6th-8th Grade Baseball Rules

Teams are formed by school area and skilled divisions when possible.

Kidsports Baseball games follow National Federation Rules with modifications listed below.

All uniforms and equipment issued by Kidsports shall be legal for all Kidsports ballgames. Catchers are required to use protective head gear and encouraged to wear an athletic supporter with a cup and are allowed to use any type of glove or mitt.

The Ball
A regulation baseball will be used for all games and practice sessions.

The Bat
Both wood and metal bats with safety grips are legal. Bats that have been finished with enamel paint are not legal. (Exception: approved bats with factory enamel finish are legal. There are no weight-to-length restrictions.

Batting Helmets
Each team is required to have a minimum of four regulation protective batting helmets on its bench prior to starting a game or practice session. Batting and running helmets must be worn while on the playing field. If the ball is live, players may not remove their helmets while on the playing field.

Starting Line-Up
All games are played with 9 players on the field at one time. Teams may start a game with 7 players.

Short Line-Ups
Teams may start and finish the game with seven 7 players. If an eighth or ninth player shows up after the line-up card is turned in they must be placed in the eighth and ninth spot in the line-up. He/she can enter the game only at the beginning of a half-inning.

Any team reduced to less than seven players due to injury, illness, ejection, etc, will be required to forfeit. A team with seven or fewer players may choose to forfeit the game and then borrow players from the opposing team for a practice game. This game will not be rescheduled.

Regulation Game
Consists of six innings unless shortened because of time limit, curfew, bad weather, or extended due to a tie game. In Kidsports there is no minimum number of completed innings to constitute a regulation game. If play is called when the teams have not had an equal number of completed turns at bat, the score shall be the same as it was at the end of the last completed inning; except that if the home team in its half of the incomplete inning scores a run (or runs) which equals or exceeds the opponent’s score the final score shall be as recorded when the game is called.

Tie Games
If the score is tied at the end of a completed game and the time limit has not been reached, extra innings may be played.

Called Games
Only games completely cancelled by Kidsports due to weather will be rescheduled.

Scorebook
The home book is the official book. Kidsports recommends that both teams keep a score book and confer with each other between innings to make sure everyone, including the umpire, is on the same page.

Forfeited Game
Teams may start and finish the game with seven players. Failure to have seven players at the scheduled starting time will result in a win by forfeit to the team ready to play. If both teams are in violation the game will be declared “no contest” and each team will be charged with a loss. A team with seven or fewer players may choose to forfeit the game and then borrow players from the opposing team for a practice game. This game will not be rescheduled.

Protests
All officials’ decisions are final. Kidsports does not recognize protests. Any dispute must be handled on the field.

Time Limit
Kidsports games shall be governed by a time limit in which no new inning may begin after one hour and forty-five minutes (1hr 45 min) have elapsed.

Ten Run Rule
Whenever a team leads an opponent by ten or more runs at the end of any completed inning, provided a minimum of five innings have been played, the game will be considered a complete game and the game will be terminated.

Inning Termination
An inning shall be terminated after three outs are made by the defensive team, or 5 runs have been scored. There are unlimited runs allowed in the 6th inning as long as the 10 run rule has not been reached.

The batter will be considered OUT on all 3^rd strikes, even if the pitch is dropped by the catcher.

Minimum Playing Time
Every eligible player must play a minimum of six (6) defensive outs in all games. The bottom half of the un-played final inning does not count towards this requirement.

Substitutions
There will be free defensive substitutions, including pitchers; a player arriving after the game has started will be inserted at the end of the batting lineup.

Injuries
If a defensive player is injured, removed from the game and misses a turn at bat, the player cannot return to the lineup in the game. The injured players name is removed from batting order and the field. If a player is injured while running the bases, they must be replaced by the player furthest from batting that is not on base. This substitute runner returns to their place in the batting order ceasing the pinch running duties.

Pitchers must not pitch more than four innings in one game and seven innings in one week. Pitching limitations are calculated on a Monday to Sunday schedule, not on a 7 consecutive days. Pitching eligibility starts over every Monday.

Warm-up Pitches
When a pitcher takes his/her position at the beginning of the game or when he/she replaces another pitcher, he/she shall be permitted up to 5 preparatory pitches or use a 60-second time limit. Following the initial warm-up, he/she shall be allowed 60 seconds to warm-up between innings.