Stansbury Park Youth Baseball Association

Gameplay will be governed by the Official Babe Ruth Baseball and Cal Ripken Rules, Regulations, and Playing Rules with the following exceptions:

General Majors and Minors Playing Rules

• A team must have 8 players to start a game. If a player is injured or must leave the game for any reason, the team may continue to play with 7 players.
• A team must have 8 players within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time, or the game will be a forfeit.
• If one or more players must leave during the game, they will be scratched from the line-up. The game will continue if you have at least 7 players. If a team does not have 7 players, the game must be considered a forfeit.
  • A team that does not have nine available players will be required to take an automatic out for every missing player up to nine players while batting.
• Runners must slide or clearly avoid contact at home plate, third base, and second base when a play is being made. Failure to do so may result in the runner being called out. This rule does not apply at first base. It is the umpire’s judgment whether the runner made a legal slide or took appropriate action to avoid contact.
  • Hurdling or leaping over a fielder, including the catcher, is prohibited. Any attempt to jump over a fielder who is upright or in the act of making a play may result in the runner being called out and may be considered malicious contact, subject to ejection at the umpire’s discretion.
• If it is a tie game and there is not another game scheduled on the field after your game, then you will continue to play up to 7 innings. If there is no winner determined after 7 innings, the game will remain a tie. If there is a second game scheduled on your field and you have exceeded the time limit, the game will remain a tie.
  • A tie game will count as a half win and half loss for the purpose of the season records.
• When two games are scheduled back-to-back on the same field, the official start time for the first game will be the scheduled start time and not the actual start time.
• If the time limit has expired, the game will be considered a complete game regardless of the number of innings played.
• If the umpire is late, it is the responsibility of the home team coach to get the game started.
• It is the responsibility of the home team to prepare the field, provide the official scorekeeper, and score the game live in the Game Changer app.
• Only players and coaches may be on the playing field or in the dugout. When a team is at bat, all the team members must remain in the dugout unless they are batting or on deck. All offensive players must be wearing a batting helmet if on the field playing.
• Each team will be assigned an official Game Changer account.
  • Home teams are required to provide a scorekeeper for each game.
  • Failure by the home team to provide an official scorer will result in a forfeit.
• All protests and appeals will follow the Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth League official rules. The Board of Directors decision will be final.
• All catchers, regardless of age division, must wear catchers gear including a protective cup.
• There will be unlimited defensive substitutions, but no player may sit more than one (1) consecutive inning.
• All players will bat in the lineup. 
• No new inning shall begin after 1:15. If a new inning is started then it must be finished to be considered a complete game. A game is considered complete at the end of a full inning after 1:15 or ten-run rule after four innings (three and a half innings if the home team is ahead).
  • For the Fall season, to accommodate remaining daylight, the first game will have a drop-dead time of 1:30 minutes (6:30pm). If the final inning has not been completed within that time, the score will revert to the last complete inning and be considered complete.
  • For the Fall season, the second game will start as quickly as possible, and the umpire will mark the start time of the game and notify the coaches. If teams are not ready yet, the start time will begin 10 minutes after the first game’s drop-dead time (6:40).
• Refer to Pitch Counts and Other Pitching Rules.

Major Division Specific Rules

• Players must be 11 or 12 years old as of April 30th of the playing season.
  • Fall seasons will use the upcoming or next year age groups.
• 3 outs or 7 runs complete an inning.
  • Runs 8, 9, & 10 are only counted if it is an over-the-fence homerun.
  • If it is a bases loaded triple, runs only count to 7.

Minor Division Specific Playing Rules

• Players must be 8, 9, or 10 years old as of April 30th of the playing season.
  • Fall seasons will use the upcoming or next year age groups.
• 3 outs or 7 runs complete an inning.
  • Runs 8, 9, & 10 are only counted if it is an over-the-fence homerun.
  • If it is a bases loaded triple, runs only count to 7.
• Base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached home plate.
  • Once the catcher has secured the ball and the runner has stopped their forward progress, all runners must immediately return to their bases.
  • NOTE: The ball remains live and should the catcher make an errant throw to the pitcher or make a play on the runner, the runner can then attempt to advance.