Baseball tournaments are the highlight of the summer. To increase the number of games played by each team during the tournament, the teams may start the tournament with pool play. During pool play, the teams play two to three games in a "round robin" format to be seeded for bracket play. However, two or more teams may have the same record. In this case, the tournament director enforces tie-breaker rules.
Head-to-Head
Head-to-head competition is typically the first option for a tie-breaker following pool play. The team that wins a head-to-head game against the team with which it is tied will receive the higher seed for the tournament.
Runs Allowed
A second option for a tie-breaker is to calculate the number of runs allowed during all games in pool play. The team that allowed the fewest number of runs receives the higher tournament seed.
Runs Scored
A third option for a tie breaker is calculating total runs scored. The team with the higher number of runs received the higher tournament seed.
Coin Flip
In the unlikely event that all three tie-breakers fail to determine a pool winner, a final option is a coin flip. The tournament director will meet with the head coaches, and the winner of the flip will advance as the higher seed.
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