2022 Season Rules

Rules In red indicate new for 2022

General Play

1) Each Game will be 3 innings long

2) The following mercy rules are applied: 10 runs after 1 and half or 2 innings

3) 6 run mercy per inning

4) A minimum of 2 players is needed to play

5) Each team is given 1 challenge for the series, if they win they challenge they keep it if they loose the challenge they lose it for the series. Challangebale plays are safe/outs, fair/fouls, catch/no catch, checked swings, any other rulebook rules

6) 5 is the maximum of players can be fielding at once

Batting Rules

1) Each team will set their lineup before the game and report it to the league issued umpire

2) Are allowed to pinch hit hitters that are not currently in the batting lineup

3) The count starts at 0-0

4) If the ball hits the strike zone on the fly its a stike.

5) If The ball hits the ground and than hit's the strike zone is is not a strike

6) The ball must hit the piping or hit the netting square to be a strike (zip ties or nettings outside the pipes is a ball)

7) Hiting the legs of the strike zone is a ball

8) No Hit by pitches its a plastic ball, be a man

9) A home run is when the ball fully clears the fence

10) After each hit you run the bases.

11) There is no bunting. If you bunt your out

12) Batters may wear batting gloves

13) Using a corked bat will result in a out for that batter, player suspension for 5 games and the captain getting ejected from the current game 

14) For any ruling that the DWBL does not have a rule for we follow the ruling based in the Little League Baseball Rulebook

15) You must be either out on the play or reach a base safely for the play to end

Baserunning
1) There is no stealing.

2) There is no leading off.

3) If a player runs more than 3 steps out of the baseline they are ruled out.

4) You must tag up. 

5) You can get doubled up.

6) If you get pegged the runner is OUT.

7) You can slide into every base head first and feet first

8) you are NOT allowed to interfere with the fielders.

9) If a batter hits the ball and hits a runner in the air or on bounce the runner is out.                 

10) If the ball leaves the playing surface it is dead and each runner with return to there base.

11) On a walk base runners are encouraged to touch the next base but if they miss touching it and/or advance due to ghost runner an appeal can not be made

12) On an in play live ball situation, runners are required to touch every base and missing a base can result in an appeal and a out in the pitcher appeals prior to the next pitch.

Pitching/ Fielding Rules

1) You will have 1 pitcher and up to 4 fielders in the field.

2) No pitchers poison

3) The ball many not be scuffed more than the league does

4) A pitcher may leave the game and re enter back in

5) For force or tag players at Home Plate a throw must be attempted and hit the strike zone before the runner touches home for an out to be recorded.

6) If the thrown ball misses the zone for plays at the plate it is immediately dead and all base runners advance to the next base

7) Pegging is aloud, please don't aim for the head

8) A catch is an out, All forces will be in affect.

9) No Infield fly

10) No play may hop the fence in an effort to catch a home run, if the fielder has a foot behind the fence they are considered out of play and the home run will stand

11) When the umpire rules the ball out of play when it leaves the field of play by a sufficient amount, when a dead ball is called all baserunners advance one additional base, this does not apply for plays at the plate. (Please see rules 5 and 6 for those rules)

12) fielders can not wear any type of glove, they must use there bare hands

13) A pitcher may not record more than 12 outs in regulation play in a series (extra innings do not count)

14) A start is counted as who ever records the majority of outs in the first inning

15) Who ever starts pitching game 1 can pitch any innings in the 2nd game (as still following rule 13)

Sub Rules

1) Free subs will be used in the 2022 Season

2) A teams batting lineup can consist of any amount of guys with bench players allowed

3) You may sub plays in for pinch hitters and pinch runners but they will go into that spot in the lineup

4) You may "marry" two players together so that one bats in a specific spot in the lineup as a DH and the other only field as a desginated fielder

5) Any player who shows up for a team is guaranteed a minimum of 2 at bats in the series

5A) If 1 game hits a mercy rule ending early after 2, its only 1 minimum at bat

5B) If both games hit a mercy rule ending early after 2, all playing minimum are disregarded

6) All subsitions must go through the umpire and be reported on the ipad

7) Whatever number of lineup slots you start the game with you end with

7 EXECPTION: You may add guys to your lineup only if its the first time through the lineup (example: report a 5 man lineup to the umpire, a 6th shows up in the top of the first you may move to the 6 man lineup)