COLOMA TOWNSHIP PARK DISTRICT TEE BASEBALL RULES AND REGULATIONS

 1.  Eligibility Rule:  A Tee Baseball Player is eligible to participate in only 1 (one) Youth Baseball League at a time.  If you choose to play Tee Baseball in Rock Falls you will NOT be eligible to play in any other league during the course of the season.  Anyone violating this rule will be removed from their respective Tee Baseball Team immediately.

     2.  A tee baseball team shall consist of a maximum of eighteen players with a maximum of twelve players on the field at a given time.  A team must be able to start a game with no less than eight players.

          a. A catcher is needed to field the catching position.

          b. A pitcher is used to field the pitching position and to give timing to the game.

     3.  An umpire is needed to make calls on overthrows at the bases and to supervise play.  The  home team shall  supply the home plate umpire.   The visitors shall supply the base umpire.

     4.  Each team may have a manager or co-manager and be allowed as many coaches as deemed necessary.  Only managers, coaches, scorekeepers and players are permitted in the dugout.

     5.  Smoking and profane language are not permitted in the dugouts and on the playing field at any time.

     6.  Teams are permitted to practice three hours per week.  This means a team may have three, one-hour practices or  two, one and one-half hour practices.  Practices will be limited to one per 

          week after the season starts, not to exceed one and one-half hours.

     7.  Regulation games are six innings in length.  Four innings constitute a complete game in case of rain, or three   and one-half innings if the home team is ahead.  No game shall continue more

          than eight innings.  If the score is  tied at the end of eight innings, the game shall be declared a tie game.

     8.  The baseball diamond regulations shall be as follows:  (please see attached diagram, also)       

          a. The bases will be set at fifty-foot base paths.

          b. A horizontal line, painted from the first base foul line to third base foul line located in the front of the pitcher's mound will be drawn on the diamond.

          c. Two defensive player position arcs will be painted on the diamonds behind which the players stand at the beginning of each play.  One arc is in the infield and the second is in the outfield.

          d. A batter's box for both right handed and left handed batters will be painted in at home plate and in the proper position in regards to the tee.  Catcher circles will also be located on both

              sides of the batter.

         e. The batting tee shall be located immediately behind home plate and in line with it.

          f. A semi circle will be painted ten feet in front of home plate.

          g. Pitchers Box - located from pitchers rubber back 5 feet and is the width of the pitchers rubber.

     9.  Players are supplied with an established uniform consisting of a baseball cap and a tee shirt imprinted with the child's team name and player number.  All players are required to wear the

          uniform during official games and tournament play.

     10. Batting helmets must be worn by all batters and base runners.

     11. All types of hardball wood and aluminum bats are permitted for use in Coloma Township Park District Tee Baseball League.  Softball bats are not permitted.

12. Each team will play with a continuous batting order.  This means each  youngster bats in the lineup no matter if he is playing in the field or not.  If the batter bats out of turn, he is out and the

      batter who was supposed to bat, bats next and the regular batting order is continued.  Unless a player is sick, hurt or being disciplined, he must bat in order or his team will take an out.  If

      one of the previous situations exists, the manager must notify the opposing manager and the home plate umpire.  It is necessary for the managers to exchange batting orders prior to the start

     of the game.  Batting orders must include the player's name and number.  Positions are optional.

13. Each player must play at least three full innings of each game unless ill or injured, or unless being disciplined by the manager who must inform the opposing manager before the game begins. 

      (Discipline, for example, might be the result of unexcused absences from games or practices.)

14. The regular season play shall consist of a double round robin (14 games) within the division.  A post season tournament will be held at the completion of the regular season with teams being

      paired by random draw.  The season will not extend beyond the last week of July.

15. Hitting Rule (3 + 2 Rule)  The batter takes position in the Batters Box.  A coach or designated adult standing approximately ¾ of the way to the Pitchers Mound and a

      little off to one side throws a pitch to  the batter.  The batter gets 3 (three) clean swings at good pitches to hit the ball.  If the batter does not hit the ball after 3 (three)

      swings then the tee is set in place.  The batter gets 2 (two) additional swings off the tee.  If the batter hits the second strike foul or the Batter hits the Tee and the ball

      doesn’t carry beyond the orange horizontal line painted from First Base to Third Base then the batter is out.

16. Alternate Hitting Rule (ANY PLAYER WHO DOES NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE

      BEING PITCHED TO.)  The ball is not pitched, but hit off a batting tee.  The batter takes his place at the plate in the batter's box.  The pitcher makes a pitching motion

      and the batter then swings at the ball.  The batter may not swing at the ball until the pitcher has made a pitching motion from the pitcher's mound.  PENALTY: Strike is

      called.   NOTE TO PITCHER: For their safety to avoid being hit by a line drive or hard hit ball, pitcher may begin play by standing behind the pitcher's rubber inside the   

      designated Pitcher's box.  Each team manager will at the beginning of the game designate the hitters on his roster that he feels are very hard hitters (hitters that could

      potentially hurt the pitcher with a line drive) and provide those names to the opposing team.  The pitcher then for those batters only may move back in the Pitchers Box if

      he so desires.  The Pitcher must then decide where he wants to stand in the pitcher's box, and once set, pitcher may not move back, forward, or side to side until the

      pitcher makes the pitching motion and the ball is hit.  PENALTY: If batter is out the pitcher receives warning the first time.  Additional violations the umpire will rule "No

      Pitch" and the batter hits again.  All runners  return to their bases.  If batter gets a hit, regular game play continues.

17. Managers may not physically touch batter once he has placed the batter in the proper position in the batter's box.  PENALTY:  Batter is assessed a strike.  If the batter steps out of the

     batter's box, the umpire will call it to the batter's attention, but no penalty will be assessed.     Coaches may touch base runner(s) after the ball is dead to congratulate hitter and/or

     runner(s).

18. Batters are not permitted to bunt or swing easy at the ball.  The ball must carry beyond THE SEMI CIRCLE drawn ten feet in front of home plate or the batter will be assessed a strike. 

      This rule applies to ground or fly balls.

19. A strike shall be called when the batter hits the tee instead of the ball.  The tee does not have to be knocked over.  But, if in the event a batter hits the tee while swinging at the ball 

      and the ball carries on the fly farther than the horizontal painted line extending from first to third bases, the ball shall be considered a live ball and is playable by both teams. 

20. Any ball caught on a fly is out regardless of the location of the ball.

21. Foul ball on the third strike is out.  The ball shall be declared dead and no runners may advance.

22. Players are not permitted to steal or lead off bases. PENALTY: Called out.  Ball is dead.  Batter hits again.  No runners advance.

23. Basemen are not permitted to block bases while the runner is trying to advance.

24. Throwing the bat is an automatic out.  UMPIRE JUDGEMENT.  This ball is ruled dead and runners must return to their bases.

25. Sliding will be permitted in appropriate situations.  Defensive players should be alert to avoid contact with runners except in the situation where a play is being made on the runner.  Sliding is

      not permitted going to first base. 

26. Player position arcs will be painted on the diamonds.  Defensive players stand behind their player position arcs at the time the batter makes contact with the ball.  Infield players may not

      play more than three of their steps back of player position arcs.  PENALTY: If the umpire calls a defensive player across the arc at the time the ball is hit by the batter, and on the hit the

     batter makes an out, the batter will be permitted to bat again with all runners returning to their original bases.  In the event the batter makes a hit, regular game play continues.

 27. Players must remain in the same position assigned at the beginning of that half of the inning.  Any changes made after that half of the inning has begun, an out will be assessed against that

      team by the umpire for the next time the team is up at bat.  The exceptions to the rule will be due to injury or illness while out in the field.

 28. Base runners may not advance on overthrows at any time the ball leaves the infield playing area, even if it remains in fair territory in the outfield.  Definition of an overthrow: The ball will be

      considered an overthrow whenever the ball is thrown from the infield to the outfield.  It is also an overthrow when the ball is thrown from the outfield to the infield and the ball crosses the

      baseline into foul territory.  However, it is not ruled an overthrow when an outfielder throws the ball into the infield and the ball remains in fair territory.  The ball is considered live and the

     runners may advance.

 29. No team shall score more than five runs in one inning.  If there are not three outs when five runs are scored, the teams shall change sides.  This rule does not apply in the sixth inning or in

      extra innings.

 30. In the sixth inning, if the home team is ahead by more than five runs, the visitors may score enough runs to tie the home team, but not surpass them.  In the event the visitors tie the home

      team, the home team will either play to three outs or until they score one run and the game is ended.  If the inning ends in a tie, rule #6 will apply.  On the other hand, if the home team is

      ahead by less than five runs, the visitors may score up to five runs or three outs, whichever comes first.  This rule also applies to extra innings.

 31. After play, the ball shall be considered a dead ball when it is returned to the pitcher standing on the pitcher's mound.

 32. In questionable weather, please call the Information Line at 625-0491 for cancellations.  Please call after 4:30 PM as decisions for postponements of games are not made until that time.  All

      cancelled games will be rescheduled by the League Director.

 33. A Rule and Protest Committee has been established to examine and discuss any situations which may arise that are not defined in the rules.  Decisions made by this committee will be final

      and each manager will receive a written interpretation of the rule in question from the Coloma Township Park District.  This committee will consist of one representative from each team and

      a representative from the Coloma Township Park District for a total of seventeen members.