Western North Carolina Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth

T-BALL TOURNAMENT RULES

1. Batting

A. All batters will hit the ball from a batting tee. The tee should be adjusted to such a height that the batter will be able to swing level.

B. All rostered players present for the game shall bat in order, whether playing defensively or not. If a batter becomes ill or injured during the game, the spot in the batting order will be skipped without penalty.

C. There is no bunting.

D. Pitcher should be in contact with the pitching rubber before the batter swings at the ball.

E. An inning is over when three outs have been made or eight runs have been scored, which ever occurs first, except in the last inning which will be unlimited runs (open).

F. Protective headgear (batting helmets) must be worn on deck, at bat, while a base runner, and by players in the coach’s box, during practice and at all games.

G. Once the batter has entered the batter’s box, the batter will not be allowed to take practice swings or to line up the ball. The penalty for either action will be a called strike. Umpire shall place the ball on the tee and remove tee from plate once the ball is hit.

H. When the ball is hit, it must go at least 25 feet, which is shown by an arc of 25-foot radius from the apex of home plate drawn from foul line to foul line. A batted ball must travel past this arc to be a fair ball; if it does not, it will be considered a foul ball.

I. Three complete misses of the ball while batting constitutes a strikeout. A foul ball or practice swing will be counted as a strike. If the batter hits a foul ball on the third strike, he/she will continue to bat.

Only a complete miss of the ball and the tee or a practice swing or “line up” on the third strike will be a strikeout.

J. If a batter hits part of the ball and part of the rubber tee, it is a fair ball if it goes past the 25-foot arc. If a batter hits all rubber (the tee) or the ball does not go past the 25-foot arc, it is a foul ball.

K. No stealing or leading off is permitted.

L. Containment on lead runner will stop play. When the runner stops and gives up effort to advance, the play is completed and stopped.

M. All overthrown balls will be considered live and the runner(s) can advance until they are contained or give up the effort to advance to the next base. Balls entering dead ball areas will be dead and runner(s) will be awarded bases as specified by Rule 7.00.

2. Fielding

A. Ten players are on the field at any one time, including a catcher. There will be four outfielders. One player is placed on the pitching rubber assuming the defensive position of the pitcher. The catcher takes his/her normal position behind home plate in full gear.

B. The pitcher must be in contact with the pitching rubber until the batter makes contact with the ball. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the pitcher is not in the correct position, the offensive team can take the results of the play or bat again.

C. Each player present must play a minimum of two innings defensively.

D. Two defensive coaches may be positioned in foul territory to provide instruction to all defensive players - one coach positioned at least 12 feet beyond first base and one coach positioned at least 12 feet beyond third base.

E. Free substitution is allowed on defense.

3. Game

A. A regulation game is six innings. Game will be terminated after three innings if one team is ahead by 15 or more runs and the teams have had equal times at bat or if the home team is leading. Game will be terminated after four or five innings if one team is ahead by 10 or more runs and the teams have had equal times at bat or if the home team is leading.

B. A regulation tournament baseball will be used. The Rawlings baseballs marked CAL or RCAL are to be used for all Cal Ripken Baseball tournament competition. Bats must conform to the specifications in the Babe Ruth Baseball rule book. (The Bat – Cal Ripken Division)

 C. One manager and three coaches per team are allowed. All managers and coaches shall be in team uniform during Babe Ruth League, Inc. tournament competition. Coaches are required to wear the Cal Ripken emblem on their uniform (shirt, cap, or visor) as appropriate to specifications in current rules.

D. Players must wear matching uniforms and are required to wear the Cal Ripken emblem on their uniform (shirt, cap, or visor) as appropriate to specifications in current rules.