Each division will play by NFHS Rules (National Federation High School) with exceptions as listed below.
1.00 Team Insurance is the responsibility of the individual team and must be turned in and acceptable to the tournament prior to the first game.
1.01 Birthday Rule A player can not turn the next age prior to May 1st. Birth certificates must be in the possession of the manager at all times. If a manager is not able to produce a Birth Certificate during a game, that player will be ineligible and will be removed from the game until such time a Birth Certificate is produced.
1.02 Team Roster
- Meltdown Rosters must be entered on FiveToolYouth.org on your team account page before first tournament game. Please make sure birth certificates of all roster players are available if your team is questioned. Rosters may not exceed 22 players during the tournament and may not be added to during the tournament.
- Fall Brawl Rosters must be submitted here prior to your first tournament game. Please make sure birth certificates of all roster players are available if your team is questioned. Rosters may not exceed 22 players during the tournament and may not be added to during the tournament.
1.03 The Playing Field
8U (Coach Pitch with 60’ bases)
9U / 10U (46’mound - 65’ bases)
11U / 12U (50’ mound – 70’ bases)
13U (54’ mound – 80’ bases)
14U+ (60’6”mound – 90’ bases)
1.04 Balks Balks are enforced in 11U and above age divisions without warning. In age divisions 10U and below, balks are not enforced strictly unless a persistent violation of the balk rule occurs. 10U and below, each pitcher is given 1 warning before a balk is called. The balk can be a live ball (depending on the situation). The intent is not to penalize the offense.
1.05 The Bat Rule Bats must be made of an approved material, and they must be smooth and round. Bats must be certified and legal by the manufacturer to meet BPF 1.15 (Bat Performance Factor of 1.15) or less. Banned bats can be found here. In 13U bats will be restricted to a -8 ratio or heavier. In 14U bats will be restricted to a -5 ratio or heavier BPF 1.15 or BBCOR. (The weight of the bat in ounces as compared to its length in inches: Ex: 29in 19oz is a -10, 30in 22oz is a -8, and 31in 26 oz is a -5). For age divisions 12U and below, there are no bat size restrictions. High school divisions must use NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) bat limitations for size, weight and performance.
Penalty – the bat will be removed from the playing field and the manager of the offending team will be removed from the field and will be prohibited from managing for the remainder of the game. If the illegal bat is discovered after the end of the play, and the play results in the batter/runner safely reaching first base, the batter/runner will be declared out and all runners must return to the last base legally occupied prior to the play. No run may score on this play. Any out that results on the play will stand.
A batter using an altered bat is declared out, and all runners return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. A batter is deemed to have used or attempted to use an illegal bat if the player brings such a bat into the batter’s box. Any out or outs made during the play stand.
1.06 Uniforms Each team must wear hats and full uniforms with numbers on the player’s shirts. No metal spikes for 8u thru 12u divisions. No Jewelry is permitted to be worn by the players during the game unless for medical reason.
2.00 Re-entry Rule A starting player may re-enter the game for his substitute one time, and in his original spot in the batting order. A substitute withdrawn from the game may NOT re-enter. NOTE: The pitcher must stay in the game to go back to pitcher and he must be removed from the pitching position on the first (1st) trip that inning.
2.01 Minimum Players Allowed Teams can start a game with eight players provided they take an out for the ninth player. Teams must have a minimum of eight players to start a game. If the lineup drops below eight players, the game is declared a suspended game and is not rescheduled. The suspended game is then ruled a forfeit by the tournament director. Umpires have no authority to forfeit a game. Teams having eight players to start a game are automatically the visiting team. If a team’s ninth player arrives late to the game, the manager of that team must make an announcement at the plate conference before the game begins and advise both the plate umpire and the opposing team that he or she has a player that will be arriving late. When the player arrives, the player is announced to both the plate umpire and the opposing team and is placed in the ninth position in the batting order. The game resumes as if he or she was there at the start of the game. Until the player arrives, an out is recorded in the ninth position. If a team drops below nine players due to illness or injury, no automatic out is recorded. If a team drops below nine eligible players due to an ejection or any reason other than illness or injury and leaves the game, an automatic out is declared in the batting order position of the player that left the game unless there is an eligible substitute. If a team drops below eight players for any reason, the game is ruled a forfeit by the tournament or league director and is not rescheduled.
3.00 Misconduct Any conduct determined by the tournament director detrimental to the tournament, will subject your team or individual participants (players / coaches) of the team to suspension, game cancellation with a loss, or possible dismissal from the tournament without refund. If a player, coach, or fan is kicked out of a game, they must sit out the next game (including semi finals and finals). As a coach, you are responsible for your players as well as your fans.
3.01 Regulation Game for 8u thru 12u will consist of 6 innings or a 1 hour 45 minute time limit, no new inning starts. Regulation Game for 13u and 14u will consist of 7 innings or a 2 hour time limit, no new inning starts. There is no time limit on championship games. Games ending in a tie after the time limit will be determined by using the Texas Shootout Format. If a game is tied after the time limit has been completed,the tie-breaker rule will go into effect. If the time limit has not been reached, the teams will go into extra innings. Each team puts the batter who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half of the inning on second base, no outs, each batter has a 3 balls and 2 strike counts, and plays out a full inning. This happens until the tie is broken and the game is complete. No Texas Shootout during Championship games, the game will be played until there is a winner.
3.02 Official Game for 8u thru 12u is 4 complete innings and for 13u & 14u is 5 complete innings if called because of adverse weather or darkness.
Mercy Rule:
15 runs after three innings.
10 runs after four innings.
8 runs after five innings.
8u Coach Pitch Rules:
• Teams can use either 9 or 10 defensive players. One player must play the pitching position and one must play the catching position. Teams using 10 defensive players, four players must play the outfield position.
• Each batter is allowed 6 pitches or 3 strikes, if a batter hits a foul ball on 6th pitch, he or she is allowed to continue batting until they either does not make contact with ball or puts the ball in play.
• There will be a circle around pitching mound, when pitcher or a player (not a coach) has control of ball in circle, timeout is called by umpire, there will be hash lines between 1st & 2nd base 2nd and 3rd base and 3rd and home, when timeout is called if the player is before the hash, they return to prev. base, if they are beyond hash, they get next base.
• there are no stealing bases, base runner must stay on base till ball is hit
(if a base runner leaves early, he will be called out)
• Batting team will bat until there are 3 outs or 6 runs are scored whichever comes first per inning.
• Coaches can not touch base runner when ball is in play, if so, runner will be called out
3.03 Weather interferes with play so that the game is called (ended) by the umpire or tournament director, it is an Official Game. An attempt will be made to play all games during the weekend in case of inclement weather. Format may be altered to get the Tournament in. Therefore any team must be available to play at any time during the weekend of the tourney to accommodate inclement weather. The weather update will be sent to all managers via the one call now system.
3.04 Adverse Weather The Glaciers Tournament may be played in adverse weather conditions. Game format may be changed to include lesser time limits or fewer innings to complete the tournament. Coaches and players accept these conditions when entering the tournament.
4.00 Protesting Games There are no protests.
5.00 Batter Each team can have an EH (Extra Hitter) if they choose to bat 10. Teams may choose to bat their entire roster and have free defensive substitution. An out will be recorded if any batting spot is vacated during the course of the game, unless in the case of an illness or injury. An EH or batting roster must be declared prior to the start of the game. Both a DH and EH may be used at the same time.
5.01 Intentional Walks In all divisions, an intentional walk is granted upon request. No pitches need thrown.
6.00 Courtesy Runner A courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher or catcher. The courtesy runner will be a substitute player that is not in the game or if batting roster, the player that made the last out. A courtesy runner may run for either the pitcher or catcher, of the previous inning but not both.
6.01 NO MALICIOUS CONTACT is in effect. Malicious contact is defined as contact between a runner and fielder where there is deliberate intention of the runner to injure the fielder to keep from being tagged out by the fielder. Runners are not required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, their slide must be legal. Jumping, hurdling and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground. If fielder is not lying on the ground, all those attempts are illegal. A player will give up or attempt to avoid being tagged while a play is being made on him. No player will initiate any contact with another player. PENALTY: The player is out and if in the judgment of the umpire, such contact is deemed to be flagrant, the offending player will be ejected. Legal slide on a force play, the runner shall slide on the ground in a direct line between the two bases, or away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder. With less than two (2) outs, the runner is declared out as well as the batter-runner. Any other base runners shall be returned to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch. With two outs, the runner shall be declared out and the batter-runner credited with a fielder’s choice. Violations result in outs; flagrant violations result in ejection.
6.02 Baseballs Teams must provide all game balls (NFHS certified Diamond, Rawlings, or approved manufacturer’s baseballs) Please bring two new balls and two used balls per game. Balls are returned after the game. Umpires reserve the right to refuse baseballs that they determine are not suitable for play. No plastic cover baseballs.
7.00 Pitching Rules Limitations of pitching are based upon innings while the pitcher is on the mound. An inning is recorded once the pitcher throws a pitch during that inning.
a.) A pitcher cannot pitch more than 4 innings in a game. (8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, & 12U)
b.) A pitcher cannot pitch more than 5 innings in a game. (13U & 14U)
Pitchers who violate pitching limitations are ejected from the game, along with the manager, and the game is a forfeit, recorded as an 8 to 0 loss for seeding purposes. A violation of pitching limitations is determined when a pitcher toes the rubber to throw to the next batter after reaching his or her pitching limit. The violation must be noted to the tournament director and umpire before the end of the game.
*Coaches, since we are only monitoring inning pitched during a game, it is your responsibility, to make sure your pitcher’s are not overused by monitoring their pitch count during the day and weekend. Little league guidelines on pitch count is a great guideline for pitchers.
7.01 Visits to the Mound A second trip to the same pitcher in the same inning causes the pitcher’s automatic removal from the mound (not the game). When a pitcher takes his or her position at the beginning of each inning, or when he or she relieves another pitcher, he or she is permitted warm-up pitches, not to exceed eight preparatory pitches to the catcher or coach. A pitcher removed from the pitching position cannot return to the pitching position during a game, but can re-enter to any other position. Each team is allowed three charged visits to the mound within a game. A charged visit is a trip in which the manager or coach does not remove the pitcher. After the three charged visits are used, every trip to the mound will result in the pitcher being removed. A visit is not “charged” when the manager removes the pitcher from the mound. Remember, charged visits are cumulative for the entire game.
8.00 Official Scoring & Home Team Home team will be official scorekeeper. Official scorekeeper will turn in game results and pitchers card to the umpire immediately after the game. If there is a discrepancy between the home team and visitor team book, it will be the tournament director’s discretion to make the decision of the score. If the home team does not fill out the score card correctly, the visitor team score card will be utilized. Score Cards must be signed by both managers. Home team is determined by coin flip during pool play. Home team after pool play is determined by higher seed.
At completion of game, both teams please text game scores to Tournament Director Ron Fagert 330.507.1282 please list age group along with team name and score.
8.01 Tie Breaker Regulations The following rules determine which teams advance out of their pools thru the seeding process.
a.) Once a tie is broken with three or more teams, teams advance to the next tie breaker rule until the tie is broken.
b.) Tie breakers
1. Win-Loss Record
2. Head to Head (1)
3. Fewest Runs Allowed
4. Highest Total Run Differential (2)
5. Coin Flip
(1) Head to head is considered only when two teams are tied. For three or more teams, head to head is skipped in favor of the next tie breakers, in order as above until the tie is broken.
(2) The maximum run differential per game is +8 or -8. Total run differential is the sum of each game’s differential.
10.00 Forfeits Teams that no-show for a game or do not have enough of the required players will forfeit that game and will not be able to participate after pool play is over. No refunds will be issued for teams that do not show for a game. Teams shall be at field 30 minutes before the scheduled game time. If a team cannot field a team at scheduled start time,they shall forfeit. Obviously, forfeits do not apply when delay of arrival is due to our own tournament.
11.00 Spectator Clause All person(s), (Adult & Minor) upon entering Glacier Field & Facilities agree to conduct themselves in a manner that displays good sportsmanship and respect for the ballpark. Any person whose conduct is determined (at tournament director’s discretion) to be detrimental to the tournament will subject themselves to dismissal from the ballpark for the remainder of the tournament. Managers are responsible to control their team’s parents and fans.
12.00 Cookouts/Food Open Flame cookouts (wood-charcoal) and food not permitted within the Field or entire Complex.
13.00 Refund Policy There will be a $75.00 administration fee charged for a Complete Rain Out; 1 game played = 50% of entry fee refunded; 2 or more games played = no refund. Refunds will only be made to teams if games are canceled by the tournament director’s discretion. No refunds if a team cancels within 21 days before the tourney.
14.00 Guidelines for Suspension and Dismissal Any team behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner can be subject to dismissal or suspension. Any verbal or physical attack on any participant or umpire during the event or following the event can result in suspension or dismissal. Any player competing under an assumed name or illegal birth certificate or ID card could result in suspension or permanent dismissal. This rule also applies to coaches and managers who have previous knowledge of such infraction. Submitting an insufficient check to an event director or league official can result in suspension or dismissal of the team if payment cannot be settled within a reasonable time frame.
Keep this link pulled up on your phone during tournament days.