PINTO 7 DIVISION RULES

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GROUND RULES

Listed below are additions to the PONY Baseball, Inc. RULES AND REGULATIONS. These ground rules are intended to clarify play in the Pinto League. The Rules and Regulations of PONY Baseball can be viewed in their entirety at www.pony.org.

PRACTICES

Practices shall be limited to three (3) per week before the season and one (1) per week during the season. Teams are restricted to three (3) activities (games and practices) per week. Practices shall be limited to two (2) hours maximum per session. Any meeting of the team with the manager or coach will be considered one practice. Violation of this rule could entail manager probation or dismissal. Batting practice on game day is not considered a practice.

GAME PRELIMINARIES

The home team will provide the official scorekeeper and post scores on the BSWB website. After each game, the manager or coach of each team and the umpire-in-chief will sign the official scorecard, which will serve as the official record of innings played in the game by each player.

The home team will be responsible for putting out the bases and chalking the field. The visiting team will be responsible for raking, watering, and cleanup after their game (this includes Saturday games). Visiting Managers/Coaches are responsible for putting all bases and equipment in the storage box after the last game of the day.

The inability of either team to place eight (8) players on the field before the game begins or any time during the game is a forfeit. A maximum total of one manager and two coaches per team shall be allowed in the dugout during each game.

All team members on the roster for that game will be listed in the batting order. All players will bat according to this batting order. Players arriving late to a game will have their names placed at the bottom of the batting order.

Managers shall prepare a written line-up, in duplicate, for each game. It shall include each player's full name, uniform number, batting order and starting pitcher. Players arriving after the start of play shall be inserted into the batting order at the bottom and, into the defensive line-up in a manner that is consistent with the defensive rotation rules. Managers shall exchange line-ups prior to the start of play.

The manager shall be responsible for the conduct of team players and their parents, at all times during practices and games. The use of alcohol or tobacco by any parent or spectator is prohibited.

ALL players will wear SW Logo hats*, issued Jerseys*, and matching pants, belts and socks during games. (Note* Only “issued” hats and jerseys are allowed. No custom-made hats or Jerseys are allowed and may only be modified with Players names or numbers.)

Catchers shall wear catcher's helmet, mask and throat protector (Hockey-style masks have the throat protector incorporated in their design), chest protector, and shin guards. A player warming up a pitcher on the field or in the bullpen must wear a catcher’s protective helmet and mitt.

Batters and Base Runners shall wear approved Batting Helmets and shall not remove them until they return to the dugout.

All players are required to wear Athletic Supporters with Protective Cup or will not play in that game until a protective cup is worn. No metal cleats are allowed.

The home team shall occupy the third base dugout. Only team members, managers, and coaches are permitted in the dugout during games. The manager and "coach of record" are to remain in the dugout or coach's box during games. No alcohol, profanity, or use of tobacco in any form is allowed. No bat person is allowed.

No ball buckets are allowed on the playing field during the game.

GAME RULES

Every player on a team roster will participate in each game for a minimum of nine (9) defensive outs. Every player must play one inning in the infield. Players will not sit out three innings in consecutive games. Penalty: The player(s) involved shall start the next scheduled game and play any previous requirement not completed and the requirement for the current game before being removed. The manager will receive a one game suspension. A suspended manager shall be permitted to be a spectator of a game involving the team of which he is the manager.

A maximum of nine defensive players are allowed on the field. Three defensive outfielders must remain in the outfield positions at all times.

Pitching rules:

Any team member may pitch, subject to the restrictions of the pitch count as recommended by Pitch Chart for the particular age classification. (NOTE: The pitcher will only be required to observe the calendar day(s) of rest for the threshold he/she reached during the start of that at-bat, provided that the pitcher is removed before delivering a pitch to the next batter.)

When pitching in more than one game on the same calendar day, pitchers may pitch any combination of pitches in those games provided they do not exceed the maximum number of pitches for that calendar day.

Pitchers reaching their maximum number of pitches in a day while pitching to a batter, may finish pitching to that batter before being removed.

Once the Umpire-in-Chief signals “play” to the pitcher, that pitcher shall become the pitcher of record and their pitch

count begins at that point.

A pitcher is charged with the number of pitches in the specific calendar day in which they are pitched, regardless of whether they are local organization league games, the playoff of postponed games or suspended games, tie games, or exhibition games. Rest is calculated as per calendar day.

Any pitcher withdrawn from the mound and/or lineup, or a pitcher who is withdrawn from the mound and stays in the game at another position, shall not be permitted to pitch again in the same game.

If a pitcher comes in “cold” the umpire shall allow the pitcher to warm up properly with at least ten warm up pitches. Pitchers in violation of any of the pitching rules shall be considered ineligible players, subject to penalties outline in Pony Rule 18 – Penalties.

A manager may go out twice to talk to any player but must change the pitcher on the third trip.

Defense:

Up to 10 defensive players are allowed on the field if both coaches agree to playing 10 prior to the game. If the game is played with 10 defensive players, 4 players must remain in the outfield at all times (e.g., Left Field, Left Center Field, Right Center Field, and Right Field). If the game is played with nine defensive players, three players must remain in the outfield at all times.

Defensive players fielding the pitching position must be positioned on either side of the coach with one foot in the dirt area of the pitcher’s mound until the ball is batted.

A batted ball becomes dead when the ball is returned to the pitcher who is occupying a spot in close proximity to the pitcher’s mound and asks for time. Base runners will be allowed to advance to the base they are in route to once the pitcher occupies the ball and is granted time by the umpire. Pitchers and/or other defensive players can elect to make a play on a runner at any time; however, base runners are permitted to run the bases until they are put out by a play at a base or the pitcher is in possession of the ball in close proximity to the pitcher’s mound and asks for time. The umpire, at his or her discretion, can stop play whenever they deem there is no further play to be made.

Offense:

Batters will receive a maximum of 6 pitches; there are no walks. Player-pitchers will throw 3 pitches to the batter. If the batter swings and fouls or misses all 3 player-pitched balls, the batter is out. If the batter does not swing, and the balls are judged to be out of the strike zone, a coach will pitch the remainder of the pitches.

Example 1: If the player-pitcher throws 3 balls, none of which are swung on and are not within the strike zone, the coach will throw 3 more balls. If the batter does not swing at any of the coach pitched balls, or does not put the ball in play, the batter will be called out.

Example 2: If the player-pitcher throws 3 balls and gets 2 strikes and a ball on the batter, the coach will throw until the batter swings and misses, puts the ball in play, or until the 6^th pitch is thrown. If the batter swings and misses the first ball thrown, in this situation, the batter is out. If the batter fouls the 6^th pitch, they are out.

A maximum of 5 runs can be scored per half inning. Exception to this rule, if the ball that is hit, which would result in the 5^th run, is a home run (a home run in this case is considered a ball that is hit over the fence) all runs would count. Example: 4 runs have scored, and the bases are loaded, and a player hits a home run – the offensive team would be credited for 8 runs in the inning.

Game Time Limit:

A complete game is six (6) innings. No new inning shall start after one (1) hour and forty-five (45) minutes of regular play. Games that end in a tie will count as a ½ win for each team. The umpire will inform the official scorekeeper of the game start time.

During the Fall season, there is a drop-dead time of 1:55 minutes due to time constraints of the shorter days.

Post-Game Cleanup:

Team players, managers, coaches, and parents shall pick up litter on and around the field and seating area after each game.

The visiting team manager for the last game of the day is responsible for taking up and storing the bases and other equipment. Failure to do so will result in the manager's name being turned in to the Board of Directors by the Director on duty. The team will lose its next practice session as a penalty. A manager's name being turned the second time will mean a one game suspension.