Kids First Baseball Rules & Policies
14U-18U
Pre-Game/Post-Game
There will be a pre-game meeting prior to start of game. Umpire will go over ground rules. At this time, each team will need to state their choice of lineup. Lineup cards should be given to opposing team and umpires and should include player’s number and last name.
Tournament Basics
1A) Rules and bylaws apply to all tournaments with the exception of the following changes.
2A) Teams are NOT required to provide baseballs. Baseballs will be provided by Kid First Baseball for each game.
3A) Each team must have a minimum of eight players by the start of the scheduled game time. There is not a grace period built into the tournament schedule. If a team does not have a minimum of eight players they will forfeit the game and opposing team will be rewarded a 7-0 win. That score will be used to when determining tie breakers for the championship round.
4A) If a team is not present or forfeits the game ahead of time the opposing team will be rewarded a 7-0 win. If a team forfeits the game during the game, the opposing team will be rewarded a 7-0 win or the current score if it exceeds 7-0. That score will be used to when determining tie breakers for the championship round.
5A) All games except for the championship will be on a 1:45 time limit. Umpires will keep time and make both sides aware of when the last inning will take place. If a game is tied after the time limit both teams will be awarded a tie. If time expires during the course of an inning, the home side must bat if any of the following occur a) currently batting b) it is a tie game c)the home side is losing.
6A) During the semi final and championship round if extra innings are necessary, we will place the runner who made the last batted out (no courtesy runner allowed) at second base with zero outs to start the inning.
7A) Slaughter Rule is in effect for teams if a team is down 8 runs after five innings, 10 runs after four innings, ans 15 runs after 3 completed innings.
8A) The tournament will have pools of three or four teams. The winner of each pool will advance into the championship round. For certain tournaments we will use a wildcard spot. That team will automatically be the fourth seed in the championship round.
9A) The following are the order of the tiebreakers used to determine the winners of pool play: 1) Head to head 2) Runs Allowed 3) Runs Scored 4) Coin Flip
10A) The following are the order of tiebreakers used for the championship round: Overall Record, Head to Head, Runs Allowed, Runs Scored, Coin Flip.
11A) The following age rules mustg be followed for tournament particpation.
14U Division Players who turn 15 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 8th grade. Also, any player turning 16 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 14u eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade. 15U Division Players who turn 16 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are a freshman in High School. Also, any player turning 17 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 15u are eligible for this division regardless of their grade. 16U Division Players who turn 17 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are a sophomore in High School. Also, any player turning 18 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 16u are eligible for this division regardless of their grade. 17U Division Players who turn 18 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are a junior in High School. Also, any player turning 19 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 17u are eligible for this division regardless of their grade. 18U Division Players who turn 19 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are a senior in High School. Also, any player turning 20 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 18u are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.
Game Play
1B) IHSA slide rules are in effect. That means safety rules at all bases.
2B) IHSA substitution rules apply to all tournament games. Re-entry rule is allowed. Courtesy is allowed for both pitchers and catchers. Teams may use a designated hitter for any player in the starting line-up. Teams may use an one EH during game play. Roster batting is also permitted. If when batting an entire roster a player in the lineup is unable to bat, an out will be recorded each time his spot is reached in the batting order.
3B) Any coach, player or team manager ejected from a game or facility will be suspended for the entire remainder of that day.
4B) It is expected that each coach uses their best judgement pertaining a pitchers inning and pitch count.
5B) All 14U and 15U tournaments will use metal bats unless noted as a wooden bat tournament. At the 14U level teams may use bats that are -5. At the 15U level all bats must be -3 and certified.
6B No protest are allowed . All umpire decisions are final.
7B) No pre game or warm-up before tournament games.
8B) No soft toss off of the fence. Teams will have scheduled times to use batting cage facility. When using batting cage facility, cleats are not allowed. Please use tennis shoes.
Managers’ Responsibilities:
The manager is being held accountable for all issues including signing scorecards/pitching logs, crowd control, player’s attitudes, and anything that comes up with his or her team. We are striving for sportsmanship throughout all games and expect managers to be on board with this. If there is a problem, only the manager should approach the tournament director or tournament official.
8U-13U
Pre-Game/Post Game:
There will be a pre-game meeting prior to start of game. Umpire will go over ground rules at this time. At this time, each team will need to state their choice of lineup. Lineup cards should be given to opposing team and umpires and should include player’s number and last name. After the game, each manager is required to report scores to the tournament director.
Pool Play: Example-
The tournament is setup in a format going from pool play to bracket play.
Click pool play for examples.
Winners of semi-final rounds will advance to Championship game. No 3rd place game.
All teams will be seeded based upon tiebreakers. The following are the tiebreakers for pools and then applied to seeding purposes:
Tiebreakers:
1) Overall Record
2) Head to Head
3) Total Runs allowed
4) Run differential with a max/min of +/- 8 per game
5) Total Runs scored
6) Coin Flip
If more than 2 teams are tied in pool play, once a team is knocked out of contention for advancing, we will not go to top of tiebreaker list but go forward as to where the 3 way tie or greater left off. For example, if 3 teams are tied and go to tiebreaker #3 total runs allowed, once a team is eliminated, we will not go back to head to head which is tiebreaker #2.
Managers’ Responsibilities:
The manager is being held accountable for all issues including signing scorecards/pitching logs, crowd control, player’s attitudes, and anything that comes up with his or her team. We are striving for sportsmanship throughout all games and expect managers to be on board with this. If there is a problem, only the manager should approach the tournament director or tournament official.
Game Rules
We will use a continuous batting order. If a team has 12 or more players present they must bat 12. There is no penalty for having less than 12 players present. If a team has less than 12 players present and an additional player arrives late, that player must be inserted into the last spot in the batting order. If a team starts with 10 players and 11th player arrives late. He will be placed in the batting order as the 11th hitter. If one of the teams has less than 12 batters in the lineup at the start of the game, the other team has the option of matching the same number of batters. Example: A team only has 10 players to start the game. That team has a 10 man batting order. The opposing team has the option of using a 10 man batting order. The rule regarding late arrivals will apply to both teams if a player arrives late for the team starting with less than 12 if both teams are using less than 12 batters. The team with 12 or more must match the number of batters to reflect the same number of batters as the opposing team. The added batter or batters will be utilized from the team’s non-starters/substitutes. If a team has more than 12 players present, they have the option of batting as many players as they want. The opposing team does not have to match more than 12 batters. If a team chooses to start a game batting more than 12, they must finish the game batting the same number of players they started the game batting.
Pitching Rules are as follows:
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Tournament maximum is 10 Innings
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1 pitch is considered an inning
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Balk - NO WARNING
On the second charged conference in the same inning or a third charged conference in a game the pitcher must be removed from the pitching position for the duration of the game. This applies for each new pitcher. In the event a game goes extra innings, each team gets 1 additional charged conference per each extra inning.
VIOLATION PENALTY: If a pitcher violates any of the above pitching limitations and a formal protest is filed with the tournament director the pitching logs will be checked to verify the alleged violation. If it is determined there is a violation, the game will be a forfeit. All innings pitched and runs scored up to the time the forfeit is imposed will be counted for both teams. This only applies if the protest is made when the violation is discovered while the game is in progress. If the violation is discovered after the completion of the game, the game results stand. In all age divisions, courtesy runners are optional any time for the pitcher & catcher. The courtesy runner may be a player not currently in the line-up or the player who made the previous out. The team has the option of using either. If a team chooses to use a player in the line-up, the runner used will be the player who made the last out prior to the pitcher or catcher getting on base. If a team uses a player not currently in the line-up, that player can only run for either the pitcher or catcher but not both. If both the pitcher and the catcher get on base in the same inning, then the runner for the second player will be the player who made the previous out to the last out. If either the pitcher or catcher is the first hitter in the inning, the runners are selected from the recorded outs from the previous inning. If the pitcher or catcher is the leadoff hitter and reaches base safely in his first at bat and there is no non-starter to be the courtesy runner, he must stay on base until an out is recorded. The pitcher or catcher for this rule is the pitcher or catcher of the previous inning with the exception of the top of the first inning. The pitcher or catcher is considered official if they are listed as such with the starting lineup.
Game Length, Mercy Rule & Field Dimensions
Game Length - 7 innings unless shortened by mercy rule or time limit
Time Limit - 1:45
Mercy Rule - 12 runs after 3 / 10 runs after 4 / 8 runs after 5. If a game in progress is stopped due to inclement weather, a game will be considered official if 4 innings are completed, 3.5 if the home team is ahead. If less than 4 innings has been completed, the game will be suspended and completed through 4 innings at a later time. If a team has a 5 run lead or more in a game stopped by weather, the game will be considered complete.
In the event a game is tied after a time limit expires or the regulation innings have been completed we will use the following rule in an attempt to break the tie: 1) Each team will start each extra inning with a runner on second base. The player on second will be the player who was the third out from the previous inning. 2) Each batter will start his turn at bat with a 1-ball 1-strike count. 3) There will be a maximum of 2 extra innings. If the game is still tied it is recorded as a tie in pool play. Single elimination rounds games must be played until there is a winner.
Home team will be determined by coin flip in all games.
There is no mandatory slide rule. However, players are encouraged to slide if possible. When a defensive player clearly has the ball and waiting for the runner and the runner deliberately, with force, maliciously crashes into the defensive player the runner will be declared out. The offender is ejected, the ball is dead and all runners must return to the last base touched at the time of the collision. This is an umpire’s call and his judgment is final.There will be no pitches thrown to intentionally walk a batter.
Notify the umpire and the batter will awarded 1st base.
General Rules
Inclement Weather
2C) If a team completes 1 game they will receive 50% tournament credit towards a future Kid First Baseball event.
3C) If a team completes 2 games in pool play their will be no refund.
4C) If the championship round is cancelled winners will be determined by using the tiebreaker system. (refer to rule #5A)
Stadium Rules
1D) No pets are allowed at the tournament site.
2D) No alcoholic beverages are allowed at the tournament site.
3D) No tobacco products are allowed at the tournament site.
4D) No coolers are allowed outside of the dugout area. We will allow team coolers for the kids but they must be in the dugout area.
5D) Parents who are ejected from a game by an umpire or tournament official are not allowed on the grounds for the remainder of the tournament. Reasons for ejection include -- but are not limited to-- profanity, arguing with fans, umpires, coaches, the use of prohibited substances, or damage of property. Ejection will be based on an umpire or tournament official's discretion.
