Widefield Community Center T-ball/Baseball/Softball Rules Sportsmanship for Players, Coaches, and Fans Players - unsportsmanlike conduct or aggressive play will not be tolerated!!! If the umpire witnesses any acts of unsportsmanlike conduct, the game will be stopped and the player or players will be ejected from the game. Any ejection also carries a one game suspension for the following game. Any coach that is ejected from a game: 1. Must leave the field or facility immediately (this means the umpires should not be able to hear or see you!). The game will not be played until this happens. 2. Will automatically be suspended for the following game. 3. Could be subject to further disciplinary action at the Youth Sports Coordinator's discretion, including removal from his/her coaching duties. Any fan that is ejected from a game must leave the field or facility immediately (this means the umpires should not be able to hear or see you!). The game will not be played until this happens.
T-ball Rules (4 years Kindergarten) 5 inning game or 50 minute time limit, whichever comes first. No new inning will begin after 50 minutes. Innings in progress at the 50 minute mark will be played out, and the home team will get its turn at bat. No strikeouts. Outs will not be recorded or enforced. Every player on the team will bat each inning. The last batter each inning will round all the bases, and all base runners will score. All players should get a chance to bat last during the season. Batter must make contact with the ball. When batting, the ball must travel beyond the marked semi-circle at 10 from home plate. Batters and base runners will be allowed one base on each hit. No stealing. Players stay on the base until the batter makes contact. All players will play in the field no one sits the bench. One player for each position in the infield. The remaining players will be placed in the outfield. Players will switch positions each inning with the goal that each player experiences all positions (infield and outfield). Safety concerns may take precedence over this rule at times. There will be an imaginary line running from 1st to 3rd base. Infielders, excluding the pitcher and catcher, must stay behind this line until the batter makes contact with the ball. The pitcher will play in the proximity of the pitching rubber. The catcher will wear a batting helmet and play behind the line until the batter runs.
Coach Pitch Rules (1 st & 2 nd Grade Coed & Girls 3 rd & 4 th Grade Softball) 1st-2nd Grade: 5 inning game or one hour time limit, whichever comes first. Girls 3rd-4th Grade Softball: 6 inning game or one hour and 15 minute time limit, whichever comes first. No new inning will begin after the time limit has expired. Innings in progress will be played out, and the home team will get its turn at bat. The pitching coach will determine where and how to pitch to each individual child. The "pitcher" will play in the proximity of the pitching rubber. If a batted ball hits the pitching coach, it's a dead ball that does not affect the batter's count. Ten batters per inning or three outs. All present players must be listed in the batting order. All players will bat before the leadoff batter bats again. The batting lineup remains the same throughout the game. No stealing. Players stay on the base until the batter makes contact. A base runner that runs over any defensive player (including the catcher) who is making a play will be called out and possibly ejected. All players will play in the field - no one sits the bench. One player for each position in the infield, the remaining players will be placed in the outfield. When the ball is hit to the outfield grass, base runners may continue to run until a player attempts to throw the ball towards the infield. Once the ball is thrown the runners must stop at the base they are going to. No running on overthrows. A player will strike out on four strikes. A player cannot strike out on a foul ball. Players will not reach base on a walk or by being hit with a pitch. The catcher will wear a batting helmet and play behind the line until the batter runs. FOR 1ST & 2ND GRADE ONLY: Players will switch positions each inning with the goal that each player experiences all positions (infield and outfield). Safety concerns may take precedence over this rule at times. FOR GIRLS 3 RD & 4 th GRADE SOFTBALL ONLY: Score will be kept. 10 run rule after 4 completed innings. Even if the home team cannot mathematically take the lead in its last at bat (trailing by more than 10 runs), they will still get their final turn at bat. We want kids to get as many at bats as possible.
Machine Pitch Rules (Boys 3 rd & 4 th Grade Baseball) 6 inning game or one hour and 15 minute time limit, whichever comes first. No new inning will begin after one hour and 15 minutes. Innings in progress at the one hour/15 minute mark Score will be kept. 10 run rule after 4 completed innings. Ten batters per inning or three outs. All present players must be listed in the batting order. All players will bat before the leadoff batter bats again. The batting lineup remains the same throughout the game. A player will strike out on four strikes. A player cannot strike out on a foul ball. Players will not reach base on a walk or by being hit with a pitch. Umpires will determine called strikes, and called strikes will count against the batter's count. Players run at their own risk on overthrows. Once the ball is in the possession of a player in the infield the umpire will determine if play has stopped. No bunting and no stealing. Players stay on the base until the batter makes contact. All players will play in the field - no one sits the bench. The "pitcher" will play in the proximity of the pitching rubber. The infield fly rule will be used. If there are runners on 1 st and 2 nd base or bases loaded with less than two outs, the batter is out if he hits a fly ball that can be routinely caught by any infielder (this is a judgment call by the umpire). Base runners may advance at their own risk. They are not forced to run if the ball is dropped, and they must tag up if it's caught. A base runner who runs over any defensive player (including the catcher) who is making a play will be called out and possibly ejected. Even if the home team cannot mathematically take the lead in its last at bat (trailing by more than 10 runs), they will still get their final turn at bat. We want kids to get as many at bats as possible.
Slow Pitch Softball Rules (Girls 5 th & 6 th Grade & Girls 7 th & 8 th Grade) 5th & 6th: 7 inning game or one hour and 30 minute time limit, whichever comes first. 7th & 8th: 7 inning game or one hour and 45 minute time limit, whichever comes first. 5th & 6th: No new inning will begin after one hour and 30 minutes. Innings in progress at the one hour/30 minute mark 7th & 8th: No new inning will begin after one hour and 45 minutes. Innings in progress at the one hour/45 minute mark Score will be kept. Ten run rule after five completed innings. Players will pitch in these leagues. Pitchers that are substituted may re-enter the game as pitcher. These are slow pitch leagues. There must be an arc to all pitches, with the highest point being a minimum of 3 feet, and a maximum of 10 feet from the ground. Ten-batter limit per inning or three outs. All present players must be listed in the batting order. All players will bat before the leadoff batter bats again. The batting lineup remains the same throughout the game. Four ball and three strike count. A batter cannot strike out on a foul ball. A batter may not take first base if hit by a pitch. Base runners may advance at their own risk on overthrows. No bunting and no stealing. Base runners must stay on the base until the batter makes contact with the ball. Once the ball is in the possession of a player in the infield the umpire will determine if play has stopped. Ten players play in the field - one player for each infield position and four players in the outfield. All players must play at least 2 innings in the field. The infield fly rule will be used. If there are runners on 1 st and 2 nd base or bases loaded with less than two outs, the batter is out if she hits a fly ball that can be routinely caught by any infielder (this is a judgment call by the umpire). Base runners may advance at their own risk. They are not forced to run if the ball is dropped, and they must tag up if it's caught. A base runner that runs over any defensive player (including the catcher) who is making a play will be called out and possibly ejected. Batter cannot run on a 3rd strike that is dropped by the catcher. You cannot intentionally walk the tenth batter. Even if the home team cannot mathematically take the lead in its last at bat (trailing by more than 10 runs), they will still get their final turn at bat. We want kids to get as many at bats as possible.
Player Pitch Baseball Rules (Boys 5th & 6th Grade & 7 th & 8 th Grade) 5th & 6th: 7 inning game or one hour and 30 minute time limit, whichever comes first. 7th & 8th: 7 inning game or one hour and 45 minute time limit, whichever comes first. 5th & 6th: No new inning will begin after one hour and 30 minutes. Innings in progress at the one hour/30 minute mark 7th & 8th: No new inning will begin after one hour and 45 minutes. Innings in progress at the one hour/45 minute mark Score will be kept. Ten run rule after five completed innings. Players will pitch in these leagues. A pitcher may pitch up to 10 innings per week (Sun-Sat). After a pitcher is pulled from the game, he may not re-enter as the pitcher for the rest of the game. Ten-batter limit per inning or three outs. All present players must be listed in the batting order. All players will bat before the leadoff batter bats again. The batting lineup remains the same throughout the game. Four ball and three strike count. A batter cannot strike out on a foul ball. A batter will take first base if hit by a pitch. Base runners may advance at their own risk on overthrows. Bunting is allowed. A foul bunted ball on strike three is an out. A player may leave a base and steal once the ball passes the batter. Once the ball is in the possession of a player in the infield the umpire will determine if play has stopped. Ten players play in the field - one player for each infield position and four players in the outfield. All players must play at least 2 innings in the field. The infield fly rule will be used. If there are runners on 1 st and 2 nd base or bases loaded with less than two outs, the batter is out if he hits a fly ball that can be routinely caught by any infielder (this is a judgment call by the umpire). Base runners may advance at their own risk. They are not forced to run if the ball is dropped, and they must tag up if it's caught. A base runner that runs over any defensive player (including the catcher) who is making a play will be called out and possibly ejected. Batter cannot run on a 3rd strike that is dropped by the catcher. You cannot intentionally walk the tenth batter. Even if the home team cannot mathematically take the lead in its last at bat (trailing by more than 10 runs), they will still get their final turn at bat. We want kids to get as many at bats as possible.