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STARTING AND ENDING A GAME RULE 4 STARTING AND ENDING A GAME

STARTING A GAME The home coach decides if the grounds and conditions are suitable for the game to start; Umpires are the sole judges on the continuation of a game after the game starts.

STARTING A GAME Special ground rules can be proposed by the home coach for unusual conditions; If there is no agreement on special ground rules, the umpires formulate the ground rules; NO GROUND RULE MAY SUPERSEDE A BOOK RULE.

STARTING A GAME Before the game each team is to deliver their lineup cards to the umpire-in-chief; Each team’s lineup card must have a minimum of nine to start the game; Coaches are to verify to the umpire-in-chief that all players are properly equipped and sign the appropriate card indicating this information; This includes bats and helmets!!!

ENDING A REGULATION GAME 4-2

4-2-2 The game ends when the team behind in score has completed its turn at bat in the 7th inning, or any inning thereafter if extra innings are necessary. Since the home team leads 10-5, this game is over.

4-2-2 If the home team scores a go-ahead run in the bottom of the 7th inning, or in any extra inning, the game is terminated at that point. Once the home team scored the 4th run for a 4-3 lead, the game is over.

THE 10 RUN RULE IS USED IN ALL GAMES! 4-2-2 By state association adoption, the game shall end when the visiting team is behind 10 or more runs after 4½ innings, or after the fifth inning, if either team is 10 runs behind and both teams have had an equal number of times at bat. The visiting team leads 14-1 after five innings so this game is over. THE 10 RUN RULE IS USED IN ALL GAMES!

4-2-3a A game becomes regulation when 5 full innings have been played, or if the home team has scored an equal or greater number of runs in 4 or 4 and a fraction innings than the visiting team has scored in 5 innings. This game is in the 4th inning, so it is NOT a regulation game. We DO NOT determine if a game is suspended during the REGULAR SEASON each district has their own rules. We DO declare a game a “suspended game” during the PLAYOFFS if one (1) pitch has been thrown.

4-2-3b This game has gone more than 5 innings and the home team is leading 8-6. This game would be a completed regulation game.

FORFEITING A GAME A team may play with fewer than nine (9) players: An out will be recorded each time the missing player’s turn at bat occurs; The team cannot go below eight (8) players; A team with fewer than nine (9) players CAN return to nine (9) players. If a legal sub arrives, he can be put into the line up and the team returns to nine (9) players

SITUTATION Because of injury Team A is force to play with 8 players. During the 5th inning several players arrive from having taken exams. The coach of Team A realizes that he cannot play with nine players again, but he wants to substitute for some of the remaining players. Will you allow him to do this? Ruling: Yes. Even though the players were not at the game or on the lineup card at the start of the game, they will not be prohibited from playing.

ALL PROBLEMS ARE SETTLED ON THE FIELD PROTESTED GAME THERE ARE NO PROTESTS ALL PROBLEMS ARE SETTLED ON THE FIELD

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