Sr. T-Ball Rules

Diamond Layout

  1. a) Base lengths are 60 feet.
    b) A 9”, 45 cc baseball is used.
     c) A fair hit line is drawn with an arc of radius 18 feet from home plate.

 

 League Rules

 

 Early Games:

The starting time for each game is 6:00pm.

No new inning shall start after 7:30pm.

 

Late Games (Bernie Amlin & Tom Wilson Field):

The starting time for late games is 8:30 pm.

No new inning shall start after 9:50 pm and everyone must be off the field by 10:05pm.

 

New Inning Start:  An inning shall be deemed to have started immediately after the last out in the bottom of the previous has occurred.

 

All Games:

 

  1. In the event that a team does not have enough players (7 or more), the game will still start at the scheduled time with the players who are present.

 

  1. All regular season Sr. T-Ball games are controlled by our time limits. Games will be considered complete once a minimum of 1 hour and 20 minutes has passed. If a game is called due to weather, a minimum of 45 minutes of play time must be completed to constitute a full game. If a minimum of 45 minutes have not been played, the entire game will be rescheduled by the coordinator.

 

  1. It is the responsibility of the home team coaches to set up the field, including chalking, and supply two game balls (one new and one used). Home team is listed on the right.  E.g. 2 vs. 1, Team #1 is home team and shall occupy 3rd base line bench. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to set up field.

 

  1. Cell phones or electronic devices are not permitted on the playing field.

    5.  Full Uniform – The house league supplied shirt, caps or visors must be worn.  The uniform shirt must be tucked into their appropriate white ball pants. No shorts or jewelry are allowed. No metal spikes are allowed.  Pelvic protection and mouth guards are strongly recommended.

 

  1. The catcher must properly wear all supplied equipment. The batter, pitcher, and base runners must wear a helmet with the chinstrap properly fastened.

 

  1. The pitcher must stand near the pitcher’s mound until the ball has been hit.

 

  1. Runners must use the orange safety bag at 1st base when a play is being made at 1st base.

    9. Sliding headfirst is NOT allowed and will result in the runner being called out.

 

  1. To avoid a collision, coaches must encourage players to not stand on a base when a play is not being made.

 

  1. All players bat each inning.  If player A is the 1st batter in the 1st inning, they will then bat last in the 2nd inning. The player that batted first in the 2nd inning, will then bat last in the 3rd inning, and so on. This allows all players to become the 1st batter in an inning throughout the course of the game. A batter who arrives late will be added to the bottom of the batting order.

12 a)  All players will play each inning defensively with the extra players in the outfield. Players will be rotated throughout the fielding positions after every third batter. Example:  1st to 2nd,

2nd to SS, SS to 3rd, 3rd to LF and so on, and RF to 1st. Only the pitcher and catcher will remain in their position but are only allowed to play these  positions once throughout the game and the season until everyone has played as pitcher and catcher.  An equal amount of playing time must be given to every player at the pitcher and catcher positions throughout the season.  This allows all players to get a chance to play every position.

 

  1. b) Should a player not play an inning defensively, they will not be allowed to play that inning, or the following inning offensively. Meaning, if a player voluntarily chooses not to play in the field with the remainder of the team, they will not be allowed to bat that inning, or if their turn to bat has already passed in that current inning, they will not be allowed to bat the following inning. Each player MUST contribute defensively and offensively to the game

 

  1. Unless a parent requests otherwise, players must be rotated so they play equal number of innings infield and outfield whenever possible and every player should have an equal opportunity to play every position continuously during the season. A head coach, upon consultation with his/her assistants and the parent(s) of a player, may choose not to play a player in the infield for reasons of safety for that player. When the safety issue has been resolved, the player is again included in the regular rotation of field positions.

  

  1. Coaches at any time may communicate only positive instructions to the players on the field. All defensive coaches may take up positions in the field of play for instructional purposes.

 

  1. Coaches must notify the coordinator if a player quits.

 

  1. NO score-keeping is allowed!

Playing Rules

 

  1. Only the umpire will call Time and Outs. The coach must explain the reason for the out to the player before the player is dismissed from the field of play.

 

  1. The batter and all base runners may advance as many bases as possible until one of the following 2 plays has occurred:
  2. a) Infield Play: An infield play must be attempted to first base or any other base as long as there is a runner advancing to the corresponding base. Once the ball is thrown toward the base in play, the runners will stop at the base they are running to.  No overthrow
  3. b) Outfield Play: If the ball is hit to the outfield, an outfielder must throw the ball toward the infield. Once the ball is thrown toward the infield, the runners will stop at the base they are running to. No overthrow advance

 

  1. The umpire must call “Play Ball” before the batter swings. When the ball is hit, if the ball is not in play, the umpire will call foul ball or dead ball.  A dead ball occurs when:
  2. a) A player hits the tee and the ball falls off or
  3. b) A ball is hit but does not cross the fair hit line and rolls dead.

The umpire calls “dead ball” and the player hits again.

 

  1. Each batter shall have 3 attempts at hitting the ball into play. After 3 unsuccessful attempts, the umpire (with the help of the coaches) shall announce that the next hit will be a fair ball. The next attempt in which the ball has been hit in fair territory shall be considered a fair hit ball. Fair territory area is the inside of the foul lines . If the batter misses  the ball completely (under or over the ball) on his next or subsequent attempt (after 3 unsuccessful attempts), the batter is out. If the ball is hit in the foul area, the batter will attempt again until he either hits the ball in fair territory or misses  the ball completely and is called out.

 

  1. 5. When the ball is hit and there is an opportunity for a runner(s) to advance to home, the umpire behind the plate will remove the tee away from home plate. Rule #2 above still applies

 

  1. Last batter status:
  2. a) The offensive coach must call “last batter.”
    b) The batter and all base runners advance to home.
  3. c) When the last batter has hit a fair ball, the umpire will remove the tee away from home plate. A fielder, making a play with the ball, must throw the ball overhand to the catcher, and only the catcher, who then secures the ball and tags home plate, thus ending the inning with the remaining base runners called out.
  4. d) As a courtesy, the defensive team must stay on the field until the last batter reaches home plate.

    A batter will not be called out for throwing his bat, but instructed and encouraged by the coach to hold the bat properly.

 

Playoff Rules

 

All of the above playing rules apply with the following exceptions.

 

  1. For all games, coaches must Track Outs for the entire game. Both teams must track each other’s outs and verify them at the end of each half inning.

 

  1. Game Times:

        Early Games:  No new inning shall start after 7:20pm.

        Late Games:   No new inning shall start after 9:50pm and everyone must be off the field by 10:05 pm.

 

  1. Sr. T-Ball playoff games are controlled by time limits or 3 full innings. Games will be considered complete once a minimum of 1 hour and 20 minutes has passed. If a game is called due to weather, a minimum of 45 minutes of play time must be completed to constitute a full game. If a minimum of 45 minutes have not been played, the entire game may be rescheduled by the coordinator. If 45 minutes of game time has been completed, the team winning at the end of the last completed inning will be declared the winner.

 

  1. If the start of the game is delayed, no new inning after 1 hour 20 min from the start of the game and everyone must be off the field 2 hours from the start of the game.

 

  1. All teams must field a minimum of 7 players by 6:15pm for early games and 8:45pm for late games or they forfeit the game. The game will still be played however the team with not enough players will be marked as the losing team for that game.

 

  1. A coin toss will determine which team is the home team for all playoff games.

 

  1. Score keeping will be allowed for playoff games only. Each team must appoint a scorekeeper.

 

8.a)  All players bat each inning with each team bringing the same number of batters to the plate. Should one team have less players, then that team will continue with their batting order until the number of batters is the same as the other team .

 

  1. b) There is no requirement in playoff games to have the batting order rotated. For example, if player A bats first in the 1st inning, they are allowed to remain the 1st batter for every subsequent inning, thus a set order for each inning; or coaches at their discretion can rotate the batting order using the house league batting order method mentioned above in point 12. This applies to playoff games and the championship game only.

 

  1. Outs will be called, however once 3 outs are reached, the inning will continue. Players called out will not be allowed to score.

 

  1. Player rotation for playoff games remains the same as regular season games. This alleviates placing the team’s strongest players at the best positions and controlling the game.

 

  1. If the last played inning is not complete when it is time to leave the field, the score after the last completed inning is the official score.

 

  1. In the event of a tie score after the time limit has been exceeded, one additional inning may be played to attempt to break the tie score. The additional inning will be played with the 3 out rules in effect. Teams will start at the top of the order and once 3 outs have been obtained, the offense side will resign and the bottom of the inning will begin. If after the additional tie-breaking inning, the score is still tide, the team with the most official outs is awarded the win. (This only applies when using the elimination playoff format). 

 

  1. Sr. T-Ball playoffs will encompass the last 2 weeks of the playing schedule. The playoff structure will be made known to the coaches prior to the completion of the regular season.

 

With a 3 – 4 team division, a round robin format will be used. With 5 or more teams, an elimination format will be used. See specific rules below.

  1. a) Round Robin Format: 2 points will be award for a win, 1 for a tie. Games can end in a tie. The top 2 teams will play a 1 game championship game. If there is a tie in the standings at the end of the round robin, the winner will be determined by head to head. If there is a three-way tie, the team with the lowest runs against will be given a bye to the championship game. You CANNOT be eliminated by this method. There will be a tiebreaker game for the remaining two teams. For the championship game, the team with the best record (the team with the most points after the round robin) will be home team. If there is a tie, the home team will be determined by head to head. If that game ended in a tie, home team will be determined by a coin toss.
  2. b) Elimination Format: Teams will be eliminated after their 2nd loss (games cannot end in a tie) until only 2 teams remain. These 2 teams will play in the championship game. This is the final game regardless of whether 1 team had a loss and the other did not. If 1 team has no losses going into this game, they will be home team. If both teams have a loss, head to head determines the home team. If both teams have a loss and the teams didn’t play each other, a coin toss will determine home team.
  3. For the Championship Game, played on Day of Champions. The championship games will be played in full, weather permitting. The championship game is considered complete when either a minimum of 1 hour and 20 minutes of play OR 3 full innings have been completed. If the championship game has been called off due to weather, a minimum of 60 minutes of play time, or 2 full innings must be played for the game to be considered complete. Should 60 minutes, or 2 full innings not be completed, the game will be rescheduled for later that day, or a subsequent time, weather permitting.

 

  1. In the event of a tie, once the time limit has been exceeded or all 3 innings have been completed in the Championship game, an additional inning(s) will be played with the 3 out rule in effect. Teams will start at the top of the order and once 3 outs have been obtained , the offense side will resign and the bottom of the inning will begin. Play continues (full innings) until the tie is broken

 

                      The Board of Directors may amend these rules at any time.