2014 Hamilton County Rec Plus Rules
§ Game dates:
o Opening Date: May 4
o Regular season: All Sundays except for Memorial day through 6/22
o Tournament: Saturday 6/28 and Sunday 6/29.
§ Locations:
o Noblesville Field of Dreams
o Carmel:
Ø 2nd Grade: Wodock Fields 2 and 3
Ø 3rd Grade: Wodock Field 4
Ø 4th grade: Wodock Field 1
§ Game time length:
o Regular season to be played under “exhibition rules”
Ø Game time: 1:45 or 6 innings (whichever is first)
· If in the middle of an inning, then can go beyond 1:45 but must stop at 2 hours.
· Umpires to give head coaches heads up when planning to call the final batter at 2 hour time limit.
o Playoffs
Ø Brackets arbitrarily made to avoid teams of same league playing in first round. League commissioners will assign the matchups.
· For 4th grade - there will have to be 1 “play in” game where the winner moves onto the finals (this means 1 team will automatically be placed in the championship game)
Ø Game time: 1:45 or 6 innings (whichever is first)
· If in the middle of an inning and hit the 2 hour limit, then finish the inning regardless of hitting 2 hours
· If go beyond 1:45 and inning finishes in a tie, play another inning
Ø Championship game time: No time limit and go full 6 innings
o For time limit calculation purposes, the next inning starts as soon as the third out from the previous inning has been recorded
§ 10-run rule:
o Game over if home team is leading by 10 or more runs after the top half of the 4th, 5th, or 6th innings
o Game over if visiting team is leading by 10 or more runs after the end of the bottom half of the 4th or 5th inning
o If 10-run occurs, teams are encouraged to keep playing until reaching time limit (stop keeping score)
§ Batting:
o Innings 1-4 – maximum of 6 runs per inning
o Innings 5-6 – unlimited runs
o Bunting:
Ø Not allowed in 2nd Grade
Ø Allowed in 3rd and 4th Grades
o 3 outs switch sides
§ Base Running:
o 2nd and 3rd: No stealing or advancement on passed balls
o 4th grade: Stealing allowed only when ball crosses the plate. Umpires will only call base runner who leaves too early on appeal. If this happens, runner is called out regardless of tag. It is the responsibility of base coaches to make sure that runners do not leave early to steal a base.
o 2nd and 3rd: runners may not leave base until ball is hit.
o All leagues: Sliding is not required but if the runner does not slide and makes contact with a defensive player or interferes with the play, an out may be called by the umpire (this is a judgment call by the umpire)
Ø If a player makes intentional contact with a defensive player, the umpire may remove the player from the game (again, a judgment call)
Ø Can only head first slide when retreating back to a base
o Overthrow in foul territory:
Ø 2nd Grade – player may advance only 1 base
Ø 3rd and 4th Grades – player may advance more than 1 base
o Base Advancement on ball in play:
Ø 4th grade: No automatic stoppage of play. Big Boy Baseball. But coaches are encouraged to coach this like “real baseball.”
Ø 2nd and 3rd grades: Runners must stop advancing to a base only when the ball is secured inside the baseline ahead of the lead runner
· Ball secured by pitcher counts
· If runner is half way when ball is secured, the player may continue to the base
§ Pitching:
o 2nd Grade: Coach Pitch
o 3rd and 4th Grades: Kid pitch
Ø 3rd grade limits: 2 innings or 40 pitches
Ø 4th grade limits: 3 innings or 50 pitches (note, in the exhibition season, coaches are encouraged to only use pitchers for 2 innings in a game so that more pitching is developed).
Ø Doubleheader pitching limitations:
· 3rd grade: 3 total innings or 50 pitches (still subject to single game restrictions)
· 4th grade: 4 total innings or 60 pitches (still subject to single game restrictions)
Ø If pitch count is reached, pitchers are permitted to complete pitching to the batter they are facing when they reach their pitch count
Ø 1 pitch in an inning = an inning pitched
Ø A pitcher who hits 3 batters in the same game must be removed from pitching for that game. (does not apply to the second game of a double header)
Ø Pitchers may not wear white sleeves
§ Misc.:
o 2nd grade to play 10 in the field
o 3rd and 4th grades to play 9 in the field
o NOTE: coaches are highly encouraged to work kids between infield and outfield but no set rotation requirements
o Bats can not be wider than 2 ¼ diameter
o Up to 5 parents allowed in the dugout
o Home team maintains the official scorebook – each team’s scorekeepers to meet in between innings to confirm agreement on score, pitch count, etc.
o Visiting team to run scoreboard
o Each team identifies the Head Coach to the umpire at the start of each game. Only the Head Coach is to address in game issues or clarifications with an umpire.
All coaches, players and families are subject to the hosting leagues participation rules including park restrictions regarding behavior, parking, pets, etc.