Rule 16: LOCAL LEAGUES RULES: AGES 7 & 8

A. First and third baselines shall be 60 feet. There will be an arc fifteen (15) feet from the rear of home plate, in fair territory, extending from the first base line to the third base line. A ten (10) foot diameter half-circle will be drawn at the front edge of the pitching rubber and extended around and behind the rubber. The pitcher must remain behind and to either side of the rubber with one (1) foot within these boundaries until the ball is hit. 

B. The pitching distance to the point at the rear of home plate shall be at least 30 feet. 

C. A regulation game consists of six (6) innings with a time limit of one (1) hour and thirty (30) minutes. No inning shall start after time has expired, unless the game is tied. Only one (1) extra inning will be played in the event of a tie game once the required numbers of innings has been played or the time limit has expired. (See Rule 6 H). In the event a game is called due to inclement weather or other causes, the game will be official if four (4) innings have been completed and the score is not tied. If four (4) or more innings (or 3 1/2 if the home team is ahead) have been played, the last full inning will be the official score. Games shortened before they have become official games shall be resumed from the point of termination.

D. If it becomes impossible for a team to score enough runs to tie the game after four (4) innings, the game will be declared completed.

E. Each team will have continuous batting. There is a maximum of seven (7) runs per inning. Each team will continue to bat until there are three (3) outs or until the seventh (7^th) run is scored. The batting order may not be changed once the game has started and any players arriving late must be added at the bottom of the batting order. No late arrival may enter the game after the completion of the first rotation of the batting order.

F. All players on each team will play defense simultaneously. Only six (6) players, including the catcher, may play in the infield and one (1) of these must play in the pitcher's circle with at least one foot in the semi-circle. All other players must be on the outfield grass. Outfielders must be on the outfield grass while the batter is in the box. Defensive players may play only one position per inning unless due to injury or illness a player must leave the game. All players must have the opportunity to play an infield position for at least 1 inning per game. This must occur within the first 4 innings of play. Should a head coach or parent have true concern for the child’s safety, prior to the game, the head coach of each team will provide the league director with the players that may not be rotated due to safety concerns. Should this requirement not be met the team and/or head coach may be penalized. The penalties may include but are not limited to letter of reprimand, suspension, or game forfeitures. This rule is NOT in effect during the World Series.

G. If a player is injured or becomes ill during the play of a game, that player's plate appearance is counted as an automatic out, unless the league director or representative agrees with the removal. Players who are unavailable for their plate appearance for other reasons will be scored an automatic out, unless authorization by the League Director is obtained and the opposing coach is notified. Players ejected will not be scored an automatic out at their subsequent plate appearances but a player's ejection will carry a suspension from participation at his or her team's next game. All player ejections will be reported to the League Director and to the Executive Board representative and will be reviewed by the Executive Board. If a team begins the game with 8 players, they must take an out each time the vacant 9th spot in the batting order comes up.

H. If any batted ball hits the pitching coach, a single will be awarded to the batter and any base runners, if forced, will move up one base.  If the coach intentionally (in the umpires judgement) allows the ball to hit him/her, the batter will be declared out, a dead ball called and all runners must return to the base they started from on that pitch

I. In case of an overthrow to first, the ball is live and the runner may advance to second base at his or her own risk. Play is stopped when the ball is under control in the infield, runners have stopped and time is called by the umpire. A ball is dead only if it leaves the field of play, i.e. under/over the fence or in the dugout.

J. The regular rules of baseball apply to time outs. It is understood the umpire has complete authority in determining when play should be stopped with runners on base. Except for overthrows to first base, which are addressed in Rule I, play will be stopped when the lead runner is stopped or forced back to the base he has just past. Any subsequent base runner will be allowed to proceed to the next base if he is more than half way from the previous base. Otherwise he will return to the last base touched. All umpires will be instructed to make rapid decisions on stopping play to ensure this rule is consistently applied in all games.

K. Infielders, including pitchers, should throw home when appropriate in the judgment of the umpire. A line will be painted on the field half way between 3^rd base and home plate. Players should throw home when trying to make the play on the line and to the home plate side of the line. Tags on runners on the 3^rd base side of the line can be made by any player. If the ball is not thrown and a tag on the line or to the home plate side of the line is made by any player, the runner will be called safe at home. If in the natural flow of a play, such as hit balls that don't travel far, overthrows from the outfield or infield misplays, etc., an infielder can naturally make a play at home. Infielders should not run home with the ball from their natural defensive positions.

L. Any runner shall be out if, in the sole judgment of the umpire, the runner intentionally makes contact with a fielder or unintentionally makes contact that impedes the fielder's ability to make a play on the ball. This does not mean that a player is required to slide, although a failure to slide is indicative of intentional contact. Any intentional contact to the fielder will result in an automatic out. Head-first slides will result in an automatic out. Diving back to a base will not be called an out.

M. No stealing will be allowed. The runner may not leave the base until the ball is hit. If a runner leaves the base too soon, the umpire will immediately declare "no pitch" even if the ball is hit, and the ball is dead. The runner will return to the base without penalty. After one warning for stealing, subsequent actions will result in the runner being called out.

N. The infield fly rule is not in effect in this league.

O. No bunting will be allowed.

P. A batter shall be considered out on a third strike, even if the catcher fails to hold the ball.

Q. The catcher must wear a protective cup. The catcher must wear a mask with throat protector at any time he is receiving pitches. Cages on the batting helmet are required. The circle player (pitcher) must wear a caged helmet and a chest protector is encouraged while playing in the circle. Metal cleats are not allowed.

R. Coaches are allowed only one (1) conference with his or her defensive players per half inning. The only exception to this rule is in the case of an injury.

S. No one except the first base, the third base, and the pitching coach, the batter and the player "on deck", are allowed outside of the dugout. All other coaches are required to remain in their dugouts.

T.  Maximum pitches for each age group are shown below. If the player fouls off the final pitch per the table below, , he may continue to bat. There will be no walks on balls or by a batter struck by a pitched ball. In the judgment of the umpire, coaches should not cause slow play by excessive coaching of the batters.

U. The pitching coach must immediately leave the playing field and remove the bat, if needed, once the ball is put into play. The pitching coach cannot talk to the runner while the ball is in play. After one warning from the umpire, the coach will be replaced. If a ball is hit to the 3rd baseman, the pitching coach must position himself as to allow an open field of vision and throwing lane from the 3rd to 1st base. If in the opinion of the umpires, the pitching coach is hindering the defense, a warning will be given. If the pitching coach receives a second or subsequent violation, the batter/runner will be called out.

V. The batted ball must travel beyond the arc, fifteen (15) feet from home plate to be in play. Batters may not be intentionally walked.