Bronco Rules

NIPPERSINK BASEBALL LEAGUE RULES (Ages 11 & 12)

General Information:

• IHSA rules apply, except for amended rules listed herein.  High School Rule Book, none other acceptable.
• The following rules apply to both regular season and year-end play.
• The home team will be responsible for keeping the official score.  The winning team must report the game score, to Dennis Sitko by e-mail to djs-41@peoplepc.com. Reporting must be done within 24 hours.  Failure to report the game will result a double loss posted for each team.
• The league office will keep the standings for the league.  The teams’ W-L record will determine the year-end tournament seeding.  In the event of a tie in the standings, tournament seeding will be determined by: 1) head to head competition, 2) runs scored, 3) runs allowed, 4) coin toss.
• A team roster is to be turned into the league office with names and numbers of players by 4/15/06.  There will be no changes to a team roster after 4/15/06 unless approved by a league official.
• Travel teams and players are exempt from play in the Nippersink Baseball League.
• Home team must supply field, Umpire, and two (2) game balls.
• Each team must supply directions to their game fields to all other teams on scheduling night.
• In the event a team is late arriving to the field, there will be a fifteen (15) minute grace period before a game can be forfeited.  The grace period may be extended, if mutually agreed upon by both managers and no other games are scheduled afterwards on that field.

Games:

• Games will consist of seven (7) innings.  A game is official after five (5) innings are completed, 4-1/2 innings if the home team is leading.
• There will be no chanting directed towards the opposing team while on the field or at bat.
• Slaughter rule is 12 runs after five (5) innings, 4-1/2 innings if the home team is leading.
• In the event of a tie after seven (7) innings, one additional inning may be played to break that tie.  The game will end in a tie if after 8 innings there is no winner.
• The infield fly rule is in effect for all games.
• In the event an “official” game is called due to darkness or weather, the score will revert back to the last completed inning.
• Games will have a two (2) hour time limit, unless the home team manager, prior to the start of the game, gives notification to both the visiting team and the umpire.  In the case where a time limit is in place, any inning started must be completed.
• In the event that a game, that is not yet an “official game”, is suspended for any reason, the game should be completed at the next meeting of the two teams or at the earliest agreeable date.  The umpire in charge of the game will have to sign and date the official scorebook.
• No team shall steal home after scoring (5) runs in an inning.  Any additional runs must be scored by a batted ball, a walk, or hit batsman.

Players:

• Players can move in and out of the field, playing any position at any time.  An exception is the pitcher, his rules are under pitchers.
• All players must be registered in their respective leagues.
• All players must be 12 years old or younger (may not turn 13 prior to 8/1/06).
• All uniformed players must have at least one (1) at bat and play 6 outs in the field per game (game must exceed 4-1/2 innings).
• Substitute players may be brought up from a lower level if a team is short and falls below ten (10) players.  A substitute player cannot play ahead of a normal roster player.
• If a player shows up late (after the first pitch), he/she must be placed at the end of the batting order.
• A player, who was absent for a game that was suspended, may not be added to the line up for the continuation of the game.

Batters/Base Runners:

• Batters who show bunt must either bunt or take the pitch.  Any batter who fakes a bunt and swings away will be automatically out.
• A batter may not swing during an attempted steal of home plate.  If a batter swings, both the battery and base runner will be called out.
• Each batter will be given one (1) warning for throwing a bat (inadvertently letting the bat slip out of his/her hand while swinging the bat), second offense batter will be called out.
• Lead-offs are allowed.
• Runners must slide to avoid contacts at all times.  It is the runner’s responsibility to avoid contact, but if in the opinion of the umpire the plate or base is being blocked without the defender having possession of the ball the runner shall be awarded the base.
• Headfirst slides are prohibited at any base, unless the base runner is returning to a base after a pick-off attempt.
• A courtesy runner is optional for the pitcher or catcher after there is two (outs) and must be last batted out.  The courtesy runner may only relieve the pitcher and catcher of record.
• A pinch runner is allowed only in the case of injury to a player and must be the last batted out.
• When a position in the batting order is vacated by: (a) a player removed from the game by an umpire or (b) becomes ill or injured and is not able to take their schedule turn at bat, an out will be recorded for that position in the batting order.  Note:  This will only take effect if the total number of batters for that team drops below nine (9) players.  This includes players not available to play in the conclusion of a suspended game.  In the event that an injured/ill player is able to continue the game, he/she may be entered back into the game in their original position in the batting order.
• The batting order will be continuous --- one through the number of players who arrive for the game, players who show up after the batting line ups have been submitted, must be inserted at the end of the line up.

Pitchers:

• Pitcher may not pitch more than three (3) innings per game.  In the event a pitcher pitches more than two (2) innings in a game, that pitcher must have two (2) calendar days of rest before he/she is eligible to pitch another game.  (i.e. three (3) innings on Tuesday, pitcher would be eligible to pitch again on Thursday).  A pitcher may pitch a maximum of 9 innings per week.
• One (1) pitch constitutes one (1) inning.
• Five (5) warm-up pitches will be allowed prior to the start of an inning.
• Balks will be called (one (1) warning per pitcher).
• Pitchers that hit two (2) batters in an inning or three (3) batters in a game must be removed.
• The manager may make one (1) trip to the mound per inning.  On the second trip, the pitcher must be removed.  (Trips due to injury do not apply)
• Pitchers will refrain from throwing intentional curve balls.
• If a pitcher is pulled from the game, he/she may not come in and pitch again in that game.

Team:

• A team must have nine (9) players to start a game, but may finish a game with eight (8) players.
• Each team will be allowed fifteen (15) minutes of on-field warm-up prior to game time if the field is available.  Warm-up times must be split equally between teams.
• A team shall have no more than four (4) coaches on the field or in the dugout at any time.
• A continuous line-up will be used with free substitutions.  (Exception:  Once a player has pitched and has been removed from that position, he/she cannot re-enter as a pitcher)

Playing Field/Equipment:

• Bases on the field are to be set at 70 ft.  Pitchers mound is to be 48 ft.
• No metal spikes and no jewelry are allowed.
• Players playing the catchers position must wear a protective cup.
• Any player coaching a base must wear a helmet.

Bats can not be lighter than a drop 9 (-9), either 2 ¾” or 2 ¼” barrel is accepted.