Tournament Rules

General Tournament Rules

• The intent of the tournament is to provide an atmosphere of fun and learning. All participants are asked to follow the Fair Play Rules.
• All teams must have registration fees paid in full prior to their first game.
• All teams must have submitted a valid team roster prior to their first game. Rosters are to be submitted online using the Ramp account used to register the team.
• No AAA players are allowed to be rostered for the tournament. This includes any player currently, or who will be, rostered on a AAA team in the Manitoba Premier Baseball League (PBL).
• Games will start promptly at their scheduled time. Coaches are responsible for ensuring their team is ready to play at this time and may be given a loss if they are not on time and ready to play.
• Due to time restrictions, there will be no on-field warm ups. Teams are asked to find a suitable location outside the playing field to warm up prior to the game.
• Teams are responsible for cleaning out their dugout after each game.
• The coach of the winning team is responsible to complete and provide the game sheet to WTMTSW representatives at the end of each game. Game sheets are to be delivered to the table near the canteen at Buhler Recreation Park, the maintenance building at Henri Constant Field, or the tents at Victoria Jason Park, East St. Paul, and Dugald.
• Playing rules are per the Baseball Canada rule book with exceptions outlined in these tournament rules.
• All games will be scheduled as 6 innings or 2 hours in length. Time begins with the first pitch and is recorded by the plate umpire.
• The end of time for a game is determined by the plate umpire or WTMTSW committee. Scores of games that end due to time restrictions revert to the last completed inning unless the home team has tied the score or gone ahead during the inning in which the game ended.
• A team must field nine (9) players. A game may start if the batting team has eight (8) players. In that case, an automatic out is awarded when the batting turn of the missing player comes up in the batting order.
• All players must have appropriate uniforms and coaches must wear suitable attire. No shorts.
• Wood bats are permitted at all age levels.
• Home teams are determined by a coin flip at home plate by the umpire during the coaches/players conference. Home team during the championship round is determined by seeding from pool play games.
• Each team must provide one new and one playable ball per game. No RTDC practice balls are to be used. 65cc Rawlings baseballs are acceptable for 11U A, 11U AA and 12U Girls; all other age categories are to use 80cc or ROML Rawlings baseballs.
• All players appear on the batting order whether they are in the field defensively or not. For example, if 15 players show up, all 15 go on the batting order and bat in turn.
• An offensive inning has a maximum of five (5) runs per inning or three (3) outs, whichever comes first.
• Unlimited defensive substitutions are allowed. Defensive players can rotate into the game at any time without penalty, but the batting order cannot be changed.
• In the event of an injury, the injured player may not return to the game. The player's position in the batting order will be skipped with no penalty.
• A mercy rule is in effect if one team is up by eleven (11) runs after 3 1/2 or 4 innings, or up by six (6) runs after 4 1/2 or 5 innings. If a team cannot mathematically score enough runs to tie, the game is complete.
• Games may end in a tie after 6 innings or at the end of time.
• The infield fly rule is in effect for all divisions, except for 11U A.
• Coaches are asked to provide a courtesy runner for a catcher on base when there are two outs. Courtesy runners may be used for a catcher with less than two outs at the coach's request. The courtesy runner will be the last player called out.
• Players from the batting team are requested to retrieve foul balls.
• Umpires' decisions in game-related situations are final. There is no appeal process.

Pitch Count Regulations

WTMTSW will enforce Baseball Manitoba pitch count regulations for the duration of the tournament. Coaches are reminded that the rule is intended to help prevent arm injuries to young pitchers. Pitch counts from the weeks prior to and after the tournament should be considered when scheduling and using players to pitch. Pitch counts will be recorded at each tournament site. Teams using the Baseball Manitoba pitch count app should ensure all games are recorded in the app immediately following each game.

1. Pitchers may have a maximum of two (2) appearances in the same calendar day, as long as the number of pitches thrown in the first game does not require one day rest. Required rest is calculated from the total pitches thrown during the day.
2. Pitchers are not permitted to throw three (3) consecutive days in a row, unless the pitcher's first two (2) days combined do not exceed: 11U - 25, 13U - 30, 15U - 35.
3. Once a player assumes the role of pitcher, they cannot catch for the remainder of the day. A player may catch and then pitch in the same game or day, but may not pitch and then catch later in the same game or day.
4. When a pitcher reaches the maximum number of pitches allowed for a threshold, they may complete the at-bat without penalty on days of rest if they do not pitch to another batter. The coach or manager must acknowledge this to the umpire before the next pitch, and the umpire will notify the scorekeeper. Pitchers may finish the batter if their maximum pitch limit has been reached for that game.
5. Required rest is defined in days starting at 12:01am and ending at 11:59pm of the next calendar day.
6. Pitchers and managers must follow the pitch count guidelines below.

Specific Rules for Each Division

11U - A & AA

1. An offensive inning has a maximum of five (5) runs per inning or three (3) outs, whichever comes first.
2. Pitching distance: 11U A - 44 ft, baselines - 60 ft. 11U AA - 44 ft, baselines - 70 ft.
3. On a dropped third strike, the batter is out and the ball is alive. Runners may advance at the risk of being put out.
4. Runners may not lead off until the pitched ball reaches home plate. If they do, they will be returned to the original base.
5. Runners at 3rd base must be batted home or forced by a bases-loaded walk or hit by pitch. They cannot advance on a passed ball, wild pitch, pickoff attempt unless the ball goes out of play, or overthrow on a stolen base. If a runner reaches 3rd base by means of a batted ball, they may continue home as a continuous part of the play. The intent of this rule is to promote hitting the runner home.
6. Players are required to wear a batting helmet when batting and/or running.

11U A - No Walks / Soft Toss Rule

No walks will be issued in 11U A. After four balls have been called by the umpire and all play has ceased, the offensive team can steal on ball four, then:

• The umpire will call time.
• A coach positioned outside the baselines will soft toss to the batter.
• The strike count continues where it was at the time of the fourth ball. Example: if the count is 4 balls and 1 strike, the batter may receive up to 2 soft tosses.
• Not swinging at a soft toss counts as a strike. A batter cannot strike out on a foul ball.
• For safety during soft toss, the player at the pitcher position will be on the pitching rubber or directly behind it.
• The furthest a batter-runner can advance when hitting soft toss or off the tee is first base. Play is live and the hitter can still fly out or be thrown out.
• Any runners already on base may advance as normal on a hit at their own peril.
• Bunting the ball on a soft toss or off the tee is prohibited.

13U - A & AA

1. An offensive inning has a maximum of five (5) runs per inning or three (3) outs, whichever comes first.
2. Pitching distance - 48 ft. Baselines - 70 ft.
3. 13U A only: Runners at 3rd base must be batted home or forced by a bases-loaded walk or hit by pitch. They cannot advance on a passed ball, wild pitch, pickoff attempt unless the ball goes out of play, or overthrow on a stolen base. If a runner reaches 3rd base by means of a batted ball, they may continue home as a continuous part of the play. The intent of this rule is to promote hitting the runner home.
4. 13U AA only: A batter may advance to first base on a dropped third strike, unless first base is occupied and there are less than two (2) outs. With two outs, the batter may attempt to advance to first base.
5. Metal cleats are not permitted.
6. Players are required to wear a batting helmet when batting and/or running.

15U - A & AA / 18U - AA

1. An offensive inning has a maximum of five (5) runs per inning or three (3) outs, whichever comes first.
2. Pitching distance - 54 ft for 15U and 60.5 ft for 18U. Baselines - 80 ft for 15U and 90 ft for 18U.
3. A batter may advance to first base on a dropped third strike, unless first base is occupied and there are less than two (2) outs. With two outs, the batter may attempt to advance to first base.
4. Metal cleats are permitted.
5. Metal bats are permitted. The bat may be -5 (minus five) for 15U A/AA.
6. Players are required to wear a batting helmet when batting and/or running.

Fair Play Rules

• Respect the rules.
• Respect the officials and accept their decisions.
• Respect your opponents.
• Respect the spectators.
• Give everyone equal/equitable opportunity to participate.
• Maintain your self-control at all times.

Championship Round Placement

• Pool play standings are determined by points: two (2) points for a win, one (1) point for a tie, and zero (0) points for a loss.
• A game is complete when the home team leads in the final inning or when the mercy rule is in effect. Last bats will not be taken if the home team leads.
• If the home team takes the lead in the bottom of the last inning, the game is complete as the go-ahead run crosses the plate. The run differential is 1 no matter how many runs score during the play.
• Teams are not entitled to complete their bats to improve run differential if the game is complete.

Tie-breaking Criteria

If two or more teams are tied at the completion of pool play, tie-breaking criteria are:

1. Head to head play, only if exactly two teams have the same record.
2. Total runs allowed. Used when more than two teams have the same record; there is no head-to-head at this point.
3. Total runs scored.
4. Coin flip.

Play-off / Championship Game

All championship round games follow tournament rules for the duration of the game: 6 innings or 2 hours in length. These games will not end in a tie. After 6 innings or the time limit, if the score remains tied, each team begins the extra inning, and any subsequent necessary extra innings, with a player on first and second, no outs. Maximum of five (5) runs per offensive extra inning.

The championship/final game for each division is a regulation 6-inning game with no time limit and may not end in a tie. Each team begins extra innings with a player on first and second, no outs. Maximum of five (5) runs per offensive extra inning.

Rain Delays and Rain-Out Policy

Rain Delays

In the event of weather delays, games may be shortened to 5 innings by the Tournament Chair if deemed appropriate. This is to ensure all scheduled games in a day get played. Factors such as number of teams in a division, number of open time slots, and alternate diamond availability will be considered.

Rain-Out Policy

If an official or Tournament Director calls a game due to inclement weather, situations will be handled case by case. Whenever possible, the game will be rescheduled for completion at Buhler Recreation Park, Henri Constant Field, East St. Paul, Dugald, and Victoria Jason Park during the weekend. Check the Red River Valley Baseball website for updates.

• Teams are expected to appear and be ready to play at the new scheduled time.
• The tournament committee reserves the right to alter the playing format in the event of inclement weather or other unplayable conditions or events that may arise.

Refunds

Tournament fees will be refunded to teams as follows:

• 0 games played - WTMTSW will retain a $20 administration fee to cover costs associated with the tournament, such as athletic field rental permits.
• 1 game played - 50% of fees refunded.
• 2 games started / played - 25% of fees refunded.

Each team has been guaranteed 3 games. If playoff games cannot be played, Champion and Finalist awards will be awarded based on round robin standings. No trophies or cash awards shall be presented if the round robin has not been completed.

WTMTSW Tournament Officials

The tournament officials and contact information are as follows: