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League Rules

· Bats, bases and balls are supplied by MLSB (captains will be responsible for their own team’s balls)

· Any other equipment must be provided by the individual player

· Each game is scheduled to be 55 minutes in length

· No new inning may begin after 50 minutes of the scheduled start time

· Minimum 7 players are required to begin a regular season game

· Due to the short time period allowed for games, there is only a 5 minute grace period

· The team with the required number of players, once the grace period expires, wins

· The team that is short players can add players if agreed upon by the opposing captain

· Maximum 5 players allowed in the infield, including the catcher – minimum 2 must be female

· Minimum 3 females must be on the field at all times

· Maximum 10 outfielders

· No outfielder may enter the infield to play the ball

· Player from own team pitches to own batters

· Maximum 3 pitches per batter

· If a batted ball strikes the pitcher, the batter is out and any runner may not advance

· A ball is considered in play only when it passes the line between the first and third base line running through the pitcher’s mound

· Any batted ball short of this line is considered ‘dead’ and counts as one pitch – runners may not advance

· If a fielder comes inside this line to field the ball while it is still moving, it is also considered ‘dead’

· Infielders must play behind the base lines until the contact is made with the ball

· The play ends when the ball is returned to the pitcher

· No sliding – runners who slide will be called out

· Runners must be touching the base until the batter makes contact with the ball

· Leaving the base before the ball is hit will result in the batter being called out

· Runners must NOT touch home plate

· Each play at home is always a force out

· The runner must run past the line perpendicular to home plate

· If the catcher has control of the ball while touching home plate before the runner has crossed the line, the runner is out

· There is a ‘commitment line’ halfway between third base and home plate

· Once a runner crosses this line, they are committed to continuing to run home – no turning back

· There are to be no pinch runners, unless in the case of injury

· Injured players may be replaced only by runners of the same gender – this will be the last person of that gender to have gotten out

· For safety reasons, a person may only play if he/she is capable of playing both an offensive and a defensive position

· Pop-ups caught by the catcher must have reached at least the height of the batter in order to be recorded as an out

· No bunting, check swings or half swings

· No switching the batting order during the game

· Maximum 7 runs/team in any inning

· No mercy in the final inning of play

· There are no umpires supplied by the league – both captains will reach a consensus on each play

· ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL or DRUGS ON THE FIELD AT ANY TIME!!!!!