Baseball League

Each team will play a two-game series with each opponent, unless two divisions are created.

The League Coordinator will schedule/re-schedule all games.  District games ALWAYS take top priority over non-conference games, and it is possible non-conference games may need to be bumped from the schedule in order to make up rained out district games.  The home team is responsible for securing fields and paying for two umpires for each game.  The top 4 teams will be eligible for the League Championship Tournament and will be seeded based on their records.

Game Length 

All games will be played using the 7-inning format.  The Mercy rule will NOT be in effect during Championship Tournament.  If the game is tied after 7 innings then play will continue until there is a winner.

Mercy Rule

If a team is up by ten or more runs at the end of five or more full innings, that team is declared the winner, and play must be stopped. If the home team does not need to bat in their bottom half of the inning in order to go up by ten or more runs, then they are declared the winner, and play must be stopped.  This rule is not in effect during the Championship Tournament play.

Prior to the start of any game, a line-up card must be submitted to both the opposing team and the home plate umpire. The line-up card must designate a manager/head coach for the team for that particular game.  n the event that the line-up card does not designate a manager/head coach, by default who ever turns the line-up card in to the home plate umpire is designated the manager/head coach for that particular game even if it's a player.  The designated manager/head coach in a particular game will be charged for mound visits in that game in accordance with NCAA rules (3 per game, 1 per inning).  The line-up card must list the last name and number worn during that particular game for all starting players and available substitutes.  Only substitutes listed on the line-up card are eligible to compete in that particular game.

Roster Size

The official roster is limited to no more than 33 players.  The 33 players listed on the roster are the ONLY players allowed to compete. Any team found playing a player not on the current official roster will be issued a forfeit for all games that the above-mentioned player has competed in.  Any team found playing any players on their eligible roster will AUTOMATICALLY be forced to forfeit any victories achieved while having no eligible roster.  Players are not deemed eligible to participate in any game until they are listed on the official roster.

Eligibility & Academic Eligibility

When the player appears on the team's roster, they are eligible to play.  Any team found playing an ineligible player will be penalized by forfeiting all games that ineligible player participated in while holding an ineligible status.  Students from a school's Satellite/Sister campus ARE eligible to participate on the main campus's club baseball team provided their campus does not have one.  A player with any previous professional experience in the sport of baseball is NOT eligible to play.  Players must be enrolled in 6 academic credit hours and have a 2.0 or higher GPA.

Uniforms

Teams need to wear contrasting uniforms.   It is the responsibility of the visiting team to wear a contrasting uniform color to the jersey worn by the home team ONLY if a contrasting uniform color is available.  Coaches will adhere to all NCAA requirements regarding coach's uniforms excluding the following exceptions.  A coach may wear a jacket or wind-shirt OVER the uniform top provided it is a team issued item, which matches the team's colors.  When coaching the bases, the uniform game jersey must be worn. If a team jacket or wind-shirt is worn, it MAY be worn OVER the official uniform provided it is a team issued item, which matches the team's colors and is of a non-distracting nature.  Coaches must wear a helmet while base coaching.

Jewelry may be worn during games, unless the umpire feels the item is of a direct safety hazard.

Bat Rules

This is a wood bat league.  Wood or wood/bamboo composite bats are allowed.  The penalty for a player who uses an illegal bat (per NCAA rules) is as follows: If the bat is detected before the first pitch of the at bat, the bat is to be removed from the game and the player must use a legal bat. If the player tries to use an illegal bat again in that game, he is AUTOMATICALLY ejected.  If the bat is detected after the first pitch of the at bat and prior to the first pitch to the next batter, the bat is to be removed from the game, the batter is declared out, and the runners are not allowed to advance. If the player tries to use an illegal bat again in that game, he is AUTOMATICALLY ejected.

Medical Personnel

While it is not required for the home team to provide on-site medical personnel (i.e. trainer or EMT), the home team is required to provide some sort of communications equipment capable of summoning medical personnel in the event of an emergency.  Coaches are encouraged to be trained in CPR/First Aid and have a stocked first aid kit in their dugout.  Teams should make note of where the local hospital is located before each game.

Field Requirements

Fields with bullpens are preferred, but are not a requirement.  Fields need to be chalked or painted.

Reentry

REENTRY is allowed if:

• Only players featured on the original starting lineup at the beginning of the game are eligible to be substituted for and then reenter the game. 
• A starting player who has been substituted for by an eligible bench player may reenter the game one time and only in place of the player that originally substituted in for that starting player.
• A starting player who has previously pitched in the game, either as the starting pitcher or via a defensive position change, may reenter the game and return to pitch in the same game provided
• In the event that the Designated Hitter role should be terminated during the game, the player that is removed from the game due to the termination as well as the original starting player that said 'player may have substituted for are no longer eligible to play in the remainder of the game.
• Once the original starting player has reentered the game, the substitute for which he is reentering for is no longer eligible to play in the remainder of the game.
• Should the original starting player reenter the game and then be substituted for again by a different eligible bench player, then the original starting player is no longer eligible to play in the remainder of the game.

Designated Hitter & Courtesy Runners

• Designated Hitter may only be used for the pitcher.  A courtesy runner may be used to run for the pitcher and/or catcher with any number of outs in the inning.
• A player is only designated as the pitcher if he/she threw the final pitch of the
  previous inning or is scheduled to pitch in the bottom of the first inning.
• A player is only designated as the catcher if he/she was playing the position of
  catcher for the final pitch of the previous inning or is scheduled to catch in the
  bottom of the first inning.
• A player is only eligible to courtesy run if he/she has not previously played in the game in an official capacity.
• No one player is permitted to courtesy run for both the pitcher and catcher in the same inning.
• A courtesy runner is allowed to courtesy run more than once in the same inning if the player he/she ran for previously that inning reaches base multiple times that inning. (For example if a player runs for the catcher in an inning, that player is not eligible to run for the pitcher in that same inning. That player is eligible to run for the catcher if he/she reaches base again that inning.)

Slide Rules

• Any player forced into a base may slide within one arm's length on either side of the bag in order to break up the play. It is at the umpire's discretion on ruling if a base runner slides with an
  attempt to injure rather than aggressively trying to break up the play. An
  example would be the base runner raising his spikes to injure the fielder.
• If the umpire rules that the base runner's slide is in fact with an attempt to
  injure, the base runner is automatically ruled OUT and ejected from the
  game.

Home Plate

            During all games, the league has adopted the NCAA Collision Rule regarding contact at the plate:

• When there is a collision, between a runner and a fielder who clearly is in possession of the ball, the umpire shall judge: (1) Whether the collision by the runner was avoidable (could the runner have reached the base without colliding) or unavoidable (the runner's path to the base was blocked); (2) Whether the runner actually was attempting to reach the base (plate) or attempting to dislodge the ball from the fielder; or (3) Whether the runner was using flagrant contact to maliciously dislodge the ball.
• PENALTY—If the runner attempted to dislodge the ball, the runner shall be declared out even if the fielder loses possession of the ball. The ball is dead and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the interference. If the fielder blocks the path of the base runner to the base
  (plate), the runner may make contact, slide into, or collide with a fielder as long as the runner is making a legitimate attempt to reach the base or plate.  If the flagrant or malicious contact by the runner was
  before the runner's touching the plate, the runner shall be declared out and also ejected from the contest. The ball shall be declared dead immediately. All other base runners shall return to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch.
• If the contact was after a proceeding runner had touched home plate, the preceding runner will be ruled safe, the ball becomes dead immediately and all other base runners will return to the base they had last touched before the contact.  If the runner is safe and the collision is malicious, the runner shall be ruled safe and ejected from the game. If this occurs at any base other than home, the offending team
  may replace the runner.  If the defensive player blocks the base (plate) or base line clearly without
  possession of the ball, obstruction shall be called. The umpire shall point and call, "That's obstruction." The umpire shall let the play continue until all play has ceased, call time and award any bases that are justified in Rule 2. The obstructed runner is awarded at least one base beyond the base last touched legally before the obstruction. If the base runner collides flagrantly, the, runner shall be declared safe on the obstruction, but will be ejected from the contest. The ball is dead.

Hit By Pitch

A batter has the right to his position in the batter’s box and is not required to make an attempt to get out of the way of a pitch.  If the umpire feels that the batter intentionally moves into the path of the ball in order to be hit by the pitch, the batter is not awarded first base and the pitch is called a ball or strike at the umpire's discretion.   

Ejections

In the event that a player or coach should be ejected from a game, it is required that the team's primary representative completes an Ejection Report and submits it via email to the League Coordinator within 48 hours. 

Upon reviewing the Ejection Report, the League may determine that a further suspension is necessary.

Player Ejections

In the event that a player is ejected for any of the following reasons, he is AUTOMATICALLY suspended for an addition 1 game: Arguing Balls/Strikes, Arguing Safe/Out Calls, Violating ANY Slide Rule, etc.  In the event that a player is ejected for threatening or making physical contact with an opposing player, coach, or umpire, that player is AUTOMATICALLY ejected.

In the event that a pitcher is ejected for intentionally throwing at a batter, that pitcher is AUTOMATICALLY suspended from the league.

In the event that a player is ejected for any of the following reasons, he is NOT automatically suspended for any additional games: Uniform Violation, Use of an Illegal Bat, Use of Foul Language, Bench Jockeying.

Coach Ejections

In reference to ejections, a "coach" is defined as anyone on the bench or on the field dressed in uniform with the team who is not listed on the team’s roster or on the line-up card for that particular game AND includes the acting manager for that game as determined by the line-up submitted to the umpire at the start of the game even if this manager is also a player (i.e. the a player/coach). 

In the event that a coach is ejected for threatening or making physical contact with an opposing player, coach, or umpire, that coach is AUTOMATICALLY indefinitely suspended. 

In the event that a coach is ejected for any of the following reasons, he is NOT automatically suspended for any additional games: Arguing Balls/Strikes, Arguing Safe/Out Calls, Uniform Violation, Use of Foul Language, Bench Jockeying, pitcher intentionally throwing at a batter.   

Automatic Suspensions

If a player, coach, or manager who is ejected fails to leave the premises peacefully and without further incident, they are AUTOMATICALLY suspended for 1 additional game on top of any other suspension they may have earned based upon the reason for their ejection.