Blue

• Non-permanent lines on the playing field shall be white in color. If lines are permanent, such as one artificial turf, non-white lines are legal. Non-permanent lines must be white so that there is a clear contrast between the lines and the color of the field. Umpires must be able to see the lines in order to make a proper ruling. The on-deck circle should be to the side and away from home plate, 37 feet if space allows. Neither team’s players shall warm up in the other team’s on-deck circle. With the recreational league you will notice that the other team shall send an on-deck batter to the other warm up circle when the batter bats opposite for their safety they will warm up on in the circle behind the batter at that time. The on-deck circle does not have to be occupied, but if a player wishes to warm up, he shall do so only in the on-deck circle, provided the on-deck circle is located safely away from home plate.




• Teams are allowed to temporarily extend the dugout area by declaring and marking off an additional area of dead-ball territory. If dugouts are extended, it is required that such extension be in a direction opposite home plate. The distance from the rear tip of home plate to the middle of second base is 127 feet 3 3/8 inches.



• Please note Game management is not required to mark off a designated media area, but must do so before the game starts if it wants to permit photographers on the field during the game. If an area is not designated and marked, media are prohibited from being on the field throughout the game. By state adoption a double first base is permitted. The double first base shall be a white base and a colored base. The colored base shall be located entirely in foul territory. The ball shall be a sphere formed by yarn wound around a small core of cork, rubber or similar material and covered with two strips of white horsehide or two strips of white cowhide tightly stitched together. Teams must furnish a minimum of three umpire approved baseballs at the start of the game. Unless otherwise mutually agreed upon, the home team has this responsibility. The NFHS Authenticating Mark is required on all balls that will be used in high school competition. A current list of NFHS authenticated products can be found on the web site: www.nfhs.org.



• All non-wood bats shall meet the Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silk screen or other permanent certification mark. There shall be no devices, attachments or wrappings that cause the handle to become flush with the knob. Molded grips are illegal. No BESR label, sticker or decal will be permitted on any non-wood bat.



• Only bats and devices designed to remain part of the bat, such as weighted bats, batting donuts, and wind-resistant devices, may be use for loosening up in the on-deck warn-up circle only. The use of a sledgehammer is not permitted with the rules.



• If a bat is broken, cracked or dented, it shall be removed without penalty. A bat that continually discolors the ball may be removed from the game with no penalty at the discretion of the umpire.



• In high school baseball, a glove and mitt is the same thing. The glove/mitt worn by all fielders other than the catcher shall conform to the following spec’s:

a. Height (measured from the bottom edge or heel straight up across the center of the palm to a line even with the highest point of the glove/mitt): 14 inches.

b. Width of palm (measured from the bottom edge of the webbing farthest from the thumb in a horizontal line to the outside of the little finger edge of the glove/mitt): 8 inches.

c. Webbing (measured across the top end or along any line parallel to the top): 5 ¾ inches.

d. A catcher’s glove/mitt may be any size.

e. A glove may not use an adhesive, sticky, and/or tacky surface, but a glove/mitt may be softened with conditioner, provided it does not create a sticky or tacky adhesive surface.

f. A pitcher may not wear a glove that contains white or gray in color. If the glove is discolored while he’s pitching the penalty is that he must replace the illegal glove with a legal one.





If a throw hits loose equipment, such as gloves, bats, helmets or catcher’s gear, the umpire may call an out(s), award bases or return runners based on his judgment and the circumstances concerning the play.



All members of the same team should wear uniforms of the same color and style. Caps and shoes are required equipment, when a player is required to wear head protector; it replaces the cap as mandatory equipment.



When a team wears a vest style jersey, pitchers are allowed to wear white or gray under sleeves as long as the team is wearing all white /gray. However, a pitcher’s with/gray sleeves may NOT extend below the elbow. Pitcher are allowed to wear medical sleeves that extend below the elbow. However, they may not be white/gray in color.



While individual players may have different sleeve lengths, sleeves of each individual player shall be approximately the same length and shall not be ragged, frayed of slit. The pitcher may not wear white or gray under sleeves if they are exposed. A pitcher also shall not wear any item on his hands, wrists or arms which maybe distracting to the batter. The pitcher may not ware white wristbands.



The uniform (including pants, jersey, visible undergarments, socks, stocking, caps and headwear) may bear a visible single manufacture’s logo. Each item of the uniform may have a single American Flag (n larger than 2 inches x 3 inches). By state association adoption, to allow for special occasions, commemorative or memorial patches that are uniformly placed, not to exceed 4 square inches, may be worn on jersey in an appropriate and dignified manner without compromising the integrity of the uniform. Coaches may, but are not required to wear helmets while coaching, but all non- adult personnel must wear a double ear flap helmet that meets NOCSAE standards when coaching the bases.



All batting helmets must meet the NOCSAE standard, must have extended ear flap that cover both ear and temples and also display the NOCSAE stamp and the exterior warning statement.

The warning statement may be affixed to the helmet in sticker form, or it may be embossed at the time of manufacture.



The catcher shall wear a head protector, a mask with a throat protector, body protector and baseball protective shin guards. Male catchers shall also wear a protective cup. To be legal, a catcher’s helmet and mask combination shall meet the NOCSAE standard, have full ear protection and have a throat protector that adequately covers the throat. The commercially manufactured catcher’s head, face and throat protection may be a one-piece or multi-piece design.



Defensive players are permitted to wear face/head protection in the field, as long if has a non-glare surface.



All casts, splints and braces must be padded with at least one-half inch of closed-cell, slow recovery rubber or other material of the same minimum thickness and having similar physical properties. No protective equipment shall have exposed metal or any other material.



DEFINITIONS:



The basis for understanding any material is knowing and understanding the terms that are used. It is imperative that instead of overlooking or browsing through the rule book all of these terms. It should be completely and comprehended by all umpires and coaches. Example:

• A batted or thrown ball is in flight until it has touched the ground or some other object other than a fielder.

• A batter-runner is a player who has finished a time at bat until he is put out or until playing action ends.

• A catch is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a live ball in flight and firmly holding it, provided he does not use his cap, protector, mask, pocket or other part of his uniform to trap the ball.

• Obstruction is an act (international or unintentional, as well as physical or verbal) by a fielder, any member of the defensive team or its team personnel that hinders a runner or changes the pattern of play.



• A run is the score made by a runner who legally advances to and touches home plate.



• The sticks zone is that space over home plate, the top of which is halfway between the batter’s shoulders and the waistline, and the bottom being the knees, when he assumes his natural batting stance.





Runners must touch all bases when advancing, whether during a live or dead ball. When bases are awarded, it is the right to advance without a play being made that is awarded.



A balk is an illegal act committed by the pitcher with a runner or runners on base which entitles each runner to advance one base. It is not necessary to throw four intentional balls for an intentional walk. The defensive coach or catcher may request the umpire award the batter first base-before pitching to the batter or on any ball-and strike count. The ball shall be declared dead before making the award.