Rules

Coaches/Players Responsibilities: 

• Coaches are responsible for the actions and safety of their own team which includes spectators. 

• UMPIRE JUDGMENT CALLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE ARGUED FOR ANY REASON

  • Judgment calls include: fair/foul, balls/strikes, out/safe​

  • Rules may be challenged or contested in a professional manner such as: balks, appeals, etc.

• Coach/umpire interactions are a part of the game. These interactions should be calm and respectful at all times.

  • Any player ejected from a game will be ineligible for the remainder of the game and at least one additional game.

  • Any coach ejected from a game will be ineligible for the remainder of the tournament 

    • Ejections will be reviewed by the tournament director and are subject to additional game suspensions or being banned from the tournament​​

• 3 coaches permitted within the dugout. Scorekeeper allowed in the dugouts.

• In the case of a medical emergency (unless an ambulance needs to be called), it is the coaches' and parents' responsibility to remove the injured player from the playing field and attend to their non-life threatening medical needs. Event staff can provide ice if needed but are not responsible for removing players from the field. 

• NO COACHES ALLOWED ON FIELD UNLESS BASE COACHING. NO SITTING ON BUCKETS OR STANDING ON FIELD OUTSIDE DUGOUT. ALL DUGOUT DOORS NEED TO BE CLOSED AND NO ONE IS TO STAND IN OPEN DUGOUT DOORWAYS.

TOURNAMENT RULES: 

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8u and 9u: See end of rules page

10u-12u: Cooperstown Dreams Park Rules enforced.

13u-18u: National High School Federation Baseball Rules (NFHS) enforced. 

Time Limit: 

9u-12u: 6 innings or 1 hour thirty minutes (finish the inning)

13u and older: 7 innings or 1 hour 45 minutes (finish the inning)

No new inning can start after the time limit has been reached. 

One day tournament and or weather-related issues can change time limits of games by director at any time.

• Time starts immediately after the completion of ground rules

• There will be a timer on the fence behind home plate that the umpire will use to keep time for every game

• The umpire and tournament officials are the only one that keep the official clock

• The timer will not be stopped except for the following instances:

  • The timer may be stopped on the game clock in an event of a life-threatening medical emergency 

  • The timer may also be stopped in the event of a weather related delayed 

• If the home team is up to bat and is winning the game when the time expires, the game will end at the time of expiration except in seed play. 

• As soon as the 3rd out is recorded in the bottom half of the inning, the next inning officially starts. If there is still time left when the third out is recorded, the next inning will be played.

• Defensive timeouts limited to 1 minute. Excessive attempts to slow down or make time expire (umpires discretion) can result in a forfeit.

Championship Games:

• No time limit for Championship Game. 

  •     9u-12u: 6 innings

  •     13u and up: 7 innings 

• Run rules are still in effect

  • 12 runs after 3 innings 

  • 10 runs after 4 innings 

  • 8 runs after 5 innings  

Determining Home & Away:
Pool Play games only:

• A coin flip will determine the home and away teams

Semi and Championship games only:

• The higher seed will be the home team

Sliding:

• No restrictions on sliding at Salt City Sports Tournaments. Shoulder roll or coming up high, would be the only time a runner is called out. Runners must slide or avoid contact at all plays at home plate or be called out. Umpires discretion when a runner makes contact with a defensive player at home plate. In addition to avoiding contact, players must slide directly into all bases. Players may not intentionally alter their running path in order to break up or disrupt a play.

Mercy Rule: 

For all ages 9u and up:

• 12 runs after 3 innings 

• 10 runs after 4 innings 

• 8 runs after 5 innings 

Pitching Restrictions:

There are no pitching restrictions at Salt City Sports Tournaments. Coaches/parents know the players better than we do, and we ask that coaches use the MLB Pitch Smart recommendations to ensure player’s safety. The MLB Pitch Smart guidelines can be found here: https://www.mlb.com/pitch-smart. Coaches, we strongly advise that you use caution with your players. We believe in pitch counts NOT Innings. Relief Pitchers: warm-ups permitted in foul territory against the outfield fence line with a catcher wearing a mask and an adult coach. Clock will stop for a pitching change if the player is in the game at the time of the change (time given is the plate umpire discretion). METAL SPIKES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE WORN ON THE PORTABLE MOUNDS. Games played at Hopkins Road and Carrier Park are all portable mounds.

Tie breakers:

• Pool play games can end in a tie

• Playoff games must end in a winner 

  • Last recorded out is placed on second with no outs to start the inning (extra innings)

  • This will continue each consecutive inning until there is a winner 

Lineups:

All games must start with at least 9 players. A game can not be finished with less than 8 players. If a player is removed due to an injury, there are no subs, their time to bat comes up, and they are unable to return to the game, it will be recorded as an out. If a player is ejected, the team is forced to take an out each time that player's spot comes up to bat.

• Pool play games

  • Teams can bat their entire lineup if they choose 

Re-entry Rule:

• Starting players in the lineup may only be re-entered once per game 

Courtesy Runner: 

• Last batted out must be the runner 

Dropped Third Strike/Infield Fly:

• Enforced in all levels 10u and up 

Intentional Walks:

• All age groups inform the umpire of your desire to walk the batter. No pitches have to be thrown.

Pool Play Seeding Tie Breaker Rules: 

1. Overall Record 

2. Head-to-Head Match up (only if every team plays each other)

3. Runs Allowed 

4. Runs Scored 

5. Coin Flip 

Leading/Stealing:

• 10u (46x60): Runners may advance once the baseball crosses the plate.
• 11u and 12u (50x70): Leading and stealing allowed.

Trips to the Mound:

• The pitcher must be replaced on the 2nd trip to the mound in any inning. 

• Each pitcher allowed a total of 3 mound visits.

Balks:

• 9u-10u: NO balks.
• 11u-12u: 1 Player Warning per game. No warnings in Championship games.
• 13u-17u: 0 Warnings.

Bat Requirements:

• 9u-10u: USA or USSSA stamped bats only
• 11u-12u: Cooperstown Dreams Park Bat Rules (metal, no size or weight restrictions)
• 13u-18u: -3 BBCOR or wood bats
• If a composite or bamboo bat is BBCOR certified, it is allowed​

Refund Policy:

No refunds issued 14 days prior to tournament. No refunds issued to teams caught NOT using the "STAY & PLAY" policy. Game refund policy by number of games not played: -1 = $50 future tournament credit, -2 = $100 future tournament credit, -3 = $200 future tournament credit. No games played = all money refundable excluding $50 registration fee which can be applied toward a future tournament. 1 day tournaments will have a rescheduled backup date. If teams are unable to attend the makeup date, they will receive credit towards future tournaments.

Weather: 

If weather becomes a determining factor, the weather line will be used for further instructions on delays and cancellations (315-430-5832). The tournament director has the right to change game times, time limits on games, etc. in the event of weather complications. 

Appeals:

Teams can appeal a contest due to rule discrepancies. In order to file an appeal, a team must pay a $200 appeal fee to Salt City Sports in order for the tournament or site director to review the appeal (checks payable to: Salt City Sports). Once the fee is received, the tournament director will review the appeal and make an appeal decision within 48 hours. If an appeal is lost, the appeal fee is forfeited to the tournament. Fees are refundable on appeals that are won.

8u Pitch Machine Rules:

• 4 outfielders (3 allowed if coach desires)

• Pitching machine distance (38 feet)

• Pitching machine speed (set at what is comfortable for players)

• OVERTHROW…players are allowed to only take 1 base on overthrows

• 6 innings, 1 hour 30 min time limit (championship has no time limit)

• Mercy rules apply to all games: 3 innings/12 runs, 4 innings/10 runs, 5 innings/8 runs

• 5 pitches from machine max. If swing and miss on 3, the player is out.

• Saturday games flip for home or away (semi and championship game, the higher seed chooses)

• NO coaches allowed on fields unless base coaching. Gate must be closed and NO players or coaches standing in the doorways.

• No lead offs, no drop 3rd strike. Max of 5 runs per inning, except last inning. No stealing.

• 1 umpire behind the mound. The hitting team coach feeds the machine with pitcher who stands on the side and a catcher behind home plate.

• USA or USSSA bats.

• Hitting the L screen is a single, and players only advance a base if there is a force play.

• NO INFIELD FLY

• Games can end in a tie for seed play. Extra innings in semi and championship games will start with the last out on second base and no outs.

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9u Rules:

• 4 outfielders (3 allowed if coach desires)

• OVERTHROW…players are allowed to only take 1 base on overthrows.

• 6 innings, 1 hour 30 min time limit (championship no time limit)

• Mercy rules apply to all games: 3 innings/12 runs, 4 innings/10 runs, 5 innings/8 runs

• Saturday games flip for home or away (semi and championship game, the higher seed picks)

• NO coaches allowed on fields unless base coaching. Gate must be closed and NO players or coaches standing in the doorways.

• No lead offs, no drop 3rd strike. Max of 5 runs per inning, except last inning. And no stealing.

• USA or USSSA bats.

• NO DROP STRIKE & NO INFIELD FLY

• Games can end in a tie for seed play. Extra innings in semi and championship games will start with the last out on second base and no outs.​

Revised 07/30/24