games)
   5. Coin Flip

A short award ceremony will be held after the championship game which will conclude the tournament.