Division Rules

Coach and Team Responsibilities

• All players must be listed on the online roster with legal first name, last name, date of birth, and any applicable grade exception. Parent or guardian verification must be complete before the tournament.
• Team insurance naming SWATourneys as additional insured must be uploaded before the tournament.
• Teams must be present and ready to play 30 minutes before their scheduled game.
• Coaches must have acceptable proof of age available for every player.
• Rosters are limited to 20 players and freeze when the first pitch is thrown in the team's first game.
• A player may participate with only one team per tournament, regardless of division.
• Both teams must verify the final score and sign the lineup card. The signed score is final and will not be changed.
• Teams must clean their dugout after each game.

Game Basics

• Pool-play home and visitor teams are determined by coin toss. The higher seed is home for bracket and championship games.
• Unless a division rule requires roster batting, teams may use a lineup with extra hitters and substitutes or roster-bat all present uniformed players.
• Eight players are required to start a game. A team playing with eight records an out in the ninth batting position.
• Fake bunt followed by a swing (slash bunt) is prohibited. The batter is out with no warning.
• Runners are not required to slide, but must attempt to avoid contact when a tag play is imminent. Malicious contact results in an out and removal from the game.
• An eligible courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher or catcher of record. When roster batting, use the player who made the last recorded out.

Standard Time Limits

• Night Lights 7U–8U: 60 minutes; championship games are 75 minutes.
• Night Lights 9U–12U: 90 minutes, including championship games.
• Weekend championships: 7U–8U are 75 minutes. 9U–15U Gold Bracket games are 120 minutes; other 9U–15U championship games are 105 minutes.
• Pool games tied after regulation end in a tie. Bracket games use the California tiebreaker: the final three batters from the previous inning begin on base with one out.

Mercy Rules

When the home team is ahead, the corresponding half-inning mark applies: 2½, 3½, or 4½ innings for 7U–8U; and 1½, 2½, or 3½ innings for 9U and older.

Pitching Limits

• One legal pitch to a batter counts as one inning pitched.
• A player who pitches more than three innings on Saturday may not pitch Sunday.
• Once removed from the pitching position, a player may not return to pitch in that game.
• Pitching totals count even when a game is not official or a score reverts to a previous inning.

Bats, Cleats, and Equipment

• 12U and younger have no bat-size restriction. All bats must be approved, smooth, round, and unaltered.
• 13U requires a drop-5 or heavier bat.
• 14U and older must use a drop-3 BBCOR-stamped bat.
• Wood bats are approved for every age group.
• 12U and younger may not wear metal cleats.
• A team playing up must follow the bat rules of the division in which it is participating.

Seeding, Protests, and Conduct

1. Seeding order: win-loss record; head-to-head for two teams only; fewest runs allowed; highest run differential; highest runs scored; tournament-staff coin flip.
2. A protest must be made before the next pitch and requires a $100 cash protest fee. Judgment calls cannot be protested. The fee is returned when the protest is upheld.
3. An ejected coach, player, assistant, or scorekeeper must leave the park and receives a mandatory one-game suspension. The Tournament Director may increase the suspension.
4. No gum, seeds, or tobacco products are allowed on the fields. Violating teams are subject to a $100 fine.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn eight before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned eight before May 1 may play if the player is in first grade, but a player turning nine before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Coach Pitch and Defense

• The coach-pitcher must be inside the pitching circle when delivering the pitch.
• The defensive pitcher must keep at least one foot inside the 16-foot-diameter circle and remain beside or behind the pitching rubber until contact.
• Teams may use nine or ten defensive players and must field a pitcher and catcher. Eight players are required; with eight, an out is taken for the ninth position.
• All teams roster-bat and may freely substitute on defense without changing the batting order.

Batting and Scoring

• Each batter receives six pitches or three strikes. A foul ball on pitch six keeps the at-bat alive.
• Seven runs or three outs ends a half-inning, except the sixth inning when both teams may score unlimited runs.
• A batted ball that strikes the adult coach-pitcher is dead and all runners return to their original bases.
• Each team may bunt once per inning. An additional bunt is an immediate out and runners may not advance.

Base Running

• No stolen bases, lead-offs, walks, hit-by-pitch base awards, infield-fly rule, or intentional walks.
• A runner leaving before the ball is hit or crosses home plate is out.
• Courtesy runners are allowed for the catcher only, using the last recorded out.
• Time is called when the lead runner stops advancing, a fielder possesses the ball in the infield, and no defensive play is imminent.

Night Lights: The time limit is 60 minutes; the Night Lights championship limit is 75 minutes.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn nine before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned nine before May 1 may play if the player is in second grade, but a player turning ten before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Coach Pitch and Defense

• The coach must pitch from the plate or line 40 feet from the tip of home plate.
• The defensive pitcher must keep at least one foot inside the 16-foot-diameter circle and remain beside or behind the pitching line until contact.
• Teams may use nine or ten defensive players and must field a pitcher and catcher. Eight players are required; with eight, an out is taken for the ninth position.
• All teams roster-bat and may freely substitute on defense without changing the batting order.

Batting and Scoring

• Each batter receives six pitches or three strikes. A foul ball on pitch six keeps the at-bat alive.
• Seven runs or three outs ends a half-inning, except the sixth inning when both teams may score unlimited runs.
• A batted ball that strikes the adult coach-pitcher is dead and all runners return to their original bases.
• Each team may bunt once per inning. An additional bunt is an immediate out and runners may not advance.

Base Running

• No stolen bases, lead-offs, walks, hit-by-pitch base awards, infield-fly rule, or intentional walks.
• A runner leaving before the ball is hit or crosses home plate is out.
• Courtesy runners are allowed for the catcher only, using the last recorded out.
• Time is called when the lead runner stops advancing, a fielder possesses the ball in the infield, and no defensive play is imminent.

Night Lights: The time limit is 60 minutes; the Night Lights championship limit is 75 minutes.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn nine before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned nine before May 1 may play if the player is in second grade, but a player turning ten before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Modified Gameplay Rules

• This division uses modified 9U rules with three outfielders.
• All teams must roster-bat.
• Seven runs or three outs ends every half-inning. There is no unlimited-run final inning.
• The 9U-and-older mercy rule applies: 20 after two innings, 15 after three, and eight after four.

Stealing

• A 10-foot modified steal line is used.
• Home may not be stolen on a passed ball, wild pitch, catcher's throw, pickoff attempt, or return throw to the pitcher.
• A runner on third may score only when the ball is batted into play or on a base on balls.

Pitching

• A player may pitch no more than six innings in one day or six innings for the weekend.
• A player who pitches more than three innings in one day may not pitch the following day.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn ten before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned ten before May 1 may play if the player is in third grade, but a player turning eleven before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Modified Stealing

• A dropped third strike is an out.
• A 10-foot hash mark is placed beyond first, second, and third base.
• The runner must be stationary at the pitch and may not cross the hash mark until the pitch crosses home plate.
• Leaving early causes an immediate dead ball and the pitch or batted play does not count.
• The first team violation is a warning and the runner returns. Later violations result in the runner being called out.
• Passed balls and wild pitches do not excuse a runner leaving early.

Other Key Rules

• Balks are instructional in 9U.
• Standard 9U-and-older mercy rules apply.
• No metal cleats. There is no bat-size restriction, subject to the approved-bat rules.
• Night Lights games, including championships, use a 90-minute limit.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn eleven before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned eleven before May 1 may play if the player is in fourth grade, but a player turning twelve before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• The general SWAT game, mercy, pitching, lineup, and base-running rules apply.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• No metal cleats. There is no bat-size restriction, subject to the approved-bat rules.
• Night Lights games, including championships, use a 90-minute limit.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn twelve before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned twelve before May 1 may play if the player is in fifth grade, but a player turning thirteen before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• The general SWAT game, mercy, pitching, lineup, and base-running rules apply.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• No metal cleats. There is no bat-size restriction, subject to the approved-bat rules.
• Night Lights games, including championships, use a 90-minute limit.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn thirteen before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned thirteen before May 1 may play if the player is in sixth grade, but a player turning fourteen before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• The general SWAT game, mercy, pitching, lineup, and base-running rules apply.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• No metal cleats. There is no bat-size restriction, subject to the approved-bat rules.
• Night Lights games, including championships, use a 90-minute limit.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn fourteen before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned fourteen before May 1 may play if the player is in seventh grade, but a player turning fifteen before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• Register and play under the field-size division shown for the event: 13U 54/80 or 13U 60/90.
• The general 9U-and-older mercy rule applies.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• Metal cleats are permitted.
• Bats must be drop-5 or heavier. A team playing 14U must follow the 14U BBCOR rule.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn fifteen before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned fifteen before May 1 may play if the player is in eighth grade, but a player turning sixteen before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• The general 9U-and-older mercy rule applies.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• Metal cleats are permitted.
• All non-wood bats must be drop-3 and BBCOR stamped.
• The designated hitter is not used in 14U and younger divisions.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn sixteen before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned sixteen before May 1 may play if the player is a high-school freshman, but a player turning seventeen before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• The general 9U-and-older mercy rule applies.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• Metal cleats are permitted.
• All non-wood bats must be drop-3 and BBCOR stamped.
• NFHS designated-hitter rules are available in 15U and older divisions when declared before the game.
• Weekend Gold Bracket championships use a 120-minute limit; other 15U championship games use 105 minutes.

Eligibility

• A player cannot turn seventeen before May 1 of the current season.
• Grade exception: a player who turned seventeen before May 1 may play if the player is a high-school sophomore, but a player turning eighteen before August 1 is not eligible.
• Each team is limited to two total grade-exception players.

Key Division Rules

• The general 9U-and-older mercy rule applies.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.
• Metal cleats are permitted.
• All non-wood bats must be drop-3 and BBCOR stamped.
• NFHS designated-hitter rules are available in 15U and older divisions when declared before the game.