Rules

Payments, Deposits, and Refunds

Team entry fees must be paid by the deadline listed for each tournament.

A team spot is not guaranteed until the required deposit or full payment has been received.

If a team drops after the schedule has been posted, the team may still be responsible for part or all of the tournament fee.

If a tournament is changed due to weather, field conditions, city/school restrictions, or other issues outside of Pacific Coast Baseball’s control, the tournament director may adjust the schedule, game times, format, or field assignments in order to complete the event.

If teams do not receive their guaranteed number of games, refunds or credits may be issued based on the number of games played and the situation.

All refund and credit decisions are made by Pacific Coast Baseball.

General Rules

Pacific Coast Baseball will follow standard baseball rules unless otherwise noted below.

The tournament director has final authority on tournament format, schedule changes, protests, and rule interpretations.

The home team will be determined by a coin flip before each game unless otherwise listed on the official schedule.

Both teams are encouraged to keep an official scorebook or use a scorekeeping app. If a score dispute occurs, teams without a scorebook or scorekeeping record may have difficulty defending their score.

Age Requirements

For 14U-18U, a player must be eligible based on the tournament age cutoff date.

Players may play up in age division, but players may not play down.

Teams must be able to provide proof of age if requested by the tournament director.

Rosters

Each team must submit a roster before the start of its first game.

If a team is found using an illegal player, that player will be removed immediately and the team may forfeit any game in which the illegal player participated.

Players may not play for or be listed on the roster for two teams in the same division.

Teams should have copies of birth certificates or age verification documents available for all rostered players.

Field Dimensions

For 14U-18U:

Bases: 90 feet
Pitching mound: 60 feet 6 inches

Game Length

For 14U games:

Pool play and non-championship games:
No new inning after 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Championship game:
No new inning after 1 hour and 50 minutes

For 18U games:

Pool play and non-championship games:

No new inning after 2 hours

Championship game:

No new inning after 2 hours

There is no drop-dead time. Any inning that starts will be played to completion unless a winner has already been determined.

14U/18U games are a maximum of 7 innings.

No extra innings will be played in pool play. If the game is tied after time expires or after 7 innings, the game will end in a tie.

In playoff or championship games, a winner must be determined. If the game is tied after time expires or after 7 innings, the California tie-breaker will be used.

California Tie-Breaker

If a playoff or championship game is tied, the next inning will begin with a runner on second base.

The runner will be the last batted out from the previous inning.

This process will continue each inning until a winner is determined.

Lineup Rules

Teams may bat:

9 players
10 players with an extra hitter
The entire roster

Any player in the batting lineup is considered in the game and may be inserted or removed from any defensive position.

If a player is removed from the batting lineup for a substitute, that player may re-enter later only in the same spot in the batting order.

If a team bats the entire roster and a player is removed due to injury, there is no automatic out when that spot comes up. However, the injured player may not return to the game.

If a spot becomes empty due to an ejection and there is no legal substitute, an out will be recorded each time that spot comes up.

A team may play with fewer than nine players, but outs will be recorded for missing lineup spots up to nine players.

Pitching Rules

There are no specific pitching restrictions.

Coaches are expected to use good judgment and protect their players’ arms.

A pitcher may not be removed from the mound and return to pitch in the same game.

A player is considered to have entered as a pitcher once they throw one warm-up pitch from the mound.

For 14U-18U, balk rules will be strictly enforced.

A fake-to-third move by a pitcher who does not first step off the rubber is not a balk.

Bat Rules

For 14U/18U , only the following bats are allowed:

BBCOR bats
Wood bats

Illegal bat penalty: the batter is out once the batter steps into the box with an illegal bat.

If the batter is allowed to hit before the illegal bat is brought to the umpire’s attention, the result of the play will stand.

Courtesy Runners

Courtesy runners are allowed for:

The pitcher currently in the game
The catcher for the next inning

A courtesy runner is mandatory for the next inning’s catcher with two outs.

If the team is batting the entire roster, the courtesy runner must be the last recorded out.

Intentional Walks

No pitches need to be thrown for an intentional walk.

The manager may notify the umpire at any point during the at-bat.

Slide or Avoid Rule

Base runners must slide or avoid contact when there is a play being made.

If a runner does not slide or avoid contact, the runner may be called out.

Malicious contact may result in ejection and possible suspension for the next game.

Mound Visits

Each pitcher is allowed two mound visits per game without removal.

On the third visit to the same pitcher, the pitcher must be removed from the mound.

Pace of Play

There will be 90 seconds between half innings.

Teams are expected to hustle on and off the field.

Repeated delay may result in penalties, including balls or strikes being issued at the umpire’s discretion.

Stalling is not allowed. If the umpire believes a team is intentionally delaying the game, the umpire may take action to keep the game moving.

Metal Spikes

Metal spikes are allowed for 14U/18U.

If a portable mound is being used, metal spikes may not be allowed while pitching, depending on field rules.

Mercy Rule

The mercy rule applies to all games, including championship games.

12 runs after 3 innings
10 runs after 4 innings
8 runs after 5 innings

Tie-Breaking Procedure

Tournament seeding ties will be broken in this order:

Head-to-head record among tied teams
Run differential for all games, max of 8 per game
Runs allowed for all games
Coin flip

For three-team ties, once one team is selected, the remaining tied teams return to the first tiebreaker.

Protests

Protests are only allowed for rule interpretations.

Judgment calls cannot be protested.

A protest fee of $100 is due at the time of protest.

The tournament director will resolve protests immediately.

If the protest is successful, the $100 protest fee will be returned.

Tournament Director Authority

The tournament director may adjust schedules, game times, field assignments, game lengths, or tournament format due to weather, field conditions, delays, or other issues outside of Pacific Coast Baseball’s control.

Teams will be updated as soon as possible if changes are made.

Baseballs

2 Game baseballs will be provided by Pacific Coast Baseball

Teams are expected to help return foul balls when possible.