GAME LENGTH: No inning to start after 2-hours of play (Saturday Only). Weekday games can last until dark with no time limit.
RULES: Playing rules will follow Official Pony League rule books with the following exceptions or additions.
Home Team will be on third base side of field and is responsible for field preparation.The Batter’s box will be a 4’X6’ rectangle on each side of home plate; 6” from side of home plate and the rear point of home plate located at the 3’ mark of the 6’ side.
Home team will take infield first ten (10) minutes with visiting team following.With less than 20 minutes till game time, teams will split infield time equally.Games will start on time.
All players attending game will bat.Players arriving after start of game will bat at end of line up.
Mandatory Play Rule:No player will sit in the dugout consecutively more than one defensive inning. Penalty: Manager ejected from game.
Side rule in effect at 2nd, 3rd, and home plate.If in the opinion of the umpire there is a play.i.e.: Ball and Player coming together.
Players must be instructed in proper handling of bat.Thrown bat will result in: (1) warning (2) Batter being called out (3) Batter ejected from the game.If ball has been hit into play, base runners may advance and ball is played as with normal ball in play.
Five (5) run rule.Five runs maximum in any one inning by the same team, except last inning of play.
Ten (10) run mercy rule in effect after four (4) complete innings of play.
Home team will keep official scorebook.
Pitchers shall not pitch in more than three (3) innings a game and not exceed eight (8) innings in a calendar week.Once a pitcher has been removed from the mound, that pitcher cannot return to the mound in same game.
Batters must keep on foot in batter’s box between pitches.
Home team is responsible for preparing the field before game.The batter’s box is a 4’X6’ rectangle on each side of the plate, with the rear point of the plate at the 3’ mark of the 6’ side.
A batter is out on third strike when:
Third strike is legally caught by the catcher.
Third strike is not caught by the catcher when first base is occupied before two are out.
Pitching helmets are mandatory for pitchers on the mound during a game.
All players must be in full uniform while on the field during a game.
No curve balls allowed.Penalty: The pitch will be called a ball.
BALK RULE: If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when:
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery.
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, fakes a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw.
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base.
The pitcher, while touching the rubber, throws, or fakes a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play.
The pitcher makes an illegal pitch—a quick pitch is an illegal pitch.A quick pitch is one delivered before the batter is reasonable set in the batter’s box.With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball.
The pitcher delivers the ball to the batter while he is not facing the batter.
The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher’s rubber.
The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride the pitcher’s rubber or while off the rubber, fakes a pitch.
The pitcher, after coming to a legal pitching position, removes on had from the ball other than in an actual pitch, or in throwing to a base.
The pitcher delivers the pitch from the Set Position without coming to a stop.
PENALTY: The ball is dead and each runner shall advance on base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise and all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play proceeds without reference to the balk.
No arguing with the umpire over judgment calls.Protests of rule interpretations will be directed to the umpire-in-chief by the coach immediately following rule infraction, once time is called.The coach must show the stated rule in the rule book with three minutes to the umpire-in-chief.The umpire-in-chief will then render his decision.All protests cease at this point.
Coaches will behave in a responsible manner and as a positive role model; no dissension towards umpires, opposing players, or spectators will be tolerated.Coaches are responsible for the behavior of themselves, their players and their spectators.
Coach and Team Parent: Please have your players clean up around the dugouts and field after each game.
It is mandatory for all Managers and/or Coaches to be in full uniform while coaching.If the Managers and/or Coaches are not in full uniform, the Managers and/or Coaches will not be permitted to participate in the game.The Director on duty will enforce this house rule.
The Umpires are to stay in a neutral area of the baseball field in between innings.
FINAL NOTE:
As a coach, you hold the future of these children and HYB in your hands.We entrust our teams to your care.HYB expects responsible leadership from our coaches, players and parents.HYB along with Pony Baseball encourage all volunteers to refrain from the use of foul language, tobacco and alcohol while actively performing the responsibilities of a coach or volunteer.No alcohol or tobacco is allowed at the HYB facilities, CityPark, or WestValleyHigh School.Thank you!
