MSA Memorial Tournament 2022 – 8U RULES

The Cal Ripken League/Tournament rules and regulations as stated in the rule book are applicable with the following exceptions/revisions:

Game Play

Field setup
Distance between bases is 60 feet. Pitcher’s rubber is 46 feet from home plate. The pitching machine shall: Be positioned so that the front leg of the machine is placed in front of the pitching rubber (ideally touching the front edge of the pitching rubber); speed will be checked with Radar gun for each game; Perfect Pitch Arm to be used for 8U divisions; Blue machine to be used in emergency.

Game length
Standard game is six innings (5 ½ if the home team is ahead) with no new inning will begin after play has lasted 90 minutes for pool games or 105 minutes for elimination games. If home team is ahead and time expires, the game is over immediately when the home team comes to bat or is already at bat. Any runs scored in that incomplete inning count towards the final score. Championship game will have no time limit. Ties are allowed in pool play. Standard extra innings will be played in elimination games

Run Limits
When a seventh run of any inning is scored, the inning shall be considered over, even if the team batting has less than 3 outs assessed against them. Game is over when a team has 8 run lead after 5 innings (4 and1/2 if home team), 10 run lead after 4 innings (3 and1/2 if home team), or 15 run lead after 3 innings( 2 and1/2 if home team),.

Time out request
In accordance with the rules of baseball, time out is requested by a coach/player, and then granted by the umpire, at umpire’s discretion. Before a timeout shall be granted to the defensive team in a live ball situation, the defense must cause the offense to cease play (i.e. force the base runner(s) into a non-advancing situation). At the umpire’s discretion, play may be stopped if in the judgment of the umpire there is an injury to a player. He would then award runner/batter bases accordingly and to the best of his judgment.

Protests
Will be ruled on immediately by the acting Tournament Director on site.

Ejections
Ejections during a game are for the remainder of that game and the next game. Additional punitive action may be imposed at the discretion of the acting Tournament Director.

Offense

Lineup
Batting lineups must be exchanged between coaches before the game. Teams will have a choice of batting 10 players using the Cal Ripken substitution rules OR batting all players and using free substitution in the field. All teams must start a game with a minimum of 9 players. The missing starter (if less than 10) in the batting line up will be called out at his turn at bat. Failure to be able to field 9 players will result in a forfeit as covered in the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken rules. A late arriving player should be listed last in the batting order and skipped when his turn at bat comes up, until the player arrives. No penalty unless team drops below 10 players.

Batting
Each batter is allowed 4 pitches or 3 strikes to put the ball in play. An additional pitch is awarded in the case of a foul ball on a 3rd strike. The batter is out on the fifth pitch if the batter does not swing the bat. Exception to the four-pitch rule: If any pitch is significantly out of the strike zone the pitch is ruled a ‘no pitch ’and the play is redone. This is at umpire’s discretion. Swinging at a pitch does not affect the umpire’s ability to call it a ‘no pitch’. An offensive coach will pitch the ball using the pitching machine. After the ball is put into play, the offensive coach must make every attempt to remove themselves to not interfere with the play of the game. A batted ball that hits any part of the pitching machine including the sandbags or the coach pitching shall be automatically ruled a single. Base runners in a force to run position shall advance one base. Base runners not in a force to run position shall remain at the base occupied prior to the pitch. If an offensive coach intentionally touches a ball in play or egregiously obstructs the play, the batter will be called out and all base runners return to the base previously occupied. This is at the umpire’s discretion. Throwing the bat will result in the batter being given a warning. A batter who throws the bat after having already received a warning will be called out and all base runners return to the base previously occupied. Once a batter squares to bunt, the batter may not take a full swing on the same pitch (no slashing). Penalty for fake bunting will be as follows (whether contact is made or not): 1) Batter will be called out. 2) Ball will be declared dead and all runners will return to bases. On the 2nd occurrence, the manager will
be ejected from the game. If second time for the same player, player will also be ejected. Bunting on the last pitch, if foul, batter is out.

Baserunning
Stealing is not allowed. Players are not permitted to leave the occupied base until the ball crosses the plate. If a ball is put into play and the player leaves early and, in the umpire’s, discretion he would have been out had he not left early he will be declared out. If the runner leaves early and the play results in an out at his/her previously occupied base that runner will be returned to said base. Tagging up on a fly ball is allowed. Overthrows are live and base runners advance at their own risk until the defensive team can stop play as defined above. If the ball leaves the field of play, hits any equipment, enters the dugout or hits any player or coach out of the dugout, play is dead and base runners will be awarded one base.

Offensive Obstruction
If a base runner, intentionally or unintentionally, obstructs a defensive player attempting to field the ball, that base runner is out. If a defensive player is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered “in the act of fielding a ball.” It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the “act of fielding” the ball.

Defense

Defensive players/ coaches’ position
Two defensive coaches will be allowed on the field while their team is on defense (other coaches will be in the dugout). They must be positioned in foul territory, past the infield clay, and down each respective foul line. They must always remain in foul territory and are there for positioning and assisting their players only. If any coach attempts to intimidate, coerce or otherwise negatively affect the opposing team, they will be removed from the field/game at the umpire’s discretion. There shall be ten players on the defense. A maximum of six players including the catcher can play in the infield. Outfielders must start play in the outfield grass. Two defensive coaches will be allowed on the field. Coaches must be positioned and remain in foul territory at least 15′ beyond first and third base. If any coach attempts to intimidate, coerce or otherwise negatively affect the opposing team, they will be removed from the field/game at the umpire’s discretion. There are 10 defensive positions: 4 regular infielders, a pitcher, a catcher and 4 outfielders. A team can play a game with less than 10 players in the field.

Players shall be positioned as follows: Outfielders must start play in the outfield grass; the catcher must be positioned behind the batter’s box as to not interfere with the batter. Catchers must be equipped to play position. The defensive “pitcher” may stand behind the machine or on either side, but, for safety, must not stand closer to home plate than the front edge of the pitching machine prior to delivery of the pitch. Pitcher must have at least one foot in the pitching circle.

Defensive play
There will be no infield fly rule. Pitcher cannot charge on bunts, until the ball has been released by the machine. Play is stopped when one of the following occurs: All base runners have ceased trying to advance a base; Time ’is called by the umpire. Time will be called when: The baseball play has stopped at the umpire’s discretion with a player with control of the ball in the base path of the furthest advanced base runner AND all base runners have ceased trying to advance a base. Control is defined as ball in hand or glove. If a trail runner is trying to advance and time is called, the base runner will be awarded that base. Note: Trying to advance means a runner is actively moving towards the next base. Standing or ‘dancing ’in the base path is not considered trying to advance.

Pitching mound addendum

When a batted ball hits the artificial pitching mounds and, per the umpire’s judgement, is deflected in an unnatural way the play will be ruled in the same manner as if the ball struck the pitching machine, bags, or pitching coach. If the ball hits the mound in a way that does notaffect the natural path of the ball the play will continue as normal.

Any ball thrown from the field by the defense that strikes the mound will be considered normal course of play just as if it were to strike the pitching machine, the sandbags, the pitching coach,
or the umpire.

Tiebreakers

• Head to Head (Will only apply if all team tied played each other)
• Runs Allowed
• Run Differential
• Coin Flip (Odds and Evens if more than 2 teams)