Revised April 2019

Player Participation

The goal of T-Ball is to be instructional as to the proper playing techniques for the future, not win by any means necessary.

Legal Game

• A nine (9) batter rule per inning shall apply.

• The time limit for a T-Ball game will be one (1) hour and fifteen (15) minutes. The time limit will be strictly enforced. Tied games will not be played out except for tournament games.

• The official scorekeeper must notify the umpire when the last batter of the inning is up at bat.

Legal Team

• Six (6) players shall constitute a team (no outfielders), but teams shall be permitted to play with five (5) players.

• If a team plays with only five (5) players, the team shall play the game without a player at the outfield positions.

Pitching

• This is a T-Ball league. There is no player or manager pitching.

• A circle, six (6) feet in radius and twelve (12) feet in diameter, shall be lined around the pitching rubber.

• Distance from the front edge of the pitching rubber to the base edge of home plate is thirty-five (35) feet.

• The player positioned in the pitching position shall have at least one foot in contact with the pitching rubber before the batter attempts to swing and put the ball in play.

Time At Bat

• A maximum of seven (7) swings are allowed. A foul ball not inside the arc on the seventh swing entitles the batter to one more swing.

• In order for the ball to be in play, it must travel beyond the foul arc. The foul arc distance shall be marked on the field twenty (20) feet from the base edge of home plate.

• A ball contained within the arc is a foul ball and counted as one (1) swing. A swing shall be counted if the batter swings over the ball and misses or when the batter hits the tee under the ball. Runners may not advance unless the ball is batted into play.

• A coach is permitted to help get the batter set prior to the swing but shall not interfere with the play.

• Batters must be positioned in a traditional batting stance, square to home plate (no crooked stances intended to pull the ball one way or another will be permitted). However, batters may move forward or backward within the six (6) foot batter’s box (three (3) feet forward and backward from the center of home plate).

Base on Balls

There are NO WALKS in this League.

Stealing

Base stealing is not permitted in this league and runners may only advance upon a batted ball beyond the foul arc by the batter.

Bunting

Bunting is not allowed. The batter must take a full swing. An attempted bunt shall be considered a swing.  The umpire’s decision is final.

Maximum Runs

There are no maximum runs per inning rule in this league as there is a nine (9) batter rule per inning. All runs scored on the ninth (9 th) batter’s at bat on the same play will count. For example, if the offense has five (5) runs scored already in an inning and there are runners at 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd bases and the ninth (9 th) batter hits a triple, all three (3) runs count. When the play ceases, all play is stopped and the fielding team becomes the batting team. The play ceases and the half inning is over after the last batter crosses home plate or when any defensive infielder receives the ball and tags home plate or executes the third (3 rd) out of the inning. This rule shall apply to all innings in each game, including the last inning.

The tee upright is not considered part of home plate. For purposes of scoring runs, registering outs, and play stoppage above, the home plate secured to the field of play is the official home plate.

Play Stoppage

Runners may only advance one base if the batted ball does not reach the outfield. The outfield, for this play stoppage rule, is defined as the grass on smaller fields with 60-foot base paths or 20 feet behind the base lines on larger fields (i.e. 90-foot base paths). If the ball reaches the outfield, the runners may continue to advance until the ball is returned via throw to the possession of an infielder in the infield. The infield, for this play stoppage rule, is defined as within the four base lines. Once the ball is returned to the possession of an infielder in the infield, the umpire shall call time so that no runners can advance or attempt to advance after the call by the umpire. Runners not yet half way to the next base will be sent back to the previous base. However, see Maximum Runs above for the exception to this rule during the ninth (9 th) batters at bat to end the half inning.

No runner advancement is allowed on any overthrow at any base.

Look-Back Rule

The Look-Back Rule does not apply in this league (see Play Stoppage Rule above).

Dropped Third Strike

No dropped third strike.

Catcher Position

No catcher position.

Outfielder Positions

There will be 3 outfielders in this league.  If a coach would like to move an infielder to the outfield, he is permitted to do so.

Infielder Positions

Infielders must position themselves at normal playing positions and at a normal depth in relation to the bases (just in front of or just behind the runners’ running lanes). Normal depth is defined as follows:

• First Base – within 5 feet of first base.

• Second Base – within 15 feet of second base.

• Third Base – within 5 feet of third base.

• Shortstop – equidistant (but allowing for positioning within a ten (10) foot radius) between 2 nd and 3 rd base.

• Pitcher – must have one foot on the pitching rubber.

The intent of this rule is to teach the players to position themselves properly in the infield and to prohibit a team from using abnormal positions to take unfair advantage of a batter or runner.

Infield Fly Rule

The infield fly rule will not be enforced in this league.

Hit By Pitch

Since this is a T-Ball league, a batter can never be hit by a pitch.

Ball Hit in Front of Home Plate

There is a twenty foot (20) arc in front of home plate. Any ball hit in front of home plate that does not pass the arc shall be a foul ball and counted as one swing.

Regulation Ball

An 10” ball will be used in this league.

Defensive Coach

Teams are allowed one roaming defensive coach to help instruct infielders and outfielders. The coach shall not come in contact with the ball or players nor shall they cross the baseline. If this happens, the play becomes dead, the runners are awarded the base they are running to and the coach will remain in the dugout for the rest of the game. The umpire’s decision is final.

There will be only two coach’s time outs per inning, except for injury.