T-Ball Rules

Equipment/Uniform

Players are required to supply their own glove, helmet, and bat.  There are helmets and bats that can be borrowed, you must contact your coach for more information. 

Team T-shirts will be handed out as soon as they come in. You may purchase cleats or ball pants, but tennis shoes and sweatpants or shorts are fine.  Hats and face masks on helmets are not provided, but you may have your child wear one.

RULES

  1.  Team sizes will vary based on participants. (Will ultimately be the board’s discretion based on the number of players registered.)

  2. Three innings per game.  Maximum time of one hour.  Rainouts will be rescheduled by the board.

  3. First bats will be visitors (second team listed).

  4. All batters & base runners MUST wear a batting helmet. 

  5. All batters must hit from the tee in the first 2 innings.  The coach may assist, if necessary.  The 3rd inning, the coach will pitch to the batter.  The batter will get 4 pitches to hit.  If the batter does not get a hit, then they will be able to hit off the tee.  Any batted ball must travel at least 4 feet from the tee, within the baselines, to be considered a live ball.

  6. Bat size is limited to 27 inches. 

  7. There will be no score kept.

  8. Everyone bats once per inning, regardless of numbers per team.

  9. No leading off or stealing is allowed.

  10. Base runners CANNOT ADVANCE once play has stopped and the ball is being returned to the coach from the infield.

  11. Player’s field position will be as follows: a normal infield (1st, 2nd, 3rd, short-stop, pitcher) with the addition of a player between 1st and 2nd base; the rest of the players will be outfield.  There will be no catcher.  No one player can play the same position for more than one inning.  Everyone will play the infield for at least one inning.

  12. The players on the batting team must remain seated behind the backstop fence, except the on-deck batter.  No practice swings are allowed on deck.

  13. The batting team’s coach must announce “Last Batter” to the opposing team when the batter approaches the plate.  On a batted ball, the defensive team must tag home plate before the runner touches ALL the bases.  The defensive players MUST remain clear of all baselines while the base runners are advancing toward home, with the exception of the player returning the ball to home.

  14. A ball hit over the fence is considered a home-run and all the bases can be touched.

  15. The ground rule double appliances to the following:

    1. Ball that BOUNCES over the fence;

    2. Ball that ROLLS UNDER OR GETS CAUGHT UNDER the fence.

  16. Thirty-minute rule - Once lightning has been recognized, we will wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning is witnessed or thunder is heard. Any subsequent lightning or thunder after the beginning of the 30-minute count should reset the clock and another count should begin.