New Era Tournament

Tournament Rules

Tournament officials

The tournament is administered by a director with the assistance of a volunteer board of commissioners. These and other key officials are:

        Bill Bert, tournament director
        Curt Aspril, tournament commissioner
        Bob Herr, tournament commissioner
        Bill Reuter, tournament commissioner
        Greg Schneider, tournament commissioner
        Ernest Schreiber, editor, Lancaster New Era
        Dennis Fisher, sports editor, Lancaster New Era
        Keith Schweigert, assistant sports editor, Lancaster New Era

Changes for 2004

Rule 3-4 provides that any game halted before a winner can be determined will be a suspended game that is resumed from the point of interruption.

Rule 3-16 drops a provision allowing a player to return if injury leaves his team short of players in favor of the high school rule allowing a game to be completed with eight players.

Changes for 2005

The commissioners have announced their intention to play all levels of the tournament under high school rules published by the National Federation of State High School Associations with minimal modifications. The only exception on bats certain to be included is to allow the 2 1/4-inch, Little League-approved bats commonly used by midget-midget players.

Section 1 Team eligibility

1. The tournament is open to championship teams located in Lancaster County. All players must live in Lancaster County or in an extended community that stretches just beyond the county line.

2. Each league must have at least four teams. Leagues with eight or more teams that play their regular season in divisions will be permitted to send the champion of each division of four or more teams.

3. A league or group of leagues that includes all of the teams in an age division in Lancaster County may jointly request an alternate method of determining its tournament qualifiers. Such organizations may seed an 8-team tournament for any age division with 20 or more teams, or a 4-team tournament for any division with fewer than 20 teams.

4. Independent teams are not eligible for tournament participation. All-star teams are not eligible.

5. A league that did not participate in the New Era Tournament during the previous season may be required to qualify its teams through a pre-tournament round with participating leagues. Once a league advances one or more teams to the formal tournament it will be entitled to at least one spot in the quarterfinals.

6. Each team is limited to 18 players who must have been on the roster as of June 15. No additional players may be added to the roster after that date and be eligible for the tournament.

7. Each league president or manager of the qualifying team must submit a roster of their team with each player's name and date of birth. These must be provided to the tournament director as soon as possible after they are determined. No team will be allowed to take the field if a roster has not been received.

8. Each team must provide the umpire-in-chief with a lineup card on the official tournament form at the pre-game conference with copies for the official scorer and opponent. Any substitutions during the game must be reported to the umpire-in-chief.

Section 2 Divisions

1. Age eligibility
a. Midget-midget -- 12 years and under as of Aug. 1 of the current year.
b. Junior midget -- 14 years and under as of Aug. 1 of the current year. Any player who has participated in a high school varsity game is ineligible. Junior varsity players are eligible.
c. Midget -- 16 years and under as of Aug. 1 of the current year.

2. Field dimensions
a. Midget-midget games will be contested on a field measuring 48 feet from home plate to the pitching rubber and 65 feet between bases.
b. Junior midget games will be contested on a field measuring 52 feet from home plate to the pitching rubber and 75 feet between bases.
c. Midget games will be contested on a field measuring 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate to the pitching rubber and 90 feet between bases.

3. Field ground rules will be the official playing rules for all levels of the tournament.

Section 3 Playing rules

1. Except as provided below, Official Baseball Rules will be used. Exception: A league that serves all the teams in its age division in Lancaster County and plays under a different set of rules may apply to use their regular season rules during the tournament. They may be requested to provide their rulebook. (Leagues operating under this provision are listed under Section 4, Special Approvals below.)

2. Regulation game will be 7 innings at the midget and junior midget levels and 6 innings at the midget-midget level. Games will be official if called after 5 innings or 4 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead.

3. A 10-run rule will be in effect. A game shall end when the visiting team is behind by 10 or more runs after 4 1/2 innings, or if after the fifth inning, either team is 10 runs behind and both teams have had an equal number of times at bat.

4. A game halted early for any reason will be a suspended game to be resumed from the point of interruption unless a winner can be determined. OBR 4.11d on the optional suspended game rule will apply.

5. Any postponed or suspended game will be rescheduled by the tournament commissioners.

6. The team listed first in the pairings will occupy the third-base dugout and the second-listed team will occupy the first-base dugout unless both managers agree otherwise.

7. Prior to each game, a commission representative shall toss a coin for the purpose of determining the home team.

8. Ground rules will be reviewed with the umpires before the start of the game. If there is any disagreement between teams, commission representatives along with the umpires will have the final say.

9. Aluminum bats may be used. Midget-midget bats may not exceed 2 1/4 inches in diameter and must be marked Little League approved.

10. All batters and baserunners must wear double-earflap helmets.

11. In the midget-midget division, the batter is automatically out on a third strike, even if it is not caught. The ball remains alive.

12. Free substitution rules will be used during the tournament.
a. A player must always bat in the same spot in the batting order.
b. A player cannot run for other players except one who batted for him.
c. If a player has not batted and enters the game as a runner, he may bat or run only in that spot in the order.
d. A fielder may enter or leave the game at any time and play any position at any time.
e. Substitution is permitted any time the ball is dead, except no player may re-enter until an out has been recorded or the side retired and as provided in Rule 3-16 below in regard to pitchers.

13. Umpires should not warn the pitcher, coach or any other player of a balk. A balk is a balk and should be called immediately by the umpire.

14. No hidden ball trick. Managers should inform all of their players. Violation will be a balk.

15. No offensive player shall intentionally run into any defensive player. Penalty: Player is out, and if contact is judged to be flagrant he will be ejected.

16. A game shall be forfeited whan a team is unable to provide at least nine players to start the game or cannot provide eight players to finish the game. An out will be called each time the vacant spot in the batting order comes to bat. If the offensive player must be substituted for after reaching base, the most recent batter not on base is allowed to run for that player. A team playing with fewer than nine players may not return to nine players.

17. The manager may remove the pitcher and move him to another position. He may return as pitcher under Official Baseball Rules. Note Rule 3.03 -- "A pitcher may change to another position only once during the same inning; e.g. the pitcher will not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more than once in the same inning.

18. Whenever a manager or coach makes a second trip to the mound to talk to his pitcher in the same inning, the pitcher must be removed as pitcher, but he may remain in the game in another position. If a manager or coach makes a trip to the mound due to an injury of his pitcher, the manager should notify the plate umpire in order that he will not be charged with a trip.

19. A player may pitch in no more than 14 innings during the entire junior midget tournament and 12 innings during the entire midget-midget tournament. Delivery of one pitch constitutes having pitched in any inning. Midget pitchers are subject to the PIAA restrictions.

20. Once the game begins, all protests will be decided by the umpires on the field. The exception will be the three championship games, when the New Era Tournament Commission will make the final decision.

21. No smoking or use of other tobacco products either on the field or in the dugout. Thanks for your cooperation.

Section 4 Special approvals

1. Upon application by Lancaster County Midget Baseball, the midget-level tournament will be played under league rules -- those in the NFHS rule book plus the league addendum. Pitching restrictions will apply to tournament games only.