Lawrence Park Baseball League RULES of PLAY Continental Division Continental Leagues Rules: 1. Game Start Time: a. All games must start within a 15-minutes grace period of the scheduled start time. If a game start time is delayed due to weather, the league Commissioner or an available board member will determine a new start time if weather permits. b. Your assigned umpire will keep the time and both scorekeepers will be notified by your umpire of the official start time prior to the first pitch. 2. Pre-Game Rules: a. The home team ALWAYS lines the diamond prior to the start of the game. b. The visiting team ALWAYS rakes the mound and batter’s box before and after each game. Replace tarps, if available. c. All players from both teams must play in the field for 6-consecutive outs (2-full innings) and bat at least once in a COMPLETE game. (See complete game rule-4) d. The fielding team will have 10 players on the field and they must be in the correct baseball positions. The baseball positions will consist of 4 outfielders and 6 infielders. e. If team has 9 players or fewer, they will play 5 infielders. No catcher will be fielded …...and an adult shall shag ball for pitcher f. A team MUST field a minimum of 8-players within the allotted 15-minute grace period ….or the game will be forfeited by the team that does not have 8 players. Substitute ….players may be used from lower division (Rookies) No borrowing of same division ….players to complete an official game will be permitted. Substitute players may only ….be used if team has fewer than 9 players. ….If the game is forfeited due to lack of sufficient player count or if the late players ….arrive after the 15-minute grace period, the game can still be played as a practice ….game if both coaches agree to do so. The game (practice game) will not exceed the allotted 2-hour time limit and the time limit starts from the scheduled start time not when the game actually starts (This is to ensure that there is adequate time to play other games scheduled for that day). (Borrowing of opponent’s players to play a practice game is permitted) If a player is injured during the game or becomes sick and must leave the game and the (8)-player minimum is not held, the game will not be forfeited, and the game will be scored as an official game once completed. g. Your assigned umpire is solely responsible for making the call as to whether a game is to be forfeited due to the expiration of the 15-minute grace period. 1 3. All equipment must remain OFF the field of play once the game has started 4. A Complete Game: a. A complete game will consist of (6)-innings or a (2)-hour time limit, whichever comes first. b. No NEW inning may start after reaching the (2)-hour time limit. c. If the (2)-hour time limit has been reached and an inning is still in play, that inning will completed and then this rule reverts to rule (4/b). d. In the event of darkness or weather, an official game will go in the books if (4)- innings have been completed. If (4)-innings or (3 ½-innings if the home team leads) have not been completed by darkness or rain, then the game will be rescheduled and both teams will pick up from the exact point the game was called due to darkness or weather. e. Your assigned umpire keeps the official time. f. Your assigned umpire is responsible for all players, coaches and fan safety; if s/he or she feels that it is to dark to play or the weather is too bad, his or her decision is FINAL! Please Respect his or her decision. 5. A Complete Team at Bat: a. A team’s turn at bat will end when (3)-outs are made or the team scores (8)-runs during that at-bat. b. There is a continuous batting order. 6. Injured Players a. Upon a fielder being injured, ALL play MUST stop immediately! b. If a fielder is injured during a play and the ball has been hit in fair territory, the batter is awarded first base and any runners on base advance (1)-base only! c. If a player is injured during play but a ball has not been hit in fair territory, play must stop immediately and base runners may NOT advance. 7. NO Bunting is Allowed! a. If a batter squares to bunt and contacts the ball fair or foul, that batter will be called out. 8. NO Walks! 9. NO on Deck Batters! 10. NO Infield Fly Rule is in Affect! 11. NO Base Stealing: a. Base runners may not leave the bag until the ball is hit into fair territory. If a runner leaves early, the TEAM will receive (1)-warning from the umpire. Upon a second offense per team, the runner will be called out. 2 12. Mercy Rule: a. A (10)-run rule is in affect after the completion of (4)-innings. If any team has a (20)-run advantage at any time during the game, the game will be official. 13. NO Throwing of the Bat: a. A TEAM will receive (1) –warning from the umpire if a bat is thrown, any subsequent throwing of the bat by any team member from the team that had been warned previously, will constitute (1)-out. 14. Keeping Score: a. The score will be kept using an official score book. b. The home team score book is the official score book. Any discrepancies regarding the swinging strike count, number of outs and/or score will be determined by the home team’s score book. (It is highly recommended that at the end of each inning both the home team and visiting team score keepers compare scores to help ensure fairness). 15. Player Pitching: a. Players do not pitch. See Rule #16 below. 16. Coach Pitching: a. A coach must pitch overhand to the batters at minimum distance of 30 feet from home plate. b. If a pitch hits a batter, the batter will NOT be awarded 1st base. c. A pitcher’s helper is positioned on the field, immediately left or right of the pitching rubber. Pitchers helper must be wear helmet with face mask. d. Coach pitcher can throw a maximum of (5)-pitches per batter, unless 5th pitch is fouled off. e. If the batter fouls off a 3rd strike, the at-bat continues. f. A coach pitcher MUST avoid contacting any ball that is hit into fair territory. If the coach comes into contact with a fair ball, a dead ball is declared, and that pitch does not count, base runner may NOT advance. g. Once a ball is in fair play, the coach pitcher MUST move off the field of play and cannot return until the pitcher’s helper has control of the ball and is standing on the rubber, or the umpire has called time out. 17. Base Running: a. When a ball is batted into fair territory, play will continue until the lead runner is either tagged out, makes it safe to his or her base while the defense controls the ball between lead runner and next base or the pitcher’s helper has control of the ball and is standing on the pitcher’s rubber. b. Once play has been stopped as described in rule 17/a, any runner who is MORE than 1/2 way to his or her next base, will advance to that base. c. Once play has been stopped as described in rule 17/a, any runner who is LESS than 1/2 way to his or her next base will return to the base previously occupied. A runner on 1st base cannot return to that base if the batter has successfully occupied that base 3 18. Home Runs: a. Any ball that is hit in FAIR territory and goes over the fence is a home run. All base runner must advance around the bags, touching every bag including the plate. 19. Catchers: a. All male catchers must wear a protective cup. 20. Field Coaching: a. One coach can assist his or her team while they are in the field as long the coach stays behind the deepest played defensive player. If a coach comes into contact with a fair ball while he or she is assisting his defensive team, a dead ball is called and all base runners advance (1) - base from the base the originally occupied. 21. Ejections: a. When a manager, coach or player is ejected from the game, they shall leave the field of play immediate and take no further part in that game. A coach or player may remain in the stands to watch the game. If a coach continues to coach or argue calls from the stands, he or she will be asked to leave the park for the remainder of that game. Any manager, coach or player ejected from a game is suspended for his or her team’s next physically played game and may not attend the game site from which they are suspended. 22. Accountability: a. Coaches, players and parents are responsible for cleaning up the dugout areas after each game 23. BATS CONTINENTAL DIVISION: May be metal or wood Maximum length is 31” Maximum diameter is 2 5/8” Bats greater than 2 1/4” diameter must bear the USA Baseball logo signifying that the bat meets the USABat – USA Baseball’s Youth Bat Performance Standard A traditional donut or any other bat weight is NOT permitted Continental Division’s Mission: To teach our young future stars how to love, respect and play the game of baseball.