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Tournament Rules

The age of the player is determined by their age on April 30, 2019.

Coach, Player & Fan Sportsmanship

Code of Conduct

Technique Sports Training has many years of experience in the youth sports industry and it is our NUMBER ONE PRIORITY that players, coaches & fans experience baseball at its very best during every LivFree tournament.

We have a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for disrespect to each other, umpires, guests and staff on and off the field. We expect EVERYONE who attends our tournaments to handle themselves in a manner that displays good sportsmanship and sets a good example for every ball player and participating team.

We will not tolerate coaches, players or fans acting out or displaying what we consider unsportsmanlike conduct. Such conduct will result in removal from the game and/or the tournament at the discretion of a LivFree Tournament director.

It is our responsibility to our guests to maintain a fun and positive baseball experience.

Coaches: it is your responsibility to enforce the code of conduct to your players, parents and fans.

Any player ejected from a game will be suspended for the remainder of the game being played and the next game. Please note that the Director will have final say on all suspensions.

Any coach, parent or fan ejected from a game will also be suspended for the remainder of the game being played and the next game. Please note that the Director will have final say on all suspensions. Technique Sports Training has the final say on appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

Please Note: These rules are not all inclusive. Common sense should be used at all times: Violations of these Rules may lead to team or individual suspension from tournament play. Parents and family guests assume all risk and danger of personal injury, losses, damages to person or property and all hazards arising from or related in any way to, the LivFree Baseball Tournament that they are attending.

Technique Sports Training management reserves the right to refuse admission or eject any person whose conduct is deemed by management to be disorderly or who fails to comply with the rules and regulations of the tournament.

Official Baseball Tournament Rules

  1. 9u thru 12u: All Pool play games will be played with a strict 1 hour and 45 minute time limit. No inning can start after 1 hour and 45 minutes. All pool games that are tied after 6 innings or the 1 hour and 45 minute time limit will be recorded as a tie. The umpires and staff will keep time.
  1. 13u thru 18u: All Pool play games will be played with a strict 2 hour time limit. No inning can start after 2 hours. All pool games that are tied after 7 innings or the 2 hour time limit will be recorded as a tie. The umpires and staff will keep time.
  2. Home team will be determined by a coin toss in pool play. The home team be the higher seed in playoff games.
  3. Playoffs: All pool winners advance.
  4. Forfeits: All games must be started with at least 9 players. A game can be finished with 8 players. Once a team establishes it has 8 players it must finish the game with 8 players. The player leaving the original lineup cannot return and his spot in the hitting lineup will be recorded as an out! In case of forfeit the winning team will be awarded a winning score of theaverage runs they scored in all of their pool games vs “0” runs allowed. The losing team willbe recorded a 10-0 loss. Any intentional forfeit will result in the forfeiting team being eliminated from the tournament. The tournament committee will rule on intentional forfeits. No team should benefit from the result of a forfeit in an unfair manner. This rule could result in a dispute and the tournament committee reserves the right to look at and rule in the fairestpossible way. The committee’s decision will be final! Note: Any team not on the field andprepared to start the game, at game time will give cause for immediate forfeit.
  5. Technique Sports Training reserves the right to not let a team advance in playoffs (should they qualify) if they forfeited a game in that tournament.
  6. Taking Infield: Due to possible time constraints, before game infield will be allowed only when time allows for it. If time allows, teams will be allowed to take infield. It is possible teams will be allowed to take a very short infield in some cases if time allows, but the games must remain on schedule. If fields are soft and/or soggy infield may not be allowed due to facility requests.
  7. Official Game: 9u thru 12u: A 6 inning game is deemed to be official if the home team is ahead after 3 1⁄2 innings or the visitors are ahead after 4 complete innings. A tie game is considered official after 3 complete innings.
  8. Official Game: 14u thru 18u: A 7 inning game is deemed to be official if the home team is ahead after 3 1⁄2 innings or the visitors are ahead after 4 complete innings. A tie game is considered official after 3 complete innings.
  9. Mercy Rules:
  1. The game will end if the visiting team is behind by 12 or more runs after 3 1/2 inningsor the visiting team is ahead by 12 or more runs after 4 complete innings.
  2. The game will end if the visiting team is behind by 8 or more runs after 4 1/2 inningsor the visiting team is ahead by 8 or more runs after 5 complete innings.
  3. After the 5th inning, if the visiting team goes ahead by 8 or more runs, the game will be over.
  1. Trips to the mound:The pitcher must be replaced on the 2nd trip to the mound in any inning.
  2. Hitting Lineup: Can consist of 9 or 10 batters. The lineup must stay with either 9 or 10 batters (whichever is used) for the entire game. One EH can be used and will be treated like a position player in the game and can change positions and enter the game. A DH can also be used for any player.
  3. In case of rain: All rain out games may not be made up depending on time constraints. In case of scheduling changes it is the team’s responsibility, not the tournament committee, to make sure they are aware of the new schedule or any scheduling changes. This information will be posted at the site when it becomes available. Note: No special requests will be honored if rescheduling becomes necessary. All coaches should make sure they have the tournament phone numbers to call for information. If games are cancelled the tie breaking procedures (listed below) will determine Pool winners and championship qualification. In the event play is stopped for any reason before or during the Championship round, first place, second place, third place, etc. will be awarded using the tie breaker rules (see tie breaker rules below).
  4. The Speed up Rule is in effect with 2 outs for either the pitcher or catcher. The speed up rule is optional any other time. The runner is either the last batted out or someone not in the lineup.
  5. Protests: Protests will be heard and ruled on by the tournament committee. The team protesting must make cash payment of $400 at the time of the protest. If the protest is ruled in the protesting teams favor the $400 will be refunded. The ruling made by the committee will be final. All forfeiture monies will be donated to the LivFree Charity.
  6. 9u thru 12u divisions will be metal bat. All bats must be stamped BPF 1.15 or be USA Baseball certified. No restriction on weight or length as long as the bat has a “BPF 1.15” Stamp or has the USA Baseball Stamp.
  7. 13u and 14u divisions will be metal bat. 13u – All bats must be BBCOR or USA Stamped bats –weight to length ratio no more than -5. (Drop 5). 14u – All bats must be BBCOR or USA Stamped bats – weight to length ratio of -3 (Drop 3).
  8. 15u thru 18u divisions will be will be WOOD bat only! No composites. No Baum bats. No Bamboo bats.
  9. Roster and Roster Changes: All team rosters must be submitted no later than 1 week before the tournament. Teams may change their roster up until they start their first game. After that time there will be no roster changes. If a player is listed on more than one roster, the player listed will make a decision as to which roster he is legally on. The decision is up to the individual player. No player can appear in a tournament game for more than one team. PENALTY: An ineligible player, due to roster rules, shall be removed from the game at the time of notification. There will be NO FORFEITS because of an ineligible player. A substitute may replace the ineligible player if one is available, otherwise an automatic out will take place in the same manner as an injured player. No new players can be added to the roster once Single- Elimination has been begun.
  10. Scoring: We recommend that all teams (home and visitor) keep a score book. To eliminate scoring disputes, scorekeepers should check with the official scorer during and after the game.If no scorekeeper is present the home team’s book will be considered official.
  11. All dugout selection is based upon a first come first serve basis; any disputes will be determined by tournament director.
  12. Sportsmanship: In the interest of maintaining a quality event, the tournament committee reserves the right to reject and person from the site for unruly or unsportsmanlike behavior. Any coach or player who is ejected for the second time during the tournament will be eliminated from participating for the remainder of the tournament.
  13. There are no refunds or credits offered for rainouts, game cancellations, or forfeits.
  14. Not Covered in the Rules: In the event any item is not covered in the rules, the tournament committee will make the fairest possible ruling and the ruling will be final!

Tie Breaker Rule

System used for advancing and seeding for tournament:

  1. Pool play overall record (winning percentage)
  2. If two teams are tied – Head to Head winner
  3. If three teams are tied – If one team has defeated both other teams, that team advances. If not go to #4
  4. Total runs allowed in pool play.
  5. If still tied – Total runs scored in pool play
  6. If still tied – Total runs allowed subtracting game with most runs allowed in pool play
  7. If still tied – Total runs allowed minus two games with most runs allowed in pool play
  8. If still tied – Runs scored inning by inning starting with first game until one team has more runs after a complete inning starting with pool games

If pool play ends early due to poor weather we will go to best winning percentage to determine the bracket standings. A minimum of 2 games must be played in pool play to be eligible for the playoff round.

Playoff & Championship Play

  1. All playoff games will have 2 hour time limit. Championship games will not have a time limit.
  2. The higher seed will be deemed the home team in all playoff games.
  3. The Mercy Rule is in effect.
  4. No two teams from the same organization will match-up in the first round of the playoffs. After Round 1, no switches will be made.

TIE BREAKER RULES (for Playoffs only)

  1. If after 8 innings and the pre-determined time limit the two teams are still tied, the following tiebreaker rules will go into effect except for the Championship Game.
  2. The last three hitters from the previous inning will load the bases.

The baserunners will be placed as follows:

  • Last hitter from 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 one out
  • Play continues until one team is ahead at the end of an inning

* National Federation Baseball Rules apply in all other cases

Age, Field, Bat and Inning Determination

  1. All playoff games will have 2 hour time limit. Championship games will not have a time limit.
  2. The higher seed will be deemed the home team in all playoff games.
  3. The Mercy Rule is in effect.
  4. No two teams from the same organization will match-up in the first round of the playoffs. After Round 1, no switches will be made.

Age Determination

Technique Sports Training age/division determination runs from September 1 through August 31 the following calendar year. (On September 1st of every year your team moves up to the next age division. For example: If you played 12U in the summer – you would play 13U as of September 1st.

Technique Sports Training determines the age of a player by an April 30th cutoff. The age of the player on April 30th determines what age/division that player is in.

Pitching Restrictions

There are no pitching restrictions; pitching is coach’s discretion.

Second visit to the mound per inning will result in removal of pitcher. Once a pitcher is removed from the mound, they may re-enter and pitch after one batter (an inherited batter is considered one batter) is pitched to regardless of whether they left the field or not. We leave this discretion to the coach, but we strongly recommend the USA pitching guidelines. Everyone is competitive by nature, but please keep in mind the health and career of the player and no game is as important as the player remaining healthy.

Balks

9u thru 12u: 1 warning. MLB rules apply to most situations (no 3rd to 1st moves).

13u thru 18u: Dead Ball – No Warnings. MLB rules apply to most situations (no 3rd to 1st moves).

Cleat Restrictions

9U -12U divisions: Rubber Cleats only

13U and over: No restrictions

Avoid Contact Rule

A player may not intentionally run over anyone at any time or place on the field. (Umpire’s discretion.)

Head First Slide

Permitted at all bases.

Intentional Walk

Pitches do NOT need to be thrown for an intentional walk.

Fairness Rule

One run will be added to the winning team for purposes of Runs Allowed/Runs Scored in Pool Play. 

Extra Inning starts tied at 5 to 5 and the visiting team’s scores 5 and the home team scores 4; the winner is the visitor, but the final score is 6-5 visitor for Pool Play. It is not fair to either team to tack on runs when we start the inning or innings with the bases loaded.

LivFree

P.O. Box 2512
Huntington, CT 06484
livfree@livfreetoday.org

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