Midwest Sports Productions
2010 8U Machine Pitch Baseball Tournament Rules

USSSA rules will be used with the following exceptions:

1.	Home team will be the official scorekeeper in all tournament games.
2.	Pre-game conference and coin flip between managers and umpires will take place 5 minutes prior to the start of the game.
	a.	For Pool Play games, Home/Visitor will be determined by the coin flip
	b.	For Bracket games, the team with the highest seed has their choice. In the event that both teams are the same pool seed, a coin-flip will determine which team has their choice.
	c.	Dugout assignments are not based on home/visitor or seed.
3.	Game balls will be provided by Midwest Sports Productions.
4.	No infield practice before the games. Teams may warm up on grass or in foul territory while infield is being prepared. No live batting practice is allowed on the field or in the complex at any time. Batting nets are allowed.
5.	Game length will be 6 innings
6.	Time limit for all games is 1 hour and 20 minutes. Time begins after the 1st warm-up pitch. Time limit could change in case of tournament interruptions. All teams should be prepared to start their game up to 10 minutes early in case we are ahead of schedule. (This will help the tournament keep on time)
7.	An inning consists of seven runs or 3 outs.
8.	Run spreads for all games: 12 runs after 3 innings; 10 runs after 4 innings; 8 runs after 5 innings.
9.	Team manager may consult with the umpires; players, sponsors and other coaches are to keep out of discussions.
10.	All teams must bat their roster. Free substitution is allowed defensively.
11.	Teams are allowed to play with 10 defensive players (4 outfielders) or 9 players (3 outfielders).
12.	Special Playing Rules – 8U Level
	a.	Each batter will receive a max of six pitches or three swinging strikes. Pitches that are deemed unhittable by the umpire will not be counted.
	b.	No runner may leave base until the ball has been hit.
	c.	The infield fly rule will not be enforced.
	d.	Base and pitching distances will be 44ft pitching and 60ft bases
	e.	The pitching machine will be set at 39 mph.
	f.	The play will be considered over when the pitcher returns to the pitching circle with the ball.
13.	Team will be allowed to begin a game with 8 players. Teams that begin the game with 8 players will be required to take an automatic out when that spot in the line-up comes to bat.
14.	Roster Batting will be required during the ENTIRE tournament. Regardless of the number of players you have, you will need to announce your line-up format at the pre-game conference with the officials. Due to MSP allowing roster batting, there are some additional rules that need to be clarified:
	a.	Injury: Batter: If a batter cannot fulfill his time at bat due to injury or illness, that player will be eliminated from that entire game. His spot will be skipped in the batting order. Teams will not be required to take an automatic out UNTIL they drop below 9 players. Runner: If a runner cannot continue his time on the bases, that player will be substituted under the Courtesy Runner rule for Roster Batting. He will not be allowed to participate in the remainder of the game. The line-up will compress when his spot comes to bat.
	b.	Ejections: A player ejection while roster batting will result in the team losing that player for the entire game. His spot in the batting order WILL be an automatic out.
15.	Courtesy runner will be allowed for catcher at any time. The courtesy runner used will be the last batter not on base.
16.	Winner of pool play will be determined by won-loss record. If tied the following tiebreakers will be used.
	i. If three or more teams are tied with the same record in a division, head-to-head may or may not be used to break ties. ii. Once a level of tie-breaker is used, we DO NOT revert back to any steps of the tie-breaking procedure. We will continue on down the list until all ties are broken.
	a.	Head to Head competition
	b.	Runs allowed per game
	c.	Runs differential (+/- of 8 runs per game)
	d.	Coin Flip
17.	In case of a rain-shortened tournament, pool play games can be deemed official after 2 ½ innings of play (with home team winning) or 75 minutes of elapsed game time. This policy will only be used through pool play.
18.	No smoking or tobacco use on the field or in the dugouts.