7th Annual Utah Braves Invitational Baseball Tournament 2026 Rules:

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Drop dead rules:

Games will be played with no new inning starting after 1 hour and 40 minutes. Drop dead time is  1 hour and 50 minutes. If drop dead time is reached, score will be taken from the last completed inning. 

Age Divisions: 

● Age divisions will be determined by your age on April 30, 2026. 

Player Eligibility: 

● No player may play with more than one team in the tournament. 

● Players participating in a lower or upper age division must be on the team’s final roster 

submitted before the tournament starts. 

● Mandatory: Each player must have a signed waiver submitted to Utah Braves officials 

prior to tournament play. Failure to comply may result in ineligibility. 

● Head coaches are responsible for ensuring all waivers are completed and turned in. 

● Player must play in all pool play games to be eligible for tournament play (unless injured and approved by director)

Tournament Rules & Regulations

The tournament will be governed by Official MLB Rules, with the following exceptions: 

1. Home and Visitor Determination: Game Changer determines home and visitor in pool play. 

2. Bracket play: Higher seed has the option for home or visitor. 

3. Championship games: Higher seed is the home team 

Game Length: 

1. 6 innings or 1 hour, 40 minutes (no new inning after time expires). 

2. Championship game: 6 innings with a 1:50 limit. (playoffs are still 1:40) 

3. Championship games tied after 6 innings use the International TieBreaker 

Rule. 

4. Pool play games can end in a tie if time expires. 

Run Rules: 

15 runs after 3 innings. 

12 runs after 4 innings. 

 9 runs after 5 innings. 

Complete Game Definition: 

4 innings or 1 hour constitutes a complete game if delayed or canceled due to 

weather. 

Refund Policy: 

No refunds within 3 days of tournament start (April 14, 2025). 

 Weather-related refunds: 

■ 60% refund if no games played. 

■ 40% refund if 1 game is completed. 

■ No refund if 2 or more games are completed. 

Special Rules for 9U Divisions: 

1. Max 8 runs per half-inning, except on over-the-fence home runs. 

2. Final inning: Trailing teams can score unlimited runs; tied games allow unlimited 

scoring. 

3. No lead-offs; base runners may advance only after the ball crosses home plate. 

4. Dropped 3rd strike rule does not apply. 

10U-14U Divisions: 

1. Lead-offs are allowed. 

2. Dropped 3rd strike rule applies. 

3. Balks are called but warning given for pool play, in tournament balks will be called and enforced. 

Pitching Rules: 

1. Fake pick-off moves to 3rd base are allowed. 

2. Re-entry: Starting pitchers may re-enter once. 

Pitch count limits: 

■ 8U-9U: 60 pitches/day. 

■ 10U-14U: 80 pitches/day. 

■ 100 pitches max for the tournament. 

■ If 51+ pitches are thrown in one day, 36-hour rest is required. 

 Failure to comply may result in pitcher removal and possible coach ejection. 

 Each team must track pitching stats on GameChanger (Home team is final book) 

Batting Rules: 

1. Re-entry: Starters may re-enter once, in the same spot in the lineup. 

2. Minimum batting lineup: 9 players. 

3. Unlimited defensive substitutions. 

Bat restrictions: 

■ 9U-12U: USA Baseball or USSSA stamped BPF 1.15. 

■ 13U: Max drop -5. 

■ 14U: BBCOR only. 

■ Disallowed bats per USSSA list are not permitted. 

Equipment Rules: 

1. No metal cleats (except 13/14U in the field). No metal cleats on portable 

mounds. 

2. Catchers must wear full protective gear. 

Game Management: 

1. Home team is the official scorer on game changer through Braves Tournament 

2. Umpire is the official timekeeper. 

3. No infield warm ups before games. 

4. Each team must clean their dugout after games. 

5. Only 2 coaches are allowed outside the dugout. 

Sportsmanship & Conduct: 

1. No protests on judgment calls. 

2. Slide Rule at home plate: Runners must slide if play is possible (umpire judgement); malicious contact results in ejection. 

3. Double play protection: Runners must slide or peel away from the baseline. 

4. No hurdling over fielders unless they are lying flat on the ground. 

5. No defensive huddles between innings. 

6. Disrespectful behavior (players, coaches, parents) may result in disqualification. 

Intentional Walk Rule: 

1. Coaches notify the umpire; no pitches need to be thrown. 

Tie Breaker Rules for Advancement & Seeding: 

1. Win/Loss record. 

2. Run differential (max +7 or -7 per game). 

3. Head-to-head record. 

4. Fewest runs allowed. 

5. Fewest runs allowed vs. common opponents. 

Speed ups: 

● For catcher and pitcher 

Defensive Substitutions:

Unlimited Defensive substitutions- Pitchers are exempt from this 

Awards: 

● 1st & 2nd Place teams in each division (gold and silver) receive individual awards.

Any exceptions to these rules must be approved by Utah Braves officials before tournament play begins.