Interleague play will be conducted according to the official rules of Little League Baseball.  Unless otherwise indicated, the Minor League rule book will be used for the Intermediate levels of play.  The guidelines or reiterations of the rules listed below are intended as clarifications /interpretations of the official playing rules of Little League Baseball.

MAJOR DIVISION

1)  The two-hour rule will be used for all games. This rule states that a new inning will not start more than two hours after the beginning of the game. The starting time of the game must be announced by the umpire to the official scorekeeper when play begins.  If the inning is started before the 2-hour mark, play will continue until the inning is finished (or the half-inning, if the home team is leading), i.e. there is no “drop-dead” time.

2)  In the event of inclement weather, the umpire, home field president or field manager shall make the decision on postponement.  If there is any doubt about the weather, the managers must go to the playing field with their players to collaborate on a final decision.  On weekdays when it is clear that weather will prohibit playing of a game, a home team league official must notify all managers involved and the umpire by 2:00 P.M.

Make-up games should be immediately re-scheduled through each leagues’ designated scheduling representative.

3)  Mandatory “Slaughter Rule” states that if a team is losing by fifteen (15)  or more runs at the end of four innings, or three and one-half innings if the home team is leading, the game is ended.

4) Tie Games - A tie game halted due to weather or darkness will be declared an official tie provided it is an official game.  An official game is one that has completed four innings of play unless the home team is ahead after three and one-half innings of play.

5)  It is solely the discretion of the umpire to call a game due to darkness, poor visibility, or unsafe playing conditions.

6)  If the umpire fails to show up for the game, the managers shall agree on a substitute chief umpire from the stands in order to complete the game.

7) Batting cages are not to be used within 1 hour prior to the start of any Interleague game.

8) A team may have three coaches in the dugout, however only two are permitted on the field during the game.

9) Managers must provide two copies of their lineup card to the opposing manager prior to the start of the game.  Full names and uniform numbers must be included on the cards. 

10) The official rules of Little League Baseball will apply unless noted in these rules. Pitch counts will be as followed as an exception to the Little League Official Rules.  

Maximum Pitches Per Day

Before March 31

Ages 11-12 = 65

Ages 9-10 = 55

Agest 7-8 = 35

After March 31

Ages 11-12 = 75

Ages 9-10 = 65

Agest 7-8 = 40

Rest Requirements

1-20 = 1 day (before March 31); 0 days (after March 31)

21-35 = 1 day

36-50 = 2 days

51-65 = 3 days

66-75 = 4 days

The following is paraphrased from the Little League Rule Book Regarding Catching and Pitching:

Any player who has played who has played catcher for 4 or more innings may not pitch on that calendar day. Receiving one pitch to a batter in the 4th inning constitutes having caught 4 innings.

A player who has played catcher for 3 innings or less, moves to the pitcher position, and delivers 21 or more pitches may not return to the catcher position.

A player who plays pitcher has a 40 pitch maximum in order to play catcher on the same day.

11)  Dropped third strike and infield fly rule will apply in Majors games.

12)  The base runner is automatically out at the plate or any base if he does not slide and the runner makes contact with the fielder and that contact inhibits the fielder’s ability to make the out on a close play.

13) Slashing is not permitted, including a failed attempt; penalty is dead ball, batter is automatically out with no warning.  Runner will return to their original position before the pitch was thrown.

14) Balks shall not be called.

15) No PROTESTS will be allowed …. Any dispute must be resolved on the field.

16) All players in Majors must play at least twelve outs on defense, including one infield inning.  Please note that a pitcher, once replaced, may not return to the same game as a pitcher.

17) Team Roster:  It has been agreed that at the Major level, a team must have at least nine players in the lineup to start a game. Adhering to this rule may require that a Major level team draft an Intermediate level player(s) from its designated Intermediate division. Please note that a drafted player is not eligible to pitch in the game and shall bat at the end of the order.  This rule is for all interleague games and KOH.

18) All players are placed in the batting order.

19) If a player needs to leave the game site during the game for reasons other than illness or injury, advanced notice needs to be provided to the opposing manager and umpire before the first pitch of the game.  If advanced notice is not provided, once the player leaves, the next time his position in the batting order comes up, an automatic out is recorded.  The out is recorded only the first time his position in the batting order comes up.  For subsequent “at bats”, his position is skipped over without penalty.  If advanced notice is given before the game starts, there is no penalty. 

20)  If a player becomes sick or injured or needs to leave the game for some other reason and the team fails to field nine players, they may finish the game with 8 players. However, if the team loses another player and only has 7 players remaining, they must forfeit.

21)  If a player arrives late and prior notice was given to the opposing manager at or before the start of the game, that player may be inserted into the game upon his/her arrival and bat in the last batting position in the line-up.  The late arriving player should be listed as the last batter on the line-up card.

22)  Each league shall provide a list of all managers and coaches with phone numbers that are involved in the Interleague play.

23) Requests for changes to the Interleague Schedule will not be accepted

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION

 Items (1) through (23) above shall also apply to this level of play unless a change is specified below:

24) Twelve-year olds are not allowed to pitch at this level of play.

25) Four innings constitutes a regulation game as per the official Little League rules.

26)  If a team is short a player(s) to meet the 9-person roster requirement, a player must be “called up” from the Minor Division. Similar to the Majors level, the call up may not be allowed to pitch and shall bat at the end of the order.  This rule is for all interleague games and KOH.

27) Stealing home is allowed.

28) Infield fly rule will be used.

29) There is NO dropped third strike.

30) At the Intermediate level, an expanded strike zone is encouraged.

31) An optional “Slaughter Rule” states that if a team is losing by fifteen (15) or more runs at the end of four innings, or three and one-half innings if the home team is leading, either team may call an end to the game.