Tournament Information:

Thank you all for competing in our (NHBA) Third annual tournament...

This is the first tournament of the year for our kids and we are pleased to welcome our surrounding communities.

Items to take note of:
1. Tournament dates are from 6/9/11 to 6/12/11
2. Sign up fees will be $500.00 and One Dozen Balls
3. Rules will be standard Pony tournament play. (14's 90/60)
4. Pinto National(8u), Mustang (9u) and (10u), Bronco(11u) and (12u) and Pony(13's)and (14's) divisions.
5. Use the links below to register.
6. First come basis.
7. Pony Tournament rules apply for all divisions
8. Teams must supply two baseballs per game
9. Coin flip determines home team
If you have any additional questions on the format of this great event please feel free to contact Rich Hogan 949-275-0679 or richard.hogan@uhc.com

2011 NHBA Tournament Rules
Important Note: It is MANDATORY that every coach carry a copy of the rules at all times.

To report scores call 714-540-1209 and follow prompts code is 303011
No 40 hr rule
Rules and Information-
General Infomation
Please keep in mind that this is intended to be a FUN tournament for the players and their families. Confrontational actions by coaches, players or family members will not be tolerated and will result in game forfeiture and or removal from the tournament. We do have paid umpires but umpire abuse will not be tolerated in any fashion.
The tournament will be governed by the Official Rules of Baseball as published by the Sporting News, as modified by the 2011 PONY Baseball rule book and information provided in this document. The Official Rules of Baseball can be purchased at Barnes & Noble and other bookstores (as well as some sporting goods stores) and the PONY rule book may be downloaded at www.PONY.org. Newport Harbor PONY Baseball and the tournament director have the final decision making power in regards to rule changes for this tournament.
Game and Coaches Meeting Requirements-(This notebook must be at all games for review if necessary)
All coaches will need to bring a notebook with the following items in plastic sleeves for easy viewing:
1. Team roster printed from the website and/or typed for easy reading.
2. Photo of each child-(this does not have to be a baseball photo, any photo will do)
3. Pitching roster-(A blank roster that may be downloaded from this website)
4. Proof of league insurance-(this must be current and cover the team/league registering)
5. Signed medical release form for each and every child (usually the leagues regular registaration form)
6. Copy of a birth certificate for each player-(this may be from any country, if not avaiable-some sort of government paperwork is required, ie. passport or medical paperwork from a doctor)
Special Rules

Roster Size
No less than 9 or more than 15 players may be rostered. Under exceptional circumstances, we will allow more than 15 players, but the request must be approved by the Newport Harbor PONY Tournament Director no later than June 1st.
Roster Changes
No roster changes will be allowed unless a team drops below 9 players. Any roster change must be approved by the Tournament Director. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO LOANING OF PLAYERS FROM ONE ROSTER TO ANOTHER e.g., IF YOUR TEAM DOES NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, YOU MAY NOT LOAN A PLAYER TO A TEAM WHICH HAS MADE THE FINALS...PERIOD! THE PENALTY IS DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE TOURNAMENT WITHOUT REFUNDS.
Home Team
A coin toss prior to game time will determine the home team. Dugout selection is as follows: 3rd base is home and 1st base is guests. Please follow this seating chart accordingly. Try to find the other coach earlier in the day to do the coin toss. During Championship rounds, higher seeds will be Home Team
Lineup Choices
You may bat either (a) your entire lineup, and substitute freely defensively, or (b) bat 9 and substitute per PONY rules. A DH may be used with choice B..
You must announce before each game what your choice is. Both managers don't need to agree (i.e., one may bat 9 while the other bats the entire lineup, etc.) If you choose to bat your entire lineup, you may not change once the game is underway.
Pitchers MAY NEVER reenter in the pitching position once removed from the mound The pitcher may remain in the game in an alternate defensive position. However, he MUST remain and hit in the same order in the lineup as previously placed.
Game Limits
Divisions Innings No New Inning Drop Dead

Pinto-Kid Pitch 6 KP-1:45 2:00
Mustang 6 2:00 2:15
Bronco 7 2:00 2:15
Pony 7 2:00 2:15

If drop dead is called and the visiting team has the lead, the score reverts back to the last complete inning. If it appears to the umpire that a team is purposely delaying the game to reach drop dead status, the umpire can speed up the game by calling players out or declaring a forfeit after issuing one warning.
If your game starts late, and there is another game following on that field, you must be off the field at least 5 minutes before the next scheduled game time, even if that means a shorter game. There will be no extra inning games (Except for the QUARTERFINAL, SEMI-FINAL and CHAMPIONSHIP games and/or games annouced by the tournament director), a tie at the end of regulation play will be recorded as such.
Time limits apply to all games except Semi-Finals and Championship games. In these games there will be no time limits.
Note: The tournament director reserves the right to amend the above rule if there are restrictions on field usage imposed by daylight
Field Dimensions
Division Pitching Base


Pinto Kid Pitch 38' 60'
Mustang 44' 60'
Bronco 48' 70'
PONY 13U 54' 80'
PONY 14U 60'6" 90'
Ready Play Rules
To expedite play, a batter may not step more than one foot out of the batters box to take signals. One warning will be given per batter. Thereafter, each infraction will result in the umpire calling time and the batter will be issued a strike.
A courtesy runner will be allowed for the pitcher or the catcher, regardless of the number of outs. If all players are batting, then the last out is the courtesy runner. If less than all players are batting, then a player who is not then in the lineup shall be the courtesy runner.
No more than one offensive time out is allowed per inning per team, other than to check an injury or repair equipment.
No more than one defensive time out is allowed per inning, except to check an injury or repair equipment. On the second defensive time out, the pitcher must be changed.
While batting, have your catcher getting ready for the next inning. Most delays are caused by catchers not being suited up.

Slide or Avoid Rule
Players MUST slide or AVOID contact to injure or disrupt a defensive player. If the runner elects to slide the slide must be legal. The runner must slide directly to the base or away from the play. A slide with the spikes above the fielder’s knee or the umpire determines that a player intended to harm the defensive player is considered malicious contact. The player will be recorded as an out and ejected from the game. The catcher or other defensive player may not block any base or home plate without possession of the ball or be in the act of receiving the ball. The fielder will be guilty of obstruction as in “Official Baseball Rules.”


Pitching Rules
The 40 hour rest rule is not in effect. Despite this modification, please take care of your pitchers arms and don't over extend them. Remember, one pitch to a batter in an inning constitutes an inning pitched. You must keep pitching records on hand in your notebook for review at anytime. The pitching roster provided by the league at the tournament meeting must be signed off by an umpire after each game.
Pitching Limits
Division Per Game Limit Per Day Limit
Pinto 2 Innings 3 Innings
Mustang 3 Innings 6 Innings
Bronco 4 Innings 7 Innings
Pony 7 Innings 7 Innings
Mercy Rule
10 Runs after 4 innings (home team leading) or 4 complete innings (visiting team winning).
(This rule does not apply in Shetland or Pinto Machine Pitch Divisions)

Warm Ups-
Plan on throwing warm-ups only. In-field practice will not be available between games. Please do not push this rule. We have a lot of teams playing, help us save our infields.
Protests
There are NOT ANY! Don't even try...you have a problem with a call, an interpretation or anything what-so-ever, you need to call time and the Head Coach may quietly discuss it with the umpire. HIS DECISION IS FINAL...PERIOD!
KEEP YOUR FANS IN CONTROL - If a fan becomes unruly the head coach will be warned one time. The second warning will be the removal of the head coach, the next warning will be the removal of the asst. coach. If the problem persists, the game will be forfeited by the team which is causing the problem.
Equipment: All PONY and Little League approved baseball bats are allowed. Big Barrel and wood bats are accepted. Baseballs are real baseballs except in Pinto Machine Pitch and Shetland Coach Pitch-(see special rules listed below for either machine pitch balls or the safety balls for Shetland)
Footwear
Metal cleats are allowed in the Bronco and PONY divisions only.
Score Reporting Procedures
Keep your own score books, but the score keepers must confer with each other after each half inning to make sure there are no disagreements. If a disagreement arises, the umpire is the final arbiter.
The winning team is responsible for reporting scores. Any scores which are not registered will be considered incomplete and not recorded.
Important Note: Mobile phone game score input and reporting will be available for this tournament.
The pitching roster is to be signed after each game and carried with you at all times. If you are not able to provide your pitching record to the opposing team upon request, it is up to the opposing coach to determine if wants to play your team. If he chooses not to play your team, your team will log the loss as 1-0. Make sure you have your pitching logs at all times.
Game Play
Each team will play 4 games. -(The tournament director reserves the right to modify the pool play advancements if necessary)

Tie-Breaker Priority
Win-loss record
Head to head record
Least runs allowed
Coin toss
Note: Most Runs Scored will NOT be used as a determination for WIN/LOSS-(it is a tournament but be kind if you are winning by an astronomical amount)
Notebooks
Each team is required to have their notebook with them at all times. If a coach refuses to show their notebook to the opposing coach, that team will be disqualified and take a loss for that game recorded as 1-0. The notebook may also be reviewed after the game if necessary for any reason by the other coach. If either coach is uncomfortable sharing their book on the field, you must find the tournament director immediately to officiate the viewing.

Other Stuff
Parking at some of the parks may be a nightmare. Arrive in plenty of time. If you're running late, drop the player off and direct him to his field, and then go park your car.
Fields and Dugouts
Only players, coaches and team moms will be allowed in the dugout or on the field during play. No siblings or parents shall be there. Please clean up your trash after each game.

ADDITIONAL PINTO KID PITCH DIVISION RULES:

Pitching
There are no balks. There is no dropped third strike rule. A third strike is recorded as an out even if the catcher drops the ball. The strike zone will be expanded at the discretion of the umpire.

Base Running
Base stealing of 2nd or 3rd base is allowed. Base runners may not steal home or advance home on a attempt by the catcher to throw the runner out at 3rd base on a steal or a pick off attempt. Base runners are not permitted to lead off and must remain in contact with the base until the ball has been hit or the pitch crosses home plate. A player who leaves a base before then shall be called out.
All runners may advance on a hit ball at their own risk. Once the ball is under the control of an infielder and the forward progress of the lead base runner has been stopped, the umpire shall call “time out.” Players may ask for a time out at any time, but the umpire shall not call a time out until the progress of the lead base runner has been halted. If the fielding team attempts to make a play on a runner before time out is called, then the umpire shall not call time out until active pursuit of a baserunner has stopped. (Example: Baserunners are advancing to second and third. The throw goes to the third baseman, but he is too late in trying to tag the sliding runner. Before time out is called, the third baseman tries to throw out the runner advancing to second. Time out will not be called by the umpire because the defensive player kept the ball in play, rather than letting the umpire call time out.) Once time out is called by the umpire, play is “dead” and no play can be made on any baserunner. The lead baserunner shall return to the base from which his forward progress has been stopped. All other baserunners shall proceed or return to the base to which they were nearest when time out was called, unless that base is occupied by the lead base runner.
Bunting is allowed.
Scoring
An inning is complete when (a) three outs are recorded or (b) the offensive team has scored 5 runs. There is no run limit in the final inning. The final inning may be determined based on time limitations and is frequently not the 6th inning. Managers and umpire shall agree on the final inning. If managers can not agree, then umpire shall decide. All players are eligible to bat each inning regardless of whether they played in the field that inning.

Disclaimer to all rules: there will be issues and situations that test the integrity of the above listed rules during the Tournament. Please note that the Newport Harbor PONY Baseball Tournament director and/or committee reserve the right to change or modify any of the above items at any time to better serve the tournament as a whole.


Thanks again for the participation.