General Rules:
- First pitch is at 6:15 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
- Game length is 6 innings or 1 hour 30 minutes. No inning will start after 7:45 pm when school is in session. This can increase to 8:00 pm in summer.
- Ten players on defense. Six infielders and four outfielders. Outfielders must start on the grass.
- There is a 7-player minimum to play a game in the league tournament. If either team cannot field a team with 7 players made up of their original roster from the beginning of the year, or of 8U borrowed players, then a technical forfeit will be called on the team short of players of 7 players. Borrowed players can only come from 8U and not other 10U league teams or from players not in the registered in the WYB&S league systems.
- The entire roster bats.
- Run Rule – 5 run maximum per inning.
- All players batting or coaching on the field must have a helmet on with a face mask.
- With 2 outs, a courtesy runner may be used for the catcher. The person who made the last out is the courtesy runner.
- Each team, is to provide one umpire for each night. Home team would have preference on what position the home team umpire takes, bases or home plate umpire. It is encouraged that the home plate umpire allow adequate distance behind the catcher or behind the pitcher while still being able to perform their duty while allowing for social distancing this season.
- The home team gets the third base dugout. Visiting team has the first base dugout.
- Both teams are responsible for the following: liming the base lines, placing and removing the bases, raking the diamond before and after the game and getting the umpires gear.
- Babe Ruth softball is a fun and educational experience. Any rules not specifically stated or modified above, will be governed by the Babe Ruth League Rule Book.
- Any harassment of the umpires by players, coaches or spectators will not be tolerated and may end in disciplinary action including ejection from the park and suspension from the league. Negativity or poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated. Said person may be asked to vacate premises.
Pitching Rules:
- Pitcher is allowed 4 warm up pitches between innings. Please enforce to keep the game moving. Each team will use their own game balls while their team is playing defense to follow our socially distanced softball rules for this season.
- Pitching rubber is 35 feet from home plate.
- Pitchers may only throw 2 innings in league games. This increases to 3 innings in tournament play. One pitch constitutes an inning.
- The pitcher must wear a protective face mask. No exceptions. Each team will have a facemask provided for girls that may not have their own, if sharing is needed, the coach will be required to sanitize the facemask before it can be shared between players.
- Balls and Strikes – No walks. After ball 4 a coach pitcher will resume the count. The batter either hits the ball, strikes out swinging or is out on umpire called third strike.
Defensive Rules:
- Players cannot play in the same position the entire game and must play at least 2 positions during the game. This rule does not apply to catchers to follow our socially distanced softball rules for this season, each team should designate one catcher for each game and WYBS teams will be provided two sets of catchers gear in the event more than one catcher is needed during the course of each game to prevent sharing of equipment. Coaches please sanitize the catchers equipment after each game night.
- Players may not sit out more than 2 consecutive innings.
- No infield fly rule.
- No dropped third strike rule.
- The catcher must wear full protective gear, including during warm-ups.
- Once a batter puts the ball in play, the defense is limited to one overthrow.
- Two defensive coaches may be on the field of play.
Base Running Rules:
- Leading off – Runners may leave base only after the ball crosses home plate. Runners leaving early may be called out by the umpire.
- Pass Ball – All runners may advance one base, per batter, on a ball that clearly gets past the catcher. No stealing home. No stealing when a coach is pitching.
- Limited stealing – Each team is permitted one straight steal attempt per inning. Runner may leave base only after the ball crosses home plate. No advancement on overthrows. Advancing on a passed ball is not considered a steal. No double steal of 2nd and 3rd bases.
- Overthrows – One base on an overthrow per batted ball. Runners may advance one base beyond the base they are approaching or attempting to round when the ball is overthrown.
- Sliding – Sliding is highly suggested. A base runner must avoid malicious contact with the fielder and slide at the base. If contact is made with the fielder without a slide occurring the runner may be called out by the umpire. A runner is NOT automatically called out if non-malicious contact is made with a fielder at a base when the the runner does not slide. This is a judgement call to be made by the umpire crew.
Catchers Exceptions: To develop the catchers position. The following two rules, (31 & 32) are designed to encourage throws by our catchers, without risk of runners advancing. Runners are either called out or safe. At which point the ball is dead.
- Catcher may throw behind a runner, in a pickoff attempt, resulting in the runner being called out. No base runners may advance on the play.
- Catcher may throw down to any base on a steal attempt or pass ball without risk of runners advancing on an overthrow.
Offensive Rules:
- Each half inning will last for either three outs or when five runs are scored.
- All runners may advance on any hit ball and continue to run until the defense stops them.
- Bunting is allowed only when a player is pitching. No bunting with a runner on third base. No fake bunt and swing.
- Sliding is highly suggested at home plate when there is a play on the base runner. See #32.
- A batter hit by a pitch has the choice to walk or continue batting.
- Two offensive coaches may be on the field of play. Three during coach pitch.
- If all coaches are on the field, there must be a parent coach in the dugout to supervise players.
Dead Ball:
- Play is considered dead when:
- All base runners have safely advanced one base on an overthrow.
- The catcher completes a throw on a steal attempt, pass ball or pick off play.
- Batter is hit by a pitched ball.
- Ball is out of play.
- An injury occurs.
- Defensive Obstruction:
- Shall be called on a defensive player who blocks the base, baseline or home plate from a base runner, while not in possession of the ball. Runners are awarded at least one extra base, or the base the umpire feels they would have reached if no obstruction occurred.
- Offensive Interference:
- Shall be called on a baserunner who interferes with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball or is in possession of ball. Penalty – The runner is out. The ball is dead.
It is highly recommended that the coaches talk before each game to go over the rules.
Keep in mind that this game is for the children.
Keep it moving. Keep it FUN.
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