Age Requirements: Eligible players must be: League Age 9 & Under – Must not turn 10 prior to Sept 1 of current year.

Roster: Each team will have a minimum of 12 players and a maximum of 15 players. A league placing more than one team in the tournament may carry no less than 11 players per team. NO MORE THAN FIVE (5) NINE YEAR OLD PLAYERS MAY BE ON A TEAM. Coaches are required to register their teams at least 30 minutes prior to their first game. Registering coaches must provide a completed roster including name, uniform number and age with date of birth – INCLUDING an accompanying copy of the player’s birth certificate. Please have a copy of each players birth certificates available on first day of tournament.

Scheduling: Schedule will be available the Sunday prior to the first day of the tournament. All head coaches will be contacted at the completion of the scheduling process. Schedules and brackets will be posted outside the concession stand.

Substitutions & Batting Lineups: Free substitution. Batting lineup equals the number of players in attendance.

Coaches: Each team shall have a maximum of three coaches.

Home Team: Home team will be decided by the flip of a coin prior to each game. A representative from each team must be present during the toss. Coin toss will be administered by the tournament director or the head umpire on the field.

Visiting Team: The visiting team will be required to supply a volunteer to do the announcing for that game from the press box.

Scorekeepers: The team, designated as the home team, will be required to supply an official scorekeeper to maintain the official scorebook. The official scorekeeper must be in the press box during play.

Tiebreakers will be determined by:

1. Best Record
2. Head-to-Head Competition
3. Fewest Defensive runs allowed for the entire tournament
4. Coin Flip

Completed Game: All games will be 2 hours in length. Any inning beginning after 1.5 hours of played will be called last inning. No new inning will start after the time limit has expired.

• Exceptions: 

1. Games called due to weather will be completed. The tournament director will modify the tournament schedule to assure that all games are completed.
2. Semi-Finals and Finals will be played to completion regardless of time. (10 Run rule, 6 Innings, etc...)

Head Umpire: The home plate umpire is the head umpire in charge of the game. All conflicts will be resolved with the head umpire having the final say.

Protests: Coaches must inform the home plate umpire of the protest immediately after the alleged infraction. Play will be suspended until the protest is resolved. The decision of the tournament director, in concurrence with the umpire shall be final. Judgment calls cannot be protested.

Conduct: If the conduct of a coach, player, parent or fan is such that it is demeaning, UN-sportsmanlike, or profane, the umpire will eject them from the ballpark for the remainder of the day. Failure of the ejected individual to leave will result in a forfeit by the offending team.

ABSOLUTELY NO COOLERS ARE ALLOWED (Ice Cold water will be available for the teams in each dugout) Please make sure everyone who plans on attending the tournament is aware of this as they will be denied entry if they have a cooler. Please encourage your team fans to visit our concession stand during the tournament.

NO alcoholic beverages and NO tobacco products are allowed at Oatesdale Park.

Playing Rules:

1. The standard game is six (6) innings in length.
2. 2 hour time limit. No inning will start after two hours from start time (except Semi-Finals and Finals)
3. Runs are limited to six (6) runs per side for the first five (5) innings. In the sixth (6), or last inning to be played as called by umpire due to time constraints, and during any extra innings runs will be unlimited. Ten (10) run mercy rule will be in effect after four complete innings of play. An inning beginning after 1.5 hours of play will be called last inning. 
4. Teams may play up to nine (9) players in the field. The entire roster will bat except for injury or illness. A player that is removed from the lineup due to injury or illness will not be allowed to return to that game. The removed player is allowed to play in any subsequent games. An out will NOT be assessed for any player removed from the roster due to an injury or illness.
5. No additions to the game roster will be allowed after the start of the game.
6. A game shall be forfeited unless a team can field a minimum of eight players.
7. Free substitution
8. All Little League regular season pitching rules will apply. Pitching affidavits will be issued and will be maintained by the tournament committee. Each manager is responsible to review and sign the affidavit after every game.
9. Stealing bases is allowed but the runner may not leave their occupied base before the ball crosses the plate. This includes stealing Home.
10. Bunting is allowed.
11. A player may not advance to first base on a dropped third strike
12. Each player must play a minimum of 2 innings in the field. If a game is called due to the mercy rule before a player has their 2 innings of field play, that player must start the next game and play for four consecutive innings before being substituted.
13. These rules will be in effect unless updated an officially given to each team prior to the start of the tournament. 

Visit us on the web at www.MartinsburgLittleLeague.com. All tournament information will be kept up to date on the website. Game times will be posted a minimum of 1 week before start of tournament. Standings will be updated daily.