For National AAU Baseball rules, click HERE! 

Unless indicated prior to an event, 8-14-year-olds will play according to Sporting News Rules, and 16u and 18u will play according to National Federation High School Rules. The only exceptions to these rules are listed below.

1. Age Requirement: April 30 will be the designated date to determine ages. Photocopies of birth certificates will be required and should be kept in managers possession the entire tournament in case of challenges.
2.  Protests: Will be ruled on immediately by tournament director. All decisions are final and once the next pitch is thrown, team loses right to protest. Only managers may protest. Judgment calls by umpires may not be protested. Upon a protest, a manager shall remit $100.00 protest fee. If the protest is upheld, the $100.00 shall be immediately refunded. If the protest is denied, the deposit shall be forfeited. All protests must initiated thru the home plate umpire before being brought to the tournament director. Remember, a judgment call cannot be protested, only a rules violation.
3. Game Time: Game time starts during the home plate meeting.
4. Home Team: Determined by coin flip. Choice of dugout will be given to visiting team. Both teams are required to keep a book but the umpires keep the official score. Higher seed is awarded the home team in playoffs and championship games. If records are tied we will use a coin flip.
5. Official Scorekeeper: Must sit in stands or in the vicinity of the backstop. The official scorekeeper cannot sit in the dugout or in the area of the dugout.
6. Tie Games: In playoffs will be played out in extra innings. Game will be played until a winner is determined. In Pool Play a tie stands and will not be played out.
7. Player Minimum: A team must start with a minimum of 9 players but can finish with less, taking outs in the vacant batting order positions. An out is taken once for an injury, and every at bat for an ejection.
8. Championship Games: No time limit. Run rule is still in effect.
9. Pitching Rules: (Innings per Tournament):
   1. For a 2 day event: 8's, 9's and 10's = 6 innings, 11's and 12's = 6 innings, 13's and 14's = 7.
   2. For a 3 day event: 8's, 9's and 10's = 8 innings, 11's and 12's = 8 innings, 13's and 14's = 9 innings max.
      *Scorecards must be signed by both team managers after the game to verify the score and pitching.
      
      *One pitch will be considered an inning pitched.
      
      *If pitching rules are violated and the infraction is detected, the situation will be reviewed and consequences may include coach and player ejection, elimination of team from the event and suspension.
10. Metal Cleats: Allowed in ages 12 and up. However, there are no metal cleats allowed on the pitching mounds, unless specified on the Brackets page.
11. Bat-Weight/Length Differential: 14u Divisions will only be allowed to swing a -3 BBCOR or wood bat. 13u Division will not be allowed to swing ANY COMPOSITE BATS unless it's a -3 BBCOR. All -5 or greater must be a one piece aluminum or wood bats only!!!
    1. The penalty for violating this rule 1rst time: Player is out and the bat is removed. 2nd infraction: Player is out and Player and Manager ejection. 3rd infraction: Forfeit the game. (teams 'playing up' must follow this same rule for the age group they are playing in.)
    2. Bat rule for all other ages up to and including 12 year olds: ALL 1.15 BPF bats are legal. You bring it you swing it. 8u - 12u ANY 1.15 bat is legal.
       
       **Starting Sept 1 2018, 13u Division will only be allowed to swing a one piece aluminum bat. ALL composite bats will be outlawed for our 13u Division!!!
12. Uniforms: Numbers necessary, matching uniforms recommended. Players must use the same uniform number throughout the tournament to help maintain accurate pitching charts.
13. Adverse Weather: The Tournament most likely will be played if there are adverse weather conditions. The format may be changed and may include lesser time limits or fewer innings to complete the tournament. Coaches and players accept these conditions when entering the tournament.
14. Decisions: Tournment Director shall have final decision on all tournament questions.
15. Refund Policy: Credits will be issued for complete rain outs or other acts of God; 1 game played = 50% of entry fee; 2 games played = no refund. Rainchecks will be issued for cancellations that have a minimum of ten days lead time. There will be no refund given on cancellations within ten days prior to an event.
16. No Show: Teams that no-show will forfeit their entry fee and may be subject to suspension from competition in future SoCal AAU Baseball events including elite tournaments regardless of prior qualification.
17. Extra Hitter/Designated Hitter: EH-an extra hitter may be inserted into a lineup and used as a free substitute throughout the game. The extra hitter position can be substituted but can't be dissolved. All age groups can bat 9, or 9 with an EH/DH (Designated Hitter) if they choose they may bat the entire lineup. Teams in the 9 through 14 age brackets may choose to bat their entire lineup and have free substitution. If this option is chosen, the last out will be the courtesy runner. Ages 16 and up must only bat 9 with or without the DH.
18. Courtesy Runners: A courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher or catcher. However, The courtesy runner must be a substitute player. He may run for the pitchers spot every time it comes up in the game. A different substitute must run for the catchers spot. If there are no substitutes available, and the team is not batting the entire lineup, there will be no courtesy runner allowed. If a team is batting the entire roster, the last out will be the the courtsey runner.
19. Visits to the Mound: Each team is allowed three charged visits to the mound within a game. A charged visit is a trip in which the manager or coach does not remove the pitcher. After the three charged visits are used, every trip to the mound after that will result in the pitcher being removed. An uncharged visit is when the manager removes the pitcher from the mound. This visit will not be a charged visit. Remember, charged visits are cumulative for the entire game. No restrictions on visits per inning.

The following dimensions are set by SoCal AAU Baseball however minor discrepancies may occur due to particular field set up at various locations. Example: 9's and 10's may have 45' pitching and 60 ft. bases. 11's and 12's may have 48' pitching.

9's**46'pitching**6o to 65' bases**1hrs45 min**6 innings**12 runs after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5.
9's Championship game: no time limit, 6 innings, and run rules are still in effect.

10's** 46' pitching**60 to65' bases**1 hrs45 min**6 innings**12 runs after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5.
10's Championship game: no time limit, 6 innings, and run rules are still in effect.

11's or 12's**50' pitching**70' bases**1 hr 45 min**6 innings**12 runs after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5.
11's or 12's Championship game no time limit, 6 innings and run rules are still in effect.

13's **54' pitching**80' bases**2 hrs**7 innings**12 runs after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5.
14's **60'6" pitching 90' bases 2 hrs**7 innings**12 runs after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5.
13's or 14's Championship game no time limit 7 innings and run rules are still in effect.

15's, 16's, 18's**60'6" pitching**90 ft. bases**2 hrs **7 innings**12 runs after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5.
15's, 16's, 18's Championship game no time limit, 7 innings, and run rules are still in effect.

8 Year Old Rules:
(single umpire for 8 Yr. old games)

• *6 innings or 1:30 min. No new inning starts after time has expired.
• *6 innings per tournament allowed for each pitcher. 1 additional inning added for every game after 4.
• *40 ft. pitching, 60 ft. bases.
• *No lead offs, no stealing home. Runner may not leave the base until ball crosses the plate. Runner may advance to home only on hit ball or when forced in by a walk. Bunting is allowed. The ball is dead when pitcher has the ball in the area of the mound.
• *Batter may not run to first on dropped third strike.

*Entire lineup may bat. Last out may courtesy run for pitcher or catcher only.