Rule 3 – Section 1 – SUBSTITUTING
3-1-1 After the umpire has received the official lineup card prior to the game, the player listed as pitcher shall pitch until the first opposing batter has been put out or has advanced to first base. In any other case, a substitute may replace a player of his team when the ball is dead and time…
Rule 2 – Section 42 – PLAYING FIELD
2-42 The playing field includes both fair and foul territory. Any other areas beyond the playing field are defined as being outside the playing field (dead ball area). Any wall, fence, barricade, rope, wire, marked or imaginary line is considered a part of the playing field. Any areas beyond those boundaries are outside the playing…
Rule 2 – Section 39 – TIME AT BAT
2-39 Time at bat is the period beginning when a batter first enters the batter’s box and continuing until he is put out or becomes a runner. A batter is not charged in the records with a time at bat when he makes a sacrifice hit, is hit by a pitched ball, is awarded a…
Rule 2 – Section 40 – TOUCHING BALL, BASE OR RUNNER
2-40 Touching is contact with, and there is no distinction between the act of touching or by being touched. The term applies to contact with any part of the person or his clothing if the clothing is reasonably well fitted. This includes: a pitched ball touching a batter, or a batted ball touching a batter…
Rule 2 – Section 41 – WILD PITCH
2-41 A wild pitch is one which cannot be handled by the catcher with ordinary effort (9-6-1).
Rule 4 – Section 1 – STARTING A GAME
4-1-1 The home coach shall decide whether the grounds and other conditions are suitable for starting the game. After the game starts, the umpires are sole judges as to whether conditions are fit for play and as to whether or not conditions are suitable for starting the second game of a scheduled double-header (two games between…
Rule 4 – Section 3 – CALLED GAME
4-3 If a game is called before completion of the number of innings and conditions as specified in 4-2-3, the umpire shall declare the contest “no game,” unless play is terminated by 4-2-4. By state association adoption, a regulation called game where a winner cannot be determined (see 4-2-3) shall be counted as half-game won…
Rule 4 – Section 4 – FORFEITED GAME
4-4-1 A game shall be forfeited to the offended team by the umpire when a team: is late in appearing or in beginning play after the umpire calls “Play.” State associations are authorized to specify the time frame and/or circumstance before a forfeit will be declared for a late arrival by one of the teams; or…
Rule 4 – Section 5 – PROTESTED GAME
4-5 It is optional on the part of a state association as to whether protests are permitted. When allowed, protests are permitted regarding rules one through nine only. When protests are submitted to organizations which do allow the filing, such protest must be submitted using a prescribed procedure (10-2-3i). All individual and team averages shall…
Rule 4 – Section 2 – ENDING A REGULATION GAME
4-2-1 A regulation interscholastic game consists of seven innings (turns at bat) unless extra inning(s) are necessary because of a tie score, or unless shortened because the home team needs none of its half of the seventh or only a fraction of it (4-2); or because of weather, or darkness (4-3). Each team must have nine…
