GAME PLAY RULES FOR SHETLAND DIVISION 5 & 6 Year Old

Article I: Game Preliminaries, Goals & Logistics

1.      The HOME team shall occupy the third base dugout and the VISITING team shall occupy the first base dugout. On the game schedules the VISITING team is always listed first.

2.      Both Managers and Coaches are required to be at the field one (1) hour prior to game time to prepare the field (see Section I, Article II, Number 5). If a Manager/Coach does not arrive early enough to prepare the field, they shall forfeit their portion of infield practice. Failure to have field ready fifteen minutes (15) prior to game time shall result in no infield practice. Game time is Game Time.

3.      The HOME team can take infield practice for the fifteen (15) minutes immediately preceding the scheduled start time of the game. The VISITING team can take infield practice for the fifteen (15) minute period immediately preceding the HOME team.

4.      The Shetland Division introduces competitive baseball to the Players and score will be kept.

5.      Parents are encouraged to participate as base Coaches and to help direct play. Parents, Coaches, and Managers must submit to a background check prior to being on the playing field during games or practices.

6.      Reduced injury baseballs MUST be used at all times during practices and games.

7.      The entire season will be machine pitch. The UPM-45 Pitching Machine is the official pitching machine of ARCADIA PONY and PONY Baseball. The machine pitching distance will be 38 feet. The Pony recommended settings for the UPM-45 pitching machine are as follows: Power Level=2, Micro Adjust=3, and Release Block=4.

8.      The batting team is responsible for monitoring the home plate area to ensure Players are swinging the bat safely. The home plate monitor must be a Coach, Team Mom, or other designated parent. Players MUST be taught not to throw the bat; correcting this tendency early makes a world of difference when the Player is older.

9.      The team Manager must keep a copy of each registered Player’s registration/medical form with him/her at all times during practices and games.

10.  Every player plays every inning, with the exception of any injured Players. The maximum number of Players allowed on the infield will be 7. All traditional positions will be filled; 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, shortstop, pitcher, and catcher. The extra infielder must be placed next to the shortstop or the Player at the 2nd base position, there will not be 2 Players in the pitching position. The Player fielding the pitching position shall take a position with one foot on the line marked five (5) feet to the rear of the pitching machine and to the left or right of the Coach utilizing the pitching machine. The player fielding the pitching position must be in contact with the line until the ball is released from the machine. The catcher MUST stand away from the plate until the batter swings, then field the position defensively.  (There is no dropped third call strike rule)

11.  The remaining defensive Players must be placed in an arc at a minimum of 15 feet behind the base paths. Rotate all Players through each position during the course of the season. This is not only “fair” but it also provides the Players with a better learning experience.

12.  Shetland uses an approximately 50-foot diamond.

13.  Line-up Cards: Each Manager must prepare a Line-up card showing all Players on the roster. First and last names, uniform numbers, and their offensive and defensive positions, and whether they are able to play or not. If a Player is absent or injured it must be noted on the Line-up card and said Player shall be ineligible for game play, unless the official scorekeeper and opposing manager are otherwise notified before the first pitch of the second inning.

14.  If there is no Official Scorekeeper present at the start of the game, the HOME team will keep Official score for the game.

15.  Umpires: ARCADIA PONY will provide Umpires for all games. In the event that an Umpire does not show up to your game, you may proceed to play the game if both Managers agree to a substitute Official. Both Managers must agree before the game can begin. Once the game has begun with the accepted substitute Official, it must continue to complete game length. No Manager may change his mind after the game has begun.

16.  A team must have a minimum of 9 players to start a game. If a player is injured during the course of the game the team can continue the game with 8 players.

17.  Players must use bats that are certified under the USA Bat standard. If an uncertified bat is found to be in use before a pitch is thrown the bat must immediately be removed from the field of play. If a pitch has been thrown to a batter using an uncertified bat, batter shall be recorded out and all baserunners are reset to their previous positions (if ball was hit into play). Equipment challenge will only apply to current inning of play.

Article II: Length of Games

1.      Regulation length for Shetland games will be five (5) innings, with no new inning starting after one

(1)    hour and fifteen (15) minutes, unless tied or complete game length per Pony Baseball, Inc. rules has not been reached.

2.      All Shetland games will be five (5) innings, however the complete game length is as follows:

a.       Complete Game Length: Three (3) innings OR two and one half (2 ½) innings if the home team is ahead.

b.      No game shall be left in a tie. If a game is tied after the regulation time or innings has been met, the game will be played 1 inning at a time using Pony Tournament rules to determine a winner. Pony Tournament rules are as follows: player will receive a maximum of (5) pitches per at bat from the pitching machine, or (3) strikes and the batter is out, whichever comes first. A foul tip of the (5th) pitch will result in an out.

c.       If a game is called for any reason before it is a completed game, it shall be considered a suspended game and shall be resumed from the point of curtailment at the time scheduled by the Division Commissioner.

d.      10-Run Rule (Mercy Rule): If a team is leading an opponent by at least 10 runs at Complete Game Length, or at the completion of any inning thereafter, the game shall be called and the team in the lead shall be declared the winner. (If the visiting team is the team with the 10 run lead, the home team will be allowed to complete the inning.)

Article III: Shetland Division Game Rules

1.      A half inning is complete when three (3) outs are recorded OR five (5) runs have been scored. There is no “open inning”.

2.      Each team must field a minimum of nine (9) Players or forfeit the game. If a Team cannot field nine Players and a forfeit is inevitable a Player from the Foal Division may be brought up for that game to avoid the forfeit. A Player can only be brought up if nine players are not available at the start of the game. All of the following eight conditions must apply:

a.       The Player must be a legal/eligible Player in our League.

b.      The Player must be a senior-age Player in his/her Division.

c.       The Player can only play an outfield position.

d.      The Player cannot miss a game in his/her Division to play up.

e.       Only two players can be brought up per game.

f.       Permission from the Player’s parents or legal guardians shall be in writing on an Arcadia Pony Baseball  form.

g.       The form shall be filled out completely and accurately with an original signature before the start of the game. (Photocopies of the signature are not acceptable)

h.      The form must be submitted to the Official Scorekeeper along with the line-up card.

3.      No infield fly rule is applied at this level of play.

4.      Offensive Coaches will be stationed in the designated Coach’s boxes and as a Coach feeding the pitching machine. All other offensive Coaches must remain in the dugout or other designated area. One (1) defensive Coach will be positioned behind the catcher to assist in retrieving pitched balls only. The defense may also place a Coach down each foul line and must be 15 feet beyond 1st or 3rd base to assist in instructing the Players. Coaches must remain in foul territory. The remaining Coaches must remain in the dugout or other designated area.

5.      Pitching:

a.       A batter shall receive 4 pitches from the pitching machine. The 5th and any subsequent balls shall be placed on the tee until the ball is put into play.

b.      If the batted ball strikes the Coach pitcher; the ball is dead, the pitch counts as a strike, and no runners can advance.

c.       If the batted ball strikes the pitching machine and remains in fair territory, the ball is in play.

d.      If the batted ball strikes the pitching machine and goes into foul territory; the ball is dead, the batter is awarded first base, and any other runners advance one (1) base.

e.       The Coach attending the pitching machine shall not give coaching instructions to Players after the ball is hit. The Coach must not interfere with any defensive Player.

6.      Batting:

a.       A batter shall receive 4 pitches from the pitching machine. The 5th and any subsequent balls shall be placed on the tee until the ball is put into play. If, after 5 complete innings, the game