Ground Rules
1. The first game of the regular season will start at noon on a Saturday. The playoff schedule is first game will be played on a Thursday and the following two (2) games will be played at noon on Saturday's.
2. All games should start by the gametime posted on the schedule, or earlier if team captains agree. There is a 15 minute grace period if a team has less than three men present by the time posted on the schedule. All games will be in play by 15 minutes past the start time posted on the schedule. If a team has less than three men present at 15 minutes past the posted start time, the game is forfeit by represented team. No new inning will be started after 15 minutes before sunset the sunset time posted on the schedule. The last inning played will be considered the official last inning of the game.
3. Each team must have three members present by posted start time to begin the game; if not the, team forfeit games. If a team only has three players by the time the game starts, they will incur an automatic out each time the fourth player would come to bat. If the fourth player arrives any time after the start of the game, he can play, and the automatic out is gone. If both teams have only three players no automatic outs.
a. If both teams have less than three players, both teams receive a loss.
4. Regular Season Games:
a. Games are scheduled to last seven (7) innings.
b. An official game will consist of:
1. 40 minutes from game time start
2. One team gains a ten (10) run lead at the end of the last completed inning
3. Seven (7) innings are completed
c. If a game is called after 40 minutes for any reason, the score reverts to the last completed inning.
d. Board Members will decide to call the game due to weather.
e. A game is over if the bottom half team is ahead at the start of the bottom half of the last inning.
f. If after seven (7) full innings, the score is tied, the game ends in a tie.
g. Wins count as two (2) points and Ties count as one (1) point
5. The schedule will show which team is home-team. The home team is responsible for taking care of the field after the game. Each team will have one home game against all other teams.
6. Playoffs:
a. Six (6) teams make the playoffs.
b. The First and Second seeded teams get a first round bye.
c. In the first round of the playoffs:
1. The Third seeded team plays the sixth seeded team
2. The Fourth seeded team plays the fifth seeded team
d. In the second round of the playoffs:
1. The First seeded team plays the lowest seeded team from the first round playoff games
2. The Second seeded team playes the highest seeded team from the first round playoff games
e. There are no ties in then playoff games.
f. For the first round of playoff games, if the game ends in a tie after seven (7) full innings:
1. The scoring goes to the number of bases each team gets in the inning.
2. Single = 1, Double = 2, Triple = 3, HR = 4).
3. The game keeps going until one team is ahead in number of bases after a full inning.
g. For the second and third rounds of playoff games, the game is played out until one team leads in SCORE after a full inning.
7. The following criteria shall apply (in order of listed) to determine the playoffs.
a. Total number of points
b. If tied in points
1. Most wins
2. Record against team or teams involved in tie
3. Record against teams higher in standings
4. Runs against team or teams involved in the tie
5. Total bases against team or teams involved in the tie (Total bases consist of hits, walks, and hit batsmen).
6. The flip of a coin
Game Rules:
8. A foul is an out except as noted below.
9. There will be five (5) balls and two (2) strikes. Batter is out if first strike (swinging) is caught. Second strike (called or swinging) must be caught. If second strike hits batter, batter is out.
10. Crossing the front of the plate while swinging at the ball shall be considered a full swing.
11. The batter is credited with a hit if the catcher interferes with his swing at the ball.
12. The ball must be on the circle line or the foul line to be considered in play.
13. Foul balls will be determined by final resting place.
14. If batted ball strikes anything but an opposing player in foul territory (behind the foul line) it is an out. (This does not include the foul marker or plate)
15. A batted ball hit to the outfield which strikes a player on a team, not involved in the same game shall be ruled a hit.
16. A fly ball touched by an opposing team member and dropped in either fair or foul is a hit. Any ball caught before it strikes the ground is an out, this includes balls caught out of trees, bushes or unintentional deflections off other people.
17. A ground ball; touched by opposing team before it is counted fair or foul is a hit. A fly ball, touched and dropped by the catcher is not a hit unless it was an attempted catch. The attempt will be left to the umpire’s discretion.
18. Ball is in play (fair or foul) if pitched ball makes contact with bat.
19. If a batter is hit by a pitched ball, while not swinging or in strike zone, it will be ruled the same as a base on balls.
20. If batter is hit while swinging at the ball he is automatically ruled out, unless the ball hits the ground first. (see rule # 21)
21. If a batter is hit by the pitched ball after a ball strikes the ground, it will be considered a ball. If batter swings at said pitched ball, it will be considered a strike.
22. In the event the batted ball strikes batter, the batter will be out.
23. The catcher will call the pitches.
24. Umpires for “playoffs” will be assigned by a board member.
25. There will be doubles, triples and home runs. This is to be determined by where the ball hits the ground on a fly even if hits or was hit by a player in the field. If ball hits line on fly it is said lines designation. Players can not step over homerun line stop home run to be out must be caught on the field. If ball is caught on field then momentum takes player off field the ball is out.
Miscellaneous:
26. Batting averages will be kept on regular games only. Batting title eligibility: 65 times at bat or 14 games. Average will be based minimum of 65 at bats if less than 14 games outset will be used to cover the gap.
27. Walks will be counted as a time at bat towards batting title eligibility, but not on averages.
28. Batting helmets will be provided for anyone wishing to wear one.
29. Batter must keep both feet on or in the pvc pipe frame of the batter’s box until the act of swinging pulls the batter out of the box. Any attempt by the batter to move out of the box to be hit by a pitch or interfere with the catcher will be an out. The batter can not stand on or touch the plate side of the box.
30. Gloves are optional for all games while playing in the outfield.
31. Only five (5) pitches allowed for warm-ups between innings and only ten (10) pitches for relievers.
32. Disputes or disagreements will be settled by the non-participating captains and the officers, after consideration to all parties concerned.
33. Officers will rule on any question not covered by the proceeding regulations.
34. Rainout’s will be played as double headers with same teams if possible, on a pre-determined date. The double headers will be two five inning games starting at 5:45pm derived from the regular schedule.
35. Singles will advance all base runners one base, doubles two, triples three and homeruns will clear the bases. Walks and hit by pitch will not advance all runners only preceding bases. Catchers interference will be treated as a single.
36. Good Sportsmanship is about playing by the rules, discipline, respect and self-control. If a player breaks a bat, uses force or threating’s another player or fan, and/or uses foul language; the board has the right to discuss the incident and judge what the consequence is for particular incident. ( (1) game suspension or removal from the club)
37. If a member would like to challenge and/or change an existing rule or create a new rule – the language for the rule (change, etc) would be brought to the club’s meeting in February, the membership would vote on the bill (item) to be placed on the ballot for meeting in March (Draft Meeting). If bill (item) receives majority of the votes at February meeting – the bill (item) will be placed on the ballot for official vote at March (Draft) meeting.