2024 CENTRAL IOWA BASEBALL & SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION BOYS BASEBALL BY-LAWS
Where a rule is not specifically addressed,
National Federation of State High School Association boys baseball rules apply.
1.0 PLAYERS
1.01 All age divisions are based on the player’s grade at the time of Spring signup. 1.02 Age Divisions
1.02.1 T-Ball Kindergarten and 1st graders.
1.02.2 PeeWee 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders.
1.02.3 Minors 5th, 6th, and 7th graders.
1.02.4 Babe Ruth 8th – 11th graders.
T-Ball Note: 2nd graders who are not ready for PeeWee may play T-Ball (at town’s discretion).
Babe Ruth Note: Eleventh graders are eligible if not on a high school varsity or junior varsity roster and are not yet 19 years of age.
1.03 Players may be moved up to the next level in order to field a team, not to exceed eleven (11) players total. However, that player may not displace an able-bodied player currently on that team's roster and within the defined age group for that division.
2.0 GAMES
2.01 Game Length
2.01.1 T-Ball 4 innings, or one hour, whichever occurs first
2.01.2 PeeWee 4 innings, ten-run rule after 3 innings
2.01.3 Minors 5 innings, ten-run rule after 4 innings
2.01.4 Babe Ruth 7 innings, ten-run rule after 5 innings
2.02 Each team will be allowed a 10 minute infield before each game.
2.03 PeeWee and Minors only - There will be a maximum of 5 runs scored per inning. After the fifth run is scored, the inning shall end with any type of putout or play stoppage. This rule applies only to the first three (3) innings in PeeWee and the first four (4) innings in Minors. All subsequent innings shall be played without a run limit.
2.04 If a game is called on account of rain, darkness, or other reasons, the game will be considered complete as follows:
2.04.1 PeeWee 3 full innings
2.04.2 Minors 4 full innings
2.04.3 Babe Ruth 5 full innings
3.0 TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES
3.01 Players must wear the same colored tee-shirts with a number on the back and shorts or
pants. Duplicate numbers are not allowed. Players must also wear socks with close-toed tennis shoes or cleats.
3.02 Teams may have two (2) base coaches at 1st and 3rd bases. If the coaches are under age eighteen (18), they must wear a helmet.
3.03 Home teams will furnish game balls during regular season games.
Reminder: Have a copy of the league by-laws and a National Federation rule book with you at all games.
4.0 THE FIELD
4.01 When weather conditions or other circumstances cause a game to be delayed or canceled, the host coach must notify the visiting team at least 90 minutes before game time.
4.02 All base lines, foul lines, and the batter's box, are to be clearly marked.
4.03 Pitching rubber distances will be measured from the back of home plate to the front of the pitching rubber.
4.04 Pitching rubber distances
4.04.1 T-Ball 40'
4.04.2 PeeWee 40’
4.04.3 Minors 50’
4.04.4 Babe Ruth 60’6”
4.05 Base distances
4.05.1 T-Ball 60'
4.05.2 PeeWee 60’
4.05.3 Minors 75’
4.05.4 Babe Ruth 90’
5.0 UMPIRES
5.01 Visiting teams will supply one (1) umpire.
5.01.1 Umpires will be informed of all ground rules, the wearing of the head gear, or any other rule changes, before the game. This will prevent problems during the game.
5.01.2 Scorebooks must be dated and ALL UMPIRES must sign the book before the game (PeeWee, Minor, and Babe Ruth) for insurance purposes.
5.02 A parent, family member or guardian of the pitcher shall not umpire behind the plate, unless both coaches are notified and agree to allow it before the game begins.
5.03 Babe Ruth Only - all home plate umpires must be certified and the host town will pay the umpire. For Pee Wee & Minor Teams all home plate umpires must be a minimum of 16 years old.
6.0 THE BATTER
6.01 Every batter MUST wear approved protective helmets at ALL TIMES while running, batting, waiting on deck, or catching. THE CATCHER MUST WEAR A HELMET AND THROAT GUARD, EVEN WHEN WARMING UP THE PITCHER. If a batter hits the ball and throws his helmet off before the play is stopped, or the ball is dead, HE SHALL BE DECLARED OUT. However, if his helmet falls off while he is running, there is no penalty.
6.02 A batter must wear his helmet to first base when ISSUED A WALK. If he takes it off before reaching first base, HE SHALL BE DECLARED OUT.
6.03 If a batter is hit by a pitched ball, he CAN remove his helmet without being called out, as the ball is dead.
6.04 If a batter steps into the batter's box without a batting helmet on, the umpire shall WARN the coach that the next time this occurs, the batter will be declared OUT.
6.05 PeeWee Only - There will be no running on a dropped 3rd strike.
6.06 T-Ball and PeeWee Only - There will be no infield fly rule.
7.0 THE RUNNER
7.01 All base runners MUST wear approved protective gear.
7.02 If a base runner throws off his helmet while running the bases, HE SHALL BE DECLARED OUT. However, if his helmet falls off while running, there is NO PENALTY.
7.03 When a play is being made on a runner, that runner must avoid contact or slide.
7.04 A player will be banished from the game if he maliciously runs over a fielder that is holding the ball.
7.05 PeeWee Only - The only time a runner on third can advance to home is on a hit ball, when he is forced home, or when a play is made on any runner.
7.06 T-Ball and PeeWee- The runner shall not leave his base before the ball crosses home plate, or he shall be declared out.
7.07 Minors and Babe Ruth Only - A player may be banished from the game for faking a tag without possession of the ball.
8.0 PITCHERS
8.01 Pitchers are allowed to pitch one regular inning game in baseball in one day. A regulation game is 4 innings in PeeWee baseball game and 5 innings for a Minor baseball game.
8.02 Balks will be called in Minors and Babe Ruth only.
9.0 SUBSTITUTIONS
9.01 The starting nine may re-enter the game once, as long as it is in the same batting order. Pitchers may re-enter the game, but not as the pitcher. Pitchers may be moved to another position and return to pitch as long as they do not leave the game. Substitutions may not re-enter the game. Pinch runners are not substitutes.
9.02 PeeWee and Minors Only - Once a player is in the game as a pinch hitter, he has to pinch hit in only that batting order for the rest of the game, if he is to pinch hit again.
9.03 Pinch runners may be used once per inning as long as he is not in the line-up at the time.
10.0 EQUIPMENT
10.01 All boys’ division bats will have a barrel of 2-5/8” or less and do not have to be BBCOR stamped. Coach may call time during game play if opposing coach would like to inspect the bat when the player I stepping into the batter’s box until the first pitch of the next batter. If the bat is illegal, the batter is out.
10.02 All catchers in any division must wear protective helmets and throat guards as well as protective cups while playing the game and warming up the pitcher. Catcher’s equipment must comply with Iowa High School Athletic Association guidelines.
10.03 The use of steel cleats WILL NOT BE ALLOWED in County League play.
10.04 Peewee, Minor, & Babe Ruth divisions will be required to play with a genuine leather-covered baseball (no plastic-coated balls or Flexiballs).
11.0 ROSTER
11.01 The roster shall consist of coaches' names, addresses, and phone numbers; players' names and grades. Each town must submit their roster to the league secretary prior to or at the Game Scheduling Meeting. THIS WILL BE THE TOURNAMENT ROSTER. Any additions that need to be made to fill a roster must be submitted to the League Secretary by May 15. Any change to the rosters after the May 15th deadline, the board shall be notified and a majority decision shall be made.
11.02 Any boy moving into your area after the season starts, with an established residence, may be
added to your roster by notifying the league secretary before the Tournament Scheduling Meeting.
11.03 All teams whose roster is not in when the regular season starts will forfeit all games played until the roster is in.
11.04 Any team with an ineligible player will forfeit all games that player played in.
11.05 If a town has more than one team in any of the three (3) divisions, it is up to the town to decide which player plays on which team.
11.06 In Peewee, Minor, and Babe Ruth, rosters will be limited to no more than 20 players per team. T-
ball rosters will be limited to 12 players per team.
11.07 No town in the league shall have more than 2 teams per division. If town feels they have an exception, town shall bring circumstances to the board for discussion and review. All final decisions to be done before they day of scheduling meeting.
12.0 ENTRY FEE & INSURANCE
12.01 The amount of the Entry Fee will be determined at the Spring Meeting each year. 12.02 Entry Fees will be submitted to the board prior to or at the Game Scheduling Meeting. 12.03 Each team is to obtain their own insurance.
12.04 Each town is required to submit a copy of their player and team policy to the board at the time when they submit their rosters.
13.0 OFFICERS
13.01 The Board of Directors will consist of six (6) members. Two (2) members will be voted in as
Directors each year. The Board Members will elect their President and Vice President.
13.02 A Secretary-Treasurer will be appointed by the board each year. 13.03 Officers of the League shall serve three (3) year terms.
14.0 PROTESTS 14.01 No protests will be allowed in any age division.
15.0 COACHES 15.01 A coach does not have to wear a team uniform.
15.02 Coaches are to set the example. There will be no smoking, chewing tobacco, alcohol, or profanity on the field, or in the dugout, by either coaches or players. Penalty for infraction of this rule shall begin with a verbal warning of the offending coach/player by the umpire. Subsequent infraction penalties can range from verbal warning to ejection from the game of the next offending coach/player. The umpire shall impose such penalty according to the severity of the infraction.
15.03 T-Ball, PeeWees, and Minors Head Coaches must be at least 18 years of age or have completed high school. ALL Babe Ruth Coaches must be at least 21 years of age.
15.04 Possession or consumption of alcohol will not be allowed on the field, or in the immediate
premises by any person. Each town is responsible for its own enforcement of this policy.
16.0 T-BALL
16.01 All PeeWee rules will apply, with the exception of the following T-ball specific rules.
16.02 The player fulfilling the pitcher's role in T-ball may be utilized anywhere in the infield, providing the position doesn't place him in front of, or equal to, the pitching rubber.
16.03 The coach may adjust the Tee for the batters. The Tee shall be placed directly in front of home plate with the 2 front sides together.
16.04 The coach will tell each batter when he may hit the ball.
16.05 There is no bunting allowed. A full, aggressive swing must be taken by the batter, and the ball must be struck with the bat. Any ball hit in fair territory shall be a fair ball, provided the bat strikes any part of the ball. If the bat hits the Tee, but not the ball, or a legal swing is not taken, it shall constitute a foul strike. In the event of a foul strike, if the ball is caught in the air, the batter is out. Runners may advance at their own risk. Otherwise, no advancement will be allowed by the runners on a foul strike.
16.06 There will be no strike outs in T-Ball. The player will be allowed to swing until he hits a fair ball.
16.07 There will be a maximum of 10 players on the field at one time, with the tenth player being the fourth outfielder. Towns can have minimum of 6 players on a T-Ball team. All players will bat.
16.08 After the final batter, to end the inning, any player with possession of the ball may step on home plate to end all play. Coaches will stop the runners to avoid injury.
16.09 For the first 2 innings of the game, all players will bat off the tee. The last 2 innings will be OPTIONAL coach pitch. During coach pitch, there will be a limit of 3 pitches per batter.
16.10 When a player is declared out, he must return to the dugout, but the inning will not be complete until all players have batted. The coaches will be responsible for declaring if a batter was thrown or tagged out.
16.11 When the pitcher is in possession of the ball, and in his designated position, runners must hold their occupied base, or if between bases, continue to the next base only, at their own risk. The pitcher’s designated position shall be defined as an 8’ radius (16’ diameter) circle with the center of the circle being the front/center of the pitching rubber.
16.12 Regulation baseballs will not be used in T-ball games. The ball to be used in all games will be a soft touch core ball, such as the Diamond Flexi Ball.
16.13 Games will have a one hour time limit.
16.14 Rosters will be limited to 12 players per team.