2017 Summer Sizzle Rules
2017 Summer Sizzle Baseball Tournament
Elkins, WV
Rules and Regulations: Summer Sizzle (SS) follow National Federation High School Rules for all tournaments unless otherwise specified below.
Registration: All teams registered for the SS Baseball tournament must submit a completed roster form and be registered before their first game.
Eligibility: Player's birthdates must meet the age requirements of their respective age divisions. A player's tournament age is based on the age they are as of April 30th 2017. Players cannot be double rostered in the same age division and may only play up on a team of the same organization (no special scheduling will be offered). Each team must bring a photo copy of the official state-issued birth certificate for each player. The team manager must keep the birth certificates of all players on him at all times. If any player does not have his birth certificate, he/she cannot participate in the tournament. If a team caught using a player that is older than the cutoff for the division, that team will forfeit every game that player has played in. All teams are to check in before your first game regardless of where you are scheduled to play and to turn in your signed roster (Roster cannot change after it has been submitted)
Refund Policy: SS will charge a minimum administration fee equaling 10% of your entry fee, for all refunds. If you call on or before 20 days in advance prior to tournament date you will be refunded 75% of your entry money. If you call on or before 12 days in advance prior to tournament date you will be refunded 50% of your entry money. If you call inside the 12-day window or after schedule and brackets have been posted there will be no refund given. No refunds or transfer of funds from tournament to tournament.
Weather Cancellations: There is a chance a tournament could be rained out. Please be aware that SS will charge a minimum administration fee equaling 10% of the entry fee, for all refunds if tournament is completely rained out. 1 game played = 50% refund of entry money; 2nd Game Started = No Refund.
Adverse Weather: The SS will be played in adverse weather conditions. The format may be changed to lesser time limits or fewer innings to complete the tournament. In this case we will revert back to the last full complete inning to determine the result. The pool play could also be altered. Players and Coaches expect these conditions when entering the tournament.
Start Time: Before entering a tournament, make sure your team has no other conflicts on listed tournament dates. SS cannot accommodate any special game time request! Teams need to be prepared to play 45 minutes earlier than there scheduled time to play, if the tournament is ahead of schedule games will be played earlier than scheduled times.
Reserved Spot: Your team will not be confirmed into any tournament until full payment is received in full prior to the tournament date according to the coach’s email. Penciled teams are not confirmed.
Protest Fee: 1) Judgment calls by the umpire cannot be protested, rules only may be protested, and must be decided before resuming play. 2) A $100 cash protest fee must be presented to the tournament director at the time of the protest. 3) A protest is only "Official" if accompanied by the $100 and done before the next pitch. 4) If the protest is upheld, then the $ 100 will be refunded
Home team will be determined by coin flip in pool play, in tournament play the higher seed will be given the choice of visitor/home. Home team is required to keep the official book. Visiting team will have the option to keep scoreboard. Pitch cards will be kept by the home team and must be turned in to the director’s table. (Must be signed by each teams’ head manager. It is the home team’s responsibility to turn pitch cards in to the tournament Director.)
In Field Warm Up: All teams are encouraged to warm up as much as possible before game time. No pre-game infield.
Time/Game Limit: All tournament games in pool play and tournament play will have a time limit. Championship games will not. The time limits are as follows: Time starts after the coin toss and/or the umpire pregame discussion. (Start of a new inning will begin when the last out is recorded of the previous inning)
8U 1 hour and 15 minutes 6 Innings
9U-12U 1 hour and 45 minutes 6 Innings
Pool Play Only if a new inning has started prior to the time limit, then that inning will finish. No new inning can start after the time limit. Games cannot end in a tie. Umpires will announce the start time right after the coin toss & pregame rules discussion. When the time limit hits, or extra innings, and both teams are tied, we will go to International rules. Last player recorded out from the previous inning will start on 2nd base with one out.
Bracket Games can’t end in a tie and regular baseball and will be played until we have a winner.
The game will be considered a complete game after the home team bats in the bottom of the 1st inning. If a game should be called due to darkness, or weather, and the 1st inning has not been completed, the game will restart where it left off.
***TIME LIMITS MAY CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER***
Playoffs/Tie Breakers:
Seeding results will result from pool play record. In the event that teams are tied after pool play, the following process will be followed:
Head to Head (only if 2 teams are tied. 3 or more, go to next tie breaker)
Fewest Runs Allowed
Runs Scored
Coin Flip
Pitching: The amount of outs a pitcher can pitch through the tournament:
9U - 12U = Allowed 27 outs per tournament with a MAX of 18 outs per day
Scorecards must be signed by both team managers to eliminate outs pitched validation problems, turn into tournament director table after the game.
No Limit on the number of appearances
5 warm-up pitches per inning
Once a player is removed from the mound, he/she cannot return to the mound in the same game.
Balks: There will be no warnings on balk calls. Umpire discretion may be used on younger ages.
Re-entry Defensive: Each team will be allowed unlimited substitutions in the field.
8U – fields 10 players (4 outfielders – no rovers)
9U – High School – fields 9 players
Offensive: Teams are allowed to bat 9 players, the entire lineup or anywhere in between, based on the coach’s decision. **8U Teams will bat 10 players, the entire lineup or anywhere in between, based on the coach’s decision
If a player is injured batting in the line-up and the team has no subs, then it will be counted as an out each time the injured player is supposed to bat.
Scorekeeping: 1. Each team's manager must prepare 1 written copy of his lineup listing first and last names and numbers of all players and substitutes prior to each game. Lineups then must be provided to the opposing team's manager. 2. The Official Scorebook is to be kept by the home team. Both teams should confer after each inning to confirm the score. 3. A completed score sheet must be filled out and signed by the home team manager after each game and presented to the tournament director. Please make sure this is done so that we can make sure we stay on top of the scores and post the results ASAP.
Baseball Cleats: Metal spikes are NOT allowed
Bat Restrictions: 8U-12U any bat that is USSSA, Cal Ripken, Little League, Big Barrel and Pony approved.
Dugouts: Please help keep the tournament fields and common areas clean. Please be sure to pick up all your team's trash after the game.
Ejections: 1) All ejections are at the umpires' discretion. 2) NO WARNINGS will be given to coaches, players, or fans for unsportsmanlike or unruly behavior. 3) Upon ejection, the coach, player, or fan must completely leave the premises. Failure to comply will result in a team forfeit. They may return to the next game played. 4) Any coach, player, or fan ejected from more than one game will not be permitted on the premises for the rest of the tournament.
Mercy Rule:
8U Age Divisions – (max 6 runs per inning) (unlimited runs in last inning)
15 after 3 innings 10 after 4 innings 8 after 5 innings
9U-12U Age Divisions (max 9 runs per inning) (unlimited runs in last inning)
12 after 3 innings 10 after 4 innings 8 after 5 innings
Last Inning to be defined as: 8U – 12U = start of the 6th inning before the time limit or (start of an extra inning after the time limit – only applies to tournament play)
Format Alterations: SS reserves the right to alter, change, or abbreviate tournament formats, when necessary, in order to complete the tournament. This includes, but not limited to, shortening times limits in order to maintain the game schedule and to ensure all games.
Baseballs: All teams hit your own balls, team’s choice. Umpire will ask for 2 baseballs at the start of each game per team.
Courtesy Runners: Courtesy Runners for catcher only must follow re-entry rule and may be used regardless of # of outs. If there are no players available on the bench, then you may use the last recorded out as a courtesy runner.
Division Rules
8U: Ten defensive fielders (6 infielders/ 4 outfielders: no rovers) will be used with free defensive substitution throughout game. If you choose to play only 9 players that is ok. If you have more than 10 kids on the roster, it is the coach’s decision to bat more or sub in/out.
6 pitches or 3 strikes per at bat. At bat continues if 6th pitch is fouled off and will continue if player continues to foul off last pitch.
3 outs or 6 runs scored complete an inning. All games will be 6 innings
Batted ball that hits pitching coach is declared dead and all runners will get 1 base.
No bunts allowed. Infield fly rule will NOT be in effect.
Defensive team can have one coach on each foul line, in the outfield, but shall remain in foul territory not to interfere with the offensive base coach.
Umpires shall call “Time” after every play and declare the ball dead. “Time” shall be called as soon as the lead runner is not attempting to advance.
8U- 60’ Bases 46’ Mound 6 inning game
9U-12U
Infield Fly rule will be in effect for 9U – 12U
Stealing is allowed for all age groups once the ball passes the plate. The runner will be called out for leaving early and the pitch will not be allowed.
Dropped third strike, batter must be tagged or thrown out at first base.
9U – 12U - 60’ Bases 46’ Mound
We certainly anticipate that tournament games will be emotionally charged and competitive. However, we also expect that every participant and spectator will conduct him/herself at all times in a manner that is appropriate for youth baseball. Accordingly, arguing with or complaining about umpire judgment calls (balls/strikes, out/safe or fair/foul) or any display of inappropriate behavior (to include foul language used) by coaches, managers, players, parents or other spectators simply will not be tolerated. Anyone (except players) in violation of this sportsmanship rule will be asked to leave the premises immediately by either the umpire or tournament site director. If after five (5) minutes the offending person is not out of sight and sound of the field, the team will forfeit the game in progress (final score recorded as 7 - 0). An ejected player will be restricted to the dugout. Anyone ejected from a game may be suspended from participating or being a spectator at the next game. Possible exceptions: (1) If a player is ejected for throwing his bat unintentionally (in the judgment of the umpire) he would not be suspended for the following game. (2) If the tournament director upon a review of the events leading to the ejection and discussions with game officials and all parties involved determines that further game suspension is not warranted.
Team head coaches/managers are 100% responsible for the conduct of their assistant coaches, players, parents and any other related spectators. If anyone other than the head coach/manager is ejected by an umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct, the team's head coach/manager may be suspended for the next game (see possible exceptions above).
Anyone who threatens a tournament official, umpire, opposing coach or player (either physically or verbally) will be asked to leave immediately and may not return for the duration of the tournament.
Team managers should make certain that everyone associated with their team is fully aware of the sportsmanship rules in advance of the tournament. The games should be fun for all involved, especially the kids playing in them.
