FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

TOURNEY RULES (13u-18u)

Tournament Format (13U-18U):

  • 15U-18U Teams are subject to 7-inning games or 2:00 hour time rule. No new inning begins after 2:00 hour time limit has elapsed. 13U-14U Teams are subject to 7-inning games or 1:45 hour time rule. No new inning begins after 1:45 hour time limit has elapsed.
  • The Championship rounds are subject to a time rule. The Championship Game is NOT subject to a time rule.
  • Run Rules: 15 runs/3 innings, 10 runs/4 innings, and 8 runs/ 5 innings.
  • Championship rounds are subject to our normal run rules. The Championship Game is subject to a 10 run/5 inning rule only.
  • NFHS Rules apply in all situations unless specifically noted differently.
  • Pool play games can end in a tie.
  • Bat restrictions: All tournaments will use metal bats unless specifically listed as a wood bat tournament.
    • 13U: All bats must have either the BPF 1.15 or BBCOR designation displayed on the bat. Designated bats with a -8 differential (length to weight) maximum.
    • 14U: All bats must have either the BPF 1.15 or BBCOR designation displayed on the bat. Designated bats with a -5 differential (length to weight) maximum.
    • 15U-18U: BBCOR designated bats with a -3 differential (length to weight) only. Wood bats must also be a -3 differential. Composite wood bats are permitted.

Team Advancement:

  • All pool winners advance to the championship round. All remaining spots are determined by our tiebreakers listed below and filled based on the remaining spots available in the championship rounds.
  • Second place teams are always taken ahead of 3rd place teams for wild cards.
  • Tiebreakers:
    • Pool Play record
    • If two teams are tied: Head-to-Head
    • If more than two teams are tied: If one team has defeated all of the other teams, that team advances. If they all haven’t played one another, move on to next tiebreaker.
    • Runs allowed
    • Runs scored
    • Runs allowed in losses
    • Runs scored in losses
    • Coin flip
  • In Championship and Consolation play, the higher seed is always the home team until the Championship or Consolation Final. Then a coin flip determines home team in the Final.

Pre-Game:

  • Teams should be ready to play at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled game.
  • Any game that finishes early will result in an early start for all remaining games that follow it.
  • There is no infield practice allowed prior to the start of any game.
  • Teams are permitted to take ground balls and/or flyballs in the outfield prior to the start of their game.
  • Coaches should meet immediately upon entering field for coin flip to determine home and visiting teams.
  • Any Pre-Game rule that is not followed could result in a forfeit at the Tournament Director’s discretion.
  • Other facility rules may apply and will be communicated by a host site or coach.

Age Restrictions:

  • All ages are based on grad year and a May 1st date of birth. EX. During the 2021 summer, all 2021 grad year players are 18U eligible, 2022 grad year players are 17U eligible, and so on. For 18U eligibility, a player would turn 19 years of age on or after May 1st of that year.

Forfeits:

  • If a team forfeits a game, they are not eligible for the championship round. The final score of the forfeited game will be 7-0 (as in giving up 1 run per inning).

Game Rules:

  • Any game rules not specifically listed will always revert to NFHS rules
  • Courtesy Runner: A courtesy runner is allowed for pitchers and catchers. This is required for catchers with 2 outs. The courtesy runner must be a player that is not already in the game or the player who made the last out (only if there is no other available players on you roster).
  • DH & EH: Teams are allowed to use both a DH and an EH. If a DH enters the game defensively, the DH is eliminated for the rest of the game. The EH may be used in defensive substitutions but must remain in their position in the batting order. The player replaced in the field then becomes the EH.
  • Pitching Restrictions: Coaches are responsible for the health of their player’s arms. Please use common sense.
  • A team may start at game with 8 players, no less.
  • In Game Tie Breakers: Any game that enters into the 9th inning will go into hurry up mode. The last batted out of the previous inning will start at 2nd base with no outs. This continues until a winner has been determined or any applicable time limit has elapsed. In pool play, the game will result in a tie. In Championship Play, we continue until a winner is determined.
  • Other than what is stated above, all tournament games abide by the NFHS rules.
  • No jewelry is allowed to be worn during the event.

Inclement Weather:

  • In the case of inclement weather, field availability is determined by the host site.
  • If a game is stopped, the game must start within 1 hour of the stoppage of play. If the game is not resumed after 1 hour, it will become suspended or called official.
  • Games complete after 5 innings (4 ½ if home team is winning) for a 7-inning game.
  • In the event of a rain out, that game is either pushed back or cancelled. The teams that are scheduled to play the following game should be ready to play at their scheduled time. Our tournament staff will do everything possible to keep games on schedule and get all teams as many games as the weather permits.
  • We attempt to maintain the originally planned schedule at all costs but do reserve the right to change the schedule if needed to reach the minimum required games for each team.
  • If all games cannot be played within a pool, seeding is then determined by the lowest number of games played by a team. Any additional games by any team in that pool will not count toward pool standings or tie breaker standings, except in the case that additional game(s) result in a tie record for a tourney seed. The additional game(s) will then be counted for all teams that have played, and head-to-head and tie-breaker rules will be implemented.

General Tournament/Refund Policies:

  • All teams MUST carry insurance.
  • If the entire tournament is cancelled with zero games played due to weather all teams will receive a full credit for a future event to take place within a full calendar year from the cancelled event.
  • If an event is cancelled by Crossroads Baseball Series for any other reason than weather, all teams will receive a 100% refund of their tournament fees.
  • Should just one game be played once the event is cancelled due to weather, a credit of 50% will be issue for a future event within a calendar year from the cancelled event. Once a team’s second game has begun, there will be no refunds.
  • There will be no refunds 60 days prior to tournament start date. Teams that withdraw from the tournament 60 days prior will receive a 100% refund. Teams that withdraw after the 60-day grace period will not be entitled to a refund unless that team’s spot can be replaced by another team.
  • Rosters: To make sure all college and pro scouts in attendance get your players’ profiles, please have your players fill out the online player profile forms. Rosters are mandatory to play in all Crossroads Events.
  • Appeals: Judgment calls are not subject to appeals. All other appeals will call for $200 to the tournament director. If the appeal goes in your favor, the $200 fee will be refunded.
  • Ejections: Any player, coach, or fan that has been ejected from a game will be asked to leave the complex before the game can resume. All ejections call for a 2nd game suspension and possible tournament suspension at the Tournament Director’s discretion. Any ejection that is deemed violent or of violent intent will result in a full tournament ejection.
  • Code of conduct: We do not tolerate the throwing of equipment or use of foul language. Please police your own players so that our officials or our tournament staff does not need to get involved.
  • All “discussions” with our officials MUST be done in a professional manner on the field by an official member of the coaching staff only. Any player, parent, or coach that follows or approaches an official outside the field of play will have their team disqualified from our event. No exceptions.

**Tourney Rules subject to change.



TOURNEY RULES (8u-12u)

Tournament Game Play Rules (8u-12u):

Official playing rules will follow National Federation Rules with the exceptions being contained in the rules below.

Age Restrictions:

  • All ages are based on grad year and a May 1st date of birth. EX. During the 2021 summer, all 2027 grad year players are 12U eligible, 2028 grad year players are 11U eligible, and so on. For 12U eligibility, a player would turn 13 years of age on or after May 1st of that year.

Pre-Game:

  • Teams should be ready to play at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled game.
  • Any game that finishes early will result in an early start for all remaining games that follow it.
  • There is no infield practice allowed prior to the start of any game.
  • Teams are permitted to take ground balls and/or flyballs in the outfield prior to the start of their game.
  • Coaches should meet immediately upon entering field for coin flip to determine home and visiting teams.
  • Any Pre-Game rule that is not followed could result in a forfeit at the Tournament Director’s discretion.
  • Other facility rules may apply and will be communicated by a host site or coach.

Recommendation for Pitchers:

It is recommended that a player does not pitch and catch during the same game. It is recommended that a player does not pitch in more than one game per day. Coaches are responsible for the health of their player’s arms. Please use common sense.

Time Limits:

All pool play games will flip for home team. If bracket game, the high seed will be home. Only exception would be if a team wins an undefeated game and is the lower seed. That team will be home team if they continue to the championship game undefeated. In the event of an undefeated game, home team will be determined via coin toss.

  • 9u/10u - 6 Innings or 1 Hr/45 Min

  • 11u/12u - 6 Innings or 1 Hr/45 Min

Mercy Rules:

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

The home team will not bat once the run rule has been acquired, if ahead.

International Tie Breaker:

Games in pool play that are tied after time limit has expired shall be recorded as a tie. If a bracket game is tied after time has expired, the following format will be used to determine a winner. Last 3 hitters (who completed his at bat) from previous inning load the bases as follows:

  • Last hitter from previous inning at 1B
  • Hitter before that at 2B
  • Hitter before that at 3B
  • Normal substitution rules apply to these runners.
  • Inning will start with 1 out
  • Process is repeated until winner is determined

Official Game:

A (6) inning game (9U-12U) affected by but not limited to the weather, run rule, light failure, darkness (on fields without lights) or time limits, shall be considered a complete game after three (3) complete innings or two and a half (2 ½) if the home team is ahead. A game which is stopped after the 3rd inning, but not in a complete inning, reverts to the last completed inning.

In Case of Rain:

All rain out games may not be made up depending on time constraints. In case of scheduling changes, it is the team’s responsibility, not the tournament committee, to make sure they are aware of the new schedule or any scheduling changes. This information will be posted on the tournament web site when it becomes available. Note: No special requests will be honored if rescheduling becomes necessary. All coaches should make sure the tournament committee has current contact info. If games are cancelled, pool winners and championship qualification will be determined by the tie breaking procedures (listed below).

Stop in Play:

If a game is stopped, the game must start within 1 hour of the stop in play. If games are not resumed, they will become suspended or called official. Games called by umpires that cannot be resumed within 1 hour will be considered an official game (if the “official game” innings have been completed). If the “official game” score is tied, a tie score will be recorded a tie in pool play. The tournament director can extend the 1 hour if there are extenuating circumstances, i.e. lightning detector, working on fields, etc. A suspended game will resume where the game was halted. In the event play is stopped for any reason before or during the Championship round, first place, second place, third place, etc. will be awarded based on Seeding and Tie Breaker Rules (listed below).

Seeding and Tie Breaker Rules:

  • Pool play overall record (winning percentage)
  • If two teams are tied – Head-to-Head winner
  • If three teams are tied – If one team has defeated both other teams, that team advances. If not go to #4.
  • Total runs allowed in pool play.
  • If still tied – Total runs scored in pool play
  • If still tied – Total runs allowed minus game with most runs allowed in pool play
  • If still tied – Total runs allowed minus two games with most runs allowed in pool play
  • If still tied – Runs scored inning by inning starting with first game until one team has more runs after a complete inning starting with pool games
  • Second place teams are always taken ahead of 3rd place teams for wild cards, 3rd place ahead of 4th place, etc.

Force Play Slide Rule at 2nd, 3rd or Home:

Runner must slide directly into bag. All players are required to avoid violent contact with another player while running the bases. Players running to a base must slide directly into the base. If, in the opinion of the umpire, the runner does not make an effort to avoid collision, he is to be declared out. If the act is deemed by the umpire to be malicious, the runner will be ejected from the game. NOTE: Force Play Slide Rule is in effect for all AGES.

Allowed Courtesy Runner for the Catcher and Pitcher:

  • Must be sub player if team is not batting everyone
  • Last made out.
  • If last made out is the pitcher or catcher, player must run (no sub)

Lineup Options:

Team can bat 9, 10, or everyone. If you are batting a continuous lineup (All Players) and a player cannot continue in a game, he will be declared an out when his turn in the batting order is scheduled to bat. A team may start with 8 players but must take an out for the 9th player. If a team cannot start or finish with at least 8 players, the game will be forfeited.

Intentional Walks:

Pitches do NOT need to be made.

Re-Entry:

Starters may re-enter the game one time, however they must re-enter in the same place in the batting order. Substitutes may not re-enter the game. Pitchers may not re-enter as the pitcher once removed from the mound.

Feet on the Rubber:

In the Windup Position, a pitcher is permitted to have his “free” foot on the rubber, in front of the rubber, behind the rubber or off the side of the rubber.

Balk Calls:

When a balk is called it is a dead ball. Fake 3rd to 1st is LEGAL.

Slashing:

Slashing (Fake bunt/swing away) attempts is not allowed. Batter will be called OUT.

General Tournament/Refund Policies:

  • All teams MUST carry insurance.
  • If the entire tournament is cancelled with zero games played due to weather all teams will receive a full credit for a future event to take place within a full calendar year from the cancelled event.
  • If an event is cancelled by Crossroads Baseball Series for any other reason than weather, all teams will receive a 100% refund of their tournament fees.
  • Should just one game be played once the event is cancelled due to weather, a credit of 50% will be issue for a future event within a calendar year from the cancelled event. Once a team’s second game has begun, there will be no refunds.
  • There will be no refunds 60 days prior to tournament start date. Teams that withdraw from the tournament 60 days prior will receive a 100% refund. Teams that withdraw after the 60-day grace period will not be entitled to a refund unless that team’s spot can be replaced by another team.
  • Ejections: Any player, coach, or fan that has been ejected from a game will be asked to leave the complex before the game can resume. All ejections call for a 2nd game suspension and possible tournament suspension at the Tournament Director’s discretion. Any ejection that is deemed violent or of violent intent will result in a full tournament ejection.
  • Code of conduct: We do not tolerate the throwing of equipment or use of foul language. Please police your own players so that our officials or our tournament staff does not need to get involved.
  • All “discussions” with our officials MUST be done in a professional manner on the field by an official member of the coaching staff only. Any player, parent, or coach that follows or approaches an official outside the field of play will have their team disqualified from our event. No exceptions.

**Tourney Rules subject to change.