Tournament Rules

The Game
  1.) Each game is 5 innings long.
  2.) If game is tied after 5 innings, the 6th begins with the bases loaded.
  3.) Game is official after 3 innings, with a 10 run mercy rule after 4 innings.
  4.) Games will be played in any weather conditions.
  5.) The rules of major league baseball shall apply to all situations not covered by these        
        rules.
Players
  6.) No base running. Imaginary runners on base advance as hitter does.
  7.) Teams shall carry at least 3 and no more than 4 players on their roster.
  8.) Teams may field 3 players or less on defense, but may have up to 4 batters.
  9.) All fielders must bat.
  10.) Fielders can position as they wish in fair territory without obstructing the batter.  

Balls & Strikes – Making calls
  11.) All batters will start with a 1-1 count.
  12.) A walk is 6 balls.  Base runners only advance on a walk if forced over.
  13.) Three foul ball limit.
  14.) A swing and a miss is NOT an out, unless it’s strike 3.
  15.) A pitch hitting the strike zone is a strike.
  16.) A pitched ball that hits the batter is a ball, although the batter must attempt to avoid
        being hit.
  17.) Batter makes all fair and foul calls.
  18.) Line calls are made by the fielder closest to the play.
  19.) Pitcher makes check swing calls.

Equipment
  20.) Only the official (baseball size) plastic wiffle ball with 8 elongated holes will be used.
  21.)  Only the official yellow plastic wiffle bats will be used.
  22.)  Balls and Bats will be provided and may not be altered in any way.

Pitching Rules
  23.)  No pitcher may throw more then 2 complete innings per game.

Pitch speeds – medium-fast
  24.) Pitching speed limit is 55 mph, enforced with radar gun.  
  25.) Penalty- Player may not pitch any more during that game plus the next game.
  26.) A team that feels a pitcher is exceeding the speed limit may request the gun be
        brought in to check the pitch speed.
  27.) Pitchers must pitch from the center of the field.

The field of play (all dimensions are approximate)
  28.) Pitching mound is 43' from strike zone. Singles line is at 43'.  Doubles line is at 65'.
        Home run fence is at 85' straight away, 90' to foul poles. 52' between foul poles.
  29.) Strike zone is 20" x 30", approximately 12" off the ground. 

Foul balls
  30.)  Any hit ball not reaching the singles line is considered foul and strike.
  31.) Ground ball outside of foul lines.
  32.) Fly ball landing in foul ground, touched in foul ground, or going wide of  foul poles.

Singles
- Any ball reaching the singles line in fair ground.
- Ground ball not fielded cleanly in front of singles line. No bobbles at all allowed.
- Fielder may take no more than TWO steps in front of the singles line to field a ground
  ball.
- Fair fly ball touched but not caught short of singles line.

Doubles
Fair ball reaching the doubles line in the air, but not the fence.

Triples
Fair ball that touches the fence in the air.

Home Runs
Fair ball landing over the fence or hitting a foul pole above the fence.

Double plays
Only in effect with a runner on base.  Fly ball caught and then immediately thrown to hit the strike zone in the air.  Lead runner is removed.  Runners do not advance on missed attempt.

Protesting games
When a captain protests a game, the other team's captain must be notified at the time the play under protest occurs and before the next pitch is made. Decisions of the tournament staff are final.

Unruly conduct - will not be tolerated. Penalties include but are not limited to:  Ejection from the game,  forfeit of the game, or ejection from the tournament.