Official baseball rules & bat restrictions, completely revised as released throughout the office of the Commissioner of Baseball and Playing Rules of Little League Baseball as published by Williamsport, PA, have been accepted as official with the exception of those listed below:

    I. Pitching

1. A player may pitch no more than nine innings Wednesday thru Monday, and no more than six innings in one day. If a pitcher pitches one pitch in a game, he/she cannot pitch in the next game (No consecutive games).  In the event of a game foreiture, the per player Wednesday thru Monday pitching maximum will be reduced by two (2) innings for ALL players on BOTH rosters.

2. Use of an ineligible pitcher will result in an automatic FORFEIT (Score to be recorded 6-0).

3. Each manager will be allowed only two trips to the mound per inning, or a total of four trips in a game for a single pitcher, at both points in time the pitcher must be removed from the pitching mound.

4. No pitcher shall be allowed to reenter as a pitcher in the same game.

5. There will be no balks

6. Curve balls are not allowed. Umpire will warn the pitcher on the first curve ball thrown and call a ball on any future curve ball thrown.

7. In the 8 year old tournament, when a pitcher hits 3 batters in a game, he/she must immediately be removed as a pitcher.

8. Players warming up pitchers must wear a mask at all times. Coaches may warm up pitchers.
   
   II. Batting 

1. Continuous batting order will be used.  The batting order may change from game to game, but ALL rostered players in attendance for a given game shall have a fixed spot in the batting order.  Any late arriving player must be added to the end of the batting order when they arrive. If during the game, a player is injured and unable to continue, his/her spot in the batting order will be skipped over without penalty.

2. Batting helmets must be worn while batting and base running.

3. No Slashing! Batter will be called out.

4. No on-deck batter.

5. A batter is out when a third strike is caught or not caught by the catcher.

6. All bats must conform to 2018 USA Baseball bat specifications.
   
   III. Base Running 

1. Runners must slide or avoid contact at all bases.

2. There are NO courtesy runners allowed.

3. Stealing of any base is allowed in all tournaments ages 9 through 12.

4. In the 8 year old tournament, runners may not steal home. Runners may score from third only if the ball is hit in play, as a result of a walk or hit by pitch with bases loaded, or as a result of a defensive error as a continuation of a play off a batted ball.  

 IV. Tournament Play

1. A team roster and birth certificates for each player must be filed with Tournament Committee prior to any team's opening game in the tournament.  No exceptions allowed.  Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of games until birth certificates presented and accepted.

2. A team roster will be set at a maximum of fifteen players and three (3) adult coaches. The player roster must remain fixed throughout the tournament based upon the roster submitted prior to each team's opening game.

3. Any representing league player who does not exceed the maximum age for a particular tournament using the current Official Age Chart for their respective league (Little League or Cal Ripken) will be eligible to compete in the tournament.

4. No Bat Boys allowed

5. The President and/or Team Official must certify (by signature) and be responsible for the eligibility of each player submitted on the team's official roster.  All players must reside within the boundaries and be eligible players within each team's geographic town area.  No regional teams, AAU teams or combined league/town teams.  Use of an ineligible player will result in team removal from further tournament play.

6. At the discretion of the Tournament Committee, any team that forfeits a game due to inability to field a team at the required time may be removed from the remainder of the tournament.

7. Teams should be present 30 minutes prior to start of scheduled game. A 15-minute delay will be allowed to field a team.  After 15 minutes, if a team still cannot field a complete eligible team, the umpire will call the game and the team unable to field a team will forfeit by a 6 - 0 score. If both teams are unable to field a team, then both teams will forfeit.

8. There will be NO INFIELD PRACTICE prior to any game. There is ample open space available for teams to warm up prior to the start of their respective game.  Batting cages are available and should be used in 15-minute intervals.  Please stick to 15-minute time frame.

9. Home team for all pool play games will be determined by a coin flip between coaches prior to the game. Home team will occupy the first base dugout.

10. Umpires will review game and ground rules prior to start of each game.

11. No minimum play rule. While each rostered player must have a fixed spot in the batting order, a free substitution rule will be used in the field.

12. A 10-run lead after four complete innings, or 3 ½ if home team, or a completed inning thereafter, will constitute a complete game.

13. All suspended games will be continued at point of umpire suspended play.

14. The Tournament Committee shall settle any protest before resuming play.

15. Bracket seeding will be determined by record and runs allowed. If there is a tie, head to head and then runs scored will be the order of determination. Bracket will be single elimination tournament play with home team being the higher seeded team.

16. Sandwich Tournament Committee may change game times and opponents at our discretion, to ensure that there are no forfeits.  The Tournament Committee also reserves the right to rule at any time on any rule not covered here, or in the Little League Rule Book.

17. Sandwich Tournament Committee has the right to refuse any team entrance into our tournaments.

18. Zero Tolerance:  SLL has and enforces a zero tolerance program for parents, fans and coaches. Any behavior by parents, coaches, or fans that is deemed by the Tournament Committee or Umpires to be unsportsmanlike can result in ejection from the game. Continued incidents will result in teams forfeiting future games and will affect your town's ability to return to SLL tournaments in future years.  The Head Coach of each team is responsible for the actions and behavior of his players, parents, and fans.

19. Reminder:  SLL's fields are located on Town of Sandwich school property.  It is illegal in Massachusetts to consume alcohol or tobacco products on school property.  Violations of this rule may result in ejection from the SLL complex, notification of law enforcement, game forfeiture or even team removal from the tournament.

20. Two Hour Time Limit:  No new inning in a preliminary round game should be started after 1 hour and 45 minutes have elapsed. Umpires will address start and completion time during game and ground rules review.  The inning in process will be complete once the home team bats. If the home team is winning, the game ends once the visitors bat. Games through Saturday are allowed to end in a tie, although extra innings are allowed if within the aforementioned time limits.  Games played on Sunday will not end in a tie.  All games must have a winner to move on in brackets.  Time limits will be enforced at Tournament Committee's discretion.