Humble Atascocita Baseball Association
6U League Rules
1. League games shall be six innings maximum or 1 hour 15 minutes. No inning shall begin after 1 hour 15 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 15 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. Teams must leave the dugout and bleacher area remove all trash as quick as possible after the completion of the game.
5. No team meetings will be held in the dugout, field or bleacher area after the game is complete.
6. RUN RULE- 5 runs per half inning or until mathematically eliminated based on 6 innings of play.
7. If for any reason a team cannot field 8 uniformed players no later than 15 minutes after scheduled game start time, that team shall forfeit by a score of 7-0. Teams that play with only 8 players will suffer 1 out in the 9th batter position every time through the lineup. 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.
7a. No Metal Spiked Cleats are allowed in ages 5u-12u. any player wearing metal cleats will be ejected from the game as well as the team manager. 9/13/19 UIC
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Batting orders shall include the full team roster.
11. An inning shall end after the defensive team has made three putouts, or when the offensive team has reached the run limit.
12. Defensively, 10 players will be allowed on the field. However, no more than 6 infielders will be allowed.
13. 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.
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 36 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 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 score book. Second offense shall be removal from pitching duties for the remainder of the game.
- COACH MUST REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH PITCHING RUBBER AT THE TIME OF THE PITCH.
- COACHES MAY NOT PITCH WITH THEIR KNEE'S TOUCHING THE GROUND.
- COACH MUST EXIT THE FIELD ONCE THE BALL IS IN PLAY.
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 2 defensive and 1 offensive time-outs per inning, upon permission by 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 3 pitches. If the batter fails to hit safely after 3 pitches, the batter will get 1 swing from a tee. If the batter fails to hit safely in 1 swing from the tee, 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 swing off the tee, batter is out) and no runners may advance, ball is dead. All balls hit off the tee must go past the 15' arc that will be painted in front of home plate. Failure for balls hit off the tee to go past this line will be considered a foul ball and thus the batter will be out.
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. It will be considered a foul ball. If the coach-pitcher collides with any defensive player, and the umpire determines that it was intentional, he shall award bases accordingly.
23. There are no base on balls, base awards for hit by pitcher, infield fly rule, base stealing or bunting. (added 9/21/18)
24. The catcher will be positioned behind the plate a minimum distance of 8 feet and shall wear protective headgear and face mask. 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.
There is no unassisted out by the pitcher on batter from home to first base (a line drive or pop-up caught ball is an out). Pitcher must throw the ball to first base to record the out. (running to first and handing the ball to the first baseman or rolling the ball is not acceptable.) Ball is considered live until the batted runner safely reaches first.
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.
28. Any overthrow of First Base only, will allow base runners to advance only one extra base on the overthrow. The ball is still live and the advancing runner can be tagged out but may not go further that one extra base. For example. If you have a runner on 1st when the ball is hit, if the ball is fielded and then the throw to 1st base goes past the first baseman, the runner originally on 1st Base, will be allowed to go to 2nd Base on the hit and then advance to 3rd on the overthrow. The batter will be able to advance to 2nd Base only on the overthrow.
Items not covered in HABA local rules are covered under the five tool Baseball rules and then MLB rules. In particular please note: per PONY baseball rule- 10.b.3.c - The coach pitcher must be in the "pitching position" and is prohibited from coaching while in this position. MLB rule 8 allows for 2 legal pitching positions and both require that a pitcher be standing with at least 1 foot in contact with the rubber
3/25/22
President -MH