2009 Rapid City Little League Baseball

1.      Time limit of 1 ¾ hours or 6 innings, whichever comes first.  An inning may not start after the 1 ¾ hour time limit has passed.  When the time limit expires, the inning in progress will continue to be played in its entirety.

2.      The inning ends upon 3 defensive outs or after 4 runs are scored.  Four runs are the maximum amount of runs that can be scored in an inning unless the batter hits a home run over the fence which results in more than 4 runs scoring.

3.      Base stealing is allowed.  One base on any overthrow. Runners may advance on an overthrown ball from the catcher to the pitcher. Base runners can steal on passed balls or caught balls by the catcher. Runners may advance to home if a play is made on them.  Runners may not go home on a passed ball.

4.      The batting order shall include all boys at the game.  Team shall bat through the batting order, keeping track of outs and the four run limit. No swithching of the batting order once the game begins. Late players are allowed and shall be added to the end of the batting order (Rushmore note: Even if the batting order has been completed, players can be added to the end of the order)

5.      Bunting is allowed

6.      No on deck batter.  No head first sliding.

7.      Pitching Rules – See Little League Rule Book

8.      Each player must play an inning at an infield position. (Rushmore note: In the interleague games, you must play every player at an infield position for at least one inning.  This does deviate slightly from the time allowable in our by-laws but can be executed in conjunction with Rushmore By-Laws.)

9.      Home team must supply game balls.  Home team shall provide the plate umpire and the visiting team shall provide the field umpire.

10.  The home team is responsible for field preparation, keeping the official scorebook, announcing (if available), raking and chalking the field, and putting all the equipment away after the game.

11.  Managers and coaches will decide on game cancellations if the field is not playable because of the weather.  The umpires are in charge of calling the game once it begins.  Make up games must be scheduled through the league director.

12.  Runners must slide or avoid the catcher at any play at home. Failure to do so will result in the runner being called out.  If it is determined that the runner has intentionally created contact with catcher, the runner may be ejected from the game.

13.  Free substitutions.  Regular Little League rules shall govern subject to these rules.

14.  Base runners cannot leave base until the ball has either been hit, or has crossed the home plate.

15.  Adults may warm up a pitcher. Warm-up may not exceed eight (8) pitches or one (1) minute. (Rushmore note:  This is in direct conflict of the official Rules and Regulations manual of Little League.  We have advised the other leagues that Rushmore Little League will not allow this rule at its fields and Rushmore teams will not be implementing this policy at other fields).

16.  No balks shall b e called on pitcher. Umpire shall give a warning.

17.  Remember that this is an instructional league.  Every effort should be made to make the game enjoyable for each player, regardless of his skill level.