Chesapeake Regional Amateur Baseball League

MLB rules will be followed with the below modifications.

Field Dimensions: Pitching Mound 46', Diamond 60’

Umpires: One (1) umpire would be used per game. The HOME field location would be responsible for setting up or cancelling the umpires for ALL games played at that field. Teams would split the umpire costs in cash at game time. Umpire fees for each location will be posted on our website so you know what those fees are before showing up at the game. Umpires decisions/calls on the field are final.

Game Length: All games will be (6) innings with no new inning beginning after a 2-hour time limit. Extra innings are permitted if within the time limit. If the score is tied after the time limit is reached, the game shall end in a tie. Four (4) innings shall constitute an official game or three and one half (3 1/2) innings if the home team is leading. If a game is stopped for any reason (weather, lightning, or darkness) and is unable to be resumed it will fall under one of two suspended game rules. Games that are stopped prior to four full innings or three and one half innings with the home team ahead will be considered incomplete. An incomplete game will be rescheduled and resumed from the exact point that it was called. Any used pitchers cannot be reused, and the batting order must stay the same. Games stopped at any time after completing four full innings will be considered complete. The final score will be determined by the following. If a game is stopped at any time in the 5th inning or beyond mid-innings the score will revert to the score at the end of the previous full inning of play. FOR EXAMPLE: The visiting team is losing 4-2 after (4) full complete innings. In the top of the 5th inning the visiting team scores (5) runs and is leading 4-7. In the bottom of the 5th prior to the third out the game is called due to weather. The score reverts to the completed 4th inning and the home team would be declared the winner at 4-2.

Bench Side: In doubleheaders the home team will get their choice of bench side.  They will not switch sides between games of the doubleheader. In the event of a 3-team meet, the team playing in the first and last game should clear the dugout after the first game in a timely manner so that the second game can be started promptly. They can assume the open dugout for the third and final game.

Balks: There will be no balks called during 9u games.

Dropped Third Strike: There is NO dropped third strike.

Infield Fly: Infield fly rule is NOT in effect.

Mercy Rule: 12 run lead after 4 innings. 10 run lead after 5 innings.  The home team does not bat in the bottom of that inning if ahead by the run rule limit.

Leading/Stealing: No runner on base can lead-off (primary leads); the runner cannot make an attempt to steal a base or lead off until the baseball breaks the plane of home plate or until the batter hits the ball. If the umpire determines that the runner left his base early, the runner will be declared out. Secondary leads and steals may occur after the ball crosses the front plane of the plate or the ball is batted into play. Stealing home is permitted on passed balls or if the ball is put into play by the catcher to another base (ie....runners at first and 3rd, and the catcher throws down to second).

Sliding: Headfirst slides are permitted only when the player is going back to a bag (the base must have been already achieved by the runner). All other slides must be feet first.

Contact: All runners must slide or otherwise attempt to avoid a fielder who has possession of the ball and is waiting to make a tag. If a runner does not slide and there is no collision and the umpire rules the runner safe, then the runner is safe. Players will only be ejected if the umpire rules that the contact was malicious in nature.  All others will simply be called out if the umpire rules that it was a must slide situation and the runner did not slide. All contact calls are at the umpires discretion and final.

Bat Throwing: Each team will get their own warning when a bat is thrown from that team. After the warning, the second occurrence by any player on the team that already received a warning will be called out solely at the discretion of the umpire.

Bunting: Bunting is allowed. Fake bunting is allowed but the player cannot show bunt, pull back, and then hit the ball (slash bunt).  In the event of a "slash bunt", the play is immediately declared a "dead ball", the batter is out, and all runners return to their original base.

Lineup:  May bat 9, the entire lineup, or any number in between with free defensive substitutions. Once the number of batters has been established, it must remain the same for the duration of that particular game. The only exception are players that show up late whom can be added to the bottom of the lineup assuming the lineup hasn't rolled over.

Courtesy Runner: There are no courtesy runners. Pitchers and catchers may not be substituted for another runner to receive a competitive advantage or “speed up the game”. Coaches will have their players run the bases with the purpose of learning and receiving instruction.

Substitutions: A substitute is any player not in the starting offensive lineup. Subs may replace any batter in the lineup.  As soon as a substitute bats or runs for another player, the sub and the original starter are locked into that lineup position and the starter comes out of the game offensively. The starter may re-enter back into the game ONCE into the same spot in the batting order that he occupied to start the game. If this occurs the sub can no longer hit or run the remainder of the game.  Subs will be announced to the umpire as well as the opposing team's scorekeeper.

Defense: Free Defensive substitution is available outside of pitchers, who cannot re-enter the game as a pitcher.

Pitching Limits: There is no pitch count or innings limit. Any pitcher withdrawn from the mound may not return to that position in the same game even if removed on a first visit. Any coach who goes onto the field of play (2) times in an inning to confer with a pitcher must make a pitching change on the second visit. Mound visits resets for each new pitcher. The only exception is due to injury or equipment damage. Pitch counts per pitcher are not policed however, all coaches are strongly encouraged to abide by USA Baseball arm care guidelines and are expected to put the health and safety of their players first.

Injury: If a player is injured and must leave the game then that spot in the lineup will be skipped with no penalty. If an injury occurs during an at-bat and the player can't continue the at-bat, the next batter will take over that at-bat and assume the count. If an injury occurs while on the base paths the last recorded out will take the place of the injured player on the bases. Once a player is removed from the game due to an injury, that player is not eligible to return to the game in any capacity once an at bat is skipped.

Bats: USSSA BPF 1.15 or USA Baseball certified. No barrel or drop restrictions.

Baseballs: Each team will be responsible for one (1) new game ball per game then alternate a new or fairly new ball into the game if needed. Balls should be of game or tournament level construction and not practice balls (Diamond DCR/DCR-1, Rawlings RCAL/RCAL-1 or equivalent).

Necklaces/Equipment: Jewelry unless medically necessary should be removed. White/Gray sleeves, sunglasses or distractions worn by a pitcher must be removed. Molded cleats only.

Rosters: No more than a (15) man roster. Rosters will be submitted prior to league play. Rosters may be modified (player removal, guest players) due to unforeseen circumstances at the discretion of the Age Group Commissioner and must be submitted prior to any new players playing in a league game. Guest players must adhere to the age cutoff for 9u. Birth documents shall be maintained by each team in case of a player protest. Rosters will include the player’s name, DOB, and uniform number. Players rostered by a team in the league may not guest play for another league team during league games. If a team is caught using ineligible players (born before 5/1/2015), the head coach and/or manager will be suspended for the following league game, the games played with the ineligible player may be for forfeited, and the team may be subject to removal from the league.

Forfeits: A team can start with and must finish with a minimum of (8) players. Players showing up late will be added to the bottom of the lineup. Game time is forfeit time. If a team forfeits within (2) hours of the game being played, then the team forfeiting will be responsible for paying ALL umpire fees for that game. This does not include games that are cancelled in advance and communicated to the league and other teams involved. All cancellations due to weather should be communicated to all teams playing at your field and should be done at the minimum of at least (2) hours in advance. The final score of a forfeited game will be 10-0.

Ejections: If a player, parent, or coach is ejected from a game then the manager of the team with the ejection must immediately contact the 9u CRAB Commissioner.  An email from the manager must be emailed to the 9u CRAB Commissioner within 24 hours, describing the circumstances of the ejection. Any ejected player, coach, manager, or parent must sit out the next league game.  A second ejection in the same season by that individual for unsportsmanlike conduct will result in an automatic removal of that individual from attending any future games played in that season and will require a majority vote by the three 9u board members for reinstatement. Failure to abide will result in immediate removal of the team from the league.  If a player is ejected from a game, that spot will be recorded as an out each time until the game is completed. Head Coaches are responsible for ALL conduct from their team to include assistant coaches, players, parents and other spectators. Unsportsmanlike conduct, aggressive or uncivil behavior will NOT be tolerated by the league Commissioner.

Insurance: All teams shall carry their own insurance.

Game Score Reporting: The winning coach should text or email the score to the age group commissioner within 24 hours of the game ending, preferably as soon as possible for timely reporting.