BYB LEAGUES RULES
4U-14U LEAGUES

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The Bixby Youth Baseball instructional leagues are designed to enhance the enjoyment and learning experience of all participants. As such, encourage sportsmanship and instructional learning over competition. We will not tolerate poor sportsmanship and/or abusive language. Coaches are also responsible for maintaining a safe environment for the kids. Coaches need to convey this information to the parents as well.

4U Spartan Ball Rules

Spartan ball is purely an instructional experience to introduce our future to the game of baseball. Each team will bat twice and field twice. Game time length is 45 minutes. No team standings. No umpires, no out and safe calls.   All receive an achievement award at the completion of the season.

EQUIPMENT: All bats must be unaltered and have the official stamp of USA or 1.15 BPF rating. The umpire may check bats at any time. Any illegal bats will be promptly removed from play and the dugout. National High School Federation maintains a list of illegal bats that can be found online, and Bixby Youth Baseball will enforce it. Use of illegal bat will result in an automatic out for the player using the bat and the coach restricted to the dugout for the remainder of that game. If it happens the second time the Coach will be ejected from the game.

EXCEPTION: Tee Ball bats will be allowed for 4U Spartan Ball, 5U Tball 6U Modified TBall only.

Rules Specific for 5U T-Ball MTB / 6U Modified Coach Pitch / 7U Coach Pitch

Fair Ball Arc: There shall be a twenty (20) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. A batted ball must go past this line to be a fair ball.

Safety Arc: There shall be a thirty (30) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. Infielders must stay behind this line until the ball is hit.

Pitching Circle: There shall be a ten (10) foot diameter circle with the front edge at forty (40) feet from the rear point of home plate.

1. The Coach can pitch anywhere in-between the 30’ Safety Arc and the 40’ Pitching Circle.

2. The pitching coach shall not verbally or physically coach while in the pitching position.

3. The pitching coach shall position himself as not to be an obstruction to the defensive team on any possible play once the ball has been hit.

3.1. Penalty: If a coach violates this rule after the ball is pitched, obstruction shall be called.

3.2. Additional Penalty: If a coach violates this rule before the ball is pitched, First Offense: Warning; Second Offense: Removal of coach as the pitcher for the remainder of the game.

Pitching Coach: The Pitching Coach shall be an adult at least eighteen (18) years of age.

Catcher: The catcher shall receive the pitch in the catcher’s box in a normal baseball manner. If in the Umpire’s judgment, the catcher is not receiving the ball in a normal baseball manner, there shall be a warning issued. If the act continues after the warning, the offending teams’ manager shall be ejected.

Ten (10) defensive players shall play in the field with four (4) outfielders. The fourth (4th) outfielder shall not assume an infield position. All outfielders shall stay behind the baseline.

The defensive player listed as pitcher shall not leave the pitching circle until the ball is hit.

Penalty: The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of the result of the play or no-pitch.

Additional Penalty: First Offense: Warning; Second Offense: Removal of player from the pitching position for the remainder of the game.

4.  The Infield Fly Rule shall not be in effect at any time.

5.  Bunting shall not be allowed.

6.  A player may only be Intentionally Walked once per game by announcement from the defensive team.

7.  Runners shall not lead-off or steal bases. A runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit or reaches home plate.

8.  A courtesy runner for catcher of record only the previous inning may be used. The courtesy runner shall be the player that made the previous out. If no outs have been recorded in the game, the courtesy runner shall be the previous batter not on base. If the team batting has not played defense yet and a courtesy runner is used for a player, the player that was run for must assume the catching position the next inning. This scenario only applies in the first inning for the visiting team.

9.  A team may score a maximum of 5 (5) runs per inning.

10.  When a batted ball hits the Pitching Coach, the following shall apply:

10.1.   If in the umpire’s judgment, the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the batter is declared out and no runners shall advance.

10.2.  If in the umpire’s judgment, the coach did make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the ball becomes dead, and a no-pitch is declared.

A. Any person committing or threatening physical violence will be ejected immediately and that person will be suspended from all the parks participating in interleague for the remainder of the current season. The board of the home park of the individual will determine additional consequences of such behavior and will attempt to notify the offender in writing prior to the beginning of the next baseball season.

General League Rules

1.  5U Modified Coach Pitch-  The batter will receive a minimum of three (3) pitches from the coach.  The 4th, 5th attempt can be taken off the Tee OR coach.  The 5th pitch must be foul to receive additional pitch.  Sequence continues until ball is put in fair play or batter swing and misses. 

1a.  5U T-Ball:  The batter will receive 5 attempts to hit the ball in fair territory. The 5th pitch must be foul to receive additional pitch.  Sequence continues until ball is put in fair play or batter swing and misses. 

2.  6U Modified Coach Pitch:  The batter will receive a minimum of three (3) pitches from the coach.  The 4th, 5th attempt can be taken off the Tee OR coach.  The 5th pitch must be foul to receive additional pitch.  Sequence continues until ball is put in fair play or batter swing and misses. .  

3. 7U Coach Pitch: 40’ Rubber / 60’ bases. Rec team batters will receive 5 pitches or three (3) swinging strikes to place a ball in fair territory. The 5th pitch must be foul to receive additional pitch.  Sequence continues until ball is put in fair play or batter swing and misses. 

4. 8U Modified Kid Pitch: 43’ Rubber / 60’ bases. Player pitch the first two innings of the game from 43ft pitching rubber. NO WALKS. NO LEADOFF. NO STEALING. The pitcher will pitch to the batter. 3 swinging or called strikes and the batter is out. The pitcher throws a 4-ball walk; the coach will enter the game and throw the remaining strikes in the count. Example: Pitcher throws 4 balls and 1 strike; Coach will throw the remaining two strikes of the batter’s count. HBP ( Hit By Pitch) The batter is awarded first base.  If the last coach pitch is foul, additional pitch is awarded.  If batter swings and misses last pitch the batter will be declared out. 

5. 5U, 6U, 7U Coach Pitch and 8U Modified Kid Pitch. Umpires shall call “Time” after every play and declare the ball dead. “Time” shall be called as soon as the lead runner is not attempting to advance. Comment: When a runner stands off a base and “jukes” or “feints” back and forth, this is to be interpreted as “not attempting to advance” and “Time” shall be called.

6. 9U recreational will play standard rules: 9U recreational will play 9 defensive fielders.

7. In the 9U recreational league the dropped 3rd strike rule will be in effect. . Runners on the bases may attempt to advance at their own risk.  Infield Fly Rule will be in effect.

8.  9U-14U will play by NHFS rules unless otherwise noted.

9. The following are game time limits:

5U, 6U, 7U – 60 minutes unless noted otherwise ; 8U MKP- 75 minutes

9U through 14U – 1:30 minutes

Game time clock starts after the 1st pitch, the home plate umpire will notify the home team score keeper the time. An inning will be complete when time is called (No dead stop time limit, except in fall league). The beginning of an inning starts immediately after the last out from the home team.

Ending the Game: In the recreational league the game will end when the time limit has expired, and the trailing team is behind by 8 or more runs (6 or more runs for 9U and 10U). –OR The game will end when the time limit expires, and the home team is at bat with the lead. In the competitive league we will follow the rules:

For ages 8U-12U (6 Inning) game is called when the lead is 15 after 3 inning or 8 after 4 innings.

For ages 13U and 14U (7 inning) the game is called when the lead is 15 after 3, 12 after 4, or 8 after 6 innings.

If the score is tied after the home team bats and the time limit has expired, then the game will end in a tie.

Teams with less than eight players at the scheduled game start time will be given 15 minutes from the scheduled start time to field a team with at least eight players. The penalty for not having enough players to start a game is forfeiture. A game will proceed once the eighth player arrives. Teams can play with 9 players in 7U and 8U recreational without recording an out if the 10th player is not present.

9. Complete games: a. 6 inning scheduled game – 2 ½ innings will constitute a complete game if the home team is ahead, or 3 complete innings if the visiting team is ahead. b. 7 inning scheduled game – 3 ½ innings will constitute a complete game if the home team is ahead, or 4 complete if the visiting team is ahead.

10. Recreational play – Max runs per inning: 5U, 6U, 7U, 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U, 13U, and 14U- Max 5 runs per inning

11. Suspended games will be resumed by referencing the “HOME” book.  Home team is to submit scores to BYB.

12. Recreational players cannot participate in additional/multiple leagues.

13. Recreational players must start defensively every other game. Recreational players must not sit in 2 consecutive innings. The penalty for the team’s first offense will be a warning, second offense will result in a game forfeit. The first offense does not reset for the remainder of the spring season.

14. Recreational teams may use traditional lineup or roster lineup. Competitive teams have options: a) bat bench, b) bat 10 using the EH, or c) bat 9.

15. Recreational play: If a player cannot continue play due to injury, the batting team shall not be penalized an out for missing his/her spot in the batting order, unless it puts the team under 9 players. An injured player can return to the line-up. If the player leaves a game injured a second time, the player will be removed for the remainder of the game.

16. Pitchers are not required to wear a protective cup; however, catchers are required to wear one. (8U – 14U)

17. Use of an illegal bat: (Treated like batting out of order) a. If it is brought to umpires’ attention during the at-bat, the batter can change the bat to a legal bat and continue the at-bat b. If it is brought to the umpire’s attention after the at-bat, the batter is out and all players, if any, go back to previous base at the time of the batted ball. c. The head coach will be given a warning on the first offense and ejected on the second offense.

18. Maximum number of three coaches in the dugout for 9U – 14U leagues and four coaches for 7U and 8U leagues.

19. Coaches outside of the dugout within arm’s length of the dugout fence should be noted as a privilege. It should be noted that they are treated as an obstruction if the ball touches them and will become a dead ball at that point.

20. Coaches’ certification is required for all coaches on the playing field. Each league will honor the home league coach’s certification for coaches playing away from their home park.

21. Roster is the official team roster. Copies of a team roster must be in the team coach’s possession for all games.

22. Each team to provide two game balls to the head umpire.

23. Home Team – the 3rd base dugout, Visiting Team – 1st base dugout.

24. Uniforms must be matching jersey, individually numbered from 0 to 99 with matching pants and cap. All uniforms are subject to league approval. EXCEPT FALL LEAGUE

25. The 13/14U Recreational League will be allowed to use any approved bat including drop 8 (-8) bats for league play only. In sanctioned/unsanctioned tournaments all 14U players must use a maximum drop 5 (-5) bat.

26.  Any coach or parent ejected from a game must leave the complex immediately for the rest of the game. If a fan or parent is ejected, then the head coach will be ejected as well. If they are ejected after a game has completed, they must sit out the next game. If a player is ejected from a game, they must return to the bench and remove their uniform top for the remainder of that game. They may return for the next game unless the ejection occurred after the game has been completed. In that case, they must sit out the next scheduled game.

27.  BEHAVIOR:  Any person committing or threatening physical violence will be ejected immediately and that person will be suspended from the park participating for the remainder of the current season. The board will determine additional consequences of such behavior and will notify the offender in writing.

28.  Any rules disputes must be presented to the BYB Board. League board decisions are final.