2022 Rules | VYBA

Tournament Rules and Guidelines

(OHSAA rules apply with the following exceptions)

ROSTERS / ELIGIBILITY

8U -- All boys must be entering the 3rd grade or younger in 2022.
9U -- All boys must be entering the 4th grade or younger in 2022.
10U -- All boys must be entering the 5th grade or younger in 2022.
11U -- All boys must be entering the 6th grade or younger in 2022.
12U -- All boys must be entering the 7th grade or younger in 2022.
14U -- All boys must be entering the 9th grade or younger in 2022.
All Players must be from the same school District.
A player can only be on one roster per division and may not be added to a roster once the tournament has started. A player may play on a team in a different division, provided he is not too old for either division. This is only to be used out of necessity and no scheduling will be done to accommodate this.
Team is limited to 15 Players.
Must be able to field 8 players at start of game. Failure to field 8 will result in a forfeit.
If a player is found to be ineligible (either by age or not from the same school district), the team will forfeit all games in which the ineligible player played.
Rosters/waivers form must be turned in prior to first game. Each player and parent/legal guardian must sign the roster/waiver form.

GAME PLAY

Be ready to play at least 30 minutes before your scheduled game time. If we can start a game early, we will.
No batting practice on field.
No Fielding practice on field before games unless time permits.
A coin toss will determine the home team except in the Championship game(s) where the winner’s bracket winner will be the home team.
All games will last 6 innings or until the time limit is reached.

Time Limit: All games will be on a time limit except finals of the winner’s bracket, finals of the loser’s bracket and the championship game(s).
- 8U - 1 hour and 00 minutes.
- 9U – 12U - 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- 14U - 1 hour and 45 minutes.

In all divisions, any inning that starts within 10 minutes (approximately) of the time limit shall be deemed the last inning of the game (this is at the umpire’s discretion). This will be announced by the umpire prior to the visiting teams at bat. Unlimited runs will be allowed.

Extra Innings: If a game is tied after 6 innings or time has expired, the game shall be settled as follows. An extra runner will be place at 2nd and 3rd base in the following innings until there is a winner. The extra runners will be the last batters who completed an at bat. Although no time limit will be imposed on the winner’s bracket final, loser’s bracket final and championship games, the extra runners in extra innings will still apply.
Courtesy Runner: It may be used for the catcher at any time (optional). Courtesy runner must be the player that made the last out.
Run-Rule: 8U-12U is 15 runs after three complete innings and 10 runs after four complete innings or any complete inning thereafter. 14U is 10 runs after four complete innings or any complete inning thereafter.
Weather: In the event of rain or threatening weather, the Tournament Director may deem a game complete after 4 complete innings in the 8U-12U divisions and 5 complete innings in the 14U division. If weather renders a diamond(s) unplayable (tournament director decision), loser brackets will be cancelled first, starting with the youngest division and moving up from there as necessary.
Tournament Director may shorten games or impose an additional time limit if needed due to time, weather or darkness.
Home team will be official score book. Visiting team should verify score with home team throughout games to avoid potential score differences.

PITCHING

9U – 12U -- Pitchers can pitch a maximum of 3 innings per game, 6 innings per day.
14U -- Pitchers can pitch a maximum of 4 innings per game, 7 innings per day.
A player may NOT re-enter as a pitcher once he is removed from that position.
Balks will not be enforced in 9U – 12U.
Balks will be enforced. Each TEAM will receive 1 warning.
Any pitcher hitting 3 batters in a single game must be removed as a pitcher for the remainder of that game. He may take another defensive position.
9U – 12U -- No intentional curve balls (at the discretion of the umpire).

BAT RESTRICTIONS

8U – 12U: The 2 1/4” diameter barrel bats will be allowed along with the ‘USA’ Stamped 2 5/8” barrel bats.
14U: Any bat that is OHSAA approved is allowed. Bats must be a drop 8 or less. 2 ¼ bats are allowed but must be a drop 8 or less.

CONDUCT/SAFETY

No protest allowed. All umpire rulings are final. Head coach shall be the only coach to approach an umpire to discuss any disputed judgments.
No harassment of umpires by players, coaches or fans will be tolerated.
No Chattering. This is at the discretion of the umpire or Tournament Director.
Be ready to play at least 30 minutes before your scheduled game. If we can start a game early, we will.
No batting practice on field.
No Fielding practice on field before games unless time permits
No metal spikes 8U – 12U.
Metal spikes allowed in 14U division.
Batters/Runners will wear protective helmets; catchers will wear protective gear during play and warm-ups.
Batters will not throw the bat. Umpire will warn both teams at the same time with the next resulting in player being called out.
All base runners should slide when played upon. Players shall be called out at the discretion of the umpire.
In the event of threatening weather; If a coach or umpire sees lightning or threatening weather that poses a danger to players, coaches or fans they should immediately postpone the game, instruct all players, coaches and fans to seek shelter. Games should not resume until all threats of threatening weather have passed.
Failure to abide by these rules may result in ejection or forfeiture of game(s) at the discretion of umpire, Board Members or Tournament Director.

8U Division

Game Play

Teams must be ready to play 30 minutes before scheduled time. Games may start early.
Coach Pitch and 60’ bases.
Coach must pitch with one foot inside the pitcher's circle
Player pitcher must start with one foot inside the pitcher's circle
6 innings or Time limit will constitute as a game.
2 1/4” diameter barrel bats along with the 2 5/8” USA stamped bats are allowed.
All players present (max 15 per team) will be in the batting order. If a player cannot bat due to injury, this must be reported to the umpire prior to his turn in the batting order. If a player’s spot in the batting order is skipped, he may not play the rest of the game.
Late players may be added to the end of the batting order as long as that spot has not come up.
Free substitutions on defense (batting order stays the same).
10 defensive players, with outfielders playing approximate equidistant from infield. No short fielders (rover) allowed.
One defensive outfield coach is allowed (not required). The coach must remain in the outfield at all times while the ball is in play.
Each team must field a catcher in full catcher’s equipment.
Player in the Pitchers Position is required to be within 5’ of the rubber at the time of each pitch.
No infield fly rule.
No Bunting.
No Leading off or Stealing. One warning will be given to each team per game for their first violation of this rule. All subsequent violations will result in the runner being called out and all other runners will return to their previous bases.
You may use a courtesy runner for the catcher at any time (optional). Courtesy runner must be the player that made the last out.
Runners MAY advance on overthrows until the ball is declared dead or time is called.
The designated pitcher must make every attempt to not interfere with the play in the field after the batter hits the ball. If the pitcher interferes with the play, it’s a dead ball and all runners will return to the last base they were at. Batter will receive another pitch and shall not be called out if this was the 7th pitch of the at bat.
Each batter will be allowed a maximum of 7 pitches, unless the 7th pitch is a foul ball. A batter will be ruled out by strikeout if:

Failure to hit any of the 7 pitches into fair territory and the last was not a foul ball.
Combination of 3 missed swings and foul balls and the last strike was not a foul ball.

An inning will be 3 outs or 6 runs maximum, even if the last hit causes more the 6 runs to score (only 6 runs will count).
Unlimited runs will be allowed as follows: 1. In the 6th inning. 2. In any inning the umpire declares as the last due to time limit. 3. In extra innings, if necessary.

The playing field will include a chalked “stop line” at thirty (30) feet past each base. On all balls in play, runners may attempt to advance as many bases as they wish. If, however, in the umpire’s judgement, the runner has not passed the next stop line when timeout is granted, the runner will be directed to return to the last base touched. Timeout will only be granted to an infielder that is standing in the dirt with possession of the ball, but it will be granted even if the runners are still in motion. Any runner that is short of the stop line when timeout is called is assured a safe return to their previous base. (They cannot be tagged out after timeout has been called.)
Coin flip will determine the home team except in the Championship game(s) where the winner’s bracket winner will be the home team.
Tournament director decisions regarding discrepancies are final.

9U – 12U Division

Game Play

Teams must be ready to play 30 minutes before scheduled time. Games may start early.
46' pitching distance and 60' bases for 9 & 10U.
50' pitching distance and 60' bases for 11U
50’ pitching distance and 65’ bases for 12U.
6 innings or Time limit will constitute as a game.
2 1/4” diameter barrel bats along with the 2 5/8” USA stamped bats are allowed.
No Metal Cleats.
All players present (max 15 per team) will be in the batting order. If a player cannot bat due to injury, this must be reported to the umpire prior to his turn in the batting order. If a player’s spot in the batting order is skipped, he may not play the rest of the game.
Late players may be added to the end of the batting order as long as that spot has not come up.
Free substitutions on defense (batting order stays the same).
You may use a courtesy runner for the catcher at any time (optional). Courtesy runner must be the player that made the last out.
10 defensive players, with outfielders playing approximate equidistant from infield. No short fielders (rover) allowed.
No infield fly rule for the 9U.
Infield fly rule applies for 10U - 12U.
No leading off.
Bunting IS allowed.
No delayed stealing. After the ball is pitched and the ball crosses home plate, a runner must immediately make an attempt to steal the next base. A team will receive one warning per game for the violation of leaving base too early, and the runner must return back to the base. Thereafter, runners will be called out.
Stealing 9U, runners may steal 2nd and 3rd after the pitched ball crosses home plate, a passed ball, or overthrows back to pitcher. The runner cannot steal home, or take home on a pass ball or overthrows back to the pitcher.
Stealing 10U – 12U, runners may steal 2nd and 3rd after the pitched ball crosses home plate, a passed ball, or overthrows back to pitcher. Runners MAY advance home on any overthrow, passed ball or any attempted play on any runner at any base in 10U, 11U, and 12U Divisions.
A batter may not take first base on a dropped or missed called third strike (runners can attempt to advance).
An inning will be 3 outs or 6 runs maximum, even if the last hit causes more than 6 runs to score (only 6 runs will count).
Unlimited Runs will be allowed as follows: 1. In the 6th inning. 2. In any inning the umpire declares as the last due to time limit. 3. In extra innings, if necessary.
Coin flip will determine the home team except in the Championship game(s) where the winner’s bracket winner will be the home team.
Tournament director decisions will be final regarding discrepancies.

14U Division

Game Play

Teams must be ready to play 30 minutes before scheduled time. Games may start early.
OHSAA Rules apply with the following exceptions.
60’ 6” pitching distance and 90’ bases.
6 innings or Time limit will constitute as a game.
Bat limitations -- Any bat that is OHSAA approved is allowed. Bats must be a drop 8 or less. 2 ¼ bats are allowed but must be a drop 8 or less.
Metal Cleats allowed.
DH (Designated Hitter) may be used as per the OHSAA rules.
EH (Extra Hitter) may be used (optional).
Balks will be enforced. Each TEAM will receive 1 warning.
You may use a courtesy runner for the catcher at any time (optional). Courtesy runner must be the player that made the last out.
All games will be on a time limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes except finals of the winner’s bracket, finals of the loser’s bracket and the championship game(s). Any inning that starts within 10 minutes (approximately) of the time limit (umpire’s discretion) shall be deemed the last inning of the game.
In the event that a game is tied after 6 innings or time has expired, the game shall be settled as follows. An extra runner will be place at 2nd and 3rd base in the following innings until there is a winner. The extra runner(s) will be the last batter(s) who completed an at bat. Although no time limit will be imposed on the winner’s bracket final, loser’s bracket final and championship game(s), the extra runner(s) in extra innings will still apply.
Tournament Director may shorten games or impose an additional time limit if needed due to time, weather or darkness.
Home team will be the official score book. Visiting team should verify score with home team throughout games to avoid potential score differences.
Run-Rule will be 10 runs after four complete innings or any complete inning thereafter.
Coin flip will determine the home team except in the Championship game(s) where the winner’s bracket winner will be the home team.

Tournament director decisions will be final regarding discrepancies.

VERSAILLES YOUTH

BASEBALL ASSOCIATION