Rules

No food, beverages or coolers allowed in the park (Concession stand will be open)
No tobacco use of any kind allowed within 25 feet of any portion of any operated field, building, structure or facility in the City of Richmond. (City Ordinance No. 2004-08)
No alcohol allowed on the premises.
No bicycles, skateboards, scooters or skates allowed on the premises.
Baseballs will be provided. Teams must supply all additional equipment.
Water will be provided in the dugout.
Managers and Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players and spectators. Anyone ejected from a game must leave the field area for that game. If the ejected person continues to cause difficulties he or she will be ejected from the park entirely. This is accomplished via the Richmond Police Department. This is done for the safety of all involved; we do not want this to escalate. Failure of an ejected parent or family member to promptly vacate the premises will lead to the ejection of the associated Manager. Any manager, coach, or player ejected from a game will not be allowed to participate in the next played game by his/her team. No group singing or chanting allowed from the dugout.
The protest committee will handle protests before the next pitch. In the event of a protest, the game clock will be stopped until protest is ruled upon.
Home team determined by coin toss before every game. Once seeds are set, the highest (1) seed will always be home.
Home team provides scorekeeper. Visiting team shall run scoreboard.
A maximum of 4 adults total are allowed in the dugout (1 manager and 3 coaches). Coaches must remain in the dugout while play is live.
Line-up cards must be provided to opposing team, umpire and scorekeeper.
No infield warm-up, you may warm-up in the outfield or grass areas around fields.
Your team must be there at game time or you will forfeit.
Coaches may warm up pitchers at any time.

Tournament Rules

1. All age groups must not be older than their division age by April 30, 2010 (going by Little League ages.)

2. The 13 and 14-year-old divisions will play by National Federation High School Rules. Teams may bat the roster or may use a DH and/or an EH. If you do not bat the roster, High School re-entry rules are in effect.

3. Little League All-Star rules are in effect for 9, 10, 11 and 12 year old age groups.

4. Birth certificates MUST be available upon request. Copies accepted.

5. All ages can play with the following additions:

No mandatory play is required. The following election conditions prevail:

i. Continuous batting order may be used; you may have free substitution of players in the initial line-up. Late arrivals must assume the last position in the batting order provided no one has batted twice. No late arrivals may be added to the line-up after the leadoff batter has batted twice.

ii. If you choose not to use continuous batting, then all-star rules (same as high school) will apply as far as starter re-entry rule is concerned. Once a player enters the game, the substitute and the affected starter must meet all requirements for substitution and play.

You must declare before game time if you are using a continuous batting order. (7 & 8 always continuous)
Courtesy runner for the catcher at any time; you must run for the catcher with two outs. No courtesy runner for the pitcher.
You may play with 8 players; less than eight players at any time is a forfeit. It is not an automatic out when the ninth player is supposed to bat. If the ninth player arrives during the game he must be added to the bottom of the batting line-up, no matter where you are in the order at the time of his arrival.

6. Courtesy runner may be a substitute no longer eligible to play, or a starter that is not in the line-up at that time. If you are batting continuous or have only nine players, the last out is the courtesy runner.

7. Player may play on two teams provided the two teams are not in the same age bracket and the player is on both official rosters. A player can only pitch for one team/age division.

Run Rules

1. All divisions will have a 20 after 2 innings, 15 run rule after 3 innings, a 10 run rule after 4 innings, and an 8 run rule after 5 innings. Note: Run rule is in effect even though “runs allowed” and “runs scored” are used in Tie Breakers.

Pitching Rules

1. Pitchers in the 9, 10, 11 and 12 year old divisions may pitch a total of 24 outs for the tournament, with no more than 18 outs in a single day or game. If you pitch 18 outs in a single day or game, you must have one calendar days rest before you can pitch your remaining outs.

2. Pitchers in the 13 & 14-year-old divisions may pitch a total of 27 outs for the tournament, with no more than 21 outs in a single day or game. If you pitch 21 outs in a single day or game, you must have one calendar days rest before you can pitch your remaining outs.

3. A violation of the pitching rules will result in a forfeited game.

4. The numbers of outs are outs that are charged against the pitcher only. If a pitcher is at the next to the last out allowed to him and a double or triple play is made (continuation) only the first out will be charged to him and he will have completed his allowed outs. The pitcher must leave the mound after the play is completed. The pitcher will not be penalized for his team making an extra out on the double or triple play.

5. A pitcher may only pitch for one team (one age division) in the tournament.

6. If a batter is to be intentionally walked, the pitcher must throw four balls.

7. A pitcher who delivers one or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that game.

Game Time Limits

1. All Divisions 12 and under: no new inning will start after 1 hour and 40 minutes. 13 & 14: 1 hour 50 minutes.

2. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 year old divisions are limited to 6 innings. 13 & 14 year old divisions are limited to 7 innings.

3. The Final Championship Game will have no time limit. Run rule is in effect.

Tie Games

1. Games resulting in a tie at the end of 6 innings (7 innings for 13 & 14 year olds) or any inning thereafter can ONLY play additional innings if:

a. Time remains on the original game clock (see Game Time Limits Rule #1), or

b. The game is a semi-final game.

Forfeits

1. Forfeit in a 6-inning game will be 6-0. 7-inning 7-0.

2. Any team who forfeits a game will not advance to the elimination bracket. Exception: Bracket set up where 2 games are played and all teams are seeded for a single-elimination round.

Tie Breakers

1. Head to Head. (Note: If more than two teams are tied, head to head is thrown out.)

2. Runs Allowed

3. Runs Scored

4. Coin Flip

Elimination Round

1. Highest seeded team will be the home team. If opponents were the same seed in their respective pools, tiebreakers 2-4 apply.

Safety

1. Runners will be called out if the runner does not attempt to avoid contact. This is an umpire judgment call. (7.08-a3)

2. Position players cannot block the bag without the ball (including home plate.) This is a judgment call by the umpire and his decision is final.

3. Open Bases Only: On a squeeze play when a batter squares to bunt he must bunt or take the pitch. Any batter who fakes a bunt and then swings at the pitch will be called out and all runners returned to their bases. If there is a second offense the third base coach will be ejected from the game.

4. Closed Bases Only: when a batter squares to bunt he must bunt or take the pitch. Any batter who fakes a bunt and then swings at the pitch will be called out and all runners returned to their bases. If there is a second offense the third base coach will be ejected from the game.

5. Batters may be removed from a game for throwing a bat in an unsafe manner; it is the umpire’s discretion. No out will result from the player’s removal. If affected team is batting continuous line-up, the removed player’s position will be passed over with no out charged.

7 & 8-Year Olds

1. Maximum runs allowed will be (5) in innings 1-4 with no continuation after the 5^th run is scored, unlimited after 4^th inning. No stacking will be allowed. If the umpire observes stacking, manager will be warned. A second offense will result in an automatic out.

2. Pitchers must remain behind the pitching rubber until the ball crosses home plate. PENALTY: if the pitcher leaves the pitcher’s mound area before the ball crosses home plate and then fields the ball in an attempt for an out at any forced base (usually first) which results in an out, the batter/runner will return to the batter’s box for another attempt at bat. If the pitcher overthrows the attempted force out and the batter/runner reaches base safely, then the play will stand and play will continue without interruption.

3. Batted balls hitting the pitching machine will be declared a dead ball and ruled as a single. Base runners will advance only one base. (The electrical cord is considered part of the machine.)

4. Batted balls striking the pitching machine operator will be considered a live ball.

5. Balls and strikes will be called; however, no walks will be granted and strikeouts (3 strikes) will be called. If a batter receives four (4) balls the count will revert to 0-0 and the batter will start over. If the ball is in play on the fourth ball and the base runner may steal at their own risk. Once the ball is returned to the pitcher, the machine (except for speed setting) may be adjusted immediately after any four-ball count. This is the only time the machine may be adjusted.

6. Pitching machines will be set at approximately 38 mph for 7 year olds and 42 mph for 8 year olds. Machines will be set with back leg against the front of the pitching rubber.

7. Stealing is permitted when the ball reaches the batter, runners can also steal on throws to the pitcher.

8. Teams will bat their entire roster with free defensive substitutions.

9. 7 Year Olds may use 10 defensive players, 4 in the outfield. 8 Year Olds may not use more than 9 defensive players, 3 in the outfield. .Outfielders must play at least 30 feet behind the baseline.

10. Play will continue until the lead runner is stopped and/or the umpire has called for time. Throwing the ball to the pitching mound or a player calling timeout does not stop play.

11. The infield fly rule will not be in effect.

12. Regular little league baseballs will be utilized.

13. An adult representative from the batting team will feed the pitching machine. However, no coaching will be allowed from the feeder. PENALTY: 1^st offense warning, 2^nd offense the feeder is ejected and the coached player is called out.

14. Umpires (2) will officiate the game from “standard” Little League positions. Home plate umpire may choose to stand to the side/behind the catcher.

15. Bunting is allowed in machine pitch divisions.

Refund Policy

In case of a no-show or cancellation of the tournament, the refunds will be:

0 games played = Total Refund, 1 game played = $180.00, 2 games played = $90.00, 3 games played = No Refund.

Be sure to prepare and inform your team to be able and ready to play both the original scheduled tournament date and the original scheduled rain date, if necessary. We will not refund any money to any team who cannot play on the original scheduled rain date.

If you pull out of the tournament without a replacement team to take your place less than (14) fourteen days before the scheduled start of the tournament, you will not receive a refund.