2017 9/10 and 11/12 Prairie Grass Baseball Rules

General Rules

All standard baseball rules apply with the following exceptions:

1. Games are to start no earlier than 6:00 pm, and no later than 7:30 pm. Games shall consist of 6 innings. The umpire can stop a game due to weather, darkness or extreme heat. Games are considered complete after 4 innings. All games will have a 1 hour 30-minute time limit. No new inning will be started after 80 minutes. This time limit will be strictly enforced and needs to be communicated to all umpires and coaches in the league. Regular season games can end in a tie. Extra innings should be played until the time limit is reached, or a winner is declared.

2. Home teams will furnish 2 umpires and game balls at each game. All umpires must be 14 years of age or older. Umpires should be provided rules at the beginning of the season.

3. Cancellations will be posted on the league website when info is available. If weather is a potential issue, home team can cancel games. League should be notified, by email, of cancelled games. Games will be rescheduled if possible, but only through the league website.

4. Age limit: Players must be under 11 on May 1st, 2017 for 9/10 division and players must be under 13 on May 1st, 2017 for 11/12 division.

5. The ten run rule is in effect after 4 innings. The fifteen rule is in effect after 3 innings. These are in effect regardless of any decision made by the coaches to continue the game. This rule is in effect for the league tournament.

9/10 baseball only: 5 run max per inning during league games. This includes the last inning. If time allows and the home team is down by 6 or more runs in the last inning, they shall still bat. Rule does not apply to tournament play

6. Free substitution rule is in effect. Player must return to the same spot in the batting order. Once pitcher is taken out he may not return to pitch. Teams may bat 9, 10 (Extra Hitter), or entire roster throughout the season and in the league tournament.

7. If a team starts with ten players in the lineup and falls below ten during the game the missing player will be counted as an out when due to bat. The same is true if a team has less than nine in the lineup (no matter how many started the game). The empty spot in the lineup will be counted as an out. A team must have at least 8 to start a game.

8. No jewelry unless medical related.

9. League tournament will be determined by win loss record, and will be seeded accordingly. Tournament format will be a combination of pool play and bracket play, depending on the number of teams that participate. Tournament schedules will be posted on the league website and sent to all coaches at the conclusion of the final regular season games. All teams will be guaranteed 2 games with a potential to play more based on outcomes. Any team unable to compete in the tournament must let the League know at their earliest convenience. The tournaments will be held July 7th and 8th. If a team is unable to

compete in the league tournament, they need to indicate that to the league no later than July 1st, 2017. All Teams are required to pay a $100 tournament fee regardless of the team’s participation in the league tournament. This will help cover the cost of umpires, trophies, game balls, field maintenance, etc. Host communities will charge a gate fee for admissions to the tournament to help offset all costs associated with hosting the tournament and to help foster growth in their baseball program.

10. League Tournament location for 2017 will be Tea for the 9/10 and Lennox for the 11/12 age groups.

11. Team rosters with names and numbers are due to the league by date of first game. Any changes must be communicated to the League and approved 24 hour prior to the new player playing. Player may not play for another team in league tournament games.

12. Exhibition games can be scheduled between teams. All games that count in the standings must be set up through the league.

13. Scores must be sent to the league, via email, no later than 24 hours after the game has concluded. Home team is responsible for sending scores to the league. The league suggests that both coaches send in the score of the game.

Base Runners

1. Base runners may leave the base after the ball crosses home plate. If a runner leaves early, that runner’s team will receive one warning and after that, any member of the same team will be called out if they violate the rule by leaving early.

2. If the defensive player makes a “fake” tag on a base runner, the base runner shall be entitled to an extra base. The determination of a “fake tag” is in the discretion of the umpire.

3. Catchers are allowed courtesy runners at any time during the game if they reach base.

4. A player may not intentionally create contact with another player at any time. If the defensive player has the ball and a play is being made, the offensive player must slide. Failure to slide will result in the player being called out. If a defensive player is in the base path without the ball and makes contact with, or impedes the path of the offensive player, interference may be called on the defensive player.

5. 9/10 Closed Home Plate - Home plate is closed except on a live ball. Therefore, a runner from 3rd base can only score by being walked in, or when a ball is batted into play. The runner may NOT advance to home on a passed ball, when the catcher makes a play at a base runner, and when runners are at first and third and the catcher makes a play on the runner stealing second base. Once a ball is returned to the pitcher within a 12’ radius of the pitching rubber, the ball is dead, and if runners are before the halfway point between bases, they must return to the base from which he came. This is left to the discretion of the umpire. NOTE: If the pitcher drops the ball on the throwback from the catcher or the catcher overthrows the pitcher, the ball is not live.

11/12 Open Home Plate - Home plate is open. A player may advance on a passed ball. The ball is only dead when the umpire calls time. At all other times, the ball is live, including on return throws from the catcher. A player may not steal once the pitcher is positioned on the rubber to pitch.

6. A dropped third strike, the batter is out. Base runners may advance at own risk.

7. Base distance will be 60ft for 9/10 and 11/12.

Pitching Rules

1. 9/10 Division- 50 pitches maximum per day/game with a weekly maximum of 100 total pitches. For the week of the league tournament, a pitcher can throw a maximum of 110 pitches for the entire week. This would mean that the pitcher can pitch a league game earlier in the week and throw up to 50 pitches. Then in the League Tournament, all pitchers are limited to 60 total pitches in the league tournament. For this purpose, League Tournament games that occur on Friday night and/or Saturday are considered the “same day”. Therefore, all pitchers would start the league tournament with 60 total pitches that can be utilized as a coach sees fit. Pitch counts for the league tournaments will be tracked with scores and updated along with the brackets.

11/12 Division-60 pitches maximum per day/game with a weekly maximum of 120 total pitches. For the week of the league tournament, a pitcher can throw a maximum of 145 pitches for the entire week. This would mean that the pitcher can pitch a league game earlier in the week and throw up to 60 pitches. Then in the League Tournament, all pitchers are limited to 85 total pitches in the league tournament. For this purpose, League Tournament games that occur on Friday night and/or Saturday are considered the “same day”. Therefore, all pitchers would start the league tournament with 85 total pitches that can be utilized as a coach sees fit. Pitch counts for the league tournaments will be tracked with scores and updated along with the brackets.

2. All pitchers are required to have 1 complete days rest after pitching in a game (exception is Friday night/Saturday games in League Tournament). Ex. If a kid throws 1 pitch on a Monday, he is ineligible to pitch whatsoever on Tuesday.

3. A pitcher can only make one pitching appearance per game.

4. No curve balls are allowed.

5. The pitching rubber shall be set at approximately 46-48ft from home plate 9/10 and 11/12.

6. No balk rule.

Equipment Rules

1. Bats – Only baseball bats are allowed (softball bats are not allowed). Bats will generally be labeled as “Little League approved”. Maximum bat diameter is 2 ¼”. Anyone using a larger bat will have his team warned, one warning per team per game. A second or any subsequent violation results in a strikeout of the batter violating the rule.

2. Baseballs- The home team will provide game balls for each game. They will be official baseballs. Balls that are worn or not official baseballs will not be used.

3. No metal spikes.

4. Helmets that cover both ears are required for all batters, runners, bat boys, and players acting as base coaches..

Rule Violations

If any of the above rules are violated, the league will do an investigation on the violation. If the violation is deemed valid, the head coach will be suspended for 1 game. Any future violations of the rules, the coach will be suspended for the rest of the season.

The League Office email is . The League website is PrairieGrassbaseballleague.com.

For any in-game disputes, the umpire is in charge and their ruling is final.