RULES

2025 JOHN COBB INVITATIONAL RULES 

(Home teams report scores to Nick Marchesani, 609-410-2115)

 

CHECK-IN 

• There is no formal tournament check in location. Please use the schedule to determine the time and location of your first game.

• Please keep a copy of team roster and insurance certificate with you at all times.

• All communications for the tournament will come from Tourney Machine. For more tournament information, please visit: www.JohnCobbInvitational.com. 

 

GAME LOCATIONS 

• All games will be played at, or near, the Hartford Crossings complex on Church Road across from Lenape High School.

• Some games will be played at the Hartford Softball Complex (on Hartford Road) around the corner from the Main Complex. 

 

ROSTERS/FORFEITS/SCORE REPORTING/HOME TEAM 

• The player’s age bracket is determined by player’s age as of April 30.

• A player may NOT appear on more than one roster within a single age group.

• If a team does not have 9 players to start the game, then the game will be considered a forfeit.

• If, for any reason, the lineup subsequently drops below 9 players (i.e., injury, etc.), an out will be assessed the first time that player is scheduled to hit. Once that player’s turn is skipped in the batting order, he may not return to the game.

• If a team forfeits for any reason the winning team will earn a 6-0 victory.

• Both teams are required to submit final scores to the age group point person immediately following each game. All coaches will have a contact person for their age group/bracket.

• The Home team will be decided by a coin flip one-half hour prior to the game in the seeding round.  There is no coin flip after teams are seeded. The higher seed chooses if it’s Home or Away. 

 

BASEBALLS 

• Two baseballs will be provided by Medford Baseball to the umpire prior to the start of the game. 

• Coaches are responsible to ensure foul balls and home runs are returned. 

• Coaches can give any home run ball(s) to their player after the game. 

• Please return extra balls to the umpire or a representative of Medford Baseball at the
  conclusion of ALL games. 

 

BAT RESTRICTIONS 

• 7u-10u: All bats must be USA approved. 

• 11u-12u: All bats must be USA or USSSA approved. 

• Any player may use a wood bat. 

• Anyone using an illegal bat will be recorded as an out. A second bat altercation during the tournament will result in a team forfeit. 

 

BATTING ORDER 

• A continuous lineup will be used consisting of every player on that game’s roster and present at the game.

• If, for any reason, the lineup subsequently drops below 9 players (i.e., injury, etc.), an out will be assessed the first time that player is scheduled to hit. Once that player’s turn is skipped in the batting order, he may not return to the game. 

​

COURTESY RUNNERS
• A courtesy runner MUST run for the catcher with two outs and MAY be used for the catcher with less than two outs. The courtesy runner will be the player that made the last batted out. 

 

PITCHING RESTRICTIONS 

• 8-9u pitchers may pitch in no more than 2 consecutive innings per game or 4 innings per day. 

• 10-12u pitchers may pitch in no more than 3 consecutive innings per game or 6 innings per day.

• One pitch to a batter in an inning is considered an inning pitched.

• On the second trip to the mound in the same inning, the pitcher must be removed. 

• Once a pitcher is removed, the pitcher cannot return as pitcher in that game. 

• 11-12u, one balk warning per pitcher will be issued, not per pitcher per inning.

• If an illegal pitcher is used, the game will be forfeited. 

• It is strongly recommended that pitchers follow Cal Ripken pitch count guidelines
  found here https://www.baberuthleague.org/media/299460/Pitch%20Count%20Sheet%20CR.pdf

 

TIME LIMITS AND INNINGS 

• 7-12u games are designed to go 6 innings.

• 7u: No new inning may begin after 1 hour and 30 minutes.

• 8-12u: No new inning may begin after 1 hour and 40 minutes.

• The drop-dead time for all games is 2 hours and 5 minutes (time kept by the umpire).

• Game is official if losing team has batted four times.

• If the drop-dead time is reached, and the home team is behind, the game ends with the last completed inning as the final score.

• No time limits for the championship game in each age brackets.

 

MERCY RULES 

• 15 runs after 3 complete innings (2.5 innings if Home team is winning) 

• 10 runs after 4 complete innings (3.5 innings if Home team is winning) 

• 8 runs after 5 complete innings (4.5 innings if Home team is winning)

 

INTENTIONAL DELAY 

• Any attempt to delay a game by the coach or players may result in a forfeit. It is at the discretion of the Umpire to make the determination. Examples of intentional delays include but are not limited to: excessive pickoff attempts, switching multiple pitchers or catchers in a given inning, delaying time between innings. If the umpire deems delay of game is intentional, he should provide one warning before calling the game a forfeit. 

 

PROTESTS 

• There will be NO formal protests permitted. All decisions will be determined on the field by the umpire.

 

TIE BREAKERS* 

1. Overall record (winning percentage)
2. Head-to-Head (unless there is a 3 team or more tie for first place based on winning percentage – if that is the case then least runs allowed becomes the second tiebreaker in those situations)
3. Least runs allowed
4. Total net run differential
5. Coin flip
*Depending on the number of teams in a division it is possible for some teams to play 4 games in the seeding round. Teams that play a fourth game in the seeding round will NOT have the outcome count towards their winning percentage. Only the first three games will count. A tie counts as 1⁄2 of a win. 

 

CONDUCT 

• No manager or coach may come on the playing field once the game has begun until he has requested time and permission is granted by the umpire.

• Any coach or player ejected from the game will NOT be allowed to coach/play in the next game and must relocate themselves to the outfield away from the game and remove all involvement. No further interference will be tolerated. If the same coach or player is ejected a second time, then they will NOT be permitted to participate in the tournament and must leave the premises. 

• Any parent ejected from the game then they must vacate the premises for the rest of the tournament.

• Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result in a team forfeit.

• While we do not anticipate any issues, the police will be called for continued misconduct, threats or excessive behavior that takes place on the premises. 

 

PLAYING RULES (8-12U) 

• 8-10U: 46/60 feet

• 11-12U: 50/70 feet

• Play shall be in accordance with Cal Ripken rules with the following changes:

• • 7-10U: 5 run limit per 1⁄2 inning. Unlimited scoring in last inning as declared by umpire. 

  • 7-10U: No dropped third strike or infield fly. 

  • 7-8U: Runners may NOT advance home on wild pitch/passed ball. Runners may only score from third on a batted ball or bases loaded walk.

​

PLAYING RULES (7U) 

 

BATTING 

• The Coach pitcher must pitch from a standing position. 

• The Coach pitcher must NOT assist the batter or base runners in any way (stay
  silent).  A second warning from the umpire will result in the removal of the Coach pitcher. 

• An out will be recorded if a player strikes out (3 swinging strikes) or 7 pitches are thrown.  Note:  This is a new rule to increase the number of pitches from 5 to 7 with no pitches being ruled as “unhittable”.

• If the last pitch (7th) is hit foul, the at bat will continue until the player strikes out or puts the ball in play.

• A hit batter is not awarded first base but will continue to bat. The pitch will not count unless the batter swings at the pitch. 

• There is no stealing or advancing on wild pitches and passed balls. Runners must remain on the base until the ball is hit. 

• If a ball hits the Coach pitcher (unintentionally), it is in play. If the umpire, in his sole discretion, believes the Coach pitcher did not make an adequate attempt to avoid interfering with a play, he may call the play dead and the batter/player out, with no advancement of baserunners.

​

BASE RUNNING 

• Stealing/leading is not permitted. Runners leaving early will be sent back, and the
  pitch or hit will not count. A second violation from the team will result in an out. 

• Runners must slide or veer into 2nd, 3rd or home if a play is imminent. Failure to do so will result in, at the umpire's discretion, an out call and/or ejection from the game.

• There is no sliding into first base. The batter is called out in this instance. 

• There will be midway marks between the bases. If a runner has passed the mark
  when time is called, he will be awarded the base he is approaching. If a runner has
  not reached the mark when time is called, he must return to the previous base. 

• All baserunners are at their own risk. If a baserunner is not past the hash mark and is
  thrown out at the illegal base, the runner is out. If the runner is safe, then he must return to the base that the runner left when the umpire called time.

 

FIELDING/DEFENSIVE POSITIONING 

• Each team is to have a player positioned as “pitcher” lined 6’ behind the Coach pitcher and within 6’ to the left or right of the Coach pitcher. 

• Infielders may not start more than five feet in the front of the base paths and outfielders must start ten feet in the grass until the ball is hit. 

• Once the ball is controlled by an infielder in the field of play, the play will be declared dead. (The field of play is defined as in the infield in fair or foul territory).  

• An outfielder must throw the ball to the infield, and they are not allowed to run the ball to the infield. 

• An infield position player must have control of the ball in the infield dirt to stop play.

• On an overthrow at first, the runner at first cannot advance. Runners on any other
  base can attempt to advance one base. 

• On an overthrow to any other base, the runner can try to advance one base. 

• On a hit, runners can advance extra bases until the ball is possessed by an infielder
  within the infield. Players advance at their own risk and the “midway mark” still
  applies. 

• There will be 10 players on the field, four of which must be outfielders.

 

PARKING 

• Parking at the complex is at your own risk! 

• The Medford Renegades baseball program will not be held liable for any balls that leave the field of play and cause damage to vehicles or people. 

 

REFUND POLICY 

• Any team that cancels its registration less than 30 days prior to the first game will forfeit its entry fee.

• If no games have been played and the tournament is canceled due to weather/field conditions and cannot be rescheduled – teams will receive a refund of its entry fee minus $100 admin fee. 

• After the tournament has started, any team that has completed at least ONE (1) game is not entitled to any refund of its entry fee.

• Medford Baseball reserves the right to change the tournament format based on weather or other conditions. There will be no refund of entry fees due to changes in the tournament format.