HOME OF THE LONG ISLAND SHARKS BASEBALL CLUB

 

 

 

2023 Tournament Rules

 

 

8u - 42/60' - no leading - stealing after ball crosses plate - 3 steals per inning, no stealing home - 6 innings - 4 Outfielders allowed - Teams will be limited to scoring 6 runs in the first 4 innings and no limit for innings 5 and 6. NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

9u - 46'/60' -  no leading - stealing after ball crosses plate, except no stealing home at all - 6 innings. NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

10u - 46'/60 - no leading - stealing after ball crosses plate - 6 innings. NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

10u 65' - 46'/65' - leading - no dropped 3rd strike - no balks - NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

11u - 51/75' - leading - run on dropped 3rd strike - 1 balk warning - 6 innings. NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

12u - 51'/75' - leading - run on dropped 3rd strike - no balk warning - 6 innings. NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

12u 90' - 60'/90' -  leading - run on dropped 3rd strike - no balk warning - 6 innings (no bbcor required) NO SLASH/ FAKE BUNT (AUTO OUT)

13u-Varsity  - 60'/90' -  leading - run on dropped 3rd strike - no balk warning - 7 innings

 

 

BAT RESTRICTIONS

8u/9u - BATS MUST MEET 1.15 BPF STANDARD 2 1/4 Diameter or USA STANDARD 2 5/8 Diameter

10u/12u - BATS MUST MEET 1.15 BPF STANDARD or USA STANDARD (There are no restrictions on diameter for 10u/12u)

13u/JV - BBCOR ONLY

Varsity - WOOD BAT ONLY (including BBCOR Baum Bats)

 

*** Infield fly rule for 11u and up***

*** Fake 3rd to 1st is allowed on a pick-off play ***

*** Rubber cleats or turf shoes on all fields and turf shoes on the pitchers mounds ***

*** No inning may start after 1:50 mins ***

*** Home team for all pool games will be decided by a coin toss ***

*** No gum or sunflower seeds ***

 

 

 Rosters - Rosters should be submitted at least 7 days prior to the beginning of the event by email, mail or fax. Players may only be on one roster per age division and may not change teams in the same age division during the course of the tournament. Rosters must not exceed 18 players. Rosters must be submitted prior to the tournament's start. No player may be added to the roster once the tournament has begun unless it is approved by the Tournament Coordinator.

 Birth Certificates- Birth certificates must be supplied if requested and should be on-hand during the tournament. Any issues regarding a player’s age MUST BE addressed by a team manager prior to or during a tournament game. Questioning a player’s age following the completion of a game is NOT an acceptable form of protest. NOTE: Any team violating this rule will automatically receive a forfeit for such game and any other game (said player) had played in previously. The violating team will also be subject to any other disciplinary actions taken by the tournament director.

 Team Insurance- Each team is required to carry its own insurance, naming, “Sharks Baseball Club, 30 Foreston Circle, MANORVILLE NY 11949” as insured, as well as submit a certificate of insurance prior to tournament play. Proof of insurance should be submitted 5 days prior to the start of the tournament, but must be submitted prior to the first game.

Home/Visiting Team: In tournament pool play, home and visitor will be decided by a coin flip. During, re-seeding rounds, playoffs and Championship rounds the higher seed will be the home team.

Dugout Rule- Only 3 coaches and 1 manager will be permitted in each dugout. No parents, scorekeepers, children or batboys will be allowed in dugouts at any time. Failure to comply with this rule will result in suspension of play until rectified.

Tie Breakers- In pool play games if the score is tied at the completion or the time limit has elapsed, the game will end in a tie.

The following system will be used for advancing and seeding out of pool play.

1. We use a Traditional Scoring System for tournament play

Teams will receive:

A. 3 Points for a Win B. 1 Point for a Tie

C. 0 Points for a loss

2. If 2 teams are tied- Head to Head Winner. If there was no Head to Head move to #4

3. If 3 teams are tied- If one team has defeated both other teams, that team advances. If not move to #4.

4. Total runs allowed in pool play to determine seedings, pool winner, second place and third place. This will also determine wild card winners if records are tied.

5. If still tied- Total runs scored in pool play

6. If still tied- Highest single game run differential

7. If still tied- Lowest single game runs allowed

8. If still tied- Highest single game runs scored

9. It still tied - coin flip

Coaches/ Players Dress Code-  Coaches must be dressed appropriately while on the field of play or in dugouts. Coaches must wear clothing that distinguishes them from other parents and spectators. Coaches that fail to comply with this policy will be restricted from the dugout area. Players are all expected to be in matching uniforms with uniform numbers. Players who do not have a matching jersey with number will not be permitted to participate, unless authorized by the tournament director.

NOTE: Players or Coaches ARE NOT PERMITTED to stand outside the dugout at anytime during the game unless they are coaching first or third base while on offense. (Any COVID adapted rules will supersede this)

 

Lineups ALL Divisions- (Team managers may use the following options when choosing line-ups)

ALL AGES ARE PERMITTED TO USE A UNIVERSAL LINEUP, WITH NORMAL SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED. Completed line-up cards must be handed in a minimum of FIFTEEN MINUTES before the game. Coaches must put the player’s FIRST NAME, LAST NAME AND UNIFORM NUMBER on the line-up card. Once the game is started, it is official and no additional changes can be made without substitution rules applying. If the card is not handed into the scorer on time and it is determined that it is an attempt to circumvent the rules, it may result in forfeit and/or ejection of the head coach. 

 

Starting Games- Teams may start a game with 8 players. In this situation the 9th batter in the lineup will be counted as an out. If the 9th player joins the team he/she may be added to the empty spot in the batting order at any time. If a team begins the game with 9 players and 1 player is ejected the team may continue, but must take an out in that batters place in the order. If an injury occurs and a team is left with only 8 players, an out will be recorded.

Forfeits- If a team does not have the required number of players (8), to start a game, the team will be given 5 extra minutes to have the required number of players ready to start. If the team fails to get the required amount of players for that particular game, the game will be considered a forfeit and a 6-0 score will be recorded to the winning team.

 

Lineup Cards- Each team must provide their own line-up cards. A copy MUST be given to the opposing team. Lineup cards should include all rostered players name and uniform number (including all substitutes).

Courtesy Runner- A team may choose to use a courtesy runner for the pitcher and catcher only at any time. The courtesy runner must be the last batted out. Available substitutes may not be used as a courtesy runner, unless officially entering the game as a substitute.

 

Official Scorebook- The home team will be responsible for keeping the official scorebook.

Re-entry Rule: Starters may re-enter the batting order once after being removed from the game and MUST re-enter in the same line-up position. NOTE: If a starting pitcher is removed from the line-up, that starting pitcher may re-enter to any other position other than pitcher during the game and must return to the original line-up spot. MLB Rule 3.03 Comment: A pitcher may change to another position only once during the same inning while on defense; e.g. the pitcher will not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more than once in the same inning. Once a pitcher is removed from the game as a pitcher he/she may not return to the pitchers position at any point throughout the rest of the game, unless done as stated in MLB Rule 3.03 above. Substitutes will not be available for re-entry.

Mercy Rule-

Avoiding Contact/Sliding Rule- NFHS slide rule will be STRICTLY ENFORCED. The base runner must slide or avoid contact at a base when a play is being made on him. He cannot interfere with a fielder making a play. His slide must be on a direct line between the bases. On the violation, the ball is dead and the runner is called out.  

If an umpire decides a players approach to a base or home plate is malicious the base runner may be ejected from the game.

NOTE: This is an umpire’s judgment call. Because it is a judgment call it CANNOT be argued or protested.

 

MUST Slide Rule: 

1- In 8u-11u, there will be NO HEAD FIRST SLIDING, unless it’s back to a base. Each team will be given one (1) warning per game for head first sliding. If ANY member of a team slides head first, after teams warning, that player will be called out, the ball will become dead and all runners will be returned to their bases occupied at time of violation. Any head first slides into home plate will be an automatic out and it will become a dead ball.

2- In the 12u – 15u Must slide to avoid contact or will be called out.  Head first sliding is allowed.

NOTE: This is an umpire’s judgment call. Because it is a judgment call it CANNOT be argued or protested.

 

Time Limit- All POOL PLAY games are played under the following time limits

1- In all divisions, there is a 1 hour and 50 minute time limit. The time of game will start once the home plate umpire calls play and notifies the home team (official scorebook) of the start time. No inning may start after the time limit elapses, or six innings are completed (7 innings for 13-14u).

2- In ALL DIVISONS: If a POOL PLAY game is tied after the innings limit or the time limit expires, that game will end in a tie.

Comments: The official time will be kept on the field by the umpires. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule.

 

Playoff Time Limits: Time limits will be enforced in all playoff games, EXCEPT THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.

Tie Breaker Rules: During playoff games only, if the time limit is reached and both teams are tied the following tie breaker rules will go into effect (California tie-breaker rule).

The last 3 hitters from the previous inning will load the bases. The runners will be placed as follows:

Last hitter from the previous inning @1st Base

Hitter before him in the lineup @2nd Base

Hitter before that in the lineup@3rd Base

Normal substitution rules apply to these runners

The hitting team will start the inning with 1 out

Play will continue like this until one team is ahead at the end of an inning

*** CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES WILL BE PLAYED OUT UNTIL THERE IS A WINNER. NO TIE-BREAKER RULE IN EFFECT***

 

NOTE: Mercy rules will still be in effect for all playoff and championship games.

 

Between Innings- Players are expected to hustle on and off the field at all times. Pitchers are permitted to throw 8 warm-up pitches in their first inning of work and 5 in each inning there-after. If a catcher is putting his gear on it is expected that another player (wearing mask) will warm-up the pitcher. Coaches are also permitted to warm up the pitcher, it is not mandatory that coaches wear a mask for warm-ups. Pitchers that enter game due to an injury will receive unlimited warm-up pitches.

 

On Deck Batter- All on-deck batters must stay in their teams designated on deck location inside the fenced in area. No on-deck batters will be permitted on the field of play.

 

Official Regulation Game Procedures:

If a game is called because of weather, it is a regulation game when the following occurs.

1-    In all divisions: When three (3) innings have been completed or the visiting team has completed three (3) at bat innings and the home team is ahead.

 

SUSPENDED GAMES: If a started tournament, playoff or championship game is suspended (for any reason); the game must be replayed from its point of interruption (if time and weather permit). NOTE: If a suspended game DOES NOT complete one (1) full inning, that particular game will be re-played in its entirety. The tournament committee will make all decisions on all suspended games.

 

Pitching Restrictions- There are no pitching restrictions for tournament play.

 

Trips to Mound- The pitcher must be replaced on the second (2nd) trip to the mound (to the same pitcher) in any inning.

 

Cleats- Rubber cleats and/or turf shoes are required for ALL AGE GROUPS. 

PITCHERS MUST USE TURF SHOES ON ALL MOUNDS

 

Suspension- Any player, coach, parent or spectator that is ejected from a game must leave the vicinity of the fields and will be subject to a further suspension by the Sharks Tournament Committee. The tournament Committee reserves the right to remove/eject any person from the facility and/or its off-site locations for unsportsmanlike behavior. Play of the game cease until coach, parent or spectator has left the vicinity. If they don’t cooperate their team will forfeit the game. A player, coach or parent/spectator’s first ejection will result in at least a minimal one game suspension to be served at the NEXT GAME.  However, multiple game suspensions can be issued at the discretion of the Sharks Baseball. Any player, coach, parent or spectator that is ejected for the second time, during the same tournament, will be eliminated for the remainder of the tournament.

 

 

Intentional Walk- 4 balls need NOT to be thrown.  The coach may notify the ump of the intentional walk and the runner will take 1st base.

 

 

Intentional Forfeits- Forfeits will be handled on a case by case basis, but will always be marked as a 7-0 score. Intentional forfeits are grounds for team suspensions from future Shark tournaments. Please keep in mind that teams are paying to play their games, not to take forfeits. Forfeits jeopardize the integrity of the organization, as well as the team that is forfeiting. In the event that an intentional forfeit plays a role in playoff seeding or playoff entry the Tournament Director reserves a right to make judgment on which team advances.

 

The age of a player on April 30, will determine their eligibility age for the tournament. 

 

 

Weather Related Tournament Refund Policy
3 Game Minimum Tournaments
No Games Played: 50% credit & 50% refund or 100% credit towards summer or fall tournament

One Game Played: 25% credit & 25% refund or 75% credit towards summer or fall tournament

Two Games Played: No Refund