Tournament INFO
Tournament Rules
Utah Swarm Tournament Rules
Age Divisions will be determined by your age on April 30, 2025. Tournaments after August 15th will follow 2026 age divisions.
Player Eligibility - No player may play with more than one team in the same Age Division and any other player participating on playing on another team if in a lower or upper age division, as qualified per age, must be on the team’s final roster submitted before the tournament starts.
TOURNAMENT RULES & REGULATIONS The tournament will be governed by Official MLB Rules for 8U to 14U and 16U will be governed by the NFHS (FED) rules with the following exceptions:
1. Game length will be 6 innings or no new inning at 1 hour 35 minutes. Championship games still in a tie after 7 innings will then go to International Tie Breaker rules. In the event time is expired and the game is tied, the game will end in a tie in pool play. No tie breaker innings will be played in pool play. 8U/9U/10U only Championship games tied after game time expired will immediately move to International Tie Breaker Rules.
2. Run Rules; 15 after 3 innings, 12 after 4 innings, 9 after 5 innings. 8U-10U– 8 run rule applies for all innings
3. 4 innings or 1 Hour constitutes a complete game when delayed for any reason or called off due to inclement weather (per Tournament Officials).
4. We will not be enforcing the new MLB rules including pitch timer, shift limits, bigger bases and the batters timer.
5. 8u-10u, Age Divisions Only: • 8 runs per half inning. After 8 runs scored, teams exchange offense and defense. Only on an over the fence Home Run can more than 8 runs be scored. In the last inning the trailing team can score unlimited runs. If entering the last inning and the score is tied, then both teams can score unlimited runs. The last inning is either the 7th inning or last inning to be played due to time limit (this is the umpire’s discretion). • No lead offs. Base runner may steal or advance to any base after the ball crosses home plate. If a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has crossed the plate, and is not put out on the play, the runner must return to the base occupied before the pitch was made. If a base runner leaves early and the ball is put into play. The baserunner(s) may only advance as far as forced to advance by the batter/runner. • Dropped 3rd strike rule does not apply (8u, 9u, 10U only).
11U-14U Age Divisions Only *Lead offs are allowed. Dropped 3rd strike will be in play.
6. Batting Order Re-entry Rule: Starters may only re-enter one time and in the same spot in the batting order. 16U will follow NFHS rules regarding batting order
7. Batting Order: There is no limit to the number of players you have in the batting lineup. A team must bat a minimum of 9 players. We encourage teams to bat all players.16U will follow NFHS rules regarding batting order
8. Unlimited Defensive substitutions. Your defensive lineup is non-related to your batting order. A player may play defensively even if they are not in the batting lineup. 16U will follow NFHS rules regarding defensive subsitutions.
9. NO metal cleats on portable mounds or turf fields. No seeds or nut shells, gum, food or tobacco on turf fields.
10. Bat restrictions are as follows; Ages 8U up to 13U can be USA baseball, or USSSA stamped BPF 1.15 14-16U follows NFHS (FED) Bat rules. Any bat that has been Withdrawn/Disallowed will no longer be permitted. We will use the list provided by USSSA baseball https://www.usssa.com/baseball/baseballwithdrawn-andor-non-compliant-baseball-bat-models .
11. Home team will be the official scorer unless otherwise designated by Tournament Officials. Umpire is the official timekeeper.
12. Protests will not be allowed on judgment calls. Protests must be handled at the time of protest (not after the game). Umpire must confer with Utah Swarm Tournament Official for help on ruling.
13. A slide rule will be enforced at Home when there is a play at the plate. If contact is initiated by the runner, it must be through the process of a slide. Malicious contact; runner will be ejected. However, it is the discretion of the umpire if the runner is sliding, attempting to slide, or if there was malicious contact, or a slide is warranted.
14. A slide rule will be enforced when an infielder is attempting to turn a double play at second base. If the runner is not close enough to merit a slide, he must peel away from the baseline. This rule is for the protection of the base runner. The base runner and batter will be called out if the runner's not sliding or not peeling away affects the defensive play. This is the umpire’s discretion.
15. A runner may not hurdle, jump over, or leap over a fielder unless the fielder is lying prone on the ground. Penalty: The runner is out, but the ball remains live unless the umpire calls interference. Note: Jumping over a kneeling fielder is illegal.
16. Eliminate defensive huddles prior to your team taking the field in between innings.
17. Only two coaches outside of the dugout during games (does not include base coaches). 4 total coaches in the dugout.
18. Please have a Coach available to warm up your Pitcher between innings when your Catcher is not ready.
19. Pitchers - Maximum of 6 warm-up pitches between innings.
20. No infield before games. Get teams in the dugout and have your teams ready to play on time
21. End of the game; remove garbage from dugout and clear dugout in a timely manner. Hold post game discussions outside the dugout please.
22. Show respect to the umpires, your players, your opponents, and most of all to this great game.
23. It is not permitted to slash bunt in any age division up to and including 14u. This is an act by a batter to fake a bunt and then attempt to make a full swing on the same pitch. The runner will be called out and all base runners will return to the previously awarded base.
Additional Rules
- Intentional Walk requires the coach to notify the home plate umpire. The batter is awarded first base without any pitches being thrown. • Speed up runners are allowed for catchers only.
- There are NO skates, skateboards, scooters, bikes or other rolling toys allowed at the parks.
- Do not stake tents,or things like sportsbrellas into the lawn of parks, this disrupts irrigation systems.
- Parks with playgrounds- these are to be used at your own risk. Kids should not be left unsupervised.
- If a parent/family/player spectator is removed from a game for poor behavior the tournament officials reserve the right to also remove the head coach for the game, next game or tournament.
- Eligible Players on the team roster must have a tournament waiver signed at least 2 days prior to the tournament starting or they are not eligible to play, Waiver is located under tournament tab then player waiver. Each tournament has a due date for these to be completed-- guest players may have additional time -but must be within 2 days of games starting.
- Only Head Coach may contact tournament officials during the tournament. Emails, texts or calls generally will not be answered between 10pm- 7am. We are volunteers so please use common courtesy with our time for the tournaments.
Ranking Tie Breakers: (Guidelines used for tie breakers)
1. Win/Loss record 2. Head to Head. 3. Runs Allowed 4. Run Differential (max 7 runs)
*Updated 9/2024
Pitching Rules and Score keeping:
1. You may re-enter only the starting pitcher one time.
2. Age 8U can pitch up to 50 pitches in 1 day.
3. Ages 9/10 can pitch up to 75 pitches in 1 day.
4. Ages 11/12 can pitch up to 85 pitches in 1 day.
5. Ages 13-16U can pitch up to 95 pitches in 1 day.
6. In order to be able to pitch both days of the tournament a max of 50 pitches the first day of games will be strictly enforced.
7. Max pitches per player in the tournament:
- 8U 75 pitches
- 9/10 95 pitches
- 11/12 105 pitches
- 13-16U 115 pitches
8. Each team will keep and be responsible for Scoring their Home Games on GameChanger to keep track of the Games Pitching.
9. If the Utah Swarm Tournament officials determine that the pitcher in question is ineligible to pitch, the pitcher will be removed from the mound at the time of discovery. See penalty for violations below..
10. The home team is required to track pitch via GameChanger. Pitch counts will be verified through GameChanger. It is also recommended that pitch counts are also tracked from the visitor team. If there is a discrepancy in pitch counts then the Monster Smash officials will make final decision on pitch count totals. Please be honest and remember why we have this rule for the safety and preservation of kids long term, not to win tournaments.
11. Umpires will NOT mediate pitch counts. All concerns about pitch counts need to be addressed by a rep for Tournament. This is up to the coaches to monitor- not the umpires. If a team protests a game for pitching violation please contact officials right away.
PENALTY: If the pitch count rule is exceeded, the first offense is the pitcher may not pitch again in the tournament and the head coach is suspended for the following game a; second offense or extreme first offense is forfeiture of contest. If there is a Championship game violation this will be a forfeit. Violations will be reviewed by tournament staff and penalties will be up to the discretion of the tournament officials.
Pitch Smart Guidelines:
Tournament Format
3 game format. 2 pool games on day 1 and single elimination bracket play on day 2
2025 WBL registration is open -register to be hosted on the
Register soon on the tournament page