Ortonville, MI · September 26th, 2026
Rules & Format — Ortonville Under the Lights Home Run Derby
Everything you need to know before stepping up to the plate. Read the official rules, understand the contest format, and find your division.
Contest Format
How It Works
Three rounds. One champion. The format is simple — hit the most home runs and advance.
Round 1 — Qualifying
Open Swings
All registered competitors take their cuts. Top 4 hitters from each age division advance to the semifinals under the lights.
Round 2 — Semifinals
Battle Round
Head-to-head matchups. Top 2 from each division move on to the Championship round.
Round 3 — Finals
Championship
The last competitors standing swing for the title under the full stadium lights. Winner takes all.
Age Divisions
Find Your Division
The derby is open to all ages. Every competitor is placed in a division that matches their age group for fair competition.
T-Ball
Ages 5 & Under
T-Ball tee
6–8 Baseball
Ages 6–8
Own pitcher
Night Show
9–10 Boys Baseball
Ages 9–10
Own pitcher
Night Show
9–10 Girls Softball
Ages 9–10
Own pitcher
Night Show
11–12 Boys Baseball
Ages 11–12
Own pitcher
Night Show
11–12 Girls Softball
Ages 11–12
Own pitcher
Night Show
13–14 Boys Baseball
Ages 13–14
Own pitcher
Night Show
13–14 Girls Softball
Ages 13–14
Own pitcher
Night Show
15–18 Boys Baseball
Ages 15–18 · Student
Own pitcher
Night Show
15–18 Girls Softball
Ages 15–18 · Student
Own pitcher
18+ Mens Softball
Ages 18+
Own pitcher
18+ Womens Softball
Ages 18+
Own pitcher
30–41 Co-Ed Softball
Ages 30–41
Own pitcher
42–54 Co-Ed Softball
Ages 42–54
Own pitcher
55+ Co-Ed Softball
Ages 55+
Own pitcher
Coaches Throwdown
Open to Coaches
Own pitcher
Official Rules
Know the
Rules
Fair play, community spirit, and a whole lot of fun. These are the official rules every competitor must follow.
All decisions by the official judges are final. Full rules packet available at check-in on event day.
General Rules
- 1A home run counts only if the ball clears the designated home run line or fence for the participant's division.
- 2Each swing counts as one official swing, regardless of the result.
- 3Any ball declared fair by the event officials is eligible to count as a home run.
- 4All rulings by event officials are final.
- 5Bats meeting USA, USSSA, and BBCOR certification are allowed.
Round 1
Qualifying Round
- 1Each participant receives 10 swings.
- 2Bonus Rule: If the participant's 10th swing is a home run, they will continue receiving one additional swing at a time until they fail to hit a home run.
- 3The top four (4) participants with the most home runs advance to the semifinals.
- 4Tiebreaker: Tied participants each receive 3 additional swings. Repeat until the tie is broken.
Round 2
Semifinals
- 1Seeded bracket based on Round 1 results: #1 Seed vs. #4 Seed · #2 Seed vs. #3 Seed.
- 2Scores reset to 0 — points from Round 1 do not carry over.
- 3Each participant receives 10 swings.
- 4Bonus Rule: If the participant's 10th swing is a home run, they will continue receiving one additional swing at a time until they fail to hit a home run.
- 5The participant with the higher total advances to the championship round.
- 6Tiebreaker: Each participant receives 3 additional swings. Repeat until a winner is determined.
Round 3
Championship
- 1The two semifinal winners compete head-to-head.
- 2Scores reset to 0 — points from Round 2 do not carry over.
- 3Each participant receives 15 swings.
- 4Bonus Rule: If the participant's 15th swing is a home run, they will continue receiving one additional swing at a time until they fail to hit a home run.
- 5Tiebreaker: Each participant receives 3 additional swings. Repeat until a champion is crowned.
Ready to
Swing?
You know the rules. Now it's time to register and claim your spot under the lights.