JUNIORS & INTERMEDIATES DISTRICT 3 INTERLEAGUE RULES 2024

Rules are the same for all teams.

1. The official Little League Rulebook governs all play except a few local rules as per below. Download The Little League® Rulebook app on your phone or computer as your guiding document. Contact DA for available printed rulebooks or order from LL Inc through your league.
2. For both Intermediates and Juniors we play the same regular LL Intermediate/Juniors Rules (NOT “Tournament” (All Star) rules). All LL divisions share some of the same rules but in the rulebook any specific rules for the Juniors or Intermediates are called out if they apply only to these divisions.
3. Equipment Allowed:The only bats that are allowed must be imprinted with the USA bat logo USABats or USA. Alternatively, players may use bats marked and which meet the BBCOR bat (HS) standard.Wood bats are allowed if they comply with LL Rules. No other pre-2018 bats (or marked BPF1.15) are allowed. Umpires are to check that equipment is conforming to this standard only. Any noncompliant bat is to be removed from the field of play. See this link for more details: https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/bat-information/
4. Teams may NOT wear batting helmets or uniforms/caps with logos or markings of other non-LL programs. LL Rules provides that Leagues must supply 7 regulation NOCSAE batting helmets for each team and NOCSAE catchers helmets with dangling throat guards.
5. First games start the weekend of March 16. The schedule has been approved and released. No changes to the schedule, field locations or matchups may be made without District approval. The official interleague schedule is posted on LL District 3 website at https://tshq.bluesombrero.com/cad3ll
6.  RAINOUTS: RESCHEDULES MAY BE DIFFICULT but please try to make up any missed game so that every team plays at least 12 games (required minimum). Contact District Administrator * after both Managers have agreed on a possible date/time/place. Always reach out to the opposing Manager; home team reach out to umpires to let them know the game is cancelled.  (For contact info see Interleague Data Sheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10pgtvq8dt4Lo11hPogXfYX0YGWyUvool/edit#gid=1643072038
7. Failure of a team to field 8 players requires a reschedule (this is not an automatic forfeit) If a team knows ahead of time that it cannot field 8 players and the game is not going to be played, home team needs to reach out the opposing manager and the umpires to let them know.If a team drops below 8 players at the game due to injury the game will be suspended and must be continued at another date. Umpires must depart. You may not play a game with borrowed players from the other team. The resumption of the game will be at same point as it stopped. Pitching rules in the continuation of the game are subject to current week’s eligibility of the pitcher (observance of rest rules). See rule book for details.
8. Keep your team and league contact information up to date on the Interleague Data Sheet

   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10pgtvq8dt4Lo11hPogXfYX0YGWyUvool/edit#gid=1643072038

9. Pool Players: If you are going to be short-handed for a game, please procure a pool player or two to bring your team up to 9 or 10 players. District is willing to run a player pool so that volunteer players may fill in for any game to help complete roster needs. See LL Rules for Pool Play operations.

PLEASE CHECK WITH LOCAL LEAGUE FOR FIELD STATUS IF ANY RAIN HAS OCCURRED RECENTLY: Notify District Administrator if a field is closed as early as you know and notify opponents and umpires directly using Contacts from the worksheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10pgtvq8dt4Lo11hPogXfYX0YGWyUvool/edit#gid=1643072038

1. If DA is notified there will best effort made to post Field Status on the Home Page of the District 3 website https://tshq.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1504667
2. Umpires will be provided by the host league, i.e. if it is your Home field and your Home team is playing in the game you provide the umpires. HOWEVER if the 2 teams playing are using the field of a third league, the listed Home team must bring the umpires to the game. It is ok to ask the opposing team if you need help finding an umpire as well. We want these games to be covered and the short supply of umpires can be a challenge. If you want to check with other leagues for availability of umpires to help you with your schedule please reach out to the Coordinator as listed on the Interleague Date Sheet.

PRE_GAME:

1. Home team in 1st base dugout. Visitor 3^rd base dugout. NOTE: The schedule may not have a truly equal balance of Home and Away designations for each team but this is not important. If you were Home team the first time you played this opponent it is fine to switch to the opposite for the second game.
2. Infield starts 40 minutes before game start time. Normally the home team will take infield first.If both teams have not yet arrived the team that is ready may go first so there is no delay in the start time.Each team will get an equal amount of time, neither team may take no more than 15 minutes for infield.The umpire will cut infield short if necessary to start on time.The pre game meeting will take place 10 minutes before scheduled game time.
3. No batting practice before games at game site or in sight of game is allowed. This is a Little League regulation.

   GAME OPERATIONS:

4. Host League or Home team provides umpires unless otherwise agreed/arranged with opponents.
5. Home team provides game balls as necessary but visitor team should carry 1 dozen balls as backup.
6. 2 hr 15 minute WEEKNIGHT GAME time limit. The time limit is measured from the scheduled start of game, not the actual start. This is not a hard stop – the inning in progress may be completed. However, no new inning starts after 2 hr 15 minute mark.For cutoff purposes, the new inning “starts” as soon as the last out is made in the bottom of the prior inning
7. Weekend games – no new inning may commence within 45 minutes of next scheduled game start time. If no game scheduled after yours play all innings. Local fields may have additional time limits which are discussed at the pregame plate talk.
8.  7 innings is a complete game.
9. 5 innings is regulation game (4.5 if home team ahead). If the game is called before it is regulation length (for weather or darkness or time limit or field curfew) the remainder of the game is played at another time only to complete the regulation game. (We don't have to play all the way through the 7th inning to finish an incomplete game) All teams need to play 12 games to completion for legal regulation ‘season schedule’.
10. All rainouts and other reschedules are individually arranged with other team and coordinated through the District Administrator.
11. Official pitch count is kept by Visitor team.Both Teams report scores: Send game date, time location, scores for both teams to [email protected] for posting on the District 3 website.There is no provision to record pitch counts on this site but be sure to have the opposing manager sign off on your pitch count in your scorebook at the end of each game.
12. Pitchers are required to use Rubber cleats or turf shoes at fields utilizing artificial turf mounds:Vallecito 4, Granada, Bacich, and San Marin High School have such mounds. Please advise if any other field on the schedule is not listed and should be added to this list.
13. GAME COORDINATOR RULE:: In accordance withLL Rule 9.01(a), if 2 youth umpires are scheduled for both the plate and field umpire positions, Managers from both teams shall appoint 1 adult person present (parent or league official) to be the Game Coordinator (GC). (GC may not be a coach on either team)
    • The GC shall be included in the pregame conference between the umpires and Managers 
    • The GC must be present for the entire game.
    • If there is a disturbance either on the field or in the immediate vicinity of the field, interrupting either play or the orderly administration of the game, and upon request of the youth umpires, the GC shall suspend play until the disturbance is stopped or the cause removed.
    • The GC shall scrupulously follow and enforce the second sentence of Rule 9.02(c): "No umpire shall criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpire's decision unless asked to do so by the umpire making it. The plate and field umpires shall have primary authority to make rulings on plays on the field, including decisions to suspend play due to darkness or weather. If the plate and field umpire make conflicting rulings, the plate umpire shall determine which umpire should make the ruling. The GC shall support the youth umpires' decisions whether or not he/or she agrees with such decisions.
    • The GC shall announce that the game is being played under protest if a Manager of either team so requests and direct the scorekeeper to mark the game record appropriately. Protests are adjudicated by the District Administrator and District Umpire in Chief.
    • The GC shall avoid taking any action that might have the appearance of conflict of interest and shall defer to the youth umpires unless action is necessary in the clear interest of safety.
14. The adult umpire-in-chief and/or the youth umpires shall report any incidents of note to the *DA in writing within 24 hours of the game.

    RULES: (CHECK SIGNIFICANT UPDATES AT BEGINNING OF RULEBOOK OR on LL WEBSITE):

15. LL Run rule (‘mercy rule”) is in effect per Rule 4.10 (e) including 8 run rule, 10 run rule, and 15 run rule.
16. Intentional walk rule 6.08(a)(2) is in effect.
17. Rule 3.09 allows Manager or Coaches to warm up a pitcher.
18. Visits to pitcher is 2 per inning, 3 per game. (Must retire pitcher; s/he may remain in the game as a fielder but may not return to the mound that game.)
19. All players of all ages may pitch (including 15 year olds) subject to pitch count rules.
20. We use continuous batting order (Full roster batting) per Rule 4.04.
21. LL rule book pitch count regulations are in effect. Check with opposing Manager before game to determine if there are any ineligible pitchers; report limitations to the umpire at the plate meeting.
22. Pool Play is in effect. Have players volunteer to be in the Pool. It is encouraged that teams will strive to have 10 players start every game.Follow rules for Pool Players in rulebook. They are treated as regular members of the team but wear own jersey/cap. They may not pitch. A pool player may be from any non-involved team in the district division. Intermediates 12s or 13s may play as pool players in Juniors games and 11s and 12s from Majors may pool play for Intermediates. The Division Commissioner or DA must administer the Player Pool. Managers may not reach out directly to Pool Players.
23. Minimum play:  LL Rule book:  6 outs and 1 at bat -- defensive minimum does not have to be consecutive outs. if possible strive for 9 outs minimum defensive play.
24. Pitcher may return to mound once in game if removed from mound but has not been removed from game (i.e. was not sent to bench in interval). LL Rulebook 4.04 (subject to note r above.)
25. There is no pinch runner (because all batters are in the lineup - Rule 7.14) but if a player is injured a substitute runner may be used who must be the player who made the last/prior out.
26. Follow pitch count and restrictions on Catchers becoming pitchers (who may not pitch that day if caught in 4 or more innings in game -catching 1 pitch in an inning counts as an inning).THERE ARE RULES REGARDING SAID PLAYER BEING ABLE TO RETURN TO CATCHING AFTER PITCHING. Please review.
27. Balk rules are in effect from day 1.However we encourage the Managers and umpires in the game to use the early part of the season to instruct the pitchers on balks because many of the players have not had any experience in this. For games through April 20 balks will be called, but runners will not advance. From April 21 on balks will be called and runners will be moved according to the rules.
28. NOTE: If we DO have to make up, or to complete a game, possibly by finishing it before another game on the same day, the rules allow a pitcher to pitch in 2 games in one day, as long as s/he does not exceed specified pitch count per rule book.NOTE IF A PITCHER HAS PITCHED IN JUNIORS IN THE PRIOR 4 DAYS THEY ARE SUBJECT TO REGULAR REST RULES FOR ELIGIBILITY TO PITCH IN TODAY’S CONTINUATION GAME.