All games will be 6 innings. Exception: no new innings will be started after 2.0 hours if another game is scheduled to be played next on the same field.
In the case of games played at Casey Field on weeknights, no new innings will start after 6:55pm and no games will extend past 7:10pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. If the inning is not complete by 7:10pm, then the winner will be determined by the score of the last complete inning. This will avoid conflicts with Major league games.
For games played on weeknights at Lower Memorial, the games may continue until the umpire (with coach input) will determine that it is unsafe to play due to darkness.
1st to 5th Innings will end when 3 outs are recorded or 5 runs have scored, which ever happens first.
For the 6th or final inning:
If the Visiting team is behind by more than 5 runs, they may score in excess of 5 runs to tie the game. Under no circumstances can the visiting team score more than 5 runs to take the lead. The home team can win the game with a run in the bottom of the sixth/final inning.
If the Home team is behind by more than 5 runs, they may score in excess of 5 runs to tie the game (regular season) and send it into extra innings (playoffs), but may not win the game by scoring more than 5 runs.
Extra innings in playoffs will end when 3 outs are recorded or 5 runs have scored, which ever happens first.
Games must end 20 minutes before the next game is scheduled to start.
The little league mercy rule is waived. However, teams shall play with courtesy and be considerate of the opposing team in all games. To that end, when one team is ahead by 10 or more runs, base runners for the leading team:
Are “frozen” and may only advance on a batted ball and when forced by a walk.
May not steal or bunt.
Are not permitted to advance to the next base on an overthrow.
2 Umpires will be provided for Northboro /Southboro games.
Home team is responsible for:
Field preparation - raking, lining foul lines and batter’s box.
Providing 2 new baseballs to umpires
Umpire form must be completed when paying the umpire. Please sign and date how much you paid. The completed form will be turned in after the last regular season game.
Paying AAA Umpires
Plate (w/ base)non patched: $30.00
Plate (w/o base)non patched: $50.00
Base non patched: $20.00
Patched alone: $60.00
Visiting team is responsible for raking after game.
No more than 4 coaches allowed in the dugout for any game (first base, third base, scorer and Manager). This will help eliminate confusion and crowding.
Head coach is only coach to approach umpires.
Coaches may stand outside of the dugout, however they must be on the outfield side. This is to eliminate the possibility of injury or interference.
Substitutions:
Players may be freely substituted.
Continuous batting order is used. All players present are in the batting order each inning regardless of their fielding position. Players arriving after the game has started are added to the end of the batting order.
All players must play in at least 4 total innings in the field per 6 inning game. Players should not sit out for consecutive innings. No one player will sit for two innings before every player sits for one inning.
All players must play both outfield and infield positions during the game. Each player will play at least 2 innings in the infield per 6 inning game. Exception: Starting pitcher while pitching. Pitcher will follow rules of equal play when removed from pitching assignment.
Use Line Up spreadsheet provided by the league to help manage this.
Pitching:
No balk rules apply, but managers should point them out to the pitchers when a balk is committed.
The Umpire can replace a pitcher after 2 batters are hit by pitch. The coaches can consult with the umpire, but it is the umpires ruling. After 3 hit batters the pitcher must be replaced.
The umpire has the discretion to not count any player as a hit batsmen that:
Intentionally steps into a pitch
Intentionally fails to move from a pitch
The pitching rest requirements are as follows:
If a player pitches more than 66 pitches in a day / game, they must have four (4) calendar days of rest between outings.
If a player pitches 51 - 65 pitches in a day / game, they must have three (3) calendar days of rest between outings.
If a player pitches 36 - 50 pitches in a day / game, they must have two (2) calendar days of rest between outings.
If a player pitches 21-35 pitches in a day / game, they must have one (1) calendar day of rest between outings.
If a player pitches less than 21 pitches in a day / game, no (0) calendar days of rest between outings is required.
Pitch count - no more than 75 pitches per game for 9-10 YO’s and 85 pitches for 11 YO’s.
A Pitcher can finish a batter to stay under their pitch count. For instance, if a pitcher is at 34 pitches, they can finish the batter and still have 1 day of rest.
Please communicate pitch counts every inning with the other team. Also, use sheet to keep pitch counts by game.
Once removed from pitching, that player cannot return to pitch in the same game.
If a pitcher walks 5 consecutive batters they must be replaced on the mound.
If a pitcher throws 41 or more pitches in a game they can not play the position of catcher in the same game. In addition, any player who catches any part of 4 innings cannot pitch the same calendar day.
Running:
A maximum of 2 per player and 5 per team stolen/advancing on bases per inning.
There is no leading.
Runners may only advance one base on a steal attempt. There is no advancing (for any base runners) an extra base on an over-throw from a steal attempt or wild pitch/passed ball. This is a “free” throw for the catcher.
Advancing to home plate is allowed once per inning, but only with 2 outs. Two outs are defined to be when the first pitch of the next at bat is thrown.
A runner will be called out for failure to slide into a base where there is a tag play. A play is constituted by a runner, fielder and the ball being at a base at approximately the same time.
No head first sliding is allowed except to return/dive back to a base, a run-down is not considered a return to a base.
Obstruction is called when the defense hinders the runner’s ability to run the bases. If this happens, the runner is called safe. If the base runner is hit by a batted ball behind a fielder after the fielder has had an attempt to make a play, the runner is not called out and the ball is still live. Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If this happens, and the umpire sees it, the runner will be called out and all runners will return to their original base. Defensive interference is an act by a fielder which hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch (for example catcher’s interference). Obstruction and interference will be at the discretion of the umpire with an emphasis on player safety. Umpire will warn catcher of catcher’s interference on first infraction before enforcing rule.
Balls thrown from the catcher to pitcher following a pitch are not live. No runners may advance if the ball goes by the pitcher on the throw back.
Delayed steals are not allowed as defined as any attempt to initiate a steal once the catcher has started to throw the ball back to the pitcher.
For hits to the infield, the ball is in play and runners may advance at their own risk until the ball is returned to the pitcher on the mound. If the fielding team attempts to make a play at a base and the ball is overthrown, all runners may advance up to one additional base, at their own risk, but no further. Runners are allowed to advance one base at their own risk on each and every overthrow made. A ball that goes into the dugout or under a fence is a dead-ball and runners shall be awarded one additional base from the base position that they occupied when the ball exited the field of play. For the purposes of this rule, if a runner is between bases when the overthrow occurs (or when the ball leaves the field of play), one additional base is interpreted as the base after the next base. For example, if a runner is between first and second when the overthrow occurs, he may advance to third, but no further.
For hits to the outfield, the ball is in play and runners may advance until the ball is returned to the pitcher on the mound. At that point, no runners may advance another base (although a runner that is between bases may continue to the next base).
Batter cannot advance to first base on dropped third strike.
Batting:
If the batter throws a bat during a swing, the umpire will call the batter out. This is in the judgment of the umpire to determine a significant loss of control of the bat.
No intentional walks to a batter.
Teams can bunt one time an inning. The bunt must be in play to count as one. No Slash or Fake Bunting.
There will be no on deck hitter unless a secured area is available.
All batters and base runners must wear a helmet, NO EXCEPTIONS.
Playoff Seeding:
Best record
If a tie between two teams, then head to head
If a tie between three teams, then fewest runs allowed
Coin toss - where the preceding tiebreakers do not apply nor resolve seeding
Sportsmanship:
Only the head coach will discuss a call with an umpire and this will be done in a civil, respectful and discreet manner.
No players will be allowed to dispute calls or argue with umpires under any circumstances.
No parents will be allowed to debate calls with, or interrupt the game to discuss a call with, an umpire.
No player is to be allowed to criticize or harass other players on either team.
All players will shake hands with the other team after every game and, win or lose, conduct themselves in a respectable manner.
Fielding:
The infield fly rule will not be called.
Fake tags and hidden ball tricks are not allowed.
Conduct:
A key portion of developing good players is teaching respect for the coaches, umpires, players and the game. At times it may be necessary to show your players there are consequences for their actions. The Goal of this policy is not to punish your players but to teach them. The only discipline that is allowed is sitting the player an inning(s) that they could be playing or placing them at the bottom of the batting order (batting order must be done before the start of the game)
Please speak with the parents so it is clear why you have made the decision.
If a player has an issue in practice or at the end of the previous game and there is a consequence that will affect playing time or batting order you must e-mail the President and the AAA Coordinator prior to the game. Please notify the other head coach at the start of the game.
If an incident happens during the game, the head coach making the decision must inform the other head coach of his actions as well as e-mailing the President and the AAA Coordinator immediately after the game concludes.
Examples Including: Throwing bat or Helmet, inappropriate language, disrespecting umpire or coach/player.
President: Mike Flynn
AAA Coordinator: Mike McGinty
Cancellations:
Both coaches are responsible for deciding to cancel a game
The Home team coach is responsible for informing the Umpire Coordinator and the AAA Coordinator if a game has been canceled. The Coordinators will schedule the make-up game after consulting with both coaches.
Umpire Coordinator – Bill Gerber 774-249-5978
AAA Coordinator – Mike McGinty 508-560-9880
Misc:
When playing Southborough, home team rules are used.
Bring travel equipment bag to Southborough.
Missing players may be replaced by AA players on the call-up list.
Be considerate of the next teams using the field and leave the equipment in the shed organized. If players are putting these items in the shed please supervise.
