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Sports Leagues

Baseball: Boys 1st-2nd: Rules

DSN Baseball Rules Grades 1st-2nd

MANDATE: KIDS ARE TO HAVE FUN. COACHES ARE TO BE GOOD ROLE MODELS.

Go over these rules with each other & the umpire before each game; it takes less than one minute. Refer to them when necessary

Timing

The games are 6 innings long or until time runs out (90 minutes from first pitch), whichever occurs first. In the event of a tie after 6 innings, extra innings will be played if time is permitted within the allotted time slot (approx. 15 minutes or more MUST be remaining to start a new inning. If there are less than 15 minutes the game will be called.) If the game is tie after 7 innings, this rule shall apply again, time permitting. No matter what –for the playoffs – if time is up the game continues.
Playoffs: All teams make it
After 4 complete innings the game is official (rain) or 3 1/2 if losing team already batted. In the event of rain delay – the team will have until their allotted time to possibly resume play in the event the rain subsides & field is deemed by the umpire in playable condition.

Hitting/Base Running

EVERY player on the team must bat.
There is NO slotting.
No stealing and no leading off base. Runners can only run AFTER the ball is hit.
One base maximum per INFIELD hit regardless of errors, passed or missed balls etc.
NO OVERTHROWS ALLOWED
Two base maximum for any hit that lands on the outfield grass on a fly. The runner can opt for up to a double but he is at risk of being thrown out. There are no triples or homeruns. No extra bases for overthrows or errors.
Bunting is NOT allowed.
Tagging up is NOT Allowed
Since there is no catcher position, a ball hit in front of and close to home plate will be deemed foul. At Hillel's Massry field, the ball must reach the grass on the field.

Fielding

All players in the field on defense. Minimum of 6 to start play.
DSN will draw lines for ALL fielders to stand behind(1B,2B,SC,3B,P,Outfield). Players can move side to side along the line and/or further back. Infielders are not permitted to "shift" for any particular better or stand in front of any lines.
Fielders cannot switch positions within an inning.
Only the pitcher can move to the right or left of the pitcher's mound within an inning.
The players playing the pitcher postion, must throw the ball to 1st base to get the batter out. Pitcher is permitted to tag any runner(batter or baserunner), however he cannot run the ball to 1st base to record an out by himself. Pitcher cannot roll the ball to 1st base.
Adults will play as Catchers

Scoring

Maximum 4 runs per inning can be scored. This applies to every inning. Once 4 runs are scored, the inning is over. If a team is out of reach of winning, the game is over. Coaches may elect to continue the game for the sake of the kids playing and learning the game.

Pitching

Any team can have any adult (or older teenager) pitch to their team or the other team – as the object is to get the ball over the plate and let the kids hit. There are no balls & strikes being called. Pitcher must pitch from the edge of the dirt of the pitching mound.
Underhand pitching only. No overhand pitching is allowed.
The adult pitcher must stand straight away from home plate.
A father may not come in to pitch to his son.
8 swings and misses TOTAL. Doesn't matter if its a good pitch or not.

Coaches

Parents should not be coaching their child on their own. With permission of the head coach, a parent can become an assistant coach and then the parent can instruct the players. It is confusing to players when they are receiving instructions from a parent, while a coach is instructing something else.
Offensive coaches are allowed at first & third base, as well as a catcher-coach helping the batter and the pitcher-coach. That's 4 total.
Defense is allowed 2 coaches in the field, 1 standing between 1st and 2nd behind all the players, and 1 standing between 2nd & 3rd behind all the players. The coaches may instruct the players verbally before and during a play. But no physical contact is allowed at all.
- The defensive coaches should stay in their set position throughout the inning and during the play.

Equipment

#10 safety balls will be used in play.

The Basics

Coaches

Be nice & respectful to each other. If there is a disagreement, the 2 head coaches & umpire (if necessary) ONLY should quietly talk it over & come to an agreement. If the rule is unclear, the umpire will rule for that call & at the next meeting we will bring up the situation to make a rule for the future.
Offensive coaches are not allowed to touch, hold or impede their own players in an effort to stop them, if they do, that runner will be called out
As a general rule every player should play 3 innings in the field. Coaches should try not to sit a player out 2 consecutive innings in the field.
Field Clean-up - Coaches are responsible to ensure that their side of the field are clean of trash at the end of the game.

Uniform/Equipment

All Players must be in their proved DSN uniform ( Jersey/ Pant and Hat)
Cleats are allowed, except metal spikes.
All players should wear a cup.
Approved Equipment - Bats (wood & non-wood). DSN follows the same rules as little league baseball with regards to approved bats. You can check their web site for reference.http://www.littleleague.org/learn/equipment.htm

Batting/Running

A batter throwing the bat is warned first offense. Second offense he is automatically called out.
A runner is out if hit by a batted ball and as in MLB rules, play is dead immediately. All other base-runners must return to the initial base they were on prior to the hit.
No head first sliding or the runner will be called out. Headfirst sliding is not allowed, except when going BACK to the base. Any headfirst slide even WITHOUT a play at the base, will be called out.
For safety reasons No “ON DECK “batters are allowed. The ONLY person swinging a bat should be the hitter.
Runners may not run out of the base paths or they risk being called out by the ump.
Pinch Running is prohibited. There are 2 exceptions. 1) If a runner gets injured and cannot run, he must get to first base and then they can have a replacement runner. The replacement runner MUST be the last batted out. The replacement runner MUST be the last batted out.

Fielding

If a fielder tags the runner with his glove, however the ball is in his bare hand – batter is NOT OUT.
We are not playing with infield fly rule.
Defenders MUST give a clear path for base runners to run to the next base. It is the coach’s responsibility to teach this to his players. A base runner will be called safe if a defender seriously impedes his right to run straight to the next base and the play at that bag is a close call.
Outfielders MUST be OUT on the grass OR behind desginated DSN drawn lines & NOT on the infield making a wall around the field.

Sportsmanship

All players & coaches must line up at the end of the game to congratulate one another - one team at first base, one team at third base. Good sportsmanship is a MUST.
All players, parents & coaches are expected to abide by the DSN code of conduct.

Missing Player

If a player gets injured and is out-for-the-season with at least ½ the regular season games remaining, he can be replaced by a child that is not playing in the league yet. The new player must be of equal or lesser talent. If there is a waiting list, do not just choose the 1st child on the list. Rather, in our competitive leagues to ensure parity and fairness, the new player is the 1stchild on the list that is of equal or lesser talent. For example if the player injured is an average player, and on the waiting list the 1st player is an excellent player and the 2nd player is an average player, then the average player is selected. The talent comparison supersedes the waiting list order.
No substitute players are allowed. This means if a team is missing a player or a player is injured, a player from a different team or a non-player cannot be added to play in that game

Games

The Home team has the first base dugout regardless of field. The home team is the second team listed on the schedule. DURING HOT WEATHER BOTH TEAMS SHARE THE SHADY DUGOUT.
Season tie breakers will be decided as follows
- head to head wins
- Points for vs Points against between the tied teams
- Points for vs Points against all team

Home team must bat 2nd, whether regular season or playoffs. The home team cannot choose to bat 1st
Playoffs/World Series: With 4 teams. Home team is always the highest ranked team. The first round of playoffs will be held as follows: team 1 will play 4 and team 2 will play 3.
Only DSN Staff has authority to cancel a game before its scheduled time. Coaches have NO authority to cancel a game on their own. Even if both headcoaches agree to cancel, without DSN staff approval the game is on and will not be made up.
Once a game is underway, only the umpire can postpone the game due to weather or any other potentially unsafe conditions. It is the umpire's decision. If the umpire postpones the game, but headcoaches want to play anyway, they are not allowed to play even without the umpire. Umpire's decision is final.
If both teams do not have the minimum # of players for a game, it's a double forfeit with both teams earning a loss, and the game will not be made up.
No regular games, playoff games or World Series can be cancelled, postponed or re-scheduled due to a missing player, regardless of the player's talent level or position on the team.
No regular games, playoff games, or World Series game can be cancelled, postponed or re-scheduled due to a missing headcoach. Another parent coach must fill in.