MS Dixie Youth Baseball

Open Base/O Zone Division

State Guidelines for Tournament Play

Revised 2009

Any rule not covered specifically in these state guidelines shall be governed by the Official Rules & Regulations Guide and/or the Open Base Division Guidelines set forth by Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. These State guidelines shall in no way conflict with those set forth by Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. or the Commissioner’s office.

Local leagues shall have the option of playing closed bases, open bases or both during regular season play but must specify which division they will participate in for tournament play.

2. April 1^st of the current Dixie Youth season shall be the date for leagues to specify their preference of tournament play participation in either the open or closed base divisions.

3. The Mississippi Dixie Youth Baseball State Board of Directors shall establish the tournament format for determining the Open Base Division State Championship. Determining factors may include, but are not limited to, the number of franchised leagues participating in the Open Base Division and the geographical logistics and location of those franchised leagues participating.

4. The Open Base Division Championship shall be determined by July 31^st.

5. The pitching distance for tournament play shall be 50’ for the front edge of the pitcher’s slab to the point of home plate. NOTE- Local League Option - Leagues shall have the option of using a 46’, 48’ or 50’ distance from the front edge of the pitcher’s slab to the point of home plate during local league play. EXCEPTION – Leagues may elect to use portable mounds which shall have a minimum level area surrounding the pitcher’s plate of four and one-half feet (41/2’) by thirty-four inches (34") and a slope of 1.6" to 1" are acceptable.

6. The baselines shall be 70’ for tournament play. *NOTE – Local League Option – Leagues shall have the option of using a 60’, 65’ or 70’ baseline distance during local league play.

7. Leagues participating in the Open Base Division shall have a tournament team affidavit consisting of TWELVE (12) players, a team manager and two (2) coaches. Each tournament team shall enter each level of tournament play with a full roster of players and coaches.

8. Any unfilled vacancies or a player’s absence may be approved by the Tournament Director for justifiable reasons. The Tournament Director with approval from the State Director may suspend the team manager from participating in any game where a player(s) vacancy or absence cannot be justified. The tournament director may require a team to replace a player(s) whose continued participation on the team is in doubt.

9. The Continuous Batting Order- www.msdixieyouth.com/msdyb5.doc -shall be used as the Offensive Player Participation Requirement for State Tournament play in the Mississippi O-Zone Division Championship Tournament as adopted by the State Board of Directors and approved by the Commissioner of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc.

10. Defensive participation requirements under Tournament Rule IX. (C) Shall be used in the Mississippi Dixie Youth Baseball O-Zone Division Championship Tournament.

11. Player injuries shall be governed by the rules and guideline of the current Official Rules & Regulations Guide of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. as it pertains to player participation and the Continuous Batting Order Guidelines adopted by the State Board of Directors.

12. Protest and protest appeals shall be governed by the procedures set forth in the Official Rules & Regulations Guide of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc.