Mercy Rule

Regardless of age, (10) runs after three innings and eight (8) runs after

four innings. Home team does not bat if ahead by Mercy. Home team will

bat if visiting team goes ahead in top of Mercy inning.

Official Roster

All team rosters are weekend to weekend rosters and may be changed from

week to week at the discretion of the organization. Once a team has started

a tournament, players may be added to their roster one hour before first

game, provided the player is of legal age (legal age is based on age as of

April 30th) and has not played for another team of the same age bracket

during said tournament. 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 ejected player. No new players can be

added to the roster after first game has been begun without director

approval.

Age Determination

Top Prospects 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.

Top Prospects determines the age of a player by an April 30th cutoff.

Protests

No protest will be allowed for judgment calls. Protests will be allowed for

rules only and must be decided before restart of play. A $200.00 payment

must accompany protest and will be returned if protest is upheld. A Protest

is only “Official” if accompanied with a $200.00 fee and done before the

next pitch. This same fee will apply for protests of age and Birth

Certificates.

Determining Starting Line-up

We want to let the Coach play as many players as he/she wants. The only

information needed regarding a “Starting Lineup” is the number of batters.

Free defensive substitutions are allowed.

Offensive

Team may bat 9 players, the entire lineup, or in-between. Once the

number of batters is determined, it must remain for the entire game. An

ejection will result in an automatic out if a substitute is not

available. A substitute is anyone not placed in the batting order. Once a

substitution bats or runs for a player, the sub and the original starter are

locked into that batting position and either one may bat or run in that

position ONLY.

Defensive

Any player on the roster may play in any defensive position at any time,

regardless of being in the batting order. For example – A team may have

18 players: Bat 9 of them and play the other 9 in the field. No one player in

a game can assume more than one offensive position.

Pitching Rules

8U-12U: 9 outs Max Saturday, 12 outs Max Sunday

13U-16U 12 outs Max Saturday, 15 outs Max Sunday

HS-Unlimited

Second visit to the mound for a pitcher in an inning will result in removal of pitcher

Once a pitcher is removed from the mound, they may

not pitch the rest of the game.

Balks

Live Ball, batting team has the option after the play to take the balk or

resulting play if put in play.

8U-9U- No balks.

10U-One balk warning per pitcher.

11U-18U-No Balk Warnings

The fake to third is not allowed.

Cleat Restrictions

9U -12U divisions: Rubber Cleats only

13U and over: No restrictions

Bat Restrictions

8 thru 12U division: Must be 1.15 BPF

13U division: -5, Must be 1.15 BPF

14U-18U division -3 BBCOR bats or wood bats will be required

Altered or illegal bats will be removed, and coach may be ejected.

Designated Hitter

NONE. Offensive rule takes care of Designated Hitter.

Courtesy Runner

Pitcher and catcher at any time. Last batted out or sub.

Avoid Contact Rule

A player may not intentionally run over anyone at any time or place on the

field. (Umpire’s discretion.)

Headfirst Slide

Permitted at all bases.

Intentional Walk

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

Official Game

All Pool Play games played with Top Prospect are official at the end of 

two complete inning regardless of age or reason for the stoppage (weather,

darkness, etc) This ruling is in place due to weather or darkness and to

determine standings for Single-Elimination. All Single-Elimination games

including Championship are complete after 3 innings.

Determining the Winner

All tournaments will have a Championship Game if possible. In the event of

cancelation of a tournament due to weather, a tournament must have two

complete games to be Official; we will determine a winner and appropriate

finishes based on the following procedure:

In the event that Pool Play has concluded and Single-Elimination has started

and we are unable to finish the tournament (usually rain), the places are

determined in the following manner:

All teams eliminated in Single-Elimination are eliminated and we proceed to

the highest remaining Seeds left standing. The Tie-Breaker system has

already determined seeds from the previous day and that is how we will

determine a winner. The games played during Single-Elimination have NO

BEARING on the final outcome as far as runs allowed, won-lost record and

so forth. Games played during Single-Elimination can only eliminate a team.

EX. Seed 1 may have played and won while giving up 5 runs and Seed 2

may have played and gave up 0 runs, therefore giving up less runs for the

tournament. This IS NOT a factor in determining a winner. The highest

seed left standing from Pool Play will be the winner and so forth.

Tie Breakers

Head-to-Head (ONLY applies when 2 teams are tied)

Lowest average runs allowed per game played (if head-to-head, does not

apply)

Run Differential +/- 8

Runs Scored

Coin Flip

*The Tournament Director has final decision when adjusting schedule due

to game delays or cancelations.

9U Rules

Open bases. No fake bunt swings. No dropped 3rd strike. No infield fly rule. No balks.

MLB Rules will cover any not listed above.