This page outlines the currently up-to-date Beast of the East game rules. To download a PDF of these rules, click here.

All teams will be registered and rosters submitted prior to the first game of the tournament. Headquarters are located at the Elm Grove Civics Building at Patterson Field, 21 Sycamore Ave., Wheeling, WV 26003.

Any team not fully registered (payment and roster) must register at headquarters on Wednesday between 12-8 pm or 8 am – 12 noon on Thursday. Failure to register will result in forfeiture of the first game.

All rosters are final and must be submitted prior to the first game of the tournament. No player can play for more than one team in the tournament.

The age limit will follow the local rules established for each team. If a player is already a year older (i.e. 15 playing in the 14 tourney), then the team must submit their local rules to tourney directors.

• Any coach or player who is thrown out of a game by the umpire will be dismissed from that game only.
• Any coach or player who is thrown out of a second game will not be permitted to attend or play in any other games in the tournament.
• No bench jockeying will be permitted.

• All games will follow the current NFHS Baseball Rules with the exception of the following tournament amendments. All coaches are required to know these rules. Check for changes and/or points of emphasis to the rules for 2023.
• Game Time Limit: A 2-hour time limit will be in effect for each game, as set at the Homeplate meeting before the first inning by the umpire. If the time limit is reached during an inning, the inning will be completed until the trailing team has batted.
• Length: All games are 7 innings.
• Complete Game: A game will be complete if the time limit is reached regardless of the number of innings played, the game is completed per 7 innings, or the mercy rule is in effect.
• Mercy Rule: A game is called if a team is ahead by 12 runs after 3 innings, 10 runs after 4 innings, or 8 runs after 5 innings (the trailing team must bat 3, 4, or 5 times).
• Bats: We will use NFHS Bat Rule, which is BB-COR or Wood. Only exception is with 14U; can use -5 oz. ratio aluminum bat.
• Pitching Rules: The only pitching restriction in effect is that if a pitcher is removed from a game, that pitcher cannot re-enter the same game to pitch.
• Mound Visits: Mount visits 3 per game, one additional for extra innings, 2nd visit to mound in the same inning, automatic removal. Any trip after the 3rd visit the pitcher must be removed each visit.
• Weather/Rain/Lightning: No game will be postponed more than 30 minutes once it has started due to inclement weather. The two-hour time limit will be in effect during the delay if the dealy will carry the game past the two-hour limit. The decision to resume the game will be at the discretion of the umpire. Any game that passes the two-hour time limit will be an official game. If a game passes the two-hour time limit in the middle of an inning and cannot be resumed, the score will revert back to the previous inning. The official game requirements are above.
• Pre-Game: At the discretion of the field manager and time permitting, each team will have a 5-minute pre-game IF/OF.
• A Coin Flip will determine the home team for each game. The winner of the flip can choose home or away. Sunday play the higher seed is given the choice of being home or away.
• Tie-Breaker to a Regular Game: If a game is tied at the end of 7 innings (or is tied at the end of the two-hour limit), the following will occur until a winner is determined by following “Shootout Rules.” The batter that made the last out the previous inning will be placed on second base. Each hitter that comes to the plate will have full count (3-2). This will continue until 3 outs are made for 2 innings. If after 2 innings still tied, the game is a tie. This will apply to all games except the championship (final) games on Sunday.
• Pool Standings Tie Breakers:
  • 1st: Head to Head
  • 2nd: Avg runs allowed per inning played
  • 3rd: Avg runs scored per inning played
• Sunday Play-Off Pairings:
  • The playoff format for the 2023 Beast of the East will be the following for all age groups (14U, 16U, & 19U)
    • Each bracket winner will be Seeds 1 – 3 based upon tournament seeding
    • The next 5 best finishers will be assigned seeds 4 – 8 based upon tournament seeding
    • The 8 teams will play in the quarterfinals with 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5
    • The winner will play in the semifinals, and finals respectively
    • The higher seed has the choice of being the home or away team. If two teams have the same seed, then a coin flip will determine the team who can choose
    • Field locations for playoffs will be released Saturday evening when playoff pairings come out.
  • The playoff information will be available Saturday night on the tournament website, Facebook (Beast of the East Baseball Tourney), and Twitter (@BeastEast30)
• Forfeit Games: Any forfeited game will be scored 7-0. Teams that forfeit a game will not be allowed to play in the championship bracket on Sunday.
• Any rules not covered here are at the discretion of the tournament directors in compliance with the National Federation High School Rules.