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Northwood Baseball League, Inc.

Northwood Baseball League, Inc.

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2024 8U Combined In-House Rules 

Northwood , Hamilton 

1.        Games shall be 6 innings in length.  Base paths 60 feet; pitching distance 40 feet.

2.        Once game has started, the game will be played to regulation length, either innings or time. There is a 2 hour game time limit, regardless of whether or not the game is the last game scheduled for the day.

3.        No new inning shall start after 8:00pm before Memorial Day and 8:15pm after Memorial Day.

4.        NO METAL CLEATS.  

5.        Teams may start and finish with no less than 7 players. 

6.        All teams must bat their entire roster without alteration after the 1st inning.

7.        If a player is taken off the roster due to injury or leaving early, the team incurs no penalty.  The batter is skipped without recording an out.

8.        All players must play at least 2 defensive innings, and bat 1 time. 

9.        10 players may be used defensively. 4 outfielders; no short fielders.  There is free substitution for all players.

10.    There will be a maximum of 5 runs per inning, except for the last inning, which will be unlimited. 

11.    Courtesy runner for the catcher may be used with 2 outs by the player who last recorded an out. 

12.    No more than 2 Defensive Coaches will be permitted on the field of play and must stay in the outfield. 

13.    No more than 3 Offensive Coaches will be permitted on the field of play -- two in the coaches’ boxes, and one Coach Pitcher.

14.    The player fielding the pitching position must be to the left or right and a little behind the pitching rubber. 

15.    All games preceding Memorial Day will be pitched from the pitching machine.  The batter is called out after failing to put the ball in play after 3 strikes or a total of 5 pitches from the machine.  However, if the 5th pitch is fouled off, the batter is not out. Pitching continues until the batter does not put the ball in play in fair or foul territory.

16.    All games after Memorial Day will be primarily player pitched with back-up from pitching machine.

                                                      i.            At least Innings 1, 2 and 3 will be player-pitched.  Player pitching beyond first 3 innings will be at coaches’ discretion and will be     agreed upon before game begins.  Any player-pitched inning will be player-pitched by both teams.

                                                     ii.            A player will pitch no more than 2 innings; innings may be non-consecutive.

                                                   iii.            No walks will be issued unless batter is struck by pitch.

                                                   iv.            If Player pitches 4 balls, Player Pitcher retires and pitching machine is given 3 pitches.  The pitching machine inherits the strike     count. The batter is out after failing to put the ball in play after 3 strikes or a total of 3 pitches from the machine.

                                                     v.            If Player pitches a full count, Player is given the opportunity to strike the batter out.  If Player pitches 4th ball, pitching machine is       given 3 pitches.

                                                   vi.            If the batter has 2 strikes and fouls the 3rd pitch from the machine, the batter is still alive.

                                                  vii.            Hit Batsman rule: A Pitcher must be removed that hits 2 batters

17.    A strike watched from the machine is counted as a pitch.  A strike watched from a Player Pitcher is counted as a strike.

18.    The Coach Pitcher must stand behind the machine.  If the ball hits the pitching machine, generator, or the Coach Pitcher, the play is dead.  Batter and base runners are awarded one base.

19.    Stopping a play: When the ball is in the control of the pitcher in the pitching circle and in the umpire’s judgment all play has ceased, the umpire will call time. The runners will be awarded the base if they are past the halfway mark. 

20.    Overthrow rule: If defense makes two consecutive overthrows during a play, play is dead.

21.    A base runner hit by a fair-batted ball while on base or running will be called out.

22.    Runners must remain in contact with the base until the ball is hit. No leading off bases.  No stealing. No stealing home.

23.    Runners may slide. No head-first sliding. Runners must avoid contact on all close plays at all bases (based on umpire’s judgment).

24.    There will not be an infield fly rule. 

25.    Teams must chase foul balls. 

26.    Ending play due to weather: A game that is called due to unsafe weather conditions will be stopped and not resumed.  Unsuitable conditions due to wind and/or rain are at the discretion of the umpire and the coaches. A game will be stopped and the park will be cleared in the event of a clap of thunder and/or sight of lightning.

27.    Result of game called due to weather: If a game is called due to weather after the players have played four innings, the game is considered official or if home team is ahead after 3 ½ innings.

28.    Teams are responsible for cleaning up dugouts and stands. 

29.    Any discrepancies in these rules will be left up to the judgment of Hamilton Baseball. 

30.    Base paths 60 feet; pitching distance 40 feet.

Contact

Northwood Baseball League, Inc.
1801 Argonne Drive 
Baltimore, Maryland 21218

Phone: 443-219-7014
Email: [email protected]

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