Georgia Travel Baseball - NWBA

Playing Rules

OFFICIAL RULES The official playing rules, with the exceptions and variations contained in this document, shall be the National Federation Rules in which most High Schools follow.

BATS Bats shall be 2 3/4 inches or less in diameter at the thickest part and 36 inches or less in length. Bats weighing up to 12.5 ounces less than the length will be allowed in all divisions 11 and under. Bats weighing up to 11 ounces less than the length will be allowed in the 12U and 13U divisions. Bats weighing up to 5 ounces less than the length will be allowed in the 14U division. The 15 & up age groups will adhere to the High School rules with a maximum weight to length differential of -3 ounces and 2 5/8 inches or less in diameter at the thickest part.

CATCHERS EQUIPMENT Catchers should be equipped with protective gear including a mask for any bullpen catcher and anyone warming up a pitcher between innings.

METAL SPIKES Metal spikes are not permitted in the 12 & under age divisions. They are allowed in all other age divisions.

PLAYING FIELDS

10 and under age groups
1. Base Paths shall be 65 feet.
2. Pitching distance shall be 46 feet.
3. Outfield fence shall be not less than 170 feet from home plate.
12 and under age groups
1. Base Paths shall be 70 feet.
2. Pitching distance shall be 50 feet.
3. Outfield fence shall be not less than 180 feet from home plate.
13 and under age groups
1. Base Paths shall be 80 feet.
2. Pitching distance shall be 54 feet.
3. Outfield fence shall be not less than 275 feet from home plate.
14 and under age groups and 8th Grade Feeder teams
1. Base Paths shall be 90 feet.
2. Pitching distance shall be 60 feet, 6 inches.
3. Outfield fence shall be not less than 320 feet from home plate.
4. High School Division
  1. Consult the High School Rules Book
Playing fields should be maintained so as to be safe for players and spectators. Any complaints concerning field or facilities should be directed to the League Coordinator.
GAME BALLS Home team furnishes all game balls. Baseballs must match the age level. For example: Wilson 1075B SST, Rawlings RPLB, Diamond DPL or better are suitable for 14 & under divisions. Wilson 1010, Diamond D1's are to be used in the 15 & up divisions. No Baden balls or cork and rubber balls are allowed.

SCHEDULE All League Games must be completed by the date set by the League Coordinator. Teams not completing all games may become ineligible for awards at the end of the season. If any team is having difficulty re-scheduling a game with another team, they are to notify the League Coordinator. Any teams not cooperating to re-schedule a league game will be penalized. The penalty can be, but not limited to, an additional loss per game not played. Official Scorekeeper will be from the Home Team.

GAME LENGTH Summer High School Division games do not have a time limit unless circumstances are unable to preclude one (i.e. Doubleheaders). The 14 and under age groups shall play seven inning games with a two hour time limit. The 12 and under age groups shall play six inning games with a two hour time limit. An inning begins exactly when the third out is made in the bottom half of an inning. A ten-run slaughter rule will be in effect after 4 1/2 or 5 innings (3 1/2 or 4 innings for the 11 and under divisions). Any inning started prior to the 2-hour limit will be completed unless the slaughter rule is applicable. The clock should be stopped when unexpected lengthy delays are encountered. Serious injury, light failures, sprinkler systems, bad weather may cause such delays, or an extraordinary amount of time spent to clarify a rule. Use common sense.

TIE GAMES Any game that is tied after 2 hours of play will be allowed to play one (1) extra inning to break the tie. After this inning, and still tied, it will be recorded as a tie and will count as 1/2 win.

SLIDE RULE Runners are not required to slide. However, if a runner elects to slide, it must be a legal slide as defined by the National Federation Rules. ALL players are required to avoid collision with another player while running the bases. A legal slide will be judged as an attempt to avoid collision. If, in the opinion of the umpire, the runner does not make an effort to avoid collision, he is to be declared out. If the act is deemed by the umpire to be malicious, the runner will be ejected from the game.

PITCHING LIMITATIONS Any starting pitcher may return to the mound one (1) time only during a game, provided the return as pitcher does not violate either the pitching, substitution or charged conference rule. However, if you remove a relief pitcher, then he may not return.

PLAYER INJURY OR ILLNESS If a player must be removed from the game, when a team is batting a continuous order, the player will be scratched from the order and that batting position skipped with no out charged. However, the player will not be permitted to return to the game.

PROTESTS All protests must be submitted to the league president within 48 hours. A check of $100 must accompany each letter of protest. If the protest is upheld, the check will be returned.

TEAM ROSTER
1. Coaches are required to carry their team roster information at all times. All names must be arranged alphabetically and must be placed on the League's official roster form. The following information must be provided:
  1. Jersey number
  2. Player's Name, address, phone number
  3. Player's Age & Date of Birth
  4. Parents/guardian printed and signed names
  5. Player's proof of Insurance
  6. Copy of NWBA Insurance Policy
2. New players may be added up to June 1, but the League Coordinator must approve.
3. No player who starts on or joins a NWBA team is eligible to play on another NWBA team during the same season. Any violation of this rule will result in forfeiture of any or all games in which a player participates. Applications for exceptions must be submitted through the League Coordinator.
4. The Manager is responsible for acquiring the written consent of the player's participation from the parents/guardian.
MANAGERS RESPONSIBILITY
1. All managers are expected to:
  1. Confirm the game with the opposing Coach at least one week prior to game day.
  2. Clean up their dugouts.
  3. Provide a competent official scorekeeper.
  4. Provide two umpires for each home game, preferably High School Certified.
  5. Notify the visiting manager when a game must be canceled as soon as possible. (at least by 2pm on weekdays)
  6. Home team is responsible to reschedule canceled games within 5 days. Problems arising with rescheduling games should immediately be reported to the League Coordinator.
  7. .Verify that a map to his home park is available on NWBA webpage.
  8. Provide the funds to pay for umpires if you are playing as the home team at an "away" park.
2. All managers are required to enter their NWBA Team Game Scores onto the NWBA Web site every Monday.
3. If a visiting manager fails to provide the home team manager a minimum 48-hours notice of their inability to play, the visiting team will forfeit $80 dollars and will be required to submit an additional check for the same amount before his team can continue to play.
4. Any coach or manager who is ejected from two games must sit out the game following the second ejection.
SPEED-UP RULE This is optional under High School Rules. It is suggested that the catcher and/or pitcher be given a courtesy runner anytime during the inning they are on base, especially for the catcher with two outs. When batting all players, the last person to make an out becomes the runner (the last batter in the lineup would be used until the first putout in the first inning). When batting only 9 players, any player from the bench, (not currently in the line-up), can be used as the courtesy runner (this runner is not considered to be an entry in the line-up and may enter the batting order at any time during the rest of the game). The same courtesy runner can not be used twice in an inning, unless it is for the same position player. In other words, if the catcher position comes up twice in the same inning, then the same courtesy runner could run twice. However, if the catcher AND pitcher positions both come up in the same inning, then it would require two different courtesy runners be used, UNLESS THE TEAM ONLY HAS 10 DRESSED PLAYERS.

BATTING ORDER Teams can either use a continuous batting order, which includes all dressed players, as agreed upon by both coaches PRIOR to the exchange of lineup cards, or bat nine (9) per the NFHS rulebook. The use of an extra-hitter is allowed, when teams use a nine player roster. This will give a team a 10-player line-up which must be used the remainder of the game. If a team is unable to continue a 10-player line-up for any reason, that slot will be an out. It is recommended that teams in the 14 and under leagues use a continuous batting order with free defensive substitutions. Teams that do not desire to use a continuous batting order should notify the opposing coach at least 15 minutes prior to first pitch. The use of a continuous batting order during league games is the best way to prepare teams for participation in regional and national tournaments.

EJECTIONS

(a) The teams shall report to the league president within twelve hours after the end of a game the disqualification of any manager, coach or player, and the reasons therefor.

(b) When any manager, coach or player is disqualified for a flagrant offense such as the use of obscene or indecent language, or an assault upon an umpire, trainer, manager, coach or player, the teams shall forward full particulars to the league president within four hours after the end of the game.

(c) After receiving the report that a manager, coach or player has been disqualified, the league president shall impose such penalty as he deems justified, and shall notify the person penalized and the manager of the club of which the penalized person is a member.

(d) "Out of Sight - Out of Sound - Out of Mind" - This means if a player, manager, fan, etc. is ejected from a particular game by the umpire(s), the person must leave the playing area completely so that he cannot be seen or heard for the remainder of the game. This must be done within a reasonable period of time, to be determined by the umpire(s). The umpire(s) may delay resumption of play until they are satisfied that the person will not cause further disruption of the game. If the person still refuses to leave the playing area, the umpire(s) may forfeit the game against that person's team.

GRACE PERIOD A game will be forfeited if either team fails to show after 15 minutes. However, if the game was to start at 6:00PM, it must end at 8:00PM.

END OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

If a tie between two teams exists after the season has ended, the following procedure will be used to break the tie:
1. Head-to-head competition.
2. Compare records with all other teams, starting at the top of the standings and continuing through the bottom, one at a time, until the tie is broken.
3. Least number of runs allowed in the season.
4. Most runs scored in the season.
UMPIRES FAIL TO SHOW

If the umpires fail to show within 15 minutes of the scheduled game time:
1. By the mutual agreement of both teams, have two parents or coaches (one from each team) umpire the game.
2. Reschedule the game.