League Rules

The rules listed below are modifications to the current NFHS rules. These modifications foster the transition to high school baseball by creating flexibility for coaches to aid in player development. With exception to the referenced rule modifications below North Bay JHL games will be governed by the most current version of the Baseball Rules Book published by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Rule 1 – Players, Field and Equipment:

Before the start of each game the home team will provide no less than six (6) baseballs to the plate umpire when they arrive. In the event game balls become lost, inaccessible, or defaced the home team will be responsible for providing additional baseballs as necessary to keep a minimum of three baseballs available at any given time.  


    • On deck batters are to remain alert to the batter all times and retrieve any foul balls in the area behind home plate and roll them to the opening of the home teams dug out.


    • Both teams are responsible for retrieving foul balls and balls hit out of play on their respective side.

1-3-2-c-3 mod. Bats

    • 7th grade players may use bats marked with the USA or USSSA stamp that do not weigh, numerically, more than five ounces less than the length of the bat.        
    • 8th graders must use BBCOR certified or wood bats only.

Umpires are not responsible for enforcing the bat rule. It is the manager’s responsibility to make sure players are using the right bat. If an 8th grader comes to the plate with an illegal bat the opposing team should ask for time and bring it to the attention of the Manager of the team at bat. There is no further penalty if the bat is replaced. If the Manager refuses to replace the bat, the opposing Manager should notify the League. 


 

 Rule 2 – Playing Terms and Definitions

No modifications – Sliding definition added for clarification

SECTION 32 SLIDE

ART. 1 ... A legal slide can be either feet first or headfirst. If a runner slides feet first, at least one leg and buttock shall be on the ground. If a runner slides, the runner must slide within reach of the base with either a hand or a foot. A runner may slide or run in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder. (8-4-2b)

ART. 2 ... A slide is illegal if:

      • the runner use a rolling, cross-body or pop-up slide into the fielder; or
      • the runner's raised leg is higher than the fielder's knee when the fielder is in a standing position; or
      • except at home plate, the runner goes beyond the base and then makes contact with or alters the play of the fielder. At home plate, it is permissible for the runner's momentum to carry through the plate in a straight line (baseline extended); or
      • the runner slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg; or
      • the runner tries to injure the fielder; or
      • the runner, on a force play, does not slide on the ground and in a direct line between the two bases.


Rule 3 Substituting – Coaching – Bench and Field Conduct- Charged Conferences

3-4-1 mod. – Charged conferences:

    • Each team, when on defense, may be granted not more than six (6) charged conferences during a seven-inning game without penalty.
    • Each team is allowed one (1) charged conference per inning beginning in the eighth inning. It does not matter how many you used in the previous seven innings.
    • Mound visits for the purpose of bringing in a new pitcher will not be a charged conference.
    • Time called for an obviously incapacitated player shall not be a charged conference.

Penalty: After 6 charged conferences in a seven-inning game, or for any charged conference in excess of one in each extra inning, the pitcher shall be removed as pitcher for the duration of the game.

Courtesy Runners

  • Allowed for the pitcher and catcher of record only. If they have not received or thrown a pitch during the game, they are not eligible for a courtesy runner.
  • The courtesy runner must be any player not currently in the line-up. The same runner may run for both pitcher and catcher in the same inning.  
  • If all players are in the line-up, then the courtesy runner will be the LAST BATTED out.

Rule 4 Starting and Ending a Game

4-1-3 mod. Batting Order:

  • Teams can add the entire roster to the batting order, but line-up cards must have a minimum of 10 players, the Extra Hitter (EH) is mandatory. In the event only 9 players are available, that will be the line-up. Any player arriving late must be added to the bottom of the order. No penalty for 9 player line-ups.
  • Games may start with 8 players. Penalty: automatic out each time the ninth position comes up in the order.

Exception: Out penalty may be waived by the opposing teams Head Coach.

  • Line-up cards must be presented at the plate meeting. Line-up cards will not be accepted after the conclusion of the plate meeting. Without a line-up card from both teams an umpire cannot enforce rules related to batting out of order for either team.

4-2-1 mod. - Ending a Regulation Game:

  • Regular season games are complete after 7 innings or when any inning concludes after 135 minutes*, whichever occurs first.

*Exception; See modified mercy rule below

  • Time limit begins at scheduled start time unless a new start time is reported to the official scorekeeper by the umpire crew. The start time will only be adjusted when;
  • the umpires are delayed and fail to arrive at the plate meeting more than 5 minutes before scheduled start time, or
  • delays caused by unexpected field conditions or weather
  • in the event of serious injury on or adjacent to the field.   
  • Umpires will, at their discretion, add time back on the clock in the event of major delays due to serious injury, or any postponement.
  • At the end of 7 innings if there is no winner and the time has not expired;
  • extra innings will be played until a winner is determined or,
  • play until time limit is reached, and the inning is complete.
  • The International Tie Breaker Rule will be used beginning in the eighth inning.
  • The player in the line-up immediately preceding the first batter of the inning will start on second base.


            4-2-2 mod. – Mercy rules

The modified mercy rule goes into effect when:

    • the visiting team is behind by 12 or more runs after 3-1/2 innings, or if either team is behind 12 or more runs after 4 innings and both teams have had an equal number of at bats
    • When the visiting team is behind by 10 or more runs after 4-1/2 innings, or if either team is behind 10 or more runs after 5 innings and both teams have had an equal number of at bats

Modified mercy rules:

    • Time limit becomes a drop dead 120 minutes. Once time has expired play stops immediately.
    • The winner is determined at the time the mercy rule goes into effect. The score of the game at that time is what should be reported to league website.
    • Both teams will be limited to 5 runs per inning while the mercy rule is in effect and any runs scored will not be included in the final score of the game.



Rule 5 Dead Ball – Suspension of Play

            No modifications


Rule 6 - Pitching

  • No league mandated pitch counts or inning limits.
    • The League defers to each team’s program admins and individual team coach(es) to provide guidelines and manage arm care.
    • Pitch Smart guidelines are attached below.


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Rule 7 – Batting

            No modifications



Rule 8 – Baserunning

No modifications – Rule 8-4-2 included for clarification of force-play slide rule in high school

Section 4 RUNNER IS OUT

ART. 2 ... Any runner is out when the runner:

  1. runs more than three feet away from a direct line between bases to avoid being tagged or to hinder a fielder while the runner is advancing or returning to a base;
  1. This is not an infraction if a fielder attempting to field a batted ball is in the runner's proper path and if the runner runs behind the fielder to avoid interfering with the fielder.
  2. When a play is being made on a runner or batter-runner, the batter-runner's baseline is established as directly between the batter-runner's position and the base toward which the batter-runner is moving.
  1. does not legally slide and causes illegal contact and/or illegally alters the actions of a fielder in the immediate act of making a play, or on a force play, does not slide in a direct line between the bases; or
  1. A runner may slide in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder. 
  2. Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal. (2-32-1, 2-32-2) Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground. Diving over a fielder is illegal.

PENAL TY: The runner is out. Interference is called and the ball is dead immediately. On a force-play slide with less than two outs, the runner is declared out, as well as the batter-runner. Runners shall return to the bases occupied at the time of the pitch. With two outs, the runner is declared out. The batter is credited with a fielder's choice.

  1. does not legally attempt to avoid a fielder in the immediate act of making a play on the runner; or

PENALTY: The runner is out; the ball remains live unless interference is called.



Rule 9 – Scorekeeping

  • Scorekeepers for both teams are encouraged to verify score after each inning and notify the Plate Umpire anytime the score cannot be reconciled.   
  • Both teams are responsible for reporting and verifying game scores on the league website within 24 hours of scheduled start time.
  • The winning team will ultimately be held accountable for unreported game scores as the game may be ruled as a “tie” or “no contest” by the League Commissioner or their designee.  
  • Report game scores at: https://northbayjhl.org  

From the Web:

  1. Log in to TeamLinkt via the web - https://northbayjhl.org
  2. Select your team from the Dropdown in the top right
  3. Click Schedule > Schedules
  4. Toggle to Past events
  5. Click Actions > Set Score
  6. Fill Out Your Game Results and click Submit to League

From the App

  1. Press the Schedule tab in the bottom menu
  2. Select Past at the top to view your past events
  3. Press Set Score and enter the game score
  4. Press Submit to League
  5. When asked if you’re sure press Yes