Rookie League; Ages 6-8 

All Indiana Mid State Baseball League games shall be played in accordance with the current applicable rule book utilized
by Babe Ruth Baseball, with the following exceptions:
A. All games shall be played with a 6 inning or 1 ½ hour time limit. No new inning will start after 1-½ hours. The new
inning will be completed if necessary. Games called because of time shall be a regulation game. A tie shall stand.
(One hour and twenty-nine minutes a new inning will start.)

B. Run Rules:

● 6 runs per inning
o If 6 th run scores during an at bat, play continues until out is made or all runners cross home
plate. Any runs scored over the 6-run limit will not count.
● 15 runs after 3 innings; 2 ½ if the home team is ahead
● 10 runs after 4 innings; 3 ½ if the home team is ahead

C. All players on roster shall bat (3 outs or a maximum of a complete roster of the largest team per inning whichever
comes first). Teams may field 10 players (4 must be in outfield positions), with free substitution. All players on
roster must play every other defensive inning. No player shall sit 2 consecutive innings.

D. All batters will receive 5 pitches or three strikes, whichever comes first. Batter must swing at 5 th pitch or the batter is
out. If 5 th pitch is fouled batter gets another pitch and so on.

E. Injured or ill players may be removed from the batting order without penalty. Once removed player may not re-
enter.

F. Once the batter has hit the ball into play, the coach should not leave the field of play (pitching machine). Defensive
players must stop the forward motion of advancing lead runner; when a stopped runner makes a motion to return to
base, they must return. The pitchers helper must be in control of the ball and in the pitcher’s circle to stop play.

● Time Out Rule: If a fielder with possession and control of the ball, brings the ball within the
base path and calls time out, time out will be granted by the umpire, and all runners
that have reached at least the halfway point between two bases will be awarded the base to
which they were going.

G. Only one pitchers helper and they must keep one foot inside the circle until the ball crosses home plate. The extra
player must be in outfield. (16-foot diameter pitching circle centered at 46’ to home plate)

H. Two defensive coaches and one coach pitcher are allowed on the playing field. Coaches are not allowed to interfere
with the players, such as grabbing a player to move into the direction of the play. There is no infield fly rule in
effect.

I. If a struck ball hits pitching machine or pitching coach it is ruled a dead ball. The batter is awarded first base and
runner (s) on base advance one base.

Coach interference - If the umpire determines a coach moved intentionally to obstruct the play, it is ruled a dead ball
and the batter is the batter is out. No runners are to advance.

J. All teams must use pitching method of the home team during all regular season games (I.e., pitching machine in
Sheridan, coach pitch in Cicero). During tournament only, teams may choose pitching method prior to a game but
must use that method only during entirety of game. Pitching machine shall be set to 35 - 40 MPH and placed at 41
feet to home plate. Coaches must start with both feet in the circle when pitching and pitch overhand.

K. A player is not required to slide, however, if the non-sliding player causes a collision with the defensive player, the
non-sliding player will be called out regardless of the outcome of the play. (It is legal for a player to jump around the
tag at the base as long as no collision occurs.)

● 2015 Babe Ruth League change: If a runner attempting to reach home plate or another base
intentionally and maliciously runs into a defensive player in the area of home plate or a base, he
will be called out and ejected from the game.

L. A runner may advance only 1 base on an overthrow at any base unless the defensive team makes a play on the runner
advancing from an overthrow. If, upon making a play on the runner, another overthrow occurs the runner may advance
one additional base.

Base runners may advance at their own risk only when a defensive player makes a clear and intentional attempt to retire a
runner. When the ball is thrown to the pitcher or pitcher’s helper, runners are limited to advancing one (1) base beyond
the last base legally occupied at the time of the throw and may not continue advancing unless a subsequent play is
attempted on a runner. If the throw to the pitcher/pitcher’s helper is not caught cleanly, is overthrown, or otherwise
mishandled, runners must stop at the base they are advancing to and may not advance further. A halfway hash mark
between each base will determine runner commitment: runners who have reached or passed the halfway mark at the time
the pitcher/pitcher’s helper gains possession of the ball may continue to the next base, while runners who have not
reached the halfway mark must return to the previous base. Once the ball is in control of the pitcher/pitcher’s helper and
no active play is being made, play will be considered effectively dead for purposes of runner advancement. The umpire
shall have final discretion in determining whether a play was attempted and in placing runners in accordance with this
rule.

M. Player substitution across teams will be allowed under the following stipulations. Player will wear original team
uniform, will not pitch, must play right field, and bat at the bottom of the order. However, preference would be to pull a
player up from lower league.

N. No bunting