For the SPRING 2023 season – 9YO, 10YO, 11YO, 12YO OPEN Divisions:

**Rules violations are to be identified at the time of infraction. We expect coaches to work together throughout a game to minimize any issues.

**In case of rain, see our Rain out Policy link for how games are completed.

**If playing on turf, coaches are ejected for the game or practice for sunflower seeds or gum. Players are given one team warning before players are ejected. Two ejections for a team in a game or for the season will result in that team being removed from use of turf for the rest of the season.**

While we do not provide our open teams with catcher's gear, only one-piece catcher's helmets are allowed at all of our facilities.


Coach/Parent Behavior
1. Any parent or coach ejection will result in an ejection for the current game and the next game. Ejection for arguing after the game will result in an ejection for the next 2 games.

2. If ejected, the person must leave the park. Failure to do so to include a delay to do so will result in a ban for the rest of the season or tournament. A return to the park by a banned or ejected person prior to the timing allowed to return will result in the removal of the team from our league without any refund.

3. If an umpire’s call needs to be discussed, that must occur only by the head coach. Assistant coaches coming onto the field to discuss or argue a call with an umpire will be ejected from the game.

4. Any parent that comes onto the field to argue a call or play will be immediately removed from the park and will be banned from the league and facilities indefinitely.

5. Any person involved in fighting will be immediately removed from the park and will be banned from the league and facilities indefinitely.

6.  Use of profanity, cursing or any offensive language not suitable for children will result in an immediate ejection and removal from the park. Determination of not suitable will be at the official's discretion.


Equipment
1. Only 1-piece catcher's masks are allowed. 

2. Teams are to only use the game balls we provide, all unused at the start of the game.


Before the Game
1.  Games and practices will be cancelled due to weather on the decision of the league. Rescheduled games have priority over any practice schedules. We will provide 48-hour notice on rescheduled games.

2.  Please have your team warm up in the outfield prior to the game with no use of the infield – fair or foul territory – before the game. We do this to preserve the game prep that occurs to the field.

3.  Teams are to be in the dugout area ready to start the game five minutes prior to the scheduled game start.

4.  There will be a meeting at home plate 10 minutes prior to the game start between the umpires and head coaches. The coach that attends the plate meeting will be the only coach that communicates with the umpire throughout the game concerning rule interpretations. Rule interpretations are ok to discuss with umpires. Judgement calls may not be
disputed.


Field & Game Limits
1.  Base paths are 65' for 9YO, 10YO divisions and then 70’ for 11YO division.

2.  Pitcher rubber to home plate is 46’ for 9/10YO and 50’ for 11/12YOs.

3.  Game clock will be set to 90 minutes. If any time remains on the clock when the last out in the bottom half of the inning is recorded, a new inning will start as long as neither team is mathematically eliminated.

4.  Maximum amount of innings if 6. Regular season games can end in a tie.

5.  Music is not allowed to be played once the game starts.

6.  The infield fly rule applies.

7.  The dropped third strike rule applies.

8.  Fake bunting and swinging for a pitch is not allowed and the batter will be called out.

9.  There are no bunting limits.

10.  There are 3 outfielders, 4 infielders, a pitcher and a catcher on defense. Players must be in their position as shifting is not allowed.


Player Participation
1.  There are no player participation requirements in the open division. Playing time is not monitored and managed by the league.

2.  Team can choose to bat 9 or bat 10 with EH or bat 9 with DH or bat 10 with EH & DH (still only batting 10) or bat the entire roster.

3.  If coaches are batting the entire lineup, which we recommend in league play, coaches use free substitution in the field.

4.  Players arriving after game time must have been listed in your lineup card as a sub to be eligible to play. If you are batting all players, they may be added to the bottom of your order.


Coach Participation & Positioning
1.  No more than 4 coaches can participate to coach during a game.

2.  When on offense, teams can have a 1st base coach, a 3rd base coach and the pitching coach. All other coaches must be in the dugout.

3.  When on defense, teams are limited to one coach being in front of the dugout. All other coaches must be in the dugout. The one coach standing in front of the dugout must remain in front of the dugout and not towards home plate or a base or the outfield.


Score keeping
1.  The home team keeps the official book in the Game Changer app. An adult from the visiting team must operate the scoreboard controller.
2.  The mercy rule is in effect for all games: 10-runs after four innings.

3.  There is a 8-run rule limit per inning for 11-12YO. There is a 7-run limit per inning for 9-10YO.

4.  Games during the regular season will end in a tie if time expires. The end of season tournament would use international rules with the last batted out starting at 2B for each team.


Bats
1.  Big Barrel Bats are permitted. Bat rules will follow those used in USSSA, BPA and Game7.

2.  A drop 3 bat is only allowed on 60/90 fields, which those fields start at 13YO.

3.  Use of an illegal bat, not following the above, results in an out called. This is treated as a dead ball where runners return to the base prior to the ball batted into play.


Stoppage of Play
1.  This is a stop the runner format but once the pitcher is on the mound, the ump can stop the play.


Pitchers
1.  New pitchers to an inning are allowed EIGHT warm up tosses that include any in front, behind or on the mound.

2.  Existing pitchers are allowed FIVE pitches after their second and following innings.

3.  If three batters are hit during the game by a pitcher, that pitcher must be pulled from pitching and cannot return to pitch later in the same game.

4.  The pitcher must be pulled on the 2nd trip to the mound in the same inning.

5.  A pitcher may re-enter the same game unless he was pulled due to 2nd trip in same inning.

6.  Balks are called as they occur.


Pitch Count Limits Regular Season
1.  The "Maximum Pitch Counts" per game are 75 pitches for 9-10YOs and 85 pitches for 11YOs. A pitcher will be allowed to finish a batter if they reach their limit during the at bat.

2.  Any pitcher reaching the game count limit cannot pitch in league play for the next 4 calendar days (pitch limit on Saturday, cannot pitch until Thursday).

3.  Any pitcher reaching 40 pitches in a game cannot pitch the next day (pitched Tuesday, cannot pitch until Thursday)

4.  Any pitcher reaching 55 pitches in a game cannot pitch for two days (pitched Tuesday, cannot pitch until Friday).


Player Shortage & Sub Rules
1.    If you need a Substitute player due to a short roster (less than 9), use a player your existing division or from the rec division (must be same age as your team).
a.    A sub may play any position except pitcher or catcher and may bat in the lineup as 5th or later.

2.    Subs must wear their team's uniform and not the uniform of the team they are subbing for. Subs from other teams are to be identified prior to the start of the game.

3.    Subs cannot be added to the lineup card once the game starts.

4.    Teams cannot sub using a player outside of our league. Penalty for any violation - Head coach suspension for next two games. Team loss recorded as 7-0.

5.    Teams may start a game with no less than 8 players. There is no grace period to wait on arriving players.

6.   If a player starts the game and leaves for any reason, they will be skipped in the order unless the team now has less than 9 players. In that case, the player is recorded as an out each time.


Base running
1.  Lead offs are allowed.

2.  Any base can be stolen. 

3.  Players must attempt to avoid contact. A player can be called out if contact is not avoided; this is a judgment call by the umpire.

4.  On any play at home plate, players must slide feet first, if sliding and avoid a collision with the catcher. If not sliding, they must also avoid a collision. The catcher may block the plate only if he has the ball. 

5.  Courtesy runners are to be used for catchers. Use the last batted out as the courtesy runner. The catcher of record is the only one that can have a courtesy runner, not a catcher in the next inning.


End of Season Tournament Seeding
1.  The seeding for the tournament will occur in the following order:
a. Win percentage
b. Head-to-Head
c. Runs Allowed (across all games)
d. Runs Scores (across all games)