LEAGUE RULES

REMEMBER:� THIS SHOULD BE FUN FOR THE KIDS.� PLEASE KEEP IT THIS WAY.� NO SCORE OR STANDINGS WILL BE KEPT.� NO REASON TO GET UPSET.

1.�� Time Limit:� 50 minutes or 3 innings (which ever comes first).

Please have your team ready to take the field or ready to hit at game time. Once time limit has expired we will complete the inning. No new inning will be started after 45 minutes of play has expired.

2.�� Player Requirements: A team must have at least 7 players to participate in a game.� No score or standings will be kept; therefore, no forfeit will be recorded.

3.�� Batting Order: We will use the round robin format.� All players will bat in order each inning.� Once everyone has hit, that will complete the half inning and the players will take the field.� Each team is responsible for keeping their own batting order.

4.�� Defense:� A team can have up to six (6) infielders with remaining players in the outfield.� All players will participate on defense.� Outfields must be positioned in the outfield grass.

5.�� Dead Ball: Play will cease when a player in the infield controls the ball or when a player with control of the ball, makes contact with home plate.� Exception: An infielder, with the ball, moving to make a play on the base runner.

!�� On a line drive or fly ball caught by the pitcher an out is awarded and all play is dead.� Runners may not advance.� There is no infield fly rule.

!�� On a ground ball fielded by the pitcher, the pitcher may elect to attempt a play or hold the ball.� If a play is not attempted runners may advance one base only. On an attempted play resulting in an overthrown ball, runners may advance one base only and play is dead.� No additional play attempts may be made.

!�� When a lead runner is forced back to a base then all play is dead.� Trail runners position will be determined by their degree of advancement when the umpire indicates play dead.� This will be umpires judgment.� (A base runner will not be penalized for attempting to advance to a base that is occupied by a preceding runner in this instance).

!�� If a player is injured in the course of play, the umpire will call time out immediately upon his discovery of the injury and all play will cease and runners will be awarded bases that in the judgment

�� of the umpire the runners would have been reasonably expected to attain.

GROUND RULES: �� The distance from the back of home plate to the first line of the pitcher area is 30 feet (boundary line will be approx. fifteen feet in length). Distance from the back of home plate to the second line of the pitcher area is 45 feet (boundary line will be approx. 20 feet in length). Distance from home plate to first base and from home plate to third base shall be 55 feet. An arc will be drawn five feet from the first base side of home plate to the third base side of home plate, this area will be considered foul territory in the infield.

The Pitcher: The pitcher must be between the two defined boundary lines of the pitching area when the ball is put in play.� If he is not, the batter shall be awarded first base.� This shall apply only if the batter is put out at first base or by a fly ball, or if a runner is forced out by the hit.� If the batter reaches first base safely and continues to second, he is in jeopardy and may be put out at anytime.

The Fielders: All defensive players (except pitcher) must be positioned father from home plate than the back of the pitcher�s box in true base positions.� If a fielder is violating this rule when the ball is hit, the batter shall be awarded first base.� If the batter reaches first base safely on a ball hit and proceeds to second base, he is in jeopardy and may be put out.� All outfielders must be positioned in the outfield when the ball is put in play.

The Batter: All batters will wear a batting helmet when on the field of play, both as a hitter and as a runner.� All batters will be allowed five swings to hit the ball from the batting tee (furnished by the home team).� The tee should be adjusted to such a height that the batter should be able to take a level swing to hit the ball.

!�� The coach will assist the batter by adjusting the tee to the proper position.� The coach may assist the batter with his position in the batters box.� The statement of play ball by the umpire signifies that the batter may swing.� If a batter slings his/her bat, the batter is automatically out. The batter may or may not be issued a warning, this is the discretion of the umpire.� (No runners may advance).� The umpire will be the sole judge as to whether the bat was slung or dropped.

! �� On deck batters will remain in the dugout until it is his/her time to hit.

9.�� The Runners: No stealing or leading off is permitted.� If a runner is away from the base prior to the ball being struck, the umpire will call time out and instruct the runner to return to the base.

!�� Runners who are more than halfway to the next base when play is called dead will be awarded that base (including home plate).� Runners who are not halfway must go back to the last base touched.� Runners base position is based on the lead runners position when time out is called.

10. Foul Balls: A foul occurs when the bat swings and the ball is either touched, or is hit to a distance of less than five feet within the arc area of home plate.

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!�� A ball that is hit and lies on the line of the foul arc area will be considered a foul ball.� Any ball touched by a player within the foul arc is a foul ball whether moving or not.

!�� A foul constitutes a strike on strike one and two.

!�� A foul on the third strike continues to be foul until the batter has exhausted the total number of swings (5) allowed per player and at that time the batter will be called out.

11.�� Strikes: A strike occurs when the bat swings and totally misses the ball.

�� !�� A swing that hits the tee only is a strike.

�� !�� If the batter misses both the ball and the tee it shall be considered a strike.

�� !�� After three strikes the batter will be called out.

!�� Warm up swings (swings that do not touch the ball, or proceed past the ball plane) do not constitute a strike.� This will be a judgment call by the umpire.

The Coaches: First and third base coaches are not allowed to touch the runners while the ball is in play.� Physically altering or assisting a runner�s action will result in that runner being called out.� A coach may touch his runner when the ball is dead and may congratulate a runner who has hit the ball well.

!�� One coach will be allowed in the outfield in order to provide instruction to all defensive players.

Umpire Abuse: There will be none.� Only the head coach or acting head coach may approach an umpire for the purpose of discussing a call.� There will not be any arguing with umpires.� Coaches are mandated to keep their emotions under control at all times.� A coach that is ejected from a game will also serve a one game suspension.� The one game suspension will be the next schedule game.� He/she is not allowed on the park grounds while serving his/her suspension.

If a situation occurs that the above T-Ball Rules do not address then standard baseball rules shall apply.� This will be the sole judgment of the umpire.� No protests are allowed.

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