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2017SpringLeagueRules
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GameLength
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Rookie&ADivision:5innings
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AADivision:6innings
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AAADivision:6innings
TimeLimit:Timelimitswillbeenforcedtoensureallgamesbeginontime.
Rookie&ADivision-1hr15min
AA-1hr30min
AAADivision–1hr30min
GameShortenings
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Weather
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3fullinningsmustbecompleteforagametobeshortenedduetoweather
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Ifthreefullinningshavenotbeencompletedthegameissuspendedandwillberescheduledandfinishedat
anotherdate
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Timelimit:Noinningcanstartafterallottedtimeelapses.Iftimeelapsesafteraninninghasstartedthatinning
mustbecompleted.
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Mercyrule
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15+runsafter3innings
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10+runsafter4innings
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8+runsafter5innings
TiedGames
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Regularseasongameswillendinatieifthescoreisevenaftercompletionofallottedinnings,thetimelimit
expires,orweatherstrikes(after3innings).
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PlayoffandChampionshipgameswillnotendinties
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Theywillbeplayedoutuntilateamwins.
RegistrationCutoff
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May1,2017istheagecutofffortheBaseballSeason.
352-379-2999–4511NW14thPlace–Gainesville,FL32605–www.gatorballtraining.com
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BatRestrictions:
AllDivisions:BatsmustbestampedBPF1.15.Mustbeabaseballbat–norestriction
onweightorlengthaslongasbathas“BPF1.15”stamp.All-3weight/lengthbatsmust
bestamped“BBCOR”.
Rookie&ADivision:NOBIGBARRELS
PITCHINGRESTRICTIONS
-3INNINGMAXPERGAME.Nosingleplayercanpitchmorethan3inningsinanygame.Thisappliestothe
regularseasonandplay-offs.
GameRules
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Teamscanusefreesubstitutions
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AA&AAA:Kidpitch(50ft.),A:Machinepitch/CoachPitch(42ft.),Rookie:T-Ball
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Rookie,A,AA,AAA:Noleadoffs
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Rookie&A:Nostealing
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AA&AAA:Runnerscanstealorattempttoadvancetothenextbaseoncetheballhascrossedtheplate,
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Leavingthebaseearly:Whenarunnertriestoadvancepriortotheballcrossingtheplate,thefollowingshall
apply-Iftherunneradvancessafely,theumpireshallcall“Time”andtherunnershallreturntothebaselast
legallyoccupiedatthetimeofthepitch.Iftherunneriscalledout,thecallshallstandandtherunnerisout.Ifthe
ballishit,thedefensiveteamshallhavetheoptionoftheresultoftheplayoranopitch
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AA&AAA:Battersareautomaticallyoutonadroppedthirdstrike
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Nobalkswillbecalled.Coachesareencouragedtoteachtheplayerspropertechnique.
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Musthaveatleast8playerstostartagame
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Everyplayerontherostermustplayingame
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AllPlayersmustgetatleastoneatbatandplay6outsinthefield.
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Only9defensiveplayersareallowedtoplay.(10forADivision,fullroster–RookieDivision)
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Extrahitterscanbeutilizedfortheplayersnotplayingdefense
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Teamsmaystartagamewitheight(8)players.Theninth(9th)&tenth(10th)positionsinthebattingorderwillbe
declaredanouteachturnatbat.Aninth(9th)&tenth(10th)playerandallsubsequentplayersmaybeaddedtothe
bottomofthebattingline-upassoonastheybecomeavailable
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ADivisionspecificrules:
Eachplayerwillhave5chancestohittheballoffofthemachine,iftheyfailtoputtheballinplaytheyareout.
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*Ifthe5 pitchisfouledoff,theywillgetanotherpitch.
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PitchingMachine:Thefrontleg(s)shallbesetatadistanceofforty-two(42)feetfromtherearpointofhomeplate(39
M.P.H.–42M.P.Hrecommendedpitchspeed)
1.InallMachine-Pitchgames,ahalf-inningwillendwhenoneofthefollowingoccurs:
a.thebattingteamscoresfiveruns
b.thedefensiveteamrecordsthreeouts
c.thebattingteamhasbattedtenbatters
2.AcompletegameintheMachine-PitchLeagueshallconsistoffiveinnings,unlessanyofthefollowingoccur:
TIMELIMIT:Thetimeshallbeonehourandfifteenminutes(75minutes).Oncethistimelimithasexpired,nonewinnings
willbestarted.
3.Numberofplayersintheline-up:
a.Ateamwillbealloweduptotenfieldersonthedefense.
1)Ateamislimitedtoamaximumoffiveinfieldplayers,includingthepitcher.
2)Thefieldingpitchermustbepositioneddirectlytotheright(3rdbaseside)ofthepitchingmachineatthetime
ofthepitch.Theumpirehastheauthoritytoassurethatthepitcherisintheproperposition.
3)Thecatcherwillassumethenormalcatchingpositionbehindtheplate.
b.Ateammayplaywithasfewassevenplayerswithoutpenaltyonlyifthereareabsences.Atleastseventeammembers
mustbepresentatgametimetoplay,oraforfeitwillresult.
c.Ifateamhastenorlessplayers,allmustplayunlessthereisaninjury,ejection,orillness.
d.Ifateambeginsplaywithlessthantenplayers,latearrivingteammembersmustbeaddedtotheendofthebatting
order.Alate-arrivingplayer(orplayers)shallassumetheirdefensivepositionsduringthefirstdeadballoccurrencefollowing
his/theirarrival.
e.If,atanytimeduringthegame,lessthanseventeammembersareeligibleandavailabletocontinueplaying,thegame
willbeforfeitedbytheteamlackingtheseventeammembers.
BATTING
1.Allteammemberswhoareeligibleandabletoparticipatewillbeincludedinthebattingorder.Thisbattingorderwill
staythesamefortheentiregame.Ifaneligibleplayerorplayersarriveslatetothegame,thenheortheymustbeaddedtotheend
ofthebattingorder.Suchplayerswillbatastheirturnscomeup.
2.Eachbatterwillhavefivepitchestoputtheballintofairplay.
a.Therearenowalks.Ifaplayercannotputtheballintofairplayonanyofthefivepitches,theywillberetired
andcountedasanout.
b.Abatterhitbyapitchedballwillnotbeawardedfirstbase.
c.Buntingisnotallowed.
d.Atthediscretionoftheumpire,errantpitches(i.e.inthedirtorfaroutofthestrikezone)willnotbecountedas
oneofthebatter’sfivepitches.
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NOTE:Afoulballthatislegallycaughtbyafielderwillbecountedasanout.Thebatterisout.
3.Thepitchingmachine,andtheumpire,areconsideredpartofthefieldofplay.Anyliveball(includingabattedball)that
hitsthemachineortheumpirewillbeconsideredafairball,andisaliveandinplay.
BASERUNNING
1.LeadingoffandstealingarenotallowedintheADivisionleague.Baserunnersmustremainonthebaseuntiltheballis
battedintoplaybythebatter.Violationofthisruleresultsinthebaserunnerbeingcalledout.(Thisisconsideredadefensiveputoutandwillbecountedasanout.)
2.OVERTHROWS
a.Ifadefensiveoverthrowremainsaliveandinplay,thebaserunnersmayadvanceattheirownrisk.
b.Ifadefensiveoverthrowgoesoutofplay,the“oneplusone”ruleapplies.Eachbaserunnerisentitledto
advanceonebasebeyondthebasetheyweregoingtoatthetimeofthereleaseofthethrow.
3.Whenadeadballhasbeencalledbytheumpire,baserunnerslessthanhalfthedistancebetweentwobasesmustreturn
tothebaselasttouched.Baserunnersmorethanhalfthedistancebetweentwobasesmustadvancetothenextbasebeyondthe
onelasttouchedatthetimeofthedeadball.Umpiresjudgmentwilldeterminewhichbaseabaserunnermustgoto.
DEFENSIVEPLAY
1.Acoach,ordesignatedadult,isresponsiblefor“pitching”tohis/herownbattersbyfeedingthebaseballintothepitching
machine/pitchingtheball.
2.Thedefensiveplayerwhoassumestheroleofthefieldingpitchermustbedirectlytotheright(thirdbaseside)ofthe
pitchingmachine.
3.Abattedballthatstrikesthepitchingmachine,thepitchingpitcher,ortheumpirewillbeconsideredliveandinplay,and
shouldbeplayedasanyotherbattedball.
4.Theoffensiveteammayplaceanadultbehindtheplate,atthebackstop,whocanretrievepassedballsorwildpitches,
andthrowthembacktothepitchingpitcher.Thisadultmustnotinterferewithanyliveballinanyway-this“adultcatcher”is
utilizedonlytosavetimeand“wearandtear”onthecatcher.
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RookieDivisionSpecificRules:
TherewillbenodesignatedumpiresforourRookieDivision.Coacheswillberesponsibleformakingcalls.
1.
2offensivebasecoachesand2defensivecoachesmaybeonthefieldatonetime.
2.
Everyplayerwillbeinthebattingorder;battingorderwillremainthesamefortheentiregame.
3.
Allplayersontheteamwillbeallowedonthefieldfordefense.4standardinfieldpositions,1pitcher,1catcher,and
remainingplayersintheoutfield.
4.
Defensivepositionsshouldberotatedeachinningsothatplayersgetachancetoplaydifferentpositions.
5.
OverthrowRule:Thereisnoautomaticfreebase,runnersmaytakeoneextrabaseiftheysoelect,butareinjeopardyof
beingthrownout.Ifaplayismadeonarunneratabasebuttheballisoverthrown,nomoreadvancementwillbeallowed.
6.
Runnerscannotadvancewhentheballisinthepossessionofthedesignatedpitcher(forthatinning)andsaidpitcheris
insidethepitcher’scircle.Theexceptionbeingaforcedplay.
7.
Coachesareresponsiblefor“T”adjustmentsofindividualbatter.
8.
Theteemustberemovedwhenarunneriscomingintohomeplate.
9.
Abatterisallowedamaximumoffive(5)swingstoputtheballinfairplay.After5swings,thebatterisout.