Team Structure:
A team will consist of public safety employees: police or fire. A team may be created consisting of both police and fire employees. A team will be considered either police or fire based on the greater number of players from either side. Each team will be limited to an 18 player team roster that includes 3 civilian players. However, only one (1) of the civilian players may be a pitcher. A team may have two (2) coaches that will not be considered part of the eighteen (18) players. A player/coach will be considered part of the eighteen (18) players. The team coach MUST submit his team roster at least a week prior to the start of the tournament and he must identify his public safety players and his civilian players (first and last names). No changes to the 18 player team roster will be allowed once the tournament starts. To insure that a team has no more than 3 civilian players, public safety players will be required to display their credentials to the tournament officials before the start of a game. The one (1) civilian pitcher rule will be enforced.
Team Uniforms:
Each team will be required to wear a distinct baseball uniform, consisting of a baseball jersey or T-shirt with a team logo on the front and or a number on the front or back. Baseball pants, caps and baseball foot wear will also be required (metal or rubber cleats). No shorts will be permitted as part of the uniform. Wooden bats will be permitted.
Line Ups:
Teams will use a 9 batter format and have the option of using a DH (designated hitter) for the pitcher only. Each team will supply the home plate umpire with two new official baseballs at the start of each game and subsequently thereafter during the game. Each team must provide their own lineup card and give a copy to the opposing team. Pitchers, catchers and all substitutes must be listed on the card even if they are not in the batting order. Players MUST be listed on the lineup card to be eligible to play in the game. Each team must have their own scorekeeper.
Starters:
A team may start the game with eight (8) players but the ninth (9) batting slot is an out each time the ninth (9) batting slot comes to the plate. If the ninth (9) player shows up, he will be inserted into the ninth (9) spot of the batting order.
Re-entry:
Starters may re-enter once (1) as long as the player occupies the same position in the batting order. If a pitcher is removed from the mound and goes to another defensive, they may not return as a pitcher in that game. A pitcher must be removed on the 2nd mound visit in the same inning or third overall for the same pitcher.
Time Limit:
Each game will last two (2) hours or 7 innings, whichever occurs first. The official start time of the game is based on the first pitch. If the time limit is reached during the top of an inning and the home team is winning at the end of that half, the home team will not hit in the bottom of the inning and they will be declared the winner. If the home team is trailing and must hit in the bottom half of the inning, the game will end at the moment the home team scores the winning run or at the moment of their third out. The champion ship game will not have a time limit but will conclude at the end of the seventh (7) inning.
Tie-breakers:
To determine the winner of a tied game (except the championship game), the procedure will be as follows: (1) The team with the most hits, (2) the team will the most strike outs, (3) the team with the least number of walks issued, (4) the team with the most stolen bases, (5) the team with the least number of runners left on base.
10 run rule: Is in effect for all games except for the championship game if a team is up by 10 runs after the fifth (5th) inning.
Courtesy Runner: A team may use a courtesy runner, only for the catcher, when there are two (2) outs and the switch will not count as a substitution. The courtesy runner will be the last batted out.
Home –Visitor Team:
Will be determined by coin toss. Visiting team will take the 3rd base dugout. Home team will take the 1st base dugout. Tournament officials will flip the coin once the initial tournament brackets are complete. The same procedure will be used for subsequent games.
Warm Ups:
Each team will be allowed 10 minutes of infield (if desired) if time permits before the scheduled start of the next scheduled game.
Halted Game: A game may be stopped by the home plate umpire at any time due to inclement weather. A halted game is official if 5 innings are completed or after 4 ½ innings have been played and the home team is winning.
Protest of Umpires Ruling:
Judgement calls are not subject to protest, rule interpretations are. A coach protesting a call during a game will protest the call with the home plate umpire before the next pitch is thrown. The home plate umpire may elect to consult with the base umpires before he makes the final decision. The home plate umpires’ decision will be final and the game will continue.
HBP:
any pitcher who hits three (3) batters with pitches during a game will be removed from the pitching position immediately upon hitting the third batter. Said player may continue to hit/play defense.
Ejections:
A player who initiates intentional and forceful contact with an opponent shall be called out and ejected from the game. This includes barreling, sliding out of the baseline to initiate contact. Sliding will be directly to the bag, to the sides of the bag within an arm’s length and the slide may go to the side or past the bag to break up a double play. Spiking at a defensive player, while sliding (spike raised and aimed at player) will not be tolerated. A player ejected must leave the field of play immediately upon gathering their belongings. Any further contact with an umpire or opponent player could bring possible disqualification from the remained of the tournament.
