11U COBA Qualifier for 2024

Welcome to the 11U COBA Qualifier for 2024.

The Halton Hills Minor Baseball Association (HHMBA) is excited to be hosting the 2024 11U COBA Qualifier Tournament, and we are looking forward to seeing all of you on the weekend of August 23rd - 25th. This year we will be running tournament playdowns for AAA, AA, A and Select. All games and scores will be posted online on our website so please see below to follow along with your division of interest.

AAA

https://hhmba.ca/division/2790/29765/games

AA

https://hhmba.ca/division/2790/29766/games

A

https://hhmba.ca/division/2790/29767/games

Select

https://hhmba.ca/division/2790/29768/games

Diamonds

All games will be played at three parks this year.

Glenn Williams

511 Main St, Georgetown, ON L7G 3S8

When you enter the driveway, follow the gravel road to the right, there is a large parking lot that services both diamonds. Do not park in behind the shops and restaurants close to diamond #1, there is a chance you will be towed.

Gellert Community Park

10241 8th Line, Georgetown, ON L7G 4S5

There is only one entrance to this park and there is plenty of parking here. There is a great play area for younger children as well as indoor washrooms (subject to the community center being open). If the community center is closed there is a portable washroom located near Diamond #1.

Georgetown Fairgrounds

1 Park Ave, Georgetown, ON L7G 3H9

You can enter this park from either entrance shown on the overhead map. There is a fun park and play area for the kids and an indoor washroom which is located between Diamonds 2 and 3.

Diamond Maintenance

We are planning to have a number of Halton Hills parent volunteers to help maintain the diamonds between games. It would be helpful if parents from the participating teams could also help out when required. All of the diamonds will be prepped for the morning games, however a new coat of chalk is always a nice touch for each subsequent game. If we have inclement weather we would appreciate all the hands we can get to help prepare the diamonds for play.

Tournament Format

The COBA Qualifier is a double elimination format, meaning you are not out until you lose 2 games. Each team will be sent a copy of the bracket ahead of August 23rd with their seed and first game. The outcome of each game dictates your subsequent games.
Teams are to report game scores to Chris Gee via email immediately after each game. Each team will then be told when their next game will be. In case of emergency or a dispute, please call or text Chris at 647-206-7381.

Each division bracket will end when the appropriate number of OBA Qualifying teams have been reached:

AAA - Two teams advance to the OBA Provincials in Riverside on the Labour Day Weekend.  You should follow the bracket to the end of Game 5.  The Winner of Game 4 is COBA 1 and the Winner of Game 5 is COBA 2.

AA - Two teams advance to the OBA Provincials in Greater Niagara on the Labour Day Weekend.  You should follow the bracket through to the end of Game 9.  The Winner of Game 8 is COBA 1.  The Winner of Game 9 is COBA 2

A - One team advances to the OBA Provincials in Brantford on the Labour Day Weekend.  You should follow the COBA bracket to the end.

Select - Two teams will get to attend the 11U Select Provincials in West Mountain on Labour Day Weekend.   You should follow the bracket through to Game 7. The Winner of Game 6 is COBA 1 and the Winner of Game 7 is COBA 2.

Game format and rules

• Each team is responsible for $45 of the umpiring fee each game (each team pays for 1 umpire)
• Each team is responsible for 2 game balls per game
• The higher seeded team gets the choice of being Home or Away at the start of the game
• Pitch counts must be entered and confirmed immediately after each game. All COBA rules pertaining to pitching are in place. 
• We have allotted considerable time for each game and between games
• Games will be a maximum of 7 innings unless the game is tied at the end of the 7th inning
• Any new inning that starts after 2 hours from the first pitch will be considered the final inning of the game and will have an 8 run maximum in place, there is no dead ball. The umpires will be directed to make this clear to both teams prior to the start of the final inning.
• There MUST be a winner in each game. The following is the extra innings format:

• You will have to play extra innings one at a time until the game is won. For extra innings, the Baseball Ontario extra inning rule will apply. The last batter from the previous inning will start the inning as runner on second; 0 outs and a 0-0 count on the batter. If you do not have time to finish the game on the day it was started, you will have to suspend the game and pick it up the next day.
• In game COBA per inning mercy rules are in effect (4 run maximum per inning; 8 run final inning)
• In game COBA mercy rules are in effect (10 run differential after 4.5 or 5 innings complete)
• Just a reminder, the pitching and catching rule applies to each day, not a single game. Therefore if a player catches or pitches at any point in a game, they are ineligible to play the other position for the remainder of the day. Please plan accordingly.
• Scores must be sent to Chris Gee (647-206-7381) via email immediately after each game by both teams, as each team will be instructed when their next game will be
• The divisional brackets and game scores will be posted online, please see the links above for the results per division
• Please read pages 67 and 68 of the Gold Book ahead of the tournament. These relate to Discipline and the procedures surrounding Protests.