To print these rules, go back to the tournament quick facts page and click on "Documents/Print Packet"
Triple Crown Baseball Rules
Unless noted prior to the event, National Federation High School Rules will be used with the following notations. Triple Crown reserves the right to enforce particular invitational tournament rules.
1. Age Requirement: May 1st will be the designated date to determine ages. Photo copies of birth certificates will be required. This means, a player looking to play in the 14u division cannot turn 15 before May 1st of the current year. If they turn 15 ON or AFTER May 1st of the current year than they are still eligible for the 14u division.
2. Rosters: May not exceed 20 players during the tournament.
3. Protest Fee: $100 cash (on rule interpretation only).
4. Game Time: Starting time is forfeit time, unless delay is created by Triple Crown. Game time starts at completion of coin toss.
5. Home Team: Determined by coin flip. Home team is required to keep the official book. The higher seed will have the option of HOME or AWAY come CONSOLATION, PLAYOFFS, and CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.
6. Player Minimum: A team must start with a minimum of 9 players but can finish with less, taking outs in the vacant batting order positions.
7. Championship Games: No time limit. Run rules and "California tiebreaker" are still in effect.
*Scorecards must be signed by both team managers to eliminate inning validation problems. (Managers, please help with this process.)
*One additional inning per pitcher for every game played AFTER 4 GAMES
*No limit on the number of appearances.
*One pitch to a batter will be considered an inning pitched.
*Eight warm-ups to start, five thereafter.
*Mound: 14s and younger may throw on flat surfaces depending on field availability.
*If pitching rules are violated and the infraction is detected, the situation will be reviewed and consequences may include elimination of team from the event and suspension for the following year, coach and/or player ejection.
9. Infield Warm-Ups: All teams are encouraged to warm-up as much as possible before game time. NO PRE GAME INFIELD.. We try to preserve the fields between scheduled dragging times.
10. Baseballs: Teams must provide all game balls. Estimated two new balls per game. (Diamond, Rawlings, or other acceptable.)
11. No Metal Cleats in the following age groups: 9s, 10s. ***CT Sportsplex allows Metal Cleats in the 15/16/18u divisions ONLY.
12. High School bat weight/length differential rule is waived for 9-14 and under only. 15/16/18 must adhere to -3 restriction.
14. Adverse Weather: The Triple Crown Baseball Tournament will be played in adverse weather conditions. The format may be changed to lesser time limits or fewer innings to complete the tournament. Coaches and players accept these conditions when entering the tournament.
15. Decisions: Tournament Director shall have final decision on all tournament questions.
16. Hotels/Motels/Condos: Teams that leave unpaid bills or damages will be removed from the tournament and reported to their respective leagues.
17. Refund Policy: There are NO cash refunds. Refunds will be given in the form of EVENT CREDIT. There can be a $100.00 administration fee charged for complete rain outs; 1 game played = 50% of entry fee; 2 or more games played = no refund. All teams accept this policy upon entering.
18. Tie-Breaker System: If a game is tied after all innings have been completed (or at time limit), the "California" tie-breaker rule will go into effect. Each team puts the batter who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half of the inning on second base and plays out a full inning. This happens until the tie is broken and the game is complete.
19. No Show: Teams that no-show will forfeit their entry fee and may be subject to suspension from competition in Triple Crown events for the following season.
20. All age groups can have an EH (Extra Hitter) if they choose to bat 10. If you start with 10, you must finish with 10 or take outs in vacated batting positions. EH must be declared at the start of the game -- an EH (10th) hitter may NOT be added after the starting lineup is submitted. ***You MAY bat universally. You can bat as many players as you want. This is of no advantage to the team. Keep in mind that if a player goes down due to injury and you do not have any substitutes on the bench, there will be an out recorded in the vacant batting position.
21- MANDATORY speed up rule. Teams must adhere to this rule. If a pitcher or catcher is on base with 2 outs, they must be replaced by a courtesy runner. This runner must be a player not in the game (off the bench). If you do not have a player on the bench you must resort to the LAST BATTED OUT of the inning. It is optional to replace the pitcher and/or catcher prior to 2 outs but mandatory with 2. Keep in mind, this is intended to speed the game up, not slow it down, please have your courtesy runner designated prior to the start of each inning when applicable.
****TRIPLE CROWN WILL PLAY THESE DIMENSIONS AND RUN RULES****
9's, 10’s**46'pitching**65'bases**1 hr 45 min**6 innings**20 after 2 15 after 3 10 after 4 or 8 after 5 9's,10’s Championship Game no time limit 6 innings and run rules are still in effect.
11's,12’s**50'pitching**70'bases**1 hr 45 min**6 innings**20 after 2 15 after 3 10 after 4 or 8 after 5 11's,12’s Championship Game no time limit 6 innings and run rules are still in effect.
13’s,14’s.15's,16's,18's**60'6"pitching**90'bases**2 hrs**7 innings**20 after 2 15 after 3 10 after 4 or 8 after 5
13’s,14’s,15's,16's,18's Championship Game no time limit 7 innings and run rules are still in effect.
With regards to the time limit. It is NOT a drop dead time limit. No new inning can start after the time limit has been reached. If the home team is up to bat and is winning the game when the time limit expires the game will end at the point of time expiration. If you start an inning before the time limit, you must finish it. Time starts at the completion of the coin toss @ Ground Rules. The umpire is the only one that keeps the official clock.
Seedings are determined by the following: 1- A teams overall record 2- If two teams have identical records and have not played one another head to head run differential will determine high seed. (+/- 7 runs is the most and least you can get) ie; if a team gets run ruled 20-4 the losing team will receive a -7 and the winning team a +7
3- If three or more teams are tied with identical records run differential will serve as the first tie breaker to determine seedings. head to head will not be used in this case.
*** If run differential is identical between the tied teams the next tie breaker will be least runs allowed. The team that allowed the least amount of runs in their pool play games will receive the higher seed.
*** If least runs allowed is identical between the tied teams, most runs scored will determine the higher seed. The team that scored the most runs in their pool play games will receive the higher seed.
***If the teams are still tied with identical most runs scored, a coin flip will decide the higher seed.
