Humble Baseball Association

6U League Rules‑ Spring 2007

 

1.         League games shall be six innings maximum.  No inning shall begin after 1 hour 10 minutes.  If a tie exists after six innings of play, or at the end of regulation time, the game will remain a tie.  THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA INNINGS.

 

2.         The new inning begins when the 3rd out is made from the previous inning.

 

3.         At the end of regulation time, 1 hr and 10 minutes, should an inning be in progress, the inning will be completed.  If the home team is ahead after the visiting team has made 3 outs when regulation time has expired, the game is over; however, if the home team is behind when regulation time has expired, the home team will get to bat.

 

4.         If for any reason a team cannot field 8 (Fall) 9 (Spring) uniformed players no later than 15 minutes after scheduled game start time, that team shall forfeit by a score of 7‑0.  The Official Game Start Time will remain.  Example:  Official game time 6:00.  Actual start time 6:15, the clock will start at 6:00.  You will lose actual playing time.

 

5.         If a Manager or Coach is ejected from a game, he is suspended from any coaching responsibility for the remainder of that game AND his next game.  Immediately following an ejection, the manager or coach will proceed to the parking lot for the remainder of that game.  The manager will notify the Board Member on duty and/or the Vice President of all violations within 24 hours.

 

6.         If a player is ejected from a game, it is mandatory that he sit out the remainder of that game AND his next game.  The manager will notify the Board Member on duty, Player Agent or Vice President of all violations within 24 hours.

 

7.         Batting orders shall include the full team roster.   

 

8.         There shall be a 5 run limit per inning for the first 4 innings, and no run limit for innings 5 and 6.  If a team is ahead by 15 or more runs after the completion of 3 full innings of play (2-1/2 innings if the home team is ahead), the game shall be considered complete.  In innings 5 and 6, each team will be limited to a number of at bats equal to the number of players on the roster of the team having the fewest number of players. 

 

9.         An inning shall end after the defensive team has made three putouts, or when the offensive team has reached the run limit.

 

10.       Defensively, 10 players will be allowed on the field.  However, no more than 6 infielders will be allowed.

 

11.       Substitute players must participate in at least 3 consecutive defensive outs every other inning, unless being disciplined by the manager.  If a player is being so disciplined, it shall be noted in the official score book prior to the game.  Exceptions to this rule should be reported to the Board of Directors in writing.  If a uniformed player is not scheduled to participate for any reason, the manager shall inform the opposing manager, umpire and official scorekeeper prior to the game. 

 

12.       In the event that one team has fewer players on the game roster than its opponent, the batting rosters will consist of the number of players of the team having the least number of players.  The extra player or players will be listed to the right of the batter they will alternate with and those batting positions will alternate every other at bat.  Failure to comply with this rule will result in batting out of order.  Application of this rule shall be at the option of the manager having the greater number of players.

 

13.       Injured players or starting players may reenter the game provided the player they are replacing has met the minimum playing time requirements.  Free substitution will be allowed so long as rule 11 requirements are satisfied.

 

14.       The playing field shall be marked with batter's box, pitching circle, foul lines and halfway marks on the base path.  The distance between the bases will be 50 feet and the distance from home plate to the pitching rubber is 34 feet.  There will be a 5-foot radius circle around the pitching rubber and halfway marks between bases at 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to home.

 

15.       The manager or coach shall pitch underhanded from the pitching rubber to his or her own team.  The pitcher may verbally position the batter in the box, but may not offer any coaching or other encouragement.  First violation of this rule shall be a warning from the umpire and shall be logged in the official scorebook.  Second offense shall be removal from pitching duties for the remainder of the game.

 

16.       Appeal plays must be made immediately following the contested play, prior to another pitch.  The appeal shall be made by the manager only, at which time the umpire shall hear the appeal and make a ruling.

 

17.       A manager shall be limited to 1 defensive and 2 offensive time-outs per inning, upon permission of the umpire. 

 

18.       Two defensive coaches will be allowed in the outfield during the game.  They may position the players for defensive location and may verbally instruct the players where to throw the ball.

 

19.       The home plate umpire will not call balls and strikes but shall keep track of the number of pitches.  Each batter shall receive a maximum of 5 pitches.  If he fails to hit safely after 5 pitches, the batter is out.

 

20.       Batters are not allowed to bunt or swing easily at the ball.  Penalty:  pitch counts, batter returns to the plate (if it is the fifth pitch, batter is out) and no runners may advance, ball is dead.

 

21.       Base runners are not permitted to steal or lead off the base and must remain in contact with the base during a pitch until the ball is hit.  Penalty:  Ball is dead, runner shall return to base, the pitch does not count, and no runner may advance.

 

22.       If a batted ball strikes the coach‑pitcher, the ball is dead, the batter is awarded a single, and all runners advance one base.  If the coach‑pitcher collides with any defensive player, and the umpire determines that it was intentional, he shall award bases accordingly.

 

22.       There is no infield-fly rule.

 

24.       The catcher will be positioned behind the plate a minimum distance of 8 feet and shall wear protective headgear and facemask.  A coach from the defensive team shall be positioned behind the catcher to help retrieve pitched balls and protect the catcher (from possible thrown bats), but at no time shall be allowed to verbally coach the defensive team.  Penalty:  First offense ‑ warning, second offense removal from position for the remainder of the game.

 

25.       The player fielding the defensive pitching position shall assume a position with both feet within the circle but behind the pitching rubber.

 

26.       When in the umpire's judgment, an infielder has stopped the advancement of the lead runner, time shall be called and runners shall assume their positions on base.  When in the umpire's judgment, a runner is beyond the halfway mark when time is called, the runner shall be awarded the next base.  When two runners occupy the same base, the lead runner is entitled to the base.

 

27.       Batting orders will consist of the entire team roster, so that substitutions during the game are made only for defensive purposes.  Should it become necessary, because of an injury, to substitute for a base runner, the player having made the last previous out will be substituted for the injured runner.  THERE SHALL BE NO COURTESY RUNNERS FOR ANY OTHER REASON.