https://www.baseballalberta.com/en/page/resources_umpires/rules_of_baseball.html
General Rules
Rules will follow Baseball Canada/Softball Canada except as agreed upon for league play.
– Stay off the infield for warm up until you take an infield practice.
– Stay off chalk lines.
– Hustle on and off the field.
– No sitting on the field.
– On deck batter gets pass balls with nobody on base and holds until wanted.
– Shirts are to be tucked in and buttoned up.
– Hats are worn with bill in front.
– No tobacco products, including coaches.
– Only players and coaches in dugout.
– No players and coaches in stands.
– No throwing bats or helmets.
– Can have a courtesy runner for a catcher that reaches base with 2 out. Must use last batter in lineup not on base.
U9 Fastball Rules
– The coach feeds the pitching machine, which throws the ball over the plate every time, at a speed determined to be hittable for the average player.
– An 11” softball will be used.
– The coach acts as the umpires and feeds to their own team.
– Best to keep a pail of five balls by machine and have catcher throw balls to the backstop until next batter.
– Coach should let batter see the ball and feed the machine in the same motion every time to help batter get timing.
– The pitcher plays to the side of the pitching machine wearing a helmet.
– The operable number of swings allowed is five, and use of the pitching machine guarantees five pitches in the strike zone.
– Players move from one position to another each inning.
– Teams should have 10 – 12 players.
– A game is usually 4 or 5 innings or 1 ½ hours long.
– Running stops when pitcher has the ball in the pitching area and on the 10th batter the pitcher or catcher must have ball on home plate.
– Batter receives 5 hittable pitches from a pitching machine. A pitch that is over the batter’s head or bounces in the dirt is not considered to be a hittable pitch unless the batter swings. After 5 hittable pitches, a batter is out.
– There is no stealing, passed balls, or wild pitches. Batters cannot walk and a batter who bunts is automatically out.
– A runner may not leave the base before the batter makes contact with a pitch. On any infraction, the ball is immediately dead and no runners may advance. Each team is allowed one warning, with any further violations by that team resulting in the runner being declared out.
– An inning ends after three outs or six runs.
– The defense may use four outfielders.
– There is a safety circle surrounding the pitching machine. Only the offensive coach is allowed inside this safety circle. The pitcher is the only player who may give the ball to the coach.
– If the offensive coach interferes with any attempted play by the defensive team, the batter is out and runners return to their last legally occupied base.
– If the pitcher enters into the safety circle and touches a batted ball, the ball is dead, the batter runner is awarded first base, and other runners will advance, if forced.
– If a fair, batted ball hits the pitching machine, comes to rest in the safety circle, or hits a defensive coach, the ball is dead. The batter is awarded first base and other runners will advance, if forced. This rule applies even on the last batter.
– If the pitcher enters into the safety circle to touch a thrown ball, the ball is dead. All runners will be awarded one base beyond their last legally occupied base at the time the ball entered the safety circle.
– The infield fly rule does not apply
– Everyone on the roster bats.
U11 Fastball Rules
– Batter cannot become a runner on a catcher’s miss of a third strike, but the ball is still alive and in play.
– Runner cannot steal when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand on delivery.
– The conference rule is waved for squirt.
– Pitchers can be switch back and forth at any time, but don’t get warm up pitches. Pitchers can leave the game and re-enter once.
– The designated player is not allowed.
– Bats must be ASA approved.
– Games are 6 innings or 1 ½ hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
U13 Fastball Rules
– Runner can steal when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand on delivery.
– The designated player is not allowed.
– Bats must be ASA approved.
– Games are 7 innings or 2 hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
– Pitchers can be switch back and forth at any time, but don’t get warm up pitches. Pitchers can leave the game and re-enter once.
U15 Fastball Rules
– Runner can steal when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand on delivery.
– The designated player is allowed.
– Bats must be ASA approved.
– Games are 7 innings or 2 hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
– Mercy rule is
– After 4 ½, 5, 5 ½, or 6 complete innings of play if there is a difference of 7 or more runs the game is over, but can play longer if coaches decide.
– Pitchers can be switch back and forth at any time, but don’t get warm up pitches. Pitchers can leave the game and re-enter once.
U18 Fastball Rules
– Runner can steal when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand on delivery.
– The designated player is allowed.
– Bats must be ASA approved.
– Mercy rule is
– After 4 ½, 5, 5 ½, or 6 complete innings of play if there is a difference of 7 or more runs the game is over.
– Pitchers can be switch back and forth at any time, but don’t get warm up pitches. Pitchers can leave the game and re-enter once.
– Games are 7 innings or 2 hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
U9 Baseball Rules
– The coach feeds the pitching machine, which throws the ball over the plate every time, at a speed determined to be hittable for the average player.
– A 9” safety baseball will be used.
– The coach acts as the umpires and feeds to their own team.
– Best to keep a pail of five balls by machine and have catcher throw balls to the backstop until next batter.
– Coach should let batter see the ball and feed the machine in the same motion every time to help batter get timing.
– The pitcher plays to the side of the pitching machine wearing a helmet.
– The operable number of swings allowed is five, and use of the pitching machine guarantees five pitches in the strike zone.
– Players move from one position to another each inning.
– Teams should have 10 – 12 players.
– A game is usually 4 or 5 innings or 1 ½ hours long.
– Running stops when pitcher has the ball in the pitching area and on the 10th batter the pitcher or catcher must have ball on home plate.
– Batter receives 5 hittable pitches from a pitching machine. A pitch that is over the batter’s head or bounces in the dirt is not considered to be a hittable pitch unless the batter swings. After 5 hittable pitches, a batter is out.
– There is no stealing, passed balls, or wild pitches. Batters cannot walk and a batter who bunts is automatically out.
– A runner may not leave the base before the batter makes contact with a pitch. On any infraction, the ball is immediately dead and no runners may advance. Each team is allowed one warning, with any further violations by that team resulting in the runner being declared out.
– An inning ends after three outs or ten batters. If the 10th batter is at-bat with less than two outs, the catcher or pitcher must have the ball and touch home plate to end the inning. Any runs scoring before this would count, including runners who legally tagged up on a caught fly ball.
– The defense may use four outfielders.
– There is a safety circle surrounding the pitching machine. Only the offensive coach is allowed inside this safety circle. The pitcher is the only player who may give the ball to the coach.
– If the offensive coach interferes with any attempted play by the defensive team, the batter is out and runners return to their last legally occupied base.
– If the pitcher enters into the safety circle and touches a batted ball, the ball is dead, the batter runner is awarded first base, and other runners will advance, if forced.
– If a fair, batted ball hits the pitching machine, comes to rest in the safety circle, or hits a defensive coach, the ball is dead. The batter is awarded first base and other runners will advance, if forced. This rule applies even on the last batter.
– If the pitcher enters into the safety circle to touch a thrown ball, the ball is dead. All runners will be awarded one base beyond their last legally occupied base at the time the ball entered the safety circle.
– The infield fly rule does not apply.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
U11 Baseball Rules
– Bat shall not be longer than 32”.
– Bat barrel shall not be more than 2-1/4” in diameter.
– Steel cleats are not allowed.
– Games are six innings or 1 ½ hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
– Batter cannot become a runner on a catcher’s miss of a third strike, but the ball is still alive and in play.
– There are no lead offs.
– Runner cannot steal when the pitched ball meets the batter.
– The pitcher may pitch from the set position without coming to a full stop before delivery.
– The 10 run rule is in effect when the losing team has completed their 4th offensive inning/ at bat, but can play longer if coaches decide.
– When a pitcher is pulled they can’t be put back in to pitch later.
– Only pitch fastballs and change ups.
– Pitchers are limited to three innings per game.
U13 Baseball Rules
– Steel cleats are not allowed
– Any starting player may be substituted for and returned to the game, one time only.
– Games are seven innings or 2 hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
– All runners are allowed to lead off.
– The 10 run rule is in effect when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/ at bat, but can play longer if coaches decide.
– When a pitcher is pulled they can’t be put back in to pitch later.
– Only pitch fastballs and change ups.
– Pitchers are limited to three innings per game.
U15 Baseball Rules
– Steel cleats are allowed
– Any starting player may be substituted for and returned to the game, one time only.
– Games are seven innings or 2 hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
– All runners are allowed to lead off.
– Chinstraps are not mandatory.
– Must use bats with no more than a –3 once differential (weight minus length).
– Bats can’t have more than a 2 5/8 barrel.
– Bat restrictions don’t apply to wood.
– The 10 run rule is in effect when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/ at bat, but can play longer if coaches decide.
– When a pitcher is pulled they can’t be put back in to pitch later.
– Can pitch fastballs and change ups and properly thrown breaking balls.
– Pitchers are limited to three innings per game.
U18 Baseball Rules
– Steel cleats are allowed
– Designated hitter can be used, but must be marked on line up card.
– Games are seven innings or 2 hours long.
– Everyone on the roster bats.
– Innings will be 3 outs or 6 runs.
– All runners are allowed to lead off.
– Chinstraps are not mandatory.
– Must use bats with no more than a –3 once differential (weight minus length).
– Bats can’t have more than a 2 5/8 barrel.
– Bat restrictions don’t apply to wood.
– The 10 run rule is in effect when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/ at bat.
– When a pitcher is pulled they can’t be put back in to pitch later.
– Can pitch fastballs and change ups and properly thrown breaking balls.
– Pitchers are limited to three innings per game.