Check-In:
Registration will occur at the Tournament Information Table, which will be located at the snack bar, right by the giant heads (you’ll know what we mean when you see them). All teams are required to sign in and register at least 1 hour prior to their games. Teams will leave their binders with the admin volunteer for evaluation prior to each game and can pick them up after their game is complete. Any concerns with binder documents will be addressed at pickup, and the team needs to provide any corrections prior to their next game.
Mandatory documents for each Player:
1) D57 2024 Summer Tournament Affidavit page with roster, signed by Manager and League President
2) Medical Release Form
3) Concussion Form (Affidavit signature confirms completion)
4) Release Waiver (Affidavit signature confirms completion)
Mandatory documents/trainings for each coach are confirmed to be completed by the signature of the League President on your 2024 Tournament Affidavit.
Tournament Roster Requirements:
All teams will be limited to 14 active players identified at the time of sign-in. All players shall be the appropriate league age for the tournament as identified by the 2024 Little League Baseball Official Regulations and Playing Rules.
Pool players are allowed to bring a team to 10 players. They must bat last and cannot play the positions of pitcher, catcher or shortstop.
Snack Bar:
The snack bar will be open during game times. The Dublin Sports Grounds snack bar is located in the building between the playground and Field 3.
Scorekeeping:
Each team will provide a scorekeeper for their games. The home team will score the game using GameChanger. The visiting team will keep track of pitch counts with the paper pitch log. These scorekeepers will sit in the booth or designated scorebooth table near home plate.
Pre-Game Warmups:
Teams can warm up in the outfield of all fields.
There is a batting cage located by the main parking lot. Batting cages are available on a first come first-serve basis.
Due to the short gap between games and the need to prep fields for each game, teams will not be allowed infield warm-ups. We also want to keep games started on time. Official game-time will be scheduled start time unless the umpire or field prep crews cause the game to start late. The buffer for start time on each game will be at 10 minutes past scheduled time to not overlap other games.
General Playing Rules:
District 57 Summer Tournament Policy All games will support District 57 Summer Tournament Policy. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RTIfLoKm_9xWdrueKLHvS9UfFG-1opaF/view) Some key items from that:
50-pitch limit (soft limit, can finish batter)
Mandatory Play: Every player on the team roster must play six (6) defensive outs by the end of the 4th inning. No requirement for innings played in the infield.
Continuous batting will be used for all games.
12s: 5 run max per inning, except the 6th or the umpire declared last inning.
Dropped 3rd strike is in effect
Intermediates Rules:
All games will be played according to Little League Intermediate 50/70 division playing rules (lead-offs, pickoffs, balks, etc.), with minor exceptions.
In the event that you play on DSG 1, the field is set up as a 50/65 field. The same rules will apply.
In the pool play stage, balks will be enforced lightly. Each pitcher will get three warnings where a balk will be called, the umpire will call time, but no penalty will be enforced. After three warnings, balk penalties will be enforced. In the bracket stage, pitchers will only get one warning before balks are enforced with a penalty.
On-deck circle is allowed. No metal spikes allowed.
Unique Tournament Rules:
To closely mimic the Savannah Bananas baseball rules, while honoring Little League baseball, the following game rules apply:
Win the inning, get the point.
Every inning is worth one point.
The team that gets the most runs in an inning, gets a point for that inning.
2-hour time limit
No new inning after 1 hour and 45 minutes.
In the last inning of the game, every run counts as a point.
No mound visits allowed
Not from a coach, catcher or any other player at any time.
A coach that comes out to the mound to change the pitcher is allowed.
No sliding gloves are allowed. The only exception is an actual oven mitt.
On odd numbered innings (1, 3 and 5), the players will run around the diamond backwards.
After hitting the ball, players run to 3rd base, then 2nd base, then 1st base, then home to score.
If a fan catches a foul ball, it counts as an out.
Showdown Tie-breaker
Pitching Rules:
The pitching rules for the tournament will follow the 2024 Tournament Rules and Guidelines for Little League Baseball as found in the 2024 Little League Baseball Official Regulations and Playing Rules, as well as the D57 Policy Letter for tournament play. These are as follows:
No pitcher will be allowed to pitch in more than 1 game per day.
No pitcher will be allowed to pitch on 3 consecutive days.
Up to 20 pitches…….no rest required/may pitch next day
21-35 pitches………..1 day of rest required
36-50 pitches………..2 days of rest required
50 pitch max………...No hard stop, pitcher may finish batter
For all pitch limit thresholds (including the 50-pitch limit), a pitcher may finish the batter if the limit is reached before the at-bat is complete. Scorekeepers keeping the pitch count log must circle the limit pitch so that the tournament directors know what threshold was reached even if the pitcher goes over to complete the AB. No player may pitch in more than one game per day regardless of how many pitches they threw in the first game.
Catcher/Pitcher Rules:
Any player that has played the position of catcher in 4 or more innings in a game is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day.
A player that has played the position of catcher for 3 innings or less, moves to the pitcher position and delivers 21 or more pitches (starts last batter on 21st or higher pitch), may not return to the catcher position on that calendar day.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IF A PLAYER/TEAM VIOLATES THE PITCHING OR CATCHING RULES, THE MANAGER WILL BE EJECTED FROM THE GAME AND SUSPENDED FOR THE NEXT GAME. THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER PUNISHMENT ON THE PLAYER.
Format:
Pool Play
3 games guaranteed during the weekend for each team. When there are an odd number of teams in that tournament, there will be one team that only gets 2 games during the weekend. That team will be credited with a win for their third game.
The top 4 teams from each pool will advance to a weekday single elimination bracket. Teams in 5th and 6th place will play a consolation game.
Tiebreakers in pool play and overall standings are as follows:
Fewest ejections of managers and/or coaches
Highest winning percentage
Head-to head winner (if only 2 teams are tied and they played one another)
Least number of total runs allowed
Total Run Differential
Coin toss by tournament director
Assistant coach dance-off
Home/Visitor - Pool Play:
For pool play, home and visitor teams are identified on the schedule.
For bracket play, the higher seeded team is the home team and takes the 3rd base dugout.
Field Locations:
Dublin Sports Grounds Fields 1 & 2, 6700 Dublin Blvd., Dublin CA 94568
Time Limits:
No new inning shall begin after 1 hour and 45 minutes from the scheduled start time (exceptions are granted for delays caused by the umpire or field prep crews). Hard stop at 2 hours. At the hard stop time, score will revert to the last complete inning.
There is no time limit during bracket games (aka weeknight games).
Ties:
Pool play games may end in a tie.
Bracket games may not end in a tie, and thus extra innings will be played until a winner is declared. If a game is tied and darkness comes into effect, the game will be concluded the next game day 1 hour prior to the game that one of the teams will play as a result of the outcome.
Mandatory play:
Every player on the team roster must play 6 defensive outs by the 4th inning. Continuous batting will be used in each game.
Managers/Coaches:
Only the Manager, up to 2 adult coaches, and players on the roster may be in the dugout. One adult must be present in the dugout at all times.
Umpires and Parent/Coach Interactions
There will be no appeal of calls unless there is a concern with a specific rule application. Appealing judgment calls can result in an immediate ejection. An example of a rule application is if a player tags the base and the umpire calls a runner out but it is not a force play. Ball/strike, fair/foul, close out/safe calls are umpire judgment calls and are not open for discussion and will result in an immediate ejection.
Some games will be umpired by a single adult, or multiple youth umpires. All umpires are fully trained and have been umpiring throughout the spring season, if not longer.
There is a zero-tolerance policy regarding the treatment of umpires during the tournaments. If a player, coach or parent is found making negative comments (both verbal and non-verbal) toward or about an umpire, that person will be subject to ejection and will not be allowed back for the duration of the tournament. Managers are responsible for the conduct of their coaches, players, and spectators.