The 2009 First Year Pitch Rules are listed below and the High School Rule Book shall be followed when conditions permit. Exception to the rules are either obvious to Oxford Recreational Baseball Structural Organization, or are stated in this list of supplemental rules. The rules proceed as follows:
A. Amended Rules
B. Rules and Regulations
C. High School Rule Book (NFHS)
If any rule needs to be discussed or explained in greater detail please contact the leagues Head Umpire, Frankie Roller, at Frankie@ORBABaseball.com
1. All players on the team are in the batting line-up, whether they are playing in the field or not.
2. A regulation game consists of 7 innings, 6 1/2 if the home team is ahead. Otherwise follow rule 34 of the O.R.B.A. General Rules. No inning can start after 9pm (No Exceptions).
3. There is no mercy rule to end a game before 7 innings have been played.
4. There is no mercy rule limiting how many runs may be scored in an inning.
5. The home team manager is responsible for raking and lining the field and placing bases before a game. When extra field work is needed due to bad weather, etc., both managers will work to prepare the field. The second team listed on the schedule is the home team.
6. Pitchers are limited to no more than three innings per game and no more than 8 innings per week. Failure to follow this rule will result in the offending game becoming a forfeit. Report any pitching rule violations to the leagues Head Umpire.
7. A pitcher may return to the pitching position after he has been removed from that position, as allowed by NFHSA rules – i.e. only if he has continued to play a defensive position in the field the entire time he has not been pitching.
8. A base runner does not have to slide but he must make a legal slide OR give himself up to avoid malicious contact. A player who does not do so will be called out and may also be removed from the game as allowed under NFHSA rules. Malicious contact is anything other than incidental contact, as judged by the umpire.
9. A pitcher or catcher may be replaced with a courtesy runner if there are two outs. It is not required that they be replaced. No more than 1 courtesy runner may be used per inning under this rule. The courtesy runner is always the last batted out.
10. An injured player may be replaced with a courtesy runner after he reaches base and the play has ended. This rule is not affected by a courtesy runner used in Rule 8 and Rule 8 is not affected by a courtesy runner used in this rule. The courtesy runner is always the last batted out.
11. No metal cleats. Only plastic cleats may be worn. If a player on the field is found to be wearing metal cleats at any time, play will stop and will not continue until they have been replaced with plastic cleats or some other shoes. If the player has no other shoes to wear, he will not be allowed to continue playing in the game and will be replaced with another player. It is possible to forfeit a game under this rule. This is the coach's responsibility to check and if the coach does not make a player removes his or her cleats and they have prior knowledge of the metal cleats the game could be forfeited
12. A catcher must make a play on a drop third strike.
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