Tournament Rules

STLWEST Rules (2026) – Tournament Standards

Our tournaments will follow the official St. Louis West Athletic Association (STLWEST) rules. This page summarizes the most common tournament questions (time limits, innings, pitching limits, stealing, etc.).

Note: For anything not specifically covered in STLWEST, play follows the governing rule set referenced by STLWEST: Baseball: Official Baseball Rules (OBR/MLB rules) • Softball: USA Softball rules (except as modified by STLWEST).

Jump to:

2026 Rule Updates • Tournament Standards • Softball Age Chart • Baseball Age Chart • Orange Safety Base

2026 Rule Updates (STLWEST)

Time Limits: Most baseball & softball games are 1:40 (one hour, forty minutes) unless otherwise noted.
Fall Ball only: No new half-inning begins if 5 minutes or less remain when the previous half-inning ends.
Orange (double) safety base: Guidelines added for proper use at first base (see below).

Heads up: STLWEST notes that 2026 amendments are highlighted in the official rulebook.

Tournament Standards (Common Questions)

Game Length & End-of-Game Time Rules

Time limit: 1:40 unless otherwise noted.
When time is up: If the home team is ahead, the game ends at the conclusion of the visitors’ at-bat.
New inning: A new inning starts immediately after the 3rd out of the home team’s at-bat. (Umpires will not tolerate intentional stalling.)
Baseball: 7 innings max; no new inning begins after 1:40.
Softball: 7 innings max; no new inning begins after 1:40; tie-breaker runner on 2nd starting in the 8th if time remains.

Lineups, Minimum Play & Rosters

Bat the entire roster of eligible players.
Minimum play: Each player must play at least 2 defensive innings in a 5-inning game or 3 defensive innings in a 7-inning game (penalty: forfeit).
Late arrivals: Added to the bottom of the lineup and may bat/field.
Roster checks: Managers should have an approved roster + player ID/birth certificate available if requested (failure may result in forfeit).

Safety & Sportsmanship

Helmets: All offensive players must wear helmets while the ball is live.
Sliding / avoid contact: Runners must slide or avoid contact on tag plays; malicious contact = ejection.
No abusive behavior: Foul language and unsportsmanlike conduct can result in warnings, removal, ejections, or forfeits.

Weather & Delays

Lightning: Mandatory 15-minute delay after a strike; game time pauses during lightning delays; max delay 45 minutes.
Heat/Cold: STLWEST heat/cold policy uses AccuWeather; games may be canceled/delayed if thresholds are met.

Softball – Age Division Rule Chart (STLWEST)

* 8U: no walks / no hit-by-pitch (hits + strikeouts only).
** 10U stealing allowed except home (per STLWEST note).
*** 14U–18U metal spikes allowed except on turf fields.

Age	Pitching Restrictions	Infield Fly	Runs / Inning	Stealing	Drop 3rd Strike	Spikes	Pitching / Bases
7U	N/A	No	7	No	No	No	40’ / 55’
8U	N/A	No	7	No	No	No	40’ / 55’
10U (Red/White)	None	No	5	Yes**	No	No	35’ / 60’
10U (Blue)	None	Yes	5	Yes	Yes	No	35’ / 60’
12U	None	Yes	5	Yes	Yes	No	40’ / 60’
14U	None	Yes	5	Yes	Yes	Yes***	43’ / 60’
16U	None	Yes	5	Yes	Yes	Yes***	43’ / 60’
18U	None	Yes	5	Yes	Yes	Yes***	43’ / 60’

Baseball – Age Division Rule Chart (STLWEST)

* 13U–18U metal spikes allowed except on turf fields or turf mounds.

Age	Innings Pitched / Game	Runs / Inning	Stealing	Drop 3rd Strike	Infield Fly	Spikes	Pitching / Bases
7U / 8U	n/a	7	No	No	No	No	40’ / 55’
9U (Red/White)	3	5	Yes (no leadoffs)	No	No	No	45’ / 65’
9U (Blue)	3	5	Yes	Yes	No	No	45’ / 65’
10U	4	5	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	45’ / 65’
11U (Red/White)	4	7	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	50’ / 70’
11U (Blue)	4	None	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	50’ / 70’
12U (Red/White)	5	7	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	50’ / 70’
12U (Blue)	5	None	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	50’ / 70’
13U (Red/White)	5	7	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes*	54’ / 80’
13U (Blue)	5	None	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes*	54’ / 80’
14U (Red/White)	7	7	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes*	60’6” / 90’
14U (Blue)	7	None	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes*	60’6” / 90’
HS	None	None	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes*	60’6” / 90’

Orange Safety Base (Double Base) – Key Guidelines

Fair/Foul: A batted ball hitting/bounding over the white portion is fair. Hitting/bounding over only the colored portion (without touching white) is foul.
Initial play at 1st: Defense uses white, batter-runner uses colored, with listed exceptions (dropped 3rd strike, foul-territory throws/fielding, errant throws pulling fielder into foul ground).
Wrong base: If batter-runner clearly touches only the white on a close play, it can be treated like missing the base (appeal rules apply).
After reaching 1st: Runners use white base only; on extra-base hits with no play at the base, runner may touch either portion.

STLWEST standard: Orange safety base is used at first base for ages 7U–14U (baseball & softball).

Other Tournament Company Rules

If you want us to include rules from other tournament companies when STLWEST does not specify a subject, please provide the rule sets you were comparing (copy/paste or upload). I’ll add a clear “Optional Add-Ons (Not in STLWEST)” section and label them by source.

Questions? Contact the tournament director for clarification before game time.