Humble Atascocita Baseball Association

12u League Rules

1.    League games shall be six innings maximum. No inning shall begin after 1 hour 40 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 40 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 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.

4a.  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

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.    The maximum number of innings a pitcher may pitch per day is 4; maximum number of innings per week is 7. 

8.    Balks- 1 warning per pitcher. (in metro no warnings)

9.    Catchers - MUST BE PROPERLY EQUIPPED and no limits on innings catching.

10. A 5-run limit per inning. 

11.  Run Rule- play until mathematically eliminated based on 5 runs per inning for 6 innings.

12.  Substitute players must participate in at least 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. In case of injury, the last player removed from the game shall take the place of the injured player. All players removed from the game will be allowed to reenter, except that a player removed from the pitching position may not return to that position.  

13.  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.

14.  If a runner slides, he or she must slide directly into the bag.

15.  Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal.

16.  If a tag play is imminent, the runner should slide or seek to avoid contact. Jumping over a player is not considered avoiding contact.

17.  No player can initiate malicious contact. It is the umpire’s judgment call that determines whether the contact is malicious.

18.  PENALTY: The player initiating malicious contact is removed from the game. Note: There can be a collision where both players go head over heels that is not malicious contact. The key for malicious contact is intent. Umpires must ask themselves when making the call, “Did the runner deliberately or intentionally run into the fielder to break up the play or cause harm to the fielder?” If the answer is yes, then you have malicious contact, if the answer is no, then it is a clean play and you have nothing. Umpires must be careful when making this call to avoid ejecting players if the intent is not there. Keep in mind that the younger ages are just learning the game, and sometimes there is contact by the runner not sliding and running into the catcher. Remember, the key word is intent.

19.  If a defensive player is obstructing the runner (judgment call by the umpire), contact by the runner is not illegal unless it is malicious.

20. Courtesy runners may be used for pitchers and catcher only. These players must have played the pitcher or catcher position in the previous inning. The player who made the last out will be the courtesy runner 1 time per inning. (catcher-mandatory with 2 outs) 

9/13/19