Approval Date: 9/13/2024

General Rules

1. The overall purpose of this league is to provide age-appropriate, competitive baseball, which will be enjoyable for all involved. FCSB expects that the players, coaches, parents, and fans will conduct themselves with that purpose in mind.
2. All judgment calls (strike, ball, fair, foul, safe, out) by an umpire may not be protested or argued. Umpires have the final say.
3. Rules interpretation must be discussed as soon as the dispute arises. The umpire and the Head Coaches will resolve the dispute before play resumes. Only the Head coach will address the umpire if a question arises. The Division Commissioner will get involved if necessary. All decisions are final.
4. Coaches are responsible for the behavior of their team.
5. No arguing or poor sportsmanship from players, coaches, parents, or fans will be tolerated!  Any person violating this rule, will not be given a warning, instead that individual coach, player, parent or fan, will  be  required to leave the entire park  and will have their League membership cancelled!  
6. Players must remain inside the dugout while game is in progress. Failure to do so may result in an out being assessed by the Umpire.
7. For good cause, a 10-minute grace period will be extended after the scheduled start of the game. If, after this period of time has expired and a team has not shown itself ready to play, the game will be forfeited.
8. The minimum number of players to start and finish a game is 7.
   1. Coach can determine which positions to not field
   2. There will not be an automatic out in the 8th or 9th batting position.
9. A complete game will consist of 6 innings except in the case of inclement weather or reaching the time limit. In the event of inclement weather, 3 complete innings will be considered a complete game. The umpire will have the final determination when and if a new inning will begin. The umpire will give the official start time to the Home scorebook keeper. The Home Scorebook will serve as the official book of record. If a game is suspended in the middle of an inning due to weather or darkness and has gone at least 3 complete innings, then the final result of that game will revert back to the previous full inning played.
10. Games will consist of 6 innings, or a time or run limit. No new inning will start after 1 hour and 45 minutes. Any new inning started before the time limit is played to completion. The last inning shall be declared by the umpire before the start of the inning. The last inning must be called after 1hr 35 mins. There will be no run limit during the last inning
    1. Note: During tournament play the  Semi-Final and Final games will not have a time limit.
11. Games ending in a tie after 6 innings can play 1 full tiebreaker inning if the time limit has not been exhausted If still tied after the extra inning, each team will start the inning with one out and a runner on 2^ndbase who was the last out made in the previous inning.
12. A max 6 run per inning rule is in effect.  
13. A mercy run rule is in effect  15 runs after 3 innings, 10 runs after 4 innings and 8 runs after 5 innings.
14. No metal cleats may be worn.
15. Games will be played on 60’ base paths.
16. Protective cups must be worn by catchers!
17. Catchers must use a catcher’s mitt not a fielder's mitt. 
18. No on deck batters are allowed at any time, and no swinging bats are allowed outside the dugout during game time. Only the batter and next batter up may have a bat in their hands. 
    

Game Rules

1. Each team will field up to 9 defensive players: 1 pitcher, 1 catcher, 4 infielders, and 3 outfielders positioned in the outfield grass. If less than 9 players are available, teams will be allowed to play with less than 3 outfielders. No more than 4 players in the infield will be allowed.
2. The “infield fly rule” does apply.
3. No lead-offs are allowed.
4. The runners cannot leave the base until the ball crosses the plate. If the runner leaves prior to the ball crossing the plate, the runner gets a warning and must return to the previous base. If runner leaves early again, the runner will be called out. 
5. No more than 2 runners per inning may steal home a passed ball to the catcher. 
6. Runners may advance to the next base, at their own risk, if a ball is overthrown to the pitcher.
7. Once the ball is on the mound, and near the pitcher's rubber play is dead and runners must return to their base.
8.  No balks are called at this age level
9. At the umpire’s judgment, a runner is out when the runner does not attempt to avoid contact with a fielder that is making the play at a base. Headfirst slides are only permitted when retreating to a base. If a player headfirst slides attempting to advance into a base, they will be called out!
10. The dropped 3^rd strike rule does not apply.
    

Pitching Rules

1. Pitchers will pitch from 46 feet, with the following limits:
   1. No player may pitch more than two (2) innings or exceed 36 pitches in one (1) inning on a calendar day, whichever comes first.  One (1) pitch in an inning constitutes an inning pitched for the purposes of this rule.
   2. One nine-year-old player or combination of 9 year olds must pitch at least one (1) inning within the first four (4) innings of a game.  Facing a minimum of six (6) consecutive batters or recording three (3) outs constitutes an inning pitched for the purposes of this rule.
      
2. Only the starting pitcher can re-enter the game as a pitcher as long as he/she stays on the field and max number of innings has not been reached. 
   
3. A pitcher must be replaced on the 3^rd trip to the mound in a single inning. A “trip to the mound” is defined as: any conversation or action between the coach and pitcher that delays the flow of the game, except for injury, as determined by the umpire.
4. A pitcher must be removed from pitching if he/she hits 3 batters in an inning or 4 batters during the same game.

Hitting Rules

1. A continuous batting order will be used. All players present will bat.
2. Coaches and umpires shall make every attempt to ensure proper batting order. Babe Ruth playing rule 6.07 shall govern batting out of order.
3. Bunting is allowed, however fake bunting where the batter squares to bunt then gives a full swing is not allowed and will result in the batter being called out.
4. The following bats sizes are allowed: USA stamped up to 2 5/8^th inches. USSSA bats up to 2 1/4^th inches
5. Wood bats up to 2 5/8 are allowed for play as long as they meet the following  guidelines. Solid one piece wood bats do not require a USA baseball certified stamp. However, any multi-piece wood bat must have the USA stamp to be approved for play.
6. The Batter must attempt to get out of the way of a bad pitch, failure to do so could result in a dead ball being called and no base awarded. 

General

1. The HOME team is assigned to the 3^rd base dugout for all games.
2. ONLY players and coaches are permitted in the dugout during game time.  Parents and siblings must remain outside the dugouts.
3. ONLY players and coaches are allowed on the field during game time.  Parents and sibling are NOT allowed on the field during game times unless a player is injured during play. 
   
4. If the Batter throws the bat after swinging, a team warning will be issued. Any batter throwing their bat after the warning will be called out.
   
5. Any unsportsmanlike behavior by a player, including but not limited to, throwing a bat, throwing a helmet, throwing a glove, throwing a fit, use of profane language, or anything else deemed inappropriate, may result in the immediate ejection of the player from the game.
   
6. If you have a complaint or concern, talk to your Coach first, if you are not satisfied with the answer then proceed to the Division Commissioner.  If you are still not satisfied with the decision/result, a written request concerning the situation must be submitted to the Board of Directors for review.