Tournament Withdrawal Policy
All teams that drop will face full price charge for the tournament if you drop the Tuesday of the tournament after 5:00 pm, before the event or after schedules are posted, which ever comes first. All special play request must be submitted before the same. Please note that these request are not guaranteed to be honored and will be accommodated only if possible.Thanks for playing Houston Baseball Tournaments (HBT) Sports.
Scorecards
Team Managers are responsible for signing the umpire's scorecard after each game to verify accuracy. The umpire's card indicates winner/loser, game score and pitching records. This card is used by the tournament director as backup data for seeding and pitching records.
These cards will be considered accurate once turned in whether your signature is on it or not. Please make sure to do this immediately after each game. The umpires will not stand around and wait on you.
Tournament Rules at Big League Dreams
Gate Policy
Patrons 13 and older pay $5 upon entry and will receive a token worth $1 off for the restaurants
Players participating in a sport will pay $1 upon entry and will receive a token worth $1 off for the restaurants
Spectators 12 and under will be admitted free
- All teams must have online roster and team insurance.
- All teams MUST have copies of Original Birth Certificates for EACH PLAYER (photo copy ok) upon request.
- In the event of bad weather, Tournament Director may change tournament format and length of games at his discretion to complete the tournament.
- Tournament director may change tournament format to run tournament more smoothly and accomodate the number of teams for that weekends tournament. This is because the number of teams vary from weekend to weekend.
Refund Policy:
- All Refunds will be based on a 3 game format. You will receive 1/3 for any game not played minus a $140.00 administrative fee (includes 4 game minimum tournaments)
- Refunds will not be given in Tournaments where teams complete pool play and places can be determined and trophies are handed out. Points will be awarded based on places.
- Refund policy for state tournament is based on 2 games.
- Refund before tournament once schedule is out must have a replacement team in order to receive refund. Schedules will be made Tuesday night of the week of the tournament.
Age divisions:
- Age cut-off is April 30th. To determine your team's tournament age:
- 1. Find your oldest player on the team
- 2. What will his age be before May 1, 2012?
- 3. This is the age division you are eligible to play. Players may play up in age division, not down!
Houston Perfect Game Rules Exemptions
Bats:
- 13u Bats:
- 13 Major/Open: -5 or -3
- 13AAA/AA: -8, -5 or -3
- 14u bats:
- 14 Open or 14 Major: -3 BBCOR ONLY
- 14AA or 14AAA: -5 or -3
Pitching rules:
- Ages 9-14
Each Player is allowed 24 outs over a 3 day period. If you pitch more than 9 outs in a day you are required 2 days rest.
- 9-12u: Daily max is 18 outs
- 13 & 14u: Daily max is 21 outs.
- 100 Pitch maximum over 3 days
Batting Lineup Rules:
- You may bat 9,10,11 players or your roster. You must declare at the start of the game.
- May start game with 8 players, 9th player spot is an out when he comes up in lineup.
- Teams can bat its entire lineup
Game Times:
- 14u Games are 1 hour 45 minutes
- 11-13u Games are 1 hour 40 minutes
- 9-10u Games are 1 hour 30 minutes
- 6-8u games are 70 minutes
- Championship Games are no Time Limit if time allows. IF Championship game is in middle of day, you will add 10 minutes to regular game time.
Extra Innings:
- Texas Tie Breaker, last 3 outs on base with 1 out.
- Balk is the MLB ruling ( NOT a dead ball)
Forfeits:
- Only the Head Director can call a forfeit
Pitching Violations:
- Manager is ejected for the weekend, replace the pitcher, not a forfeit.
If you have any issues or have a question during an event call or text me Darren Larson (979) 665 - 2989
Steel Cleats:
- 13U and up may use steel cleats.
- BIG LEAGUE DREAMS – Metal cleats are allowed for 13U and up,except for pitchers which must wear a non-metal cleat, turf, or tennis shoe.
Big League Dreams- Time Limits:
- 7u 70 minute games
- 8u 70 minute games
- 9u – 12u 1hour and 30 minutes
- 13u-14u 1hour and 40 minutes when scheduling permits.
- Championship game: 6 innings for ages 7u-12u, 7innings for ages 13u-18u, no time limit when time allows. The Big League Dreams complex requires games to end at a certain time on Sunday. If we’re on time, there should be no problems. If not, tie breaker rules may come into play.
- Championship game: time limit may be changed at Directors discretion.
- In the event of light rain, if it becomes to dangerous to use the machine, games may revert to Coaches pitch in order to complete game. In this case, it will be 6 pitches, no stealing. Bunting is ok.
Extra inning in Playoffs/elimination games
- Texas Shootout – Bases loaded, 1 out. Last 3 batters of previous inning will be put on base.
- During pool play a tie is ok.
- Championship games will not use the International rule. The game will be played until we have a winner, when time allows.
Run Rule:
- Ages 7-12 are15 runs after 3 innings, 8 runs after 4 innings and there after. Home team always will get last bat if they are behind in the ball game. Ages 13-14 will use 15 runs after 3 innings, 12 runs after 4 innings, and 8 runs after 5 innings.
Home Team Determined by:
- Pool Play coin flip.
- Play Off higher seed.
- Championship game will be determined by a coin toss.
- Dugout. First come, first served.
- Home Team has official book and will maintain tournament official book.
- All changes must go through home plate umpire.
Protest:
- Protest will be ruled on immediately by tournament director and chief umpire. Rules can be protested, not judgement calls. $100 fee is required for protest! Will be returned if call is changed.
Intentionally walk a batter:
- Coach must tell home plate umpire and point to first. No pitch has to be thrown. 7U/8U NO INTENTIONAL WALKS for Machine Pitch.
Courtesy Runner:
- For pitcher and catcher. First eligible player not in game, then last out. Same runner can not run for pitcher or catcher in same inning anytime, mandatory with 2 outs.
Ejection:
- Coaches or Parents, Spectators ejected from a ball game can be supended from games throughout the tournament. Suspension is at the discretion of the tournament director. If a coach, parent or spectator is suspended from a game they must remain at least 300 feet from the field of play for that game.
- Parents causing problems can forfeit your game.
Game Baseballs:
- Each team will provide 2 game baseballs per game.
- Baseballs will be returned after game. Please have your player's shag baseballs that go out of play!
- Backup baseballs must be provided by teams playing.
Machine Pitch rules (7u, 8u): This is just like real baseball but with a machine and no leadoffs.
- Same as tournament rules except:
- Must have a pitcher and catcher.
- 10 defensive players with 4 outfielders.
- May steal all bases after ball crosses the plate
- Bunting is ok.
- Must control forward progress of all runners before time out will be given.
- Machine will be set at 40mph for 7u and 42mph for 8u
- 5 pitches per batter. Foul ball on 5th pitch, you continue your at bat
- Reset machine anytime with permission from the umpire
- Pinch run for catcher only anytime mandatory with 2 outs.
- Resume play between innings within 2 minutes.
- MAX RUNS: 7 PER INNING
Coaches Pitch Rules:
- Each batter will be allowed six pitches or 3 strikes.
- Tournament play allows 10 defensive players for all ages.
- A fair ball hitting a coach pitcher will be declared a foul ball.
- Ball is dead when returned to the infield and in the umpires judgment play has stopped.
- The umpire shall determine the position or the runners when the ball becomes dead.
- A team will be restricted to scoring 7 runs per inning . Run rules are in effect.
- There shall be a player pitcher who shall be stationed within 10 feet of and behind the rubber at the time of the pitch. The catcher shall be located in the catcher’s box, no more than 8 feet behind home plate.
- All 8 year old and younger games will require roster batting.
- There will be no:
- A) Base on balls
- B) Base awards for batter hit by a pitch
- C) Infield fly
- D) Stealing
- E) Courtesy runner for the catcher anytime, mandatory with 2 outs.
- Runners may not leave the base until the pitched ball reaches home plate. A runner who leaves early will be declared out. The pitch will be called a no pitch. A team will be permitted to issue an intentional walk by notifying the umpire of the desire. A team will be limited to a maximum of three (3) intentional walks per game and only one to any individual batter.
Playoff seeding in the following order: Head-to-head, Runs Allowed, Runs Scored, Coin Flip. If three or more teams are tied after pool play, then the first tie breaker will be runs allowed.
Check-in one hour before first game. Be ready to play 30 minutes before any of your games.
OPEN BASE DIVISIONS – Major League Rules
CLOSED BASE DIVISIONS – No leadoffs. If runner leaves early, Little League rules apply. First time, runner goes back if possible. 2nd time, runner will be out.
Fast Pitch Softball - We will use USSSA Fastpitch rules unless noted exceptions below apply.
Pitching Distance -
8u / 10u - 35 Ft
12u - 40 Ft
14u - 18u - 43 Ft
Ball - Optic Yellow - 5u - 10u Will use 11" ball 12u and up will use the 12" Ball
Pregame - Teams will be allowed to warm up in the outfield area should time permit. You should have your girls ready to go prior to the game using the empty spaces between the fields. You are not guaranteed warm up time on the field prior to your game. Game time is just that. No infield practice will be allowed in the infield area before the game.
Tie breaker
Big League Dreams only - in the event of a tie during bracket play, we will use the Texas Shootout method. Last 3 batters from the previous inning will be placed on the bases with one out recorded.
Time Limits
Will be determined based on format of tournament.
NFHS Ligthning
Suspend play for at least 30 minutes and vacate the outdoor activity to the previously designated safer location immediately. b. 30-minute rule. Once play has been suspended, wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard or lighting in witnessed* prior to resuming play.
When mobile devices are available . Vacate field within 10 miles of strike . All coaches are ultimately responsible for the safety of their teams. Coaches can pull their team off the field anytime they feel it’s unsafe to play.