This tournament was created to raise money for Harvard High School seniors as they prepare to attend college. The goal is to have FUN while adults make a fool of themselves on the field for a great cause. Please leave your attitudes at home and join us for an enjoyable day supporting our girls.

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All proceeds go directly to H.E.R.S.

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Team Information

• Team registration fee: $250.00

• Teams may use any sponsor they choose

• Sponsors and uniforms are not required to participate

• Teams will be notified of their first game start time one week prior to the tournament

 

Rules

• All rules are subject to change

• Any changes may be made prior to the first game of the tournament

• If changes occur before tournament day, all main contacts will be notified

• Rules are updated annually based on prior season occurrences and recommendations

• Not every possible situation may be covered; in unforeseen circumstances, IHSA, USSSA, and USA slow-pitch rules may be referenced

• We appreciate your patience as we work to make the most accurate and appropriate decisions when these situations arise

 

Important Policies

• NO outside alcohol permitted

• NO coolers allowed in the dugouts

• Failure to comply will result in an automatic forfeit and removal from the remainder of the tournament

Beer, alcohol, and food will be available at the snack shack.
A valid ID is required to purchase alcoholic beverages.

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H.E.R.S. thanks you for your continued support and participation.

 

 

Rules of Play:

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1. 1. Double Elimination Tournament

2. 
   2. Home Team will be determined by a coin flip or clicker flip.

 

• Teams will follow Dugouts for Home/Away

• Unless the teams are playing back to back, they will remain in same dugout to avoid delays (10/15min break will be issued in the event the same two teams play back to back)

1. 
   3. H.E.R.S. will have a master score keeper.

 

• Each team can keep their own score book.

• Any discrepancies should be immediately discussed upon discovery.

1. 
   4. There will be a 1-hr time limit on games. Except for Championship Game, which will be 7 innings. (Subject to Change)

 

• 1 hr. 15min drop dead

1. 
   5. A 12” ball will be used throughout the tournament. (Provided by H.E.R.S. league)

2. 
   6. Slaughter > 20 runs after 3 innings: 15 runs after 4 inning: 10 runs after 5

3. 
   7. Batters will begin with a 0-0 Count with Unlimited fouls.

 

• Unless California rule is in effect

1. 
   8. Infield fly is not in effect.

2. 
   9. No intentional walking

3. 
   10. There will be No pick off attempts

4. 
   11. Players may be substituted freely, as long as it follows all other rules of play.

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6. 12. Anyone under the age of 18 must have commissioners’ prior approval to assist on the field

 

• If approved for team assist a helmet must be always worn while on the field.

1. 
   13. There will be at minimum one umpire behind the plate. A field umpire will be called in for Championship

2. game if one is available to assist.

Unsportsmanlike conduct:

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1. Under no circumstances will any aggressive unsportsmanlike conduct be allowed.​

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2. Players/Coaches/spectators/teams who are exhibiting inappropriate or verbal/physical aggressive behaviors will be removed and may not return for the remainder of the tournament. All occurrences will determine by commissioners only with umpire’s input if necessary.
 

Players:

1. Teams must field an equal number of females to males. Or more females to males.

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• If the catcher is a Male, pitcher to be Female or vice versa.

• Infield must be Male 1st & SS Female 2 & 3rd or vice versa

• Infield may include Male 1st & 3rd, Female 2nd & SS

• Outfield must be male, female, male, female Or male, female, female, male

• If you have more females than males, females may play anywhere, as long as males are separated.

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Pitching:

1. Home plate and extension mat are Considered a Strike.

2. The Pitching rubber is set at 43 1/2. The pitcher may back up 5 steps to pitch but must remain in the
circle from start to release.

3. Pitcher may not release ball in front of the mound – will be ruled a ball.

4. The pitching arc must be from 6” – 12”. It is the umpires degression to use judgement call on balls that
are not within 6” – 12”. If the pitch is not within the 6”-12” it will be ruled a ball.

5. If the umpire is not ready at time of pitch release it will be ruled as a no pitch.

6. Error release by pitcher

 

• In the absence of any forward motion by the pitcher prior to release, will be deemed as a no pitch.

• If the pitcher exhibits forward motion before the release, it will be classified as a ball.

 

Batting:

1. Men will be restricted to using a 28” bat or smaller. (Provided by H.E.R.S. league)

2. Females may use any size bat.

3. No two men may bat in a row. Two females may bat in a row.

 

• If the first batter in your line up is male, the last batter must be female.

• If you have two men in a row, the second to bat is an automatic out.

4. There will be a 3 over the fence home run limit per team per game.

 

• All other batted balls after 3 that clear home fence on a fly will be called out. (Runners may not advance.)

• If the ball hits a glove or any part of the fielder and goes over the fence will be a home run (4 base error) and will not count against the home run rule.

• Inside the park home runs do not count against home run rule.

• If the ball hits the fence, or black fence topper and drops out of play will be called a home run and will be considered one of the three home runs.

 

Base Running:

1. Stealing all bases are allowed.

 

• Runner may NOT proceed with steal until the ball crosses home plate.

• If the Runner is caught leaving early one team warning: after all early leaves will be ruled out.

2. Runner should attempt to slide to avoid collusion.

 

• Umpires degression if player is out.

3. Runner should use the orange base when running through first.

 

• If a runner turns left into the field from first, they are in play and may be tagged out.

• If a runner turns into foul territory back to 1st they cannot be tagged out.

• If a player is rounding 1st, they may use the white base but must avoid contact with 1st base player.

• Runner may use the white base when tagging up.

4. Courtesy Runner

 

• Play must be ruled dead, and umpire notified prior to courtesy runner entering the field.

• Pitcher/Catcher/Injured player may be substituted after at bat and ruled safe.

• Runner must be female for female or male for male. You may not have a male run for a female or vice versa.

• The runner must be the last batted out or last in the lineup if there is no player who was last out. ex: If courtesy runner is up to bat, when the play is dead, runner can be substituted with last batted out, or farthest in line up. (No limit)

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Fielding:

1. A defensive player must always use the white base at first.

2. If a defensive player is interfering with runner without a play, runner will be safe. (Under umpires’ digression)

3. A fielder may not purposely use significant force while tagging a runner out. (Umpire may call runner safe if they feel significant force was used)

4. If a batted ball bounces over or rolls under the outfield fence, the defensive player/s must put their
hands up in the air and a ground rule double will be ruled.

5. If the ball goes out of play on an overthrow, the base runner/s will be awarded one extra base.

6. If a ball is caught off the bat (foul tip), on any strike count batter is out.

 

• The ball must be at minimum over the catcher’s head to be considered an out on a caught foul tip if hit fouled directly back to the catcher. (Under umpires degression)

 

Tie Breaker:

1. No games will result in a tie

2. California Rule will take place

 

• Last batted out at 2nd (if that player is up, previous batted out)

• Female for female/ male for male

3. 2 outs, and 1-1 Count will be in effect.

4. Home Team will repeat the same process

5. Team with the most runs win after the end of the inning.

 

• Home Team will always have last bat

 

Championship:

1. Double Elimination Tournament

2. Two teams with the best records will play for the championship.

3. If one team is superior, they need not loose twice. The Championship game will be the final.

4. In the event of a tie for second place team.

 

• 1: Team V.s Team Runs scored will take second.

• 2: Overall runs scored will take second place.

• 3: Coin Flip/ Clicker Flip 7

 

If any players or teams do not abide by these rules, they will be an automatic forfeit and will not proceed to play for the remainder of the tournament.