Assisting families affected by childhood cancer since 2017.

2024 Bring the Thunder for Childhood Cancer

BOWER FIELD

TOURNAMENT RULES AND INFO

1. HAVE FUN. This is a BENEFIT tournament. Sportsmanship and courteous behavior are expected. There is a very real possibility that our recipient/former recipients will be on site watching and enjoying this event.

2. Ties are permitted in Pool Play. Pool play will be DROP DEAD time limit. That means once the time limit expires, and the current play is over, the game is over. The at-bat is not completed (if not already complete). So yes, that means the home team may not get the last bat in this situation. Drop dead allows us to maximize the number of teams that can play in this event and to keep us on schedule.

a. 6u Tball: 50 minutes drop dead (Sunday: no new inning after 50 minutes)

b. 8u Baseball/Softball: 55 minutes drop dead (Sunday: no new inning after 55 minutes)

c. 10u/12u/14u Softball: 55 minutes drop dead (Sunday: no new inning after 55 minutes)

d. 10u Baseball: 70 minutes drop dead (Sunday: no new inning after 70 minutes)

e. 12u Baseball: 75 minutes drop dead (Sunday: no new inning after 70 minutes)

f. **Times may be amended due to schedule issues or weather delays**

3. A maximum of 5 runs per team per inning may be scored. No team should be running up the score in a mean-spirited way. This is a benefit event, please do your best to ensure everyone enjoys it.

4. A coin toss for home/away shall be conducted at the coach/umpire plate meeting prior to start of game.

5. Any announcements about weather/field delays will be communicated as soon as possible. Please check our website (www.bringthethunder.org) and/or the Bring the Thunder Facebook page.

6. Sunday’s schedule will be posted to the website once all Saturday games are completed. This may be late on Saturday.

7. Assuming the tournament stays on schedule, Sunday will be single elimination bracket. Some age divisions will be divided into multiple brackets. **Please note this is a fundraising tournament where we have teams of all levels and abilities. Sunday brackets may not reflect “true” standings as to prevent potential mismatches.** Tournament director has discretion with bracket scheduling.

8. Everybody on roster/lineup shall bat. There are no offensive substitutions. Courtesy runner for pitcher and/or catcher with any amount of outs allowed. The courtesy runner shall be the last batted out. If no last batted out exists (1st inning) then batter furthest away in batting order will be chosen.

9. Mercy Rule: 15 runs after 3 innings, 12 runs after 4 innings. This is a benefit tournament, so if necessary, show mercy to the other teams. THIS IS FOR OUR RECIPIENT, not for the win!

10. With a play at the plate, a runner should either slide or avoid contact. At umpire discretion, they may call the runner out for not abiding by this.

11. Teams supply their own game balls.  This helps reduce expenses which increases profit given to our recipients.

12. If a team only has 8 players at game time, an out shall NOT be called for the 9th position.

13. Metal cleats are NOT ALLOWED in any age group.

14. Walk-up music is allowed. It must be turned off prior to the start of the play. Please keep volume respectable.

15. Players may only play on one team during the tournament in the same age group at the same park.  

16.  Please leave a clean dugout and spectator area.  Coaches, have players and parents check surroundings before leaving the area.

Player Eligibility:

1. Players must be of appropriate age based on USSSA birthday calculator for baseball and NSA/USA for softball.

2. No player may play for more than one team in this tournament unless it's two teams in different age groups or two teams playing at different parks. 

6u T-Ball

1.  3 strikes and out. 5 SWING MAX. No unlimited fouls. If a batter swings and only hits the tee, it is considered a strike.

2.  Can use any combination of tee or pitch

3.  Batted ball must reach minimum line or be declared foul

4. All players play defense, maximum of 6 infielders, outfielders must start each play in the grass.  

5.  Defensive coaches are allowed on field of play (max of 3), must be in outfield and not interfere with play.

6. A batted ball that is hit to the left of the pitcher’s line requires a throw to 1st base if the defense intends to get the batter/runner out. Pitcher cannot “run down” the runner.

7. A batted ball that is hit to the right of the pitcher’s line requires a throw to 3rd base if the defense elects to get a force out at that base. Pitcher cannot “run down” the runner.

8. An overthrow at 1st base allows the runner to advance to 2nd base (it is NOT automatic). Defense may elect to try to get runner out. If they do not, runner must stop at 2nd base. All other base runners are still live.

9. Time shall be called once the ball is in FRONT OF the lead runner and in possession of a defensive player OR in the pitcher’s circle and in the possession of a defensive player.

10. Time may also be called if runner’s quit making an attempt to advance. Juking back and forth shall be defined as ‘not advancing’.

11. If the field being used has a double first-base, EITHER base may be used in this tournament. We have teams from outside of Bower Field that may not use this setup, so we don’t want to penalize teams for that.

8u Coach Pitch Baseball/Softball

1. 10 maximum on defense, 6 max for infield. All outfielders must begin each play in the grass.

2. 6 pitche or 3 strikes. Unlimited fouls on last pitch

3. Pitcher (Coach) does NOT have to be touching the circle at beginning of delivery of pitch

4. Pitcher (Player) must have at least one foot on the circle, however, ump has the discretion to allow that player to move back between the circle and 2nd base if they see a safety issue with a strong batter.

5. Batted ball must reach minimum line or be declared foul

6. No defensive coaches allowed on field of play in baseball. Two defensive coaches allowed in outfield for softball. They must not interfere with the play.

7. Pitcher may offer instruction to team after ball is hit.

8. If batted ball hits the pitcher, a dead ball shall be ruled and the pitch will not count.

9. Time shall be called once the ball is in FRONT OF the lead runner and in possession of a defensive player OR in the pitcher’s circle and in the possession of a defensive player.

10. Time may also be called if runner’s quit making attempt to advance. Juking back and forth shall be defined as ‘not advancing.

11. If the field being used has a double first-base, EITHER base may be used in this tournament. We have teams from outside of Bower Field that may not use this setup, so we don’t want to penalize teams for that.

10u/12u/14u  Kid Pitch Baseball and Softball

1.  9 max on defense (10 for softball), 6 max on infield. All outfielders must begin each play in the grass.

2.  Lead-offs and stealing are allowed. (no lead-offs prior to pitch for softball)

3.  Balks shall be called and warnings may be given.  Umpire discretion.

4.  No rules on pitch count or innings. However, we highly suggest coaches use proper discretion and keep player safety in mind.

ANY OTHER RULES NOT LISTED OR THAT COME INTO QUESTION WILL BE DECIDED UPON BY TOURNAMENT AND/OR SITE DIRECTOR. DIRECTOR’S DECISIONS ARE FINAL.

Pet and Tobacco Policy

1. Bower Field: NO PETS ALLOWED

2. Halls Community Park:  NO PETS ALLOWED

2. Gibbs Ruritan: Any pet MUST be on a leash at all times

3. Tobacco Use: At all parks, ANY form of tobacco, smoke or smokeless, must be used in PARKING LOT areas only. Do not use by players or fields.

Ejection Protocol

We hope this one never has to be considered. If anyone is ejected, they must remove themselves from the playing area and go to parking lot. Coaches, you are also responsible for your parents and fans. If necessary, complete removal from the ballpark can be enforced. LET’S NOT MAKE THIS NECESSARY.

Player/Team Recognition:

This is the one tournament where we put no priority on winning whatsoever. That means this event does not present rings, trophies, medals, plaques, etc. We want EVERY player to know how much we appreciate them participating in this tournament and why we do this. Therefore, every player will receive something.

Gate Fee:

Adults 18+ only. $10 per day per adult. On Saturday you may purchase the Sunday day pass as well to save time entering the park on Sunday. There are no coach passes for this event. Please remember that 100% of profits are going to our recipient.

T-Shirt/Wristband Sales:

We are going to do our best to make the purchasing of tournament t-shirts/wristbands a possibility at all parks.  This will be based on how many volunteers we can get.

Weather:

. We will do our absolute best to get fields in playable condition and keep games on time. Please be patient if adjustments have to be made.

Opening Ceremony:

As tradition, we will have an opening ceremony at Bower Park, Field #3 at 8:30am (weather permitting). As much as possible we need to try to start this promptly. Anyone that is at the park at this time will be invited to come over to Field #3 for the ceremony. We will have opening comments, recognition of past recipients, an honoring of the past recipients we have lost (Neyland and Penn), national anthem, prayer, and the honorary first pitch by our current recipient(s) (if they are able to attend).

Trash Pickup:

Please leave a clean dugout for the next team. Please have your parents check the spectator areas and dispose of their trash. With as many teams as we have, we want to make sure our park grounds are taken care of.

Traffic Flow/Parking:

Bower Park is a ONE WAY ONLY traffic flow. This is for the safety of those in attendance. At both parks, please park in appropriate locations. To help with parking in the gravel at Bower, parking spots have been spray painted.

YOU ARE PARKING AT YOUR OWN RISK. The respective parks/players/coaches/etc. are not responsible for any damage occurred thru the course of the tournament.