Sorauren Park Association Format & Rules: 7-9 T-Rex Ball Rules

The following are the official Sorauren Park Association Rules for this league. We have designed these rules to support fair play, fun and continue building the player’s skills to the next level. Please check regularly for updates, scheduling, standing or announcements.

T-Rex ball is unique as players have the option of using the pitching machine or using a T-stand. Players will be encouraged to use the pitching machine to advance their skill and batting.

Download the rules in MS Word or read below

NEW RULES FOR 2008
Please read to ensure everyone understands the rules during game play

General Gameplay

>Each game will be 3-4 innings long however games should not exceed much past 60 minutes in length.

>If a team has 11 players available, they must field all positions listed: 9 standard baseball positions (including pitcher & catcher), infield rover and fourth outfielder. A team may select which positions to fill if they have fewer than 11 players but may still have no more than 7 players on gravel infield before the ball is hit.

>Each team must have a minimum of six (6) players in order for the game to commence. The referee will allow a fifteen (15) minute grace period from the scheduled start time, after which the game will be called. The team at full strength will be awarded a default win.

>If neither team has the required number, coaches may agree to play with the available players, reschedule the game or declare a tie.

>Once the batting order is submitted to the umpire, the order is final and any later arriving players are inserted at the bottom of the line-up. If one team has a fewer number of players then their batting order will repeat until each team has an equal number of batters.

>The umpire will notify coaches and players when it is the last batter. Once the ball is hit, the batter and all runners must attempt to run home and score. The fielding team must attempt to get the ball and touch home plate, thereby ending the inning and preventing any further base runners from scoring. Coaches may choose to designate one fielder to act as catcher (if they have not already fielded someone at this position) and receive the ball to touch home.

> Special care should be taken to avoid player collisions at home plate. The baseball tee will be removed from home plate by the umpire before a runner scores to avoid contact and possible injury with the tee.

>All Coaches and Players are reminded that we are here to have fun and that it is always important to exhibit good sportsmanship and a positive attitude.

>Verbal directions and/or positive reinforcement for participants are encouraged. However, there is to be no language or behaviour (i.e., shouting or yelling by parents or coaches) that is deemed to be excessive, abusive or intimidating to participants. Coaches should immediately request a time-out with the umpire(s) and discretely discuss the situation in private away from players. It will be up to the umpire, to mitigate the situation.

>THE UMPIRE’S CALL IS FINAL!

The Batter

>ALL BATTERS WILL WEAR BATTING HELMETS WHEN AT BAT OR ON BASE. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.

>Each batter will have the option of beginning their at bat by hitting from the pitching machine. If they are unable to hit the ball after approximately seven (7) pitches, they must hit from the tee for the remainder of their at bat.

> The manager or coach from the batting team or their designate must come out to load balls into the pitching machine. The coach is encouraged to provide additional practice to players having difficulty to increase their skill level as soon as possible.

>If the Umpire deems that the machine caused interference of the defensive player in terms of the player attempting to field the ball and make a play, then the Umpire will declare DEAD BALL and the batter will return to the plate and continue his/her at bat. The intent of this rule is to provide safety. The Umpire in charge has the final say in determining interference calls. No player will be positioned in front of the pitching machine prior to the ball leaving the machine.

>The Umpire is not required to call Balls and Strikes. Bunting is not permitted (Penalty- batter is out). Check-swings (no follow-through) do not qualify as bunts.

>Any ball that fails to be hit past the quarter-circle in front of the plate will be declared a DEAD BALL and the batter will return to the plate and continue his/her at bat. This will apply regardless of whether the batter was hitting from the tee or pitching machine.

>If the batter hits the ball up and behind themselves, the back catcher may catch it to try and get the out. If the ball passes entirely above the second crossbar of the fence before coming back down, and the back catcher catches it, the batter will be called out.

>The batter is out if a batted ball is caught by a fielder before touching the ground anywhere else on the field (a catch will still count if in the opinion of the umpire the fielder dropped the ball while transferring it to their hand for a throw).

>If a batted ball hits the batter while still in the batter’s box, the ball will be called foul. The play will continue if a fair ball hits a bat on the ground after being dropped by the batter.

>Batters, please be careful not to throw your bats. Each team will be given one warning per game if a bat is thrown. If any other player on that team throws a bat they will be called out.

>A batted ball is fair in the following circumstances:
a. The ball first touches the ground in fair territory beyond 1st or 3rd base.
b. The ball settles or is first touched by a fielder in fair territory in front of 1st or 3rd base.
c. The ball is touched by a fielder before it lands that the umpire believed would have landed in fair territory.
d. The ball lands in fair territory and bounces over 1st or 3rd base (in fair territory) before reaching the outfield.

Runners & Fielders

>There will be NO lead-offs from the bases. A runner may only begin running when the ball has been hit (Penalty on a fair ball- the runner is automatically out; the batter advances to first base and no other runners advance unless forced to). Stealing bases is not permitted.

>If the players touch the base with the ball before the runner gets there then the runner is out. A runner may not be forced to try and advance (ie. a runner on 2nd base does not need to try and advance to 3rd if there is no one on 1st) however if the runner advances more than halfway to the next base the fielder needs only to tag the base the runner is trying to advance towards. The runner may also be tagged by the hand holding the ball. (NOTE: Please try to tag the runner on the arm or leg. Please avoid tagging in the stomach area, as this can be very painful).

>Where there is a tie at the base, ie. The runner and the fielder touch the base at the same time and the fielder has the ball, the runner will be called safe. A tie always goes to the runner.

>If a runner fails to touch a base while advancing they will not be called out as long as the umpire believed they made a reasonable attempt to touch it.

>If the runner or fielder touches the wrong side of the double safety bag at first base, they are only penalized if their actions were deemed to have changed the outcome of the play.

>To advance a runner, they must be at least half way to the next base or more when the ball is thrown in and the play is stopped (when the ball is first thrown in by the fielder). If they are less than half way, the umpire will send them back to the previous base.

>There will only be one base awarded on an overthrow. EXAMPLE: The ball is thrown to 2nd base and it is missed, the runner going to 2nd may advance no further than 3rd base, however the fielding team may still attempt to throw the runner out.

>If a batted ball hits a runner before touching a fielder, the runner is automatically out; the batter advances to first base and no other runners advance unless forced to.

>If a pop fly is caught by a fielder the play will stop immediately and all runners must return to their original base.

>If a runner goes approximately more than one meter off the line they are running to reach the next base in order to avoid a fielder’s tag they are out and play continues. The same applies to any runner who passes a runner ahead of them on the base path or when two players are tagged while occupying the same base.

>If the fielding team interferes with a runner on the base paths they are not penalized unless the umpire judges the interference to have affected the play. In this situation the runner is awarded either the base they were called out at or the base they would have advanced to had the interference not occurred.

>If the fielding team has more than 7 players on the gravel when the ball is hit, the team at bat will be given the choice of replaying the at bat.

April 2008