Teams,

The games you scheduled this week are entered on the website. Please check your full schedule this weekend and report any changes needed no later than Sunday night. (Please text or email Heather at 812-589-1670 or EvansvilleRBL@gmail.com).

For games needing umpires, we will be reaching out to officials this week and will advise when games have been scheduled.

We're looking forward to the season!  Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns now or as the season starts.

All game scheduling will be completed on Tuesday, April 9th.

One coach from each participating team must attend that night, as you will be scheduling the dates and times of each of your games.

When and where will this be held?

All scheduling will take place at Stringtown fields (5800 N. New York Ave, Evansville 47711). Scheduling will take place inside.

• Pony coaches should report for a 6:00 PM start time.
• Bronco coaches should report for a 7:00 PM start time.
• Mustang, Pinto, and Shetland coaches should report for an 8:00 PM start time.

What should I bring that night?

• Contact info for head coach and (if applicable) assistant coaches or alternate contact person; This includes name, email and phone number(s) for each person
• Field availability for your home field(s)
• Personal availability of coach and players on your team
• Physical calendar or printed copy of April/May/June calendar months
• Pens or pencils
• Any questions about rules, dates, the tournament, officials, etc.

Q&A

Q:   I use my phone for scheduling everything. Do I still need to bring a calendar or printed copy of the April/May/June months? 

A:   Yes. Feel free to transfer the info to your electronic schedule at the end of the night, but trust our years of experience when we say it's easier to have a printed calendar as you're scheduling games. Before you leave that night, you will turn in a copy of your HOME scheduled games. That will be entered into League Lineup and be available for you to review a day or two later.

Q:   I don't have email, or I have email that I don't check. Can I just give you my phone number and you can just text me?

A:   No. If you don't have email that will be checked regularly, please select another responsible person from your team's leadership group who is willing to take on that responsibility. The designated person(s) will be set up with access to allow for input of rosters and game scores/stats. In general, league-wide and division-level communication will also be by email. 

Q:   How do I know my field availability?

A:   Before you come to scheduling night, please check with your park representative to verify if you are pre-assigned specific dates or times to play your home games. 

Q:   What if I can't attend on Tuesday?

A:   If you can't attend, please make sure you have at least one responsible person attend who can schedule on your behalf. Each team doesn't need 5 people to attend, but in past years it has worked out well when each team has 2 representatives in attendance. (One can schedule home games, while the other schedules away games.) 

** If you have any doubt that you or another rep from your team can attend, please reach out to Jeff Colvin ASAP at 812-746-7618.** 

Important dates for the 2024 season

First weekend available to schedule games:  April 26-28

Last day to schedule games:  Saturday, June 8th

Tournament Meetings:  Sunday, June 9th

Tournament games will start no earlier than Monday, June 10th. Ideally, games will be completed by Sunday, June 17th.**

**We ask that parents and coaches block out their time through Friday, June 22nd to allow for season or tournament extension if needed.

2024 umpire fees are the same as 2023:

Coaches, 

Thank you for your participation in scheduling night.  If you have not already, please compare the schedule posted here on the website to the one that you took home with you.  If there are any differences, please contact us immediately.  You can email the info to EvansvilleRBL@gmail.com, but PLEASE also call/text Heather at 812-589-1670.  She will be taking the Pinto, Bronco and Pony schedules to umpire scheduling night on April 11th, so it's important any changes are updated no later than Monday, April 10th.  

Important dates:

First weekend available to schedule games:  April 28-30

Last day to schedule games:  Tuesday, June 20th

Tournament Meetings:  Thursday, June 22nd

Tournament games will start no earlier than Friday, June 23rd and will end no later than Friday, June 30th.

A quick reminder that the HOME team is responsible for updating a game's status/score and pitching info (if applicable).  Instructions for updating scores can be found in a guide under Forms - Rules & Information -- "How do I update game status and scores?"  As the visiting team, it is still your responsibility to verify that the home team entered your pitching info correctly. 

If a team has not entered their roster and you need to add pitching info, please type that information into the summary box on the score entry page until player detail is added.

Any issues?  Please reach out to Heather at 812-589-1670 or EvansvilleRBL@gmail.com.

Parents and coaches, a reminder that metal cleats have never been allowed at any age level EXCEPT PONY (13-14).  At the Pony level, there are still some parks that prohibit metal spike cleats on the pitchers mound.  (Please check with the park/coach if there are questions, or look at the location on League LIneup for those where metal is not allowed on the mound.)

NO Pinto, Mustang or Bronco player may EVER wear metal-spiked cleats.  

While we have specifically included this information on Bronco rules previously, we have now updated the Pinto and Mustang level rules to clarify this.  

Thank you!

ALL DIVISION SCHEDULES ARE FINAL, and umpire assignments are in the process of being added.  Known umpire assignments will be completed by April 9th, and a 2022 revised EBUA officials list can be found HERE.  

After April 9th --

For the HOME TEAM coach of a game:  At that time, any game where "Umpire needed" is listed instead of a name means that no one has signed up for your game.  If you have no officials assigned, you will need to reach out to find an official (using the EBUA list or any personal contacts).  If there is a single official listed, you can always reach out to the assigned umpire and ask if they know another official who would like to assist them.

At this point only Heather or Robb are able to enter/update game schedules and umpire assignments, so you will need to reach out to one of them (please use email evansvillerbl@gmail.com, evvrjb@yahoo.com AND/OR text 812-589-1670 and 812-228-7663)  to update the schedule if you are able to find someone.  EBUA members have been advised that they can check the ERBL website for assignments and contact the coach of the home team if they are interested in a game.  As the coach, you are responsible for securing umpire(s) if one or none have signed up, or if you're contacted that there is a conflict and they can no longer officiate your game.  

**A reminder when you are contacting us about umpire assignments, schedule changes, etc:  Please give us your name, Team/Park, Division, and the game that you are referencing  (This is Keith with Stringtown Pony and I need to add umpire John Smith to our 5/3 home game at 7:30.  Or this is Steve with German 2 pinto team.  I need to move our 4/26 home game at 5:30 with Scott to 4/27 at 7:00 , still at German.)  Note that when you are moving games, as the home team coach you will be responsible for contacting any official(s) assigned to your game.  They should be given the first opportunity to officiate that new game, but if they can't you will need to find replacement(s).  Please relay that information in your email/text and it can be added/updated at the time your game is moved. 

Coaches, 

Your next step is to enter your roster into League Lineup.  You will need to log in as an admin using your email address.  This was set up during scheduling, so if you find that yours is NOT working, please text (preferred) 812-589-1670 or email Heather (EvansvilleRBL@gmail.com) with your team info (Division, Park, Team) and your email address.

When you select FORMS > RULES & INFORMATION, the first available item is the login guide.  Please take a look, as this guide will walk you through logging in as an administrator to enter your team info.  We're asking that rosters be entered before your first game, but no later than April 20. You must enter the full name of the player and their uniform number.  (If uniforms are not available until just before the first game, please go ahead and enter the full name and add the uniform number when it is available.)

Some additional information on umpires for your games --

Q - Who is responsible for securing an umpire for my game?

A - Any assignments completed at EBUA sign up night are added into League Lineup.  As the HOME TEAM COACH for a game, you are responsible for anything going forward.  If you have 1 umpire signed up, you need to reach out to that person and/or other officials to try and schedule a second person if needed.  If you have no umpires scheduled, again, you will need to reach out to umpires to see if anyone is available.  The EBUA umpire contact info list is available under Forms/Rules and Information.  The 2022 list can be found HERE. 

**Please make sure when you view the schedule, you are looking at the HOME team which should match the VENUE listed.  We've had some confusion since the visitor team is listed first.  **

Q - What if I need to reschedule/postpone a game for any reason?

A - As the HOME TEAM COACH, you are responsible for contacting any umpires that have been scheduled.  For postponed games due to weather or rescheduled/postponed games we suggest calling (rather than emailing).  Please leave voicemail and ask for a confirmation from the official to verify the message was received.  If the official shows up because you didn't call... or didn't call in time... your park owes that official a show-up fee.  

Q - I am an official/parent of an official and I need to let someone know that I have a game scheduled that I can't make, or would like to sign up for a game that is available.  Who do I contact?

A - You will need to reach out to the coach of the home team for the game in question.  They can pass along the changes to an ERBL admin who can update the assignment on League Lineup.  When you select the team to view in League Lineup, the coach/coaches contact number(s) will be listed. 

Q - I'm a coach and was contacted by an official/parent of an official about a schedule change (can't make the game, or wants to schedule an open game).  Who do I contact to update the information in League Lineup?

A - Right now, please contact Heather at EvansvilleRBL@gmail.com  so she can make that change for you.  You will receive an email back to confirm.  Make sure you let us know the division, date/time of game and who you are/what team you are with.  When life gets crazy, it's easier if all the info is there in one email.  

We've created a step by step PDF guide to entering your scores using the new "Score Reporting" function that doesn't require you to log in as an administrator!

The file can be found under FORMS - RULES & INFORMATION, but you can also view/download the file from this link:  How do I update game status and scores? 

Remember that the HOME TEAM is responsible for calling umpires if the game is cancelled/rescheduled/rained out/otherwise needing to be delayed or moved.  If you fail to notify umpires TIMELY you will be responsible for the show-up fee.  Timely means as soon as possible, but should be at least 2 hours before scheduled game start.  Many officials live 30-45 minutes from the locations where games are held, and they are trained to arrive 15-30 minutes before a scheduled game (some arrive even earlier).  Please be courteous and notify as soon as possible through a phone call or text.  If you are not able to speak to the official (and have to text or leave voice mail), please try to follow up again if you have not received any type of confirmation/acknowledgement within 30 minutes.

When rescheduling, please first contact the original umpires that were scheduled.  Again, it is the HOME TEAM that is responsible for securing the umpires on any rescheduled game. 

No coaches have access to modify schedules.  If you need a game date or time changed (or a new game added) you must contact Heather (Text 812-589-1670 or email EvansvilleRBL@gmail.com) to make those changes

For all divisions EXCEPT Pony, as in regular season play:

Just a reminder that any player that slides HEAD FIRST into any base WILL BE CALLED OUT.  Diving back to a base is permissible, sliding head first is NOT. 

This rule applies to Pinto/Mustang/Bronco ONLY. 

The general rule that will always apply when recording pitch counts is:

 When a pitcher pitches to his final batter, his official pitch count and number of pitches used to determine days rest will be the first pitch of that final batter.

So whether that final batter is the first, second, fourth or last batter of the inning (or last of the game), you will record your pitcher's first ball thrown to him/her as the official pitch count.

Rest is calculated as per calendar day. (PONY rule)  What does a "day of rest" mean?

ERBL has always defined a "day of rest" as 24 hours and we're going to stay with that definition for the 2022 season, as we did in 2021. 

*Rest is calculated as per calendar day.  ERBL is defining calendar day as 24 hours from the START time of the first game pitched.

As an example:

If you pitched at any time in a game that started at 6 PM on Monday:

  • If you need 1 day rest you may pitch at/after 6 PM  on Tuesday
  • If you need 2 days rest you may pitch at/after 6 PM on Wednesday
  • If you need 3 days rest you may pitch at/after 6 PM  on Thursday
  • If you need 4 days rest you may pitch at/after 6 PM on Friday

No pitcher shall appear in a game as a pitcher for three consecutive days, regardless of pitch count. (PONY rule)

No pitcher may pitch three (3) consecutive days. So if your pitcher throws 20 pitches in a game Monday and 20 pitches in a game Tuesday he may NOT pitch at all on Wednesday.  (This applies to any series of consecutive days.)

We've added info to the pitching rules on the website.  View/download them HERE. 

**This change to the definition also means that the pitch tracker reports (showing what days pitchers are next eligible) that are included in League Lineup will not be accurate.  The reports are set up based on the Pitch Smart rules that define a calendar day differently than we're using.  We don't have a way to redefine those rules in the report coding to match our 24 hour rule.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. **

For the 2022 season, the ERBL has adopted a new 'any legal bat' rule.  The full guidelines can be viewed/downloaded HERE (linked to Forms>Rules & Information).