2024 Prep Baseball Kansas City Tournament Playing Rules

Prep Baseball KC and the on-site tournament director reserves the right to amend these rules at any time for specific tournament play. NFHS rules will be enforced with the following exceptions. All teams and coaches need to review their event rules prior to the start of each tournament.

Age Restrictions: Either/Or

  • 14U and Up
    • Your high school graduation year.
    • Or age, your age is determined by the May 1st date of that year
  • 13U and Under
    • Age, your age is determined by the May 1st date of that year

Age Clarification:

  • 9U Division Players who turn 10 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 3rd grade. Also, any player turning 11 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. **Players who are 9U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.**
  • 10U Division Players who turn 11 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 4th grade. Also, any player turning 12 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. **Players who are 10U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.**
  • 11U Division Players who turn 12 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 5th grade. Also, any player turning 13 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. **Players who are 11U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.**
  • 12U Division Players who turn 13 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 6th grade. Also, any player turning 14 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. **Players who are 12U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.**
  • 13U Division Players who turn 14 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 7th grade. Also, any player turning 15 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. **Players who are 13U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.**
  • 14U Division Players who turn 15 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 8th grade. Also, any player turning 16 prior to May 1 will not be eligible. **Players who are 14U eligible are eligible for this division regardless of grade.**

Rosters:

  • All 13U and under teams must have their rosters submitted prior to the start of the tournament.
  • 14U and up players must be rostered before the first pitch is thrown of current game
  • No player can appear in a tournament game for more than one team, per division.
  • Playing a non rostered player will result in removal of the player from the contest, cannot participate. If a team has multiple non rostered players participate, this could result in a fine.
  • Each manager is responsible for all aspects of his roster and must carry photocopies of birth certificates and/or high school transcripts to provide proof.
  • An illegal player may be suspended until documentation is provided or removed from the entire tournament if proven illegal.

Mercy Rules:

  • 15 runs after 3 innings
  • 10 Runs after 4 innings
  • 8 Runs after 5 innings

Coin Flip:

  • In Pool Play home team is determined by a coin flip. The higher seed is the home team is REQUIRED to be the home team throughout the ENTIRE playoffs.
  • Plate umpire will announce start time on the first warm-up pitch of each game. Start time will be recorded by the base umpire.  Any time discrepancies should be addressed with umpires and/or Prep Baseball KC Staff before the end of the 1st inning.

Field Dimensions:

  • 9-10U: All games will be played on 46’x65’ fields
  • 11-12U: All games will be played on 50’x70’ fields
  • 13U: All games will be played on 54’x80’ fields
  • 14U-18U: All games will be played on 60’x90’ fields

Time Limits Extended:

  • SPRING SEASON (March 26th – May 31st)
    • (9u-12u) – Pool Play will have a strict 1-hour and 45 minute time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 6 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
    • (13u-18u) Pool Play will have a strict 1-hour and 45 minute time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 7 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
  • SUMMER SEASON (June 1st – August 31st)
    • (9u-12u) – Pool Play will have a strict 1-hour and 45 minute time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 6 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
    • (13u) – Pool Play will have a strict 1-hour and 45 minute time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 7 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
    • (14u-18u) – Pool Play will have a strict 2-hour time limit with no new inning starting after two hours. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 7 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
  • FALL SEASON (September 1st – October 31st)
    • (9u-12u) – Pool Play will have a strict 1-hour and 45 minute time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 6 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
    • (13u-14u) – Pool Play will have a strict 1-hour and 45 minute time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 7 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
    • (15u-18u) – Pool Play will have a strict 2-hour time limit with no new inning starting after that time. Bracket Play will have a strict 2-hour time limit, except for championship games. Time will be announced and kept by the home plate umpire. If a game is tied after complete 7 innings, then the game will end in a tie. In the case of a tie, each team will receive ½ a loss and ½ a win.
  • Time will begin on First Warm-Up Pitch.
  • Playoff games will continue to follow the time limits, except for Championship games, in which there will be a 2 Hour 30 Minute time limit. Rule is subject to change. (Park Directors’ discretion)
  • The higher seed is REQUIRED to be the home team throughout the ENTIRE playoffs.

Extra Innings (Bracket Games Only):

  • Extra Inning 1 – California Rules
    • Last hitter from previous inning @ 2nd base
    • The hitting team starts 1 out and every hitter has a 1-1 count
    • Normal substitution rules apply
  • Extra Inning 2 or more – Texas Tie-Breaker
    • Bases Loaded – 3 previous players in the lineup
    • The hitting team starts 1 out and every hitter has a 1-1 count
    • Normal substitution rules apply
  • If game is tied after Regulation Innings in a CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
    • 2 hour 30 minute time-limit
    • 1st Extra Inning – Normal Rules
    • 2nd Extra Inning – Normal Rules
    • 3rd Extra Inning – California Rules
    • 4th or more Extra Inning(s) – Texas Tie-Breaker Rules

**SUPER SELECT POD PLAY RULE** If the game remains tied after time has expired or the final inning of regulation; Teams will play the extra inning by California Rule.

*All rules are subject to the tournament directors discretion.

Complete Games and Extra Innings:

  • In the event of inclement weather, all rainout games may not be made up due to time constraints and/or field availability.
  • If rain or weather suspends a game in a 6 inning contest, 4 innings (3 1/2 innings if home team is winning) could be considered a complete game.
  • If rain or weather suspends a game in a 7 inning contest, 5 innings (4 1/2 innings if home team is winning) could be considered a complete. The host facility and tournament director will make the final decision on all complete games.
  • In the event of a delay, games that cannot be resumed within 1 hour will be considered an official game. The tournament director can extend the 1 hour deadline if there are extenuating circumstances – working on the fields, lightning delay, etc.

Pitching:

14u-18u will follow the MLB balk rule & will be LIVE

13U and Under will follow the NFHS rules, which results in a DEAD ball

  • 3rd to 1st pickoff move is ILLEGAL.
  • Coaches are allowed a total of TWO (2) mound conferences per pitcher, on the third conference the pitcher must be removed.
    • The second conference of an inning, a pitcher must be removed.

All teams in Prep Baseball Kansas City Events are strongly encouraged to follow the USA Pitch Smart guidelines that are displayed below. Tournament officials will not police these, they are simply guidelines to take care of your pitchers arms.

Age Daily Max 0 Days 1 Day 2 Days 3 Days 4 Days
13-14 95 1-20 21-35 36-50 51-65 66+
15-16 95 1-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76+
17-18 105 1-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76+

Hitting Lineups:

  • All coaches/teams must turn in a lineup card to the umpire at the plate meeting prior to the start of each game.
    • Lineups must include player name, number and position
    • Substitutions are not required to be listed on the lineup card
  • Once the first pitch has been thrown, the number of batters must stay the same for the entire game and the lineup is locked in.

14U and Up you will have three lineup options:

  1. Hit 9 hitters with a DH or no DH. We will honor the High School DH Rule.
  2. Use one EH and hit 10 with or without a DH
  3. Use one EH and XH and hit 11 with or without a DH.

14u and up will play by a modified College DH rule where the pitcher can be P/DH. (This means that once you pull the pitcher out of the game he can remain in the batting order as the DH.) (Can DH for anyone, not limited to the pitcher)

13U and Under, you will have four lineup options

  1. Hit 9 hitters with a DH or no DH. We will honor the High School DH Rule.
  2. Use one EH and hit 10 with or without a DH
  3. Use one EH and XH and hit 11 with or without a DH.
  4. Hit a continuous lineup of your entire roster that is on site

Intentional Walks:

  • Head Coach needs to inform the umpire of the intentional walk, no pitches will be thrown, and the hitter will be awarded 1st Base.

Courtesy Runner:

  • Courtesy runner is optional for pitcher or catcher of record at anytime.
  • The courtesy runner must be a legal sub
  • If you are hitting a continuous lineup that last batted out will be your courtesy runner
  • Same player is allowed to run for the Pitcher and Catcher
  • If an error is made on a courtesy runner, it is a correctable error and the runner will be replaced with correct runner
  • The courtesy runner will never be mandatory.

Number of Players/Forfeits:

  • A game can start with 8 players. However, if a team drops to seven or less, the game will become an automatic forfeit. The tournament director and committee reserves the right to look at and rule on all forfeits.
  • If you start game with 8, the 9th place in the lineup will be an automatic out.
  • A forfeit score will be scored as 7-0.
  • Tournament Director has the right to amend forfeit scoring.
  • If a team forfeits a pool play game they will not advance to championship bracket play.

Injuries:

  • Specific to 13U and under, if a team is hitting a continuous lineup or has no legal substitutions available and a player gets injured and can not continue to play, their spot in the batting order will be skipped with no penalty. Once a player’s spot in the batting order is skipped, the player is out for the remainder of the game and can not come back into play.

Slide Rule:

  • Head first slide into any base is legal.
  • Force play slide rule, the base runner is allowed to slide to and thru the base as long as they remain on their butt or stomach. They can slide away from the fielder or veer off away from the fielder, standing up.

Pre-Game Infield/Batting Practice:

  • No pre-game infield or batting practice on the field will be allowed during any tournaments unless noted by the tournament director.

Tie Breaker and Advancement Rules:

  • Winning Percentage
  • Head to Head
  • If three or more tied, if one team has defeated all other teams they are tied with, that team advances. If not, next tie breaker applies
  • Runs Allowed
  • Runs Scored
  • Runs Allowed, subtracting the game with the highest runs allowed
  • Runs Scored, subtracting the game with the lowest runs scored
  • Coin Flip

Pool Winners will always be the higher seed than a non pool winner. From there all wild card teams will be determined based on the rules below. After Pool winners, pool seed will have no barring on who advances, i.e a 2-0 team who finished 2nd in there pool will be seeded behind a 1-1 team who wins their pool.

Protests:

  • A protest is only available for a violation or misapplication of a rule, not for coach/fan/player disagreement with an umpire’s judgement call (ie. ball and strikes, out and safe, interference, etc). Pitching limitations are not eligible for protest. Protests must be filed and ruled on before the next pitch if during a game, or before umpires leave field if after a game. The team protesting must make cash payment of $200 at the time of protest and the protest will only be heard and ruled upon by the tournament committee. If the protest is ruled in the protesting team’s favor, the $200 will be refunded to the team.

Sportsmanship:

  • It is required that all teams, coaches, and fans comply with all tournament and facility rules. Team managers/head coaches MUST have full control of their players and parents at all times. This means “on” and “off” the field.
  • Tournament directors and hosts have the authority to eject a player, fans or team anytime during the tournament for threatening with physical harm, physical attack, abusive language, destruction of property, or failure to pay.
  • The tournament committee reserves the right to eject any person from the site for unruly or unsportsmanlike behavior.
  • Any physical altercation between two teams before, during, or after a contest could result in the removal of both teams from the remainder of the event and future events.

Ejections:

  • Any player, coach, manager, spectator and fan that is ejected from a game shall be suspended and removed for the remainder of that game. Any individual ejected must leave the complex and exit to the parking lot.
    • *If a team is hitting a continuous lineup, the ejected player’s spot in the lineup will remain and his team is forced to take an out.
    • *Any player or coach that acts maliciously or performs an act with intent to injure, the tournament committee has the final say in the penalty for that individual(s).
    • Tournament Director has final say in penalty for any individual that gets ejected for a second time in a tournament.

Bats:

  • 12U and Under Bats
    • BPF 1.15 Max
    • Must be stamped by either USSSA or USA
  • 13u
    • BPF 1.15 or BBCOR. Max Difference of Drop 8
  • 14u – 18U
    • BBCOR Only
  • Some events are Wood Bat ONLY – please see event description for bat types allowed
  • Baum Bats are legal

Banned Bats:

  • These bats will be legal if Retooled.
WTDXCBR 2129-17 2017 CF Zen Balanced 2 5/8″ (-8) – (29/21, 30/22, 32/23, 32/24)
WTDXCBZ 1828-17 2017 CF Zen SL 2 3/4″ (-10) – (28/18, 29/19, 30/20, 31/21, 32/22)
WTDXCBZ 1929-17F1 2017 CF Zen Zero Dark 2 3/4″ (-10) – 29/19 30/20)
YBB18GX10 2018 Easton Ghost X 30/20 (USA Bat only)
DSBK08 2018 Dirty South Kamo (30/22, 31/23, 32/24, 31/21, 32/22)
BTKYB 2018 Mattingly Balistk BBCOR
CX2-BT0573 2018 CX2 Nike BBCOR (Light Grey, Dark grey and Blue)
Vector TLS 2018 Reebok Vector TLS (32/29, 33/30)
Marruci Cat5 2018 Marruci Cat 5 (33/30, 34/31)
Marruci Black 2018 Marruci Black (33/30, 34/31)
YB12D 2018 TPX Dynasty -12
WTLBBMTB330 2020 Meta Prime BBCOR 33′ /30 oz

Illegal Bat Penalty:

  • A batter using an illegal bat is deemed illegal as soon as he steps into the box. If a player uses an illegal bat, the player will be ruled out and the runners will not be allowed to advance. Runners that have advanced during that at-bat before the illegal bat was identified, and not as a result of the batted ball, shall be entitled to the base(s) they achieved.
  • The umpire must be notified prior to the first pitch of the next batter or before all defensive players leave fair territory.
  • If a team has three illegal bat rules infractions the Head Coach will be ejected for the rest of the tournament.

Skunk in the Outfield Play –

  • Play where the runner on 1st creates his own path in the baseline by backing up in the outfield WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. Runner must take a lead with a direct line from 1st base toward 2nd base.
  • First Offense, Umpire will call time and issue an official team warning putting all players back to their starting base.
  • Second Offense, Runner will be declared out and any pitch or action by other runners will be nullified.