PTAA AMERICAN LEAGUE RULES  (9-10 Yrs of Age)

 General Rules

1. All Regulation games will be six (6) innings. All players must play in the field for a minimum of 2 innings.  All teams must use four (4) outfielders (evenly spaced) with no rovers. Free substitution is permitted (with the exception of pitchers).  A continuous batting order will be used.

2. One (1) umpire will be assigned for each game. The umpire is solely responsible for deciding whether the playing field is in safe and satisfactory condition to permit the startup or continuance of a game.  A game may be postponed by the home team manager due to weather conditions prior to the arrival of the assigned umpire.

3. A game is considered regulation when: (a) three and one-half (3 ½) innings are complete and the home team is ahead. (b) Four innings are completed. A regulation game that is tied and halted by the umpire may be resumed at a later date from the exact point play was halted.  The game may continue until one team has scored more runs than the other in an equal number of innings.

4. A team must field a minimum of eight players or forfeit the game. If both teams cannot field the minimum players, each team will be assessed a loss in the league standings.

5. A regulation game may be delayed a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes due to lack of players.  After this grace period, the team unable to field the minimum players will forfeit.

6. Protests and interpretations of rules for a game may only be made by the manager or acting manager (designated by the manager prior to the game).  Protests on interpretation of rules must be made immediately (prior to the next pitch) to the umpire and the opposing manager. Otherwise the protest is invalid. Protests will not be considered on any judgment call.  The Board of Directors will make the decision on all rule(s) interpretation protests. 

7. All ground rules should be clearly defined and agreed to prior to each game by the umpire and team managers.

8. A new inning may not start after fifteen (15) minutes remain in the allotted game time.  All games are over at the end of the allotted time. Any game not completed because of time will revert back to the end of the last completed inning.

9. Lights must be off at the designated time. No exceptions.

PLAYING RULES

1. All players must wear uniform assigned to them. Catchers must always wear a protective cup, helmet w/ facemask, shin guards and a chest protector. No metal spikes are allowed at any time.

2. Each team is permitted to bunt one (1) time per inning.  An individual player may only bunt one (1) time per game.

3. Players at first and third shall not play down the line more than ten (10) feet from the base unless charging to field a bunt or a slowly hit ball.  The Umpire will issue a warning to the player.  Failure to abide by the umpire’s warning will result in the guilty player’s removal from the game.

4. A base runner cannot leave the base until the ball passes home plate. If the base runner does and the ball is put into play by the batter the ball is ruled dead. The base runner must return to the original and his/her team is issued a warning. If this occurs again in the same game for the same team, the base runner is called out. The Pitch will be considered a strike. If the batter had two strikes on him/her the pitch is considered to be fouled.

5. There will not be a third-dropped strike rule.

6. The “infield fly rule” is not in affect.

7. All batters and base runners must wear protective headgear during warm ups and the game.

8.  Pitching rule:  Pitchers may pitch a maximum of two (2) consecutive innings per game. One pitch thrown in an inning is considered a full inning pitched.

9. Stealing is permitted once the ball passes home plate.  Once a runner is positioned at third base (by the control of the ball by the pitcher with his/her foot on the rubber), the runner may only advance to home by either a batted ball, forced through on a base-on-balls, tagging up or as a result of direct play on a runner at third base.  A direct play is a play on the runner initiated by the ball being thrown to third base in an attempt to get the runner out.

10.  Balls thrown back to the pitcher are live. However, players positioned at third base may only advance under conditions previously defined in rule nine (9).  Players positioned at first and second base may advance at their own accord.

11. There is a ten (10)-batter limit per inning except in the last inning when three (3) outs are needed to end the inning.

12. Interpretation of other game situations not covered by the above stated rules should be in accordance with the Little League Baseball Rule Book.