Travel Sports abides by NFHS Rules with the following exceptions
2015 NFHS Rule interpretations
PLAYING RULES
TS1: •PITCHING:
The number of pitches an individual pitcher pitches is regulated by the coach and parents. Since
there is no way to determine the number of pitches in an out or inning, regulating by using
those increments is futile and cannot serve a fair purpose. The safety of the players in
connection with the players pitching should be regulated by a firm pitch count going into a
game by the coaching staff. Parents should be aware of the coaches intentions with an
individual player and the number of maximum pitches the player will be allowed to throw in a
game/warm up. By exceeding that number of maximum pitches the responsible parties are
placing the importance of a game above the personal safety of the player. Pitchers must be
pulled after the coach has made 3 visits to the mound in the same game. Each subsequent trip
to the mound will result in the pitcher being changed. Changing a pitcher is not a visit.
TS2: •BATTING ORDER:
You have 4-choices for your lineup:
(1) Bat 9-straight
(2) Bat 9 with DH
(3) Bat 10/Play 9 with EH
(4) Bat the entire lineup (Continuous batting order with FREE Defensive Substitutions applies).
A team must start the game with at least 9-players but can finish a game with 8-players. THE
LINEUP IS NOT COLLAPSIBLE. If you do not have an eligible substitute to replace a player that is
injured, ejected or cannot bat for any reason, it is an AUTOMATIC OUT when that players turn
comes up in the batting order. The official lineup card must reflect the option chosen and ALL
eligible substitutes MUST BE LISTED.
TS3: •COURTESEY RUNNERS:
For the Pitcher AND Catcher ONCE they FIRST reach base! A courtesy runner will not be allowed
if a pitch has been made to the next better. The courtesy runner MUST BE A LEGAL SUB
currently NOT IN THE GAME which includes STARTERS that has been substituted for but is
eligible for re-entry. IF you are batting your entire roster, the courtesy runner MUST BE THE
LAST PLAYER NOT CURRENTLY ON BASE.
TS4: INTENTIONAL WALKS CAN BE ANNOUNCED BY THE CATCHER WITH NO PITCHES BEING
THROWN
TS5: •Reentry of starters is allowed. A pitcher may not reenter as a pitcher. Starters reentering
the game will assume the batting position of the player they are replacing.
TS6: •MERCY RULE FOR ALL AGE DIVISIONS:
20 runs after innings,15 runs after 2 innings, 10 runs after 3 innings and 8 runs after 4 innings.
Run Rule remains in effect in ALL Games, including CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!
6u-8u – Max 7 Runs per inning.
TS8: •FAKE BUNT/SWING RULE:
A Fake Bunt and then Swing in age divisions through 12-U is NOT ALLOWED! Penalty for a fake
bunt and then swing will result in an OUT! No contact with the ball is not required for an out to
be called.
TS8.1: •SWINGING AWAY AND STEALING HOME:
Swinging away and stealing home is not allowed. The batter will be called out and the 3rd base
coach will be ejected from the current game only.
TS9: •HOME TEAM DETERMINATION:
Home team is determined by flip of the coin at the home plate meeting. For Elimination games,
the home team will be the HIGHEST SEEDED TEAM or the choice is given to the team that is
undefeated in bracket play if applicable. The home team will furnish the official scorekeeper
and the visiting team will furnish the scoreboard operator.
TS10: •PROTESTS:
There will be a $100 protest fee paid in cash. The fee will be returned if the director rules in
your favor.
1.Request time from the umpire.
2.Tell the umpire that you wish to protest the rules based call OR A ROSTER ISSUE
3. Contact the director of the event.
TS12: •BAT RESTRICTIONS:
All Bats must be marked "1.15 BPF" or "BBCOR"
14u/15u For Beats By Dr. Dre cannot use a bat lighter then -5.
Use of an illegal bat will result in the batter being ejected after a single pitch has been
thrown. If the at bat results in any runners advancing, the runners must return to the base
they occupied at the start of the at bat. If the offending team is using subs, a sub cannot bat
for the ejected player. The offending batters spot in the line up will be an out for future at
bats until the game ends. All bat protest must take place prior to the next at bat pitch is
thrown.
TS13: •CONDUCT: Team coaches & managers are responsible for the conduct of parents,
players and other team spectators. Use of profanity will not be tolerated.
TS13.1: Dugouts are limited to uniformed players and coaches only.
TS14: GAME LENGTH:
6U=6 innings or 1:05
7U-8U = 6 innings or 1:10
9U-10U = 6 innings or 1:15
11U-12U = 6 innings or 1:25
13U-14/15U = 7 innings or 1:35
TS14.1: NO DROP DEAD TIME LIMIT!
No game will be played out after time limit or inning limit.
In elimination play, games have to be played out until there is a winner!
TS14.2: When time limit is up & home team is batting & home team is ahead, the game is over
regardless of score. We will NOT complete the inning.
TS14.3 •TIE BREAKERS:
Games can end in a tie in EVERY GAME except ELIMINATION GAMES! In Elimination games, IF
the game is still tied after the time limit has expired, we will go to the International Tie-breaker
being put into effect. We will load the bases and have 1 out.
TS15: •Age limit date is May 1st
TS16: •+ Use of an illegal player in a game will result in an immediate forfeit. (an illegal player is
defined by a player that is too old or is not on a roster prior to the start of an individual event)
Ruling - A batter not listed on a batting line up does not constitute an illegal player.
TS17: •+ Steel Spikes allowed ONLY in age divisions 13-U and up!
(a) 2 piece catchers mask (skull caps) will be allowed in 12u and up
TS18: •+ Each team must be sanctioned with Travel Sports Baseball for the current season.
•COACH PITCH RULES
•A base runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit or reaches home
plate. Stealing is NOT allowed.
•10-Players will play in the field with 4-outfielders. The 4th outfielder may NOT
assume an infield position. All outfielders must stay BEHIND the base line.
•The batting order shall constitute ALL players on the team roster at the beginning of
the game. Late arrivals shall be inserted as the last batter. ALL players on the roster
shall bat before returning to the top of the order.
•A MAXIMUM of 7-runs per inning or 3-outs, INCLUDING the last inning. There is NO
OPEN INNING.
•FREE substitution on defense. Batting order must remain the same.
•NO bunting!
•Infield fly rules do NOT apply.
•A batter shall receive a MAXIMUM of 6-pitches or three swinging strikes. A player
fouling the ball off on the 6th or subsequent pitches can continue their at-bat until
they take a pitch, swing and miss or hit the ball.
•Courtesy runner for the catcher ONLY! Must be the previous batter NOT on base.
•When a batted ball hits the Pitching Coach, the following rules shall apply: A) If in
the umpire’s judgment, the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to avoid
contact, the batter is declared out and no runners shall advance. The ball becomes
dead and no pitch is declared.
•The defensive player listed as pitcher cannot leave the pitching circle until the ball is
hit. If this happens, the play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team
has the option of taking the result of the play or no pitch and play over. 1st offense is
a warning and 2nd offense is removal from the pitching position.
NO "WALKING" OF BATTERS.