These Rookie Ball rules are in addition to the OLMBA General Rules

1. This league is for eight and nine-year-old boys and girls.
2. There must be 6 infield positions, 4 outfield positions.
3. Full rotation of all players to ensure the whole team plays. No player shall play more than three innings in the infield if possible. There is no player substitution during the inning unless due to an injury. In order to promote fair position of the players, a player’s outfield innings cannot exceed their infield innings by more than one.
4. Full rotation of all players at bat and everyone bats.
5. Leadoffs and base stealing are not allowed. The base runner may leave the base when the batter makes contact with the baseball. If the base runner leaves the base before the batter makes contact with the baseball or leads off for any other reason, the umpire shall warn the offending coach. Each team is allowed one warning, with any further violations by that team resulting in the runner being declared out.
6. Defensively, no player can play the same position more than once during the same game. The outfielders are restricted to playing the outfield and cannot take a throw at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd base.
7. The pitching machine is placed directly in front of the home plate at a distance of 44’. The bases are 65' apart.
8. The home and visiting coaches must agree on the pitching machine speed at the beginning of the game (between 35 and 40 mph). The coach can only adjust the height for each batter. The speed of the machine cannot be adjusted until the end of a completed inning and only if both coaches agree.
9. An 8 foot diameter safety circle shall be marked off directly in front of home plate and its centre shall be 44 feet from home plate. No player is permitted to break the plane of the safety circle, which is considered a dead ball area. Break the plane means that any part of the body enters the safety circle.
10. The (defensive) pitcher must stand beside the pitching machine, outside of the safety circle and behind the release point of the pitching machine. Lines shall be drawn from the release point to 4 feet beyond the circle. The pitcher must have both feet on the line until the ball is released from the machine. Only the pitcher may return a live ball to the operating coach with runners on base. The pitcher must wear a regulation batting helmet with attached chinstrap. 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.
11. Each batter shall receive a maximum of 5 “hittable pitches” (strike zone). A ‘hittable pitch’ is at the discretion of the umpire. There is no ‘three strikes rule,’ the batter is entitled to 5 pitches. If the fifth pitch is ruled a foul ball then the batter is allowed to receive one final pitch.
11 A – If a batter is hit by a pitch from the batting machine, and cannot continue due to injury or otherwise, the next player in the order will come to the plate.  No out is recorded, and the player struck will be permitted to bat the next time they come up in the order
12. Batters cannot walk or bunt (a bunt is an automatic out).
13. There are no pass balls or wild pitches.
14. If a batted ball hits the pitching machine or the machine operator or lands within the ‘safety circle’, then the ball will be deemed a dead ball and the batter/runner will be awarded 1st base and other runners will be advanced only if forced. The coach feeding the machine must not interfere with any play being made by the defensive team. Otherwise, the batter will be called out and the runners will be returned to their base of origin. In the case of the third out, the side is retired.
15. If a thrown ball lands within the ‘safety circle’, the umpire shall stop play and assign runners to a base. The decision will be based on the runner’s location when play is stopped. More than half way between bases, the runner is allowed to proceed to the next base as long as it is not already occupied by a runner not being awarded the next further base.
16. The infield fly rule does not apply.
17. Play ends when the Defensive Pitcher has control of the ball in the Defensive Pitcher position or the moment an infielder makes a throw to the Defensive Pitcher in the Defensive Pitcher Position (regardless of whether the subsequent attempt to catch the throw is successful). Runners are placed based on the judgement of the umpire.
18. When there are two outs and a player who is to be the catcher in the following half inning reaches base safely while batting or is already on base; he/she shall be substituted with a pinch runner (last out in the batting order) in order to speed up the game.
19. Outfielders must play ten feet behind the defined area of the infield.
20. Each team must provide a scorer.
21. Penalties for violation of rules 3 and 4 are to be ruled on by the convener and the House League Director and/or the disciplinary committee
22. If for any reason, a pitching machine is not available for the game or it becomes disabled during the game, then a coach or parent, but not a player, will pitch in place of the machine.
23. The coach or parent feeding the balls into the pitching machine must wear protective head gear
24. Runners CANNOT advance on over throws made from the infield under any circumstances (i.e. runners can advance only one base on an infield hit).
25. On balls hit into the outfield the runners may advance as many bases as they can only UNTIL the ball enters the infield.  After the ball has entered the infield they must stop at the next base. (i.e. if they have already rounded 2nd they can only attempt to go to third).
26. Mercy Rule (Innings) – no more than 6 runs can be scored per inning.  Once the 6th run has scored the inning is over, even if less than 3 outs have been recorded.
 
OLMBA General HL Rules – 2012 Rules
1. All coaches are responsible to the League Conveners and Executive.
2. All coaches are responsible for the team, including pictures and all league functions.
3. League rules cannot be changed without Executive approval.
4. If no umpires are available at game time, every effort should be made to obtain volunteers from the spectators or the coaching staffs. In the absence of umpire safety equipment, the home plate umpire will assume the position behind the pitcher’s mound.
5. Teams in T-Ball may only use OLMBA house league equipment provided in team equipment bags. From ROOKIE BALL through to MIDGET/JUNIOR, players are permitted to use their own aluminium baseball bats. MIDGET/JUNIOR players are also permitted to use their own wooden bats. Bats are to be approved by the OLMBA equipment manager. Players in all leagues will be allowed to use their own batting helmets provided that the helmet clearly exhibits that it is NOSCAE approved and is a model with double ear flaps. The use of broken helmets will not be permitted in games or practices. Catchers must use a decker (catcher’s glove) in MOSQUITO leagues and up.
6. Long pants must be worn in all games and practices or players will not be allowed to participate in the game or practice.
7. No metal cleats are allowed.
8. No hard plastic cleats will be allowed in Mosquito League and under. Molded rubber shoes (such as turf shoes) are acceptable. No open toed shoes are permitted in any games or practices for all age groups.
9. Batting helmets are mandatory while batting and running the bases. Chin straps must be used with helmets in all leagues below Bantam.
10. For Rookie through Midget/Junior, the minimum number of players for one team in a game is seven. It is an automatic default if less than seven players are available to play at game time. (The game should still be played for the benefit of the players, e.g. coaches should be encouraged to lend players to the team in default. This only applies if the total number of players from both teams is 16 or greater; no game shall be played if there is a double default situation. Such a game will be supported by the umpires and the coaches and umpires will decide on an appropriate number of innings to be played.)
11. Players called up from lower leagues are not allowed to pitch with the exception of Bantam league and higher. At Bantam and higher, call up players may pitch one inning. They must play a minimum of two innings defensively and cannot play more than the regular players. They must bat in continuous order of the entire team. A player who is called up must be played and cannot be taken out of the game except for injury.
12. Specific call ups from the lower leagues can only be called up a maximum of 3 times. You are encouraged, if required, to use as many different players as possible when calling up from lower league teams.
13. All leagues, except T-Ball, have a mercy rule of six runs per inning. There is no “Open Inning”. Regardless of whether or not they can catch up the winning team, losing teams should continue to take their at bats in later innings within the game time limits.
14. When a player is to play catcher in the following half inning and reaches base safely while batting, he/she shall be substituted with a pinch runner (last out in the batting order). This applies only when the second out is made.
15. Swearing and throwing of equipment are not allowed. Penalties for equipment abuse to be strictly enforced immediately upon the abuse occurring by ejection of the offending party.
16. The starting time for weeknight games is set by the House League Director.
17. There is a 15 minute grace period at the beginning of the game for all age divisions in order to avoid defaults. Game duration is still measured from the original game time.
18. No new inning can start after 1 hour and 45 minutes from the original scheduled game start time in all leagues up to and including Peewee. In Bantam and Midget/Junior no new inning can start after 2 hours from the scheduled game start time. A new inning starts when the last out in the previous inning has been made. The umpire’s watch is the official game time.
19. The winning team is responsible for reporting the score to the convener. If games end in a tie then the home team coach is responsible for reporting the score. If no score is reported by the winning team, then no score will be recorded or points awarded.
20. The home team coaching staff is responsible for laying out the diamond, and putting away all the equipment after the game.
21. If the umpire stops a game during an inning, the score will revert back to the score at the end of the last completed inning. A game is considered official after the completion of:
a. Rookie Ball-2 ½ innings if the home team is ahead.
b. Mosquito, Peewee, Bantam, Midget/Junior - 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead.
A game is over when it is a complete game regardless of whether time is still available to play. A game is considered complete after the completion of:
a. Rookie Ball – 5 innings.
b. Mosquito, Peewee, Bantam, Midget/Junior – 7 innings.
22. The Home Team coach will notify the convener in the case of a rained out game. The convener will arrange for the location and the date for the makeup as well as arrange for umpires as required and will notify the coaches involved. If the Home team coach does not notify the convener of rainouts, then no rainouts will be scheduled.
23. Each team must provide a scorer.
24. To determine league standings, two points are awarded for a win, one for a tie, and no point for a loss.
25. League standings will be used to determine the matches in the playoffs (excluding T-Ball). If there is a tie at the end of a regular season game it will remain a tie.
26. The umpire will review the ground rules 5 minutes before the scheduled game time at home plate. The umpire has control of the game at that point.
27. The home team will provide all baseballs for a game. From T-Ball to Major Peewee, one new ball and one good used ball will be provided by the home team. For Bantam and Midget/Junior two new balls and two good used balls will be provided by the home team.
28. At the end of the game both teams, coaches and assistant coaches must line up and shake hands - this promotes sportsmanship.
29. Coaches will not argue with the umpires. Coaches may ask for a rule interpretation. They may not question a judgment call. Violation of the rule results in immediate ejection.
30. Disciplinary action resulting from violation of Rule #29 will be handled by the disciplinary committee
31. Any person warming up a pitcher on or near the playing field before or during a game or practice must wear a catcher’s mask equipped with proper throat protection.
32. Batting will be in continuous order throughout the game.
33. If a player is hurt or leaves, the batting order is still continuous, but that spot vacated by the player will not result in an out.
34. CONTACT RULE
Runners are instructed to slide or to avoid making contact with a fielder. A player who maliciously runs into another player is to be declared out (unless he/she has scored prior to committing the infraction) and is to be automatically ejected (whether or not declared out).
Contact shall be considered malicious if:
a) the contact is the result of intentional excessive force, and/or
b) there is intent to injure.
Malicious contact is to be penalized whether committed by an offensive or defensive player.
The umpire shall determine whether contact was avoidable or unavoidable –
Whether the runner was attempting to reach the base/plate, or attempting to dislodge the ball from the fielder. If the runner could have a) avoided the fielder and reached the base or b) attempted to dislodge the ball, the runner is out even if the fielder loses possession of the ball.
The ball is dead and all other runners shall return to the last base legally occupied by them at the time of the contact.
If the fielder blocks the base path, the runner may make contact, slide into or collide with the fielder as long as the runner is making a legitimate attempt to reach the base/plate. If the collision is flagrant, the runner is called out and ejected. The ball is declared dead. If the defensive player blocked the base path clearly without possession of the ball, obstruction shall be called. The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball is called. If the runner collides flagrantly, he/she shall be declared safe due to obstruction but shall be ejected. The ball is dead.
35. Any unnecessary body contact shall be looked upon as an attempt to injure and will mean ejection from the game with possible further ejections.
36. No fighting or charging the pitcher will be allowed. This will mean immediate ejection from the game with possible further suspensions.
37. All ejections must be reported by the game umpire to the Umpire-in-Chief who in turn reports to the House League Director. If a player or coach is ejected they automatically have a 1 game suspension for the next scheduled league game. A subsequent ejection is an automatic 3 game suspension. A third ejection is ruled on by the disciplinary committee. Coaching or playing while under suspension incurs a further 3 game suspension and action by the disciplinary committee.
An additional minimum two game suspension will be assessed to any coach who refuses to leave the field after an ejection. There will be an automatic review by the disciplinary committee for refusing to leave the field after an ejection. These suspensions mean a player or coach cannot be involved with the team in any capacity at league games during the time of suspension. There are no conversations with the umpire after an ejection as this would represent "refusing to leave the field" after an ejection. Suspended players/coaches must serve their suspension before taking part in any OLMBA team games (i.e. a House League suspension must be served before participating in a Select game and vice versa, note there is an exception in the constitution covering off end of season suspensions with games left in the other venue [Select or House League]). Suspensions will be applied to any OLMBA sanctioned games
38. A player that arrives after the start of the game, who is in the batting order for the game, may bat in his/her position as long as his/her turn at bat has not yet occurred. Otherwise, no matter at what time the player arrives, he/she will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.
39. If a pitcher (Mosquito league and up) hits 3 batters in a game, this pitcher must be removed from the mound immediately and cannot pitch again in that game. He/she can continue to play the game at any other position.
40. For Rookie Ball and above no player shall sit on the bench two or more innings in one game until every player has sat at least one inning on the bench. Similarly, no player shall sit on the bench for three innings in one game until every player has sat on the bench for two innings, etc.
An exception to this rule is allowed for pitchers, however, by the end of the game a pitcher cannot have played more than one inning more than anyone else on the team. If a conflict arises it must be dealt with prior to the start of the inning. The game should not be delayed. All violations will be dealt with by the OLMBA executive and failure to comply will result in any of all of:
A. 1 game suspension for the coach of record.
B. Multiple game suspension for the coach of record.
C. Forfeiture of the game.
D. Disciplinary committee interview of the coach of record.
41. The use of tobacco products by team members and coaches is prohibited. Use near the field or while coaching will result in an ejection and suspension
42. With the exception of Medical Alert Bracelets, NO VISIBLE JEWELRY shall be worn during practices or games. CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED BY LAW IN ALL PARKS AND SCHOOL PROPERTIES.
43. Game protests must be communicated to the convener or designate no later than noon the following day during regular season play and within 2 hours or less after tournament or playoff games.
44. If any OLMBA umpire assigned to a game observes lightning, the Home Plate umpire will immediately end the game. In leagues that do not have an assigned OLMBA umpire, either coach is required to end the game if he observes lightning.
45. In OLMBA House League Play, coaches, players, and parents coaching First or Third base do not have to wear protective helmets unless they are under the age of 18. Anyone under the age of 18 must wear a helmet while coaching 1st or 3rd base.