BATS- all bats MUST be marked with the USA Baseball stamp.

EQUIPMENT

·       Fielders other than the first baseman and catcher should wear standard fielding gloves.  A first baseman’s mitt should only be worn by the player playing first base.

·       There are no mitt restrictions or mandate for the catcher position.

PITCHING

·       Pitchers are limited to 75 pitches per day. 1-40 pitches require 0 days rest, 41-65 require 1 day rest, 66 to 75 require 2 days rest. If a pitcher reaches 75 pitches while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base safely or is put out.

·       It is each team's responsibility to report pitch counts to the commissioner after each game.

·       Games in which an ineligible pitcher has been used, as specified above, shall be declared forfeited.

·       Coach is allowed 2 visits per inning to the mound, the second visit he must remove the current pitcher.  A visit to the mound during warm ups between innings is considered an official visit for that inning.

·       Once a player is removed from pitching the player may not re-enter the game as a pitcher.

GAME DURATION

·       Game time will be 1 hour and 50 minutes; an inning will not start after this time limit has been reached.

·       Umpires determine game time start; home team is responsible for maintaining this.

·       An inning begins immediately after the last out of the inning is made.

·       Please limit team huddles between ½ innings for the sake of time; particularly the defensive team; have your defensive players ready to take the field; let's keep the games moving and try playing a full 6 innings.

·       Games must play at least 4 innings regardless of the score to be considered a complete game.

·       Tied games -

• COVID-19 rule update: Regular season games, if tied after 6 innings or at the end of an inning once the time limit has expired, the game will end in a tie.  Playoff games will be played until a winner is declared.

GAME/ FIELD PREPARATIONS

·       Warm ups: Home team has the batting cages 1 hour before game time for 1/2 hour; visiting team has the field; this reverses 1/2 hour before game time.

·       Home team is responsible to line the fields before games; please line the field when your team has the field for warm ups.

·       Visiting team is responsible for raking/watering the pitching mound after games.

·       Both teams are responsible to clean out their respective dugout.

·       Game balls are at the concession stand.

·       Warm ups on weekend: Field time will be very limited between games.  Please share the cages / open fields for warm ups before games on weekends.

·       After weekend games are complete please have your players clean and clear the dugout so the next teams playing can get into the dugout to get ready for their game.  You can hold your post game player discussion outside the field.

·       Stopping Play: at the time the base-runner(s) have stopped making an attempt to advance to the next base and the pitcher has control of the ball in the pitching circle (umpire's discretion), play is officially stopped and no advancing of bases is allowed. Base-runners will return to the previous base and prepare for the next pitch.

·       No slashing - If a batter shows bunt, the batter cannot pull back and swing away. The batter can pull back and take the pitch.  Penalty if this occurs: team warning, batter is out, and all runners return back to the previous bag.

·       No must slide rule; changed to must avoid contact; umpire's judgment presides

·       Head first sliding is permitted.

·       Contact Rule: If a runner attempting to reach home plate intentionally and maliciously runs into a defensive player in the area of home plate, he will be called out on the play and ejected from the game. The objective of this is penalizing the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner for the obvious purpose of crashing into the defensive player, rather than trying to reach home plate. Obviously, this is an umpire's judgment call.

·       The 7 run rule is in effect.

·       7 runs are the maximum runs a team can score in the first inning (home or visitor).

·       In innings 2-5: A team can only increase their lead by 7 runs or score no more than 7 runs while at bat. For example, if the batting team is behind by one run, they can score eight runs (increasing their lead by 7 runs). If a batting team is ahead by one run, they can only score 7 runs in that half of the inning.

·       There is no run limit in the 6th inning.

·       A pinch runner may be used for the catcher when there are 2 outs. The runner will be the player who made the last out.

·       There will be a continuous batting order with free substitutions in the field.

·       A player cannot sit more than 2 innings in a 6-inning game. The innings cannot be consecutive.

·       Intentional walks do NOT count against a pitchers total pitch count.

·       Playoff dates and format will be communicated later in the season.

·       In-game issues: if they can't be resolved between HC's & umpire - please contact the Commissioner.

·       Winning coach must report the final score and pitch counts to the commissioner after each game.

All Star HC & player selection process will be communicated later in the season