Rules

Pitching distances: Girls 9-12 — 35 feet. Girls 13-16 — 43 feet.

Base paths: 60 feet. 9-12 uses an 11" ball. 13-16 uses a 12" ball.

Game length and time limit: Girls 9-12 play 5 innings with a 1 hour 15 minute time limit. Girls 13-16 play 5 innings with a 1 hour 30 minute time limit.

Run rule: 20 after 3, 15 after 4, 10 after 5.

Suspended game: If a game is called due to weather, it resumes from the point of interruption.

Stealing: A runner may steal after the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. Runners cannot lead off.

Stealing home 9-12 Only: A runner can steal home or another base if the catcher attempts to pick off a runner at one of the bases or throws over to the pitcher.

Dropped third strike 9-12 Only: The runner cannot advance to first on a dropped third strike.

Sliding: Sliding is not mandatory. However, if the runner obstructs the play, the umpire may call the runner out.

Courtesy runners: May only be used for the pitcher and catcher.

Nine-batter half innings 9-12 Only: Only nine batters will hit in the half inning.

The ninth batter gets a normal at-bat. If she is walked or hit by pitch, she takes first. If the bases are loaded, that results in a run; if not, the inning is over and runners cannot advance. A strikeout ends the inning. If the ball is put in play, the ball must be brought to home plate and home plate touched for the inning to end.

Extra hitters (both age divisions): You may have 3 Extra Hitters. These 3 players hit in the batting order. The 12 players can also be freely substituted defensively. A substitution other than these 12 is subject to the normal substitution rules.

Bat throwing: Throwing the bat at the end of a swing is an automatic out after one team warning. Intentionally throwing the bat is an automatic ejection after one team warning.

Catcher's gear: Catchers must wear full protective gear — mask, chest protector, and shin guards.

Batting helmets: Must be worn at all times while the batter is on the playing field.

Steel cleats: Allowed for 13-16 games only. Not allowed for 9-12.

Tournament eligibility: Players must play in one more than half of the league games to play in the tournament. Exceptions require approval by majority vote of league representatives. Players can only play out of their age grouping or between softball and baseball if those teams are short of players.

Ejections: If a player or coach is ejected, they are not eligible to play or coach for one calendar week from the date of ejection. A second ejection in the same season ends their season — no further play or coaching.

Tournament championship: No time limit on Championship games in the tournament.

Lookback Rule — when the runner has to return (NFHS 8-7)

Once the pitcher has the ball inside the pitching circle, any runner off her base must commit one direction immediately — either keep going to the next base or get back to her base. She can't stop, hesitate, or reverse direction.

Penalty: the runner is out.

(A foul ball that's not caught is a dead ball — runners simply return to their previous base with no penalty.)

Taunting the pitcher (NFHS 3-6, unsporting conduct)

A batter, baserunner, or coach cannot taunt, bait, or otherwise try to distract the pitcher. Umpire's judgment call.

Penalty: a verbal warning first. Repeated or severe behavior is an ejection. An ejection triggers our league Rule 17 — out one calendar week from the date of ejection; a second ejection in the same season ends the player's or coach's season.

Stepping out of the batter's box while swinging (NFHS 7-3-2)

At the moment the bat contacts the ball, the batter must have at least part of one foot inside the batter's box (or touching the chalk line). If her entire foot is on the ground completely outside the box — or any part of her foot is touching home plate — when she hits the ball, she's done.

Penalty: the batter is out. The ball is dead and no runners advance.

Batting out of order (NFHS 7-1-1, 7-1-2)

The defensive team must appeal before the next pitch for any penalty. Three windows:

While the wrong batter is still hitting: the correct batter takes over and inherits the count (balls/strikes). No out.

After the wrong batter finishes, before the next pitch: the correct batter (the one who should have hit) is called out, runs and advances from the improper at-bat are wiped, and the next batter is the one after the called-out player in the order.

After the next pitch to the following batter: too late — the at-bat stands, and the order picks up from there.

Penalty: up to one out plus erased advances, depending on when the appeal is made.

Worked example — caught 4 batters late:

#3 is skipped, #4 bats. Defense doesn't notice. #4's at-bat ends. First pitch is thrown to #5 — at that instant the appeal window closes and #4's at-bat is legitimized. #5, #6, #7, and #8 bat in order. Now defense notices and appeals during #9's at-bat: too late. No out, no erased runs, nothing changes.

How #3 gets back in order: she doesn't need to do anything — the lineup is already correct from #4 onward. She just doesn't bat that time through the order. When the lineup cycles back to the top, #3 returns to her usual slot.

The only way #3 would have been penalized is if the defense appealed before the first pitch to #5.

The 12 batters can move defensively, but subs are full subs and must check in (builds on League Rule 10 + NFHS Rule 3)

The lineup can include up to 12 players — 9 fielders plus up to 3 Extra Hitters. Those 12 may freely change defensive positions inning to inning without notifying the umpire. That is not a substitution.

When a player comes in from the bench, it is a full substitution and must be reported to the umpire before the substitute enters the game (or steps into the batter's box). Standard NFHS sub rules apply:

• A starter who is removed may re-enter once, in her original batting-order slot.
• A non-starter (substitute) may enter once and cannot re-enter after being removed.

Penalty: an unreported / illegal substitute can be restricted from re-entering once discovered, and the play she participated in may be voided depending on the umpire's call.

Overthrows — how many bases the runner gets (NFHS 8-4)

If a thrown ball goes out of play (over a fence, into a dugout, past a designated dead-ball line), the umpire awards bases.

• From the first throw by an infielder: each runner gets two bases measured from her position at the time of the pitch.
• From any throw after that: each runner gets two bases measured from the base she had legally touched at the time of the throw.

If the ball stays in play (a wild throw that doesn't leave the field), it's live — runners advance at their own risk.

Penalty: none on the defense; the award is automatic.

Runner interference (NFHS 8-6)

A runner interferes when she hinders a fielder making a play — or is hit by a batted ball before any fielder has had a chance to play it.

Common examples:

• Runner is struck by a batted ball in fair territory before an infielder has had a chance to field it.
• Runner runs into a fielder who is fielding a batted ball.
• Runner intentionally interferes with a throw or a fielder.

Penalty: the runner is out, the ball is dead, and other runners return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference. Intentional interference on a likely double play can result in both the runner and the batter-runner being called out.

Obstruction (NFHS 2 + 8-4-3)

Obstruction is the defense hindering a runner. A fielder obstructs when she:

• Does not have the ball,
• Is not making the initial play on the ball, and
• Is not within a step and a reach of the ball,
• and she impedes the runner's path.

If a runner is not actually impeded, there is no obstruction. A fielder's mere positioning (with the exception of a fake tag) is never obstruction.

Penalty: the umpire signals obstruction. The play continues — if the obstructed runner is then put out before reaching the base she would have made without the obstruction, the umpire kills the play and awards her that base.

Infield fly (NFHS 2-19, 7-4-1)

An infield fly is called when all three of these are true:

• Fewer than two outs,
• Runners on first and second, or bases loaded,
• The batter hits a fair fly ball (not a line drive, not a bunt) that an infielder can catch with ordinary effort.

The umpire raises a hand and yells "Infield fly — batter is out!" while the ball is still in the air.

Penalty / effect: the batter is automatically out whether the ball is caught or not. The ball stays live; runners can advance at their own risk (but don't have to). The rule exists so the defense can't intentionally drop the ball and double up confused runners.

Field, equipment, uniforms. Bat and ball specifications, catcher's protective gear (mask, chest protector, shin guards), batter's helmet requirements, jewelry restrictions.

Definitions. Terminology used by umpires — interference, obstruction, dead ball, foul tip, infield fly, etc.

Players, substitutes, coaches. Lineup card, designated player / flex, courtesy runners, re-entry, ejections, coaching boxes.

Starting and ending the game. Game length, run rule, suspended / forfeit games, weather.

Dead ball, suspensions, time. When the ball is live vs. dead, time-out procedures, charged conferences.

Pitching. Legal delivery, illegal pitches, no pitch, pitching position, intentional walks.

Batting. Batting order, on-deck batter, strike zone, batter interference, hit by pitch, slap hits.

Baserunning. Advancing with and without liability to be put out, obstruction, interference, force outs, tag-ups.

Scoring, record-keeping. When a run scores, official scorer's responsibilities, statistical decisions.

Umpiring. Number of umpires, jurisdiction, signals, protests.