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2023 Official Tournament Rules

2023 S.W.O.W. Game Play

  1. Sportsmanship will be the only tolerated behavior for this charitable event.

  2. No profanity or alcohol – may result in ejection.

  3. Any damage to S.W.O.W. property or facility property will be at the sole responsibility of the individual or team.

  4. Do not remove any field materials from designated fields (bats, balls, etc.). This allows us to stay on time for every game.

    FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE RULES MAY RESULT IN EJECTION. 
     

POOL PLAY GAMES

  1. (3) Pool play games to get prepared for the double elimination tournament

  2. Wins/Losses of these pool games does not impact seeding; scores do not need to be reported
     

DOUBLE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT

  1. UMPIRES NOT PROVIDED- you can have an umpire if someone volunteers to do so

    1. IF AN UMPIRE IS PRESENT, SEE PITCHING RULES BELOW 

    2. UMPIRES ROLE IS TO DETERMINE CLOSE PLAYS

    3. One guardian from each youth team must umpire each youth game

  2. Tournament placement will be determined by random drawing following Pool Play Games.

  3. Tournament scores must be turned into the Tournament Director immediately after game completion by the Team Captain. Failure to do may result in automatic loss for both teams. 
     

GAME RULES

  1. 6 players minimum per team – 1 pitcher, 1 catcher, 4 fielders

  2. Team can bat 6 minimum or more players- must keep batting order

  3. Regulation game is 5 innings or 30 minutes, whichever expires first

  4. Run rule is any team ahead by 10 runs after 4 complete innings

  5. No metal cleats, No sliding, No stealing bases

  6. 1 base advance for all runners when overthrow goes onto another field of play

  7. Infield fly rule always in effect – NO tagging up to advance

  8. Can’t throw the ball at runners, all plays are baseball style

  9. Anything catchable can be caught for an out, including foul tips of any height

  10. Only when pitcher has the ball can time be called to prevent runners from advancing

  11. ORANGE BASE RULE: This year there will be two bases at first base, one white and one orange. Runners need to run to the orange base and fielders need to use the white base for plays at first. We are trying to avoid collisions.

  12. Double Elimination Tie Breaker: Last batter out from the visiting team’s previous inning will be put on second base at the start of the 6th inning. Same rule applies to home team at their at bat. After 6 innings if score is tied, winner will be determined by a coin flip.

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PITCHING

  1. OPTIONAL STRIKE PLATE

    1. A strike plate will be painted behind home plate. Both teams must agree to implement painted strike plate rule. If no agreement, then no strike plate. ​

  2. Underhand pitching only – no overhand or sidearm

    1. Excessive speed, height, or faking may result in the tournament director warning the pitcher to pitch according to these rules or the result will be disqualifying the pitcher or, if necessary, the entire team. 

    2. Arch 3 – 10 feet from release point of pitch.

  3. No called strikes or balls

    1. Strikes are only recorded by “swing and miss” or “foul balls”

    2. If a batter commits to swing at a pitch, he/she must abide by the result of the play

    3. NO WALKS

HITTING 

  1. MUST use S.W.O.W. bats, with official SWOW Supplied LOGO, bats are pre-taped   

  2. Batter MUST swing with both hands on the bat

  3. No bunting, or chopping swings. Must take a full swing

  4. Homeruns must clear the fence, scoreboard, or Green Monster Wall

  5. SWING AND MISS or FOUL BALL on 3rd strike is an out.

 

PLAYS AT THE PLATE  

  1. NO TAG NEEDED AT HOME

  1. There will be hash marks on the field half way between 3rd base and home plate. If a runner passes the hash mark, he/she must commit to running home.

  2. For a runner to be out at the plate, the catcher must have possession of the ball with one or two feet on the plate before the runner reaches Home Plate.

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Any questions/disputes may be directed to the Tournament Director – Gary Ledford ONLY.

If there are disputes during a game please find the tournament director at that time because once the game is over, pitching or other rules issues, cannot be addressed properly. Thank you. 

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