East Noble Youth Baseball League (ENYBL)

 

MINOR LEAGUE (8U) RULES AND REGULATIONS

 

         1.        PLAYING DISTANCE

     * Base length shall be 60 feet.

           * The pitcher's rubber shall be 42 feet from the rear of home plate. 

 

 2.     OFFICIAL GAME

     * The game shall be 5 innings.  1.5 hour time limit. 

*In case of inclement weather, 3 completed innings will constitute a complete game. In the event the home team is winning after 2 1/2 innings, then 2 1/2 innings will constitute a complete game.

            * A half inning is complete after 3 defensive outs, or once the batting team has scored 6 runs. 

 

 **LAST Inning is unlimited runs. Last inning determined by umpire based on time if game does not progress to the 5th inning.    

                                                                                **In the regular season, a game may end in a tie and no extra innings will be played. In a tournament game, extra innings will follow the international rules noted at the end of this set of rules.**

             

  *A legal lineup will consist of 10 players 

 

 * A team may start the game with 8 players. Failure to field 8 players is cause for forfeit. A team playing with only 8 players will take an automatic out each time they reach the end of the batting order. 

                                                                                                                                                              * In a game in which a team is playing with 8 players, an inning cannot end with a hit-by-pitch.

  

* During the regular season, if a team does not have a full lineup of players (10), a team may pull any available player from another Minor League team to make a full lineup (and must get permission from that player’s parent and coach).  

* The substitute player will be placed at the bottom of the batting order and cannot pitch.

* During the tournament, a team may only use a replacement player or players if their own roster drops to 8 players or less for a game.  The substitute player must play in the outfield and bat at the end of the order.

 

* In the event of a late arrival the late player will replace the substitute player brought in from another team, and be placed at the bottom of the batting order.

 

                                      * 2 minute time limit between half innings, starting when the third out is made in the preceding half inning. Balls will be called every 20 seconds for defense and strikes for offense if a team exceeds the time limit.

 

*Any coach or player that is ejected from a game will automatically miss the next full game. The player or coach will be allowed to attend the game and watch but not participate, unless he is ejected from the complex by the complex manager

• If a parent is ejected from the game, the head coach, the child(ren) of the parent are ejected from the game as well. If another parent should be ejected, the same applies but the assistant coach will be ejected as well. If there are no more coaches to coach the game, the game shall be forfeited. If you have more than 1 child on the team, being ejected and having them be ejected as well, this could cause your team to fall below the minimum number of players needed to play a game and will result in a forfeit.

• If a parent/fan is ejected from a game, depending on the severity of the incident, parent/fan will miss a minimum of 1 game up to being banned from additional games or even the sports complex in general for the remainder of the season.

 

 

* Where it’s not defined in ENYBL rules we will follow the local BPA rules.

 

3.         GENERAL RULES

 

                * The batting order shall consist of all players on the team roster at the beginning of the game. 

 

FREE SUBSTITUTION: However, no player shall sit a second time in a game until all other players have each sat out once in that game.  The batting order remains the same throughout the game. 

* In the event of disciplinary action, a player may sit out more than one inning.  If this should occur, the coach must notify an ENYBL board member, the player’s parents, and the opposing coach.

 

* A base runner may not leave the base before the ball is hit.    If a base runner leaves a base too soon in the umpire’s judgment, a team warning will be issued. In the event it occurs again in that game, the base runner will be called out.  This becomes a “dead ball” situation.

 

  * If a batter throws a bat, a team warning will be issued.  In the event it occurs again that game, the batter will be called out.  This becomes a "dead ball" situation.

 

* When a batter hits the ball to the outfield, time will be called when a ball is thrown back to the infield and in the possession of any player in the infield, and no further plays are being attempted by the defense.

* When a batter hits the ball in the infield, time will be called when the ball is in possession of any player within the pitcher’s circle, and no further plays are being attempted by the defense.

* In either circumstance, the umpire will determine if a runner had sufficiently advanced (half way) to continue to the next base or must return to the last base touched.

 

 * Base runners may advance only 1 base on an overthrow, even if the ball would still be considered in play. Each base runner will advance at his or her own risk of being thrown out.

   Example: Player hits the ball and there is an overthrow at first base, runner goes to second base and there is an overthrow at second base: the player cannot advance to third base on this play. 

                                                                                                                                                                                    * Only one base overthrow advance for each base runner PER BATTER.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       * The dropped third strike rule does not apply.

   

* Base runners MUST slide while approaching any base (other than first base) if there is any attempt at a play. (Umpire Judgment).  The umpire will issue one team warning, and future infractions will result in an out being called. 

 

* No head first slide at any base.  The umpire will issue one team warning before outs are enforced for future infractions.   Player may dive heading back to any base.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  * Base stealing is not allowed. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  * Bunting is not allowed.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  * The infield fly rule does not apply. 

 

       * Maximum bat diameter is 2 5/8”.  Bats should be USA Baseball stamped.

 

                                                                                                                                                  ALL CATCHERS MUST WEAR A PROTECTIVE CUP.  IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL PLAYERS WEAR A CUP.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 * No metal cleats are allowed.

 

*HELMET RULE: for the safety of the players, the batters and baserunners must keep their helmets on while in the field of play.  The umpire will issue a team warning for a player removing a helmet, and enforce outs for other offenses in the game. 

 

4.         PITCHING REGULATIONS (Coach Pitch).

 

                  * Coach pitching will be used for innings 1, 3 and 4 of the game.  The coach may pitch from the front of the pitcher's circle if desired.

                    * Coach has up to 5 pitches per batter.   The batter shall bat until he/she has 3 strikes or puts the ball in play.  The at bat cannot end on a foul ball or hit-by-pitch.

                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                 *  The umpire will call strikes during coach pitching, and there are no walks.

 

    * The coach pitching must leave the field of play after each batted ball - attempting to avoid interference with the live ball and/or base runners. See rule 7 for dead ball situations. The coach can’t return to the pitching circle until the play is called dead.

Please note: there may be a situation where the coach is physically unable to leave the field due to a line drive hit and quick play to a base. In the event this happens and the defense throws the ball to the coach, it is a dead ball situation and no base runners advance.  If the coach is on the field and the ball is thrown to him or her but intentionally missed to avoid contact with the ball, this will be a dead ball situation.

 

 * The coach must position the player pitcher in the pitching circle before a pitch is thrown.

 

         

 5.         PITCHING REGULATIONS  (player pitch)

                      * Player pitching will be used for innings 2 and 5 of the game. 

If the game should go to extra innings, all additional innings will follow coach pitching regulations.

 * The pitcher may only pitch 1 inning per game. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     * The umpire will call balls and strikes.

 

* The pitcher may pitch to a maximum of 8 batters in an inning. Once a player has pitched to 8 batters, the coach of the team batting will finish pitching that inning.

 

* If a pitcher has thrown four balls before a batter strikes out or puts the ball in play, then the coach of the team batting gets up to 3 pitches for the batter to put the ball in play or the batter is out.

* The strike count continues during the transition from player to coach pitching.

* If a coach feels a pitcher needs to stop pitching due to pitch count, fatigue, etc., the opposing coach takes over and pitches to his/her team per usual coach pitching rules for the rest of that inning. That pitcher cannot return to pitch in the same game.

 

               *  If a pitcher hits 3 batters during an inning, the opposing coach takes over and pitches to his/her team per usual coach pitching rules for the rest of that inning.

 

          

 

6.         DEFENSE

 

        * 10 players shall play the field.

 

            *  4 players shall play as outfielders.  They must be in the grass area during each pitch. 

 

         * A team on defense may have one coach in the outfield to help instruct the fielders, and one coach behind the catcher to help develop their catcher's skills and speed up the games by throwing passed balls directly back to the pitcher. 

* The coach must stand at the corner of the backstop on the same side as the batter to avoid distracting the batter.

 

7.         DEAD BALL SITUATIONS

 

* If a batted ball hits a coach, the umpire shall call a "dead ball" and the batter shall be awarded 1st base.  All other runners advance one base.   

 * The umpire may also call a "dead ball" if, in his/her judgment, a dangerous situation may occur by a player fielding a ball near the coach.  The batter and base runners each advance one base.

                                                                                                                                                                                    * Base runner leaving a base before the ball is hit (one team warning, then outs enforced).

                                                                                                                                                                                    * Batter throwing the bat (one team warning, then outs enforced).

                                                                                                                                                                                    * Sliding head first while approaching the next base.  (one team warning, then outs enforced).              

 

 

8.         TOURNAMENT  RULES

            * INTERNATIONAL RULES WILL BE USED FOR ANY EXTRA INNINGS.

  For each team, the player who batted last the prior inning will be placed at 2nd base and begin the inning with 1 out. 

 

*The LAST inning of a tournament game will have unlimited scoring.