Overview

All Inter-league programs require the approval of the District Administrator. Inter-league play between two leagues will be conducted at the local league level utilizing these rules. The District Administrator or their designee, referred to as District Coordinator, shall handle all protests and other matters that require District intervention. Inter-league play between three or more leagues will be conducted by a Committee for each Division.

Inter-league Committee

The Committee of local league representatives, one from each league involved, shall govern the Inter-league program. The Inter-league Committee will be administered by the District Administrator or their designee, referred to as District Coordinator. The District Coordinator shall conduct an organizational meeting, review the rules, ensure schedules are developed, and handle protests. The local league representative shall not be a manager/coach in the division. Each league shall have one vote on any issue affecting the operation of the inter-league program. Two or more leagues must be represented at any meeting to approve any motion presented. The Inter-league Committee shall be responsible for the development of the regular season schedule. A regular season schedule shall not begin prior to opening days for the leagues involved and shall conclude at least one week before tournament play.

Rules and Regulations

All Managers, coaches, players, umpires and local league officials shall operate under the Rules and Regulations of their respective Division as published by Little League Baseball, and the rules and regulations of Delaware District 1.

Local Leagues will provide a copy of their Local Leagues ground rules for fields and Park Rules.

Team Rosters

Managers shall carry a copy of team roster at all times.

Local league will provide the District with team rosters upon request which will include contact information.

Changes to the roster must be noted and signed by the President and Player Agent.

Leagues that utilize “Pool Players” must provide the District Coordinator a list of participating players including contact information for the pool players.

Players who participate in a game must wear their regular season uniform and must be reported to the District coordinator within 24 hours.

The report must include the players who were unavailable.

Home Teams or Host Team/League

Will provide at a minimum one plate umpire.

Will provide one Official Scorekeeper. (Manager’s scorebook is not official.)

Will provide one Official Pitch Counter.

Will provide adequate baseballs/softballs for the game.

Will occupy the first base dugout.

Will insure the field is in playable condition.

Will make the field available to traveling team 20 minutes prior to game time.

Visiting Teams

May, but are not required, to provide one umpire.

Will follow all host league’s local park and ground rules.

Regular Season Games

All regular season games shall be completed by the date listed on the schedule.

Teams not completing regular scheduled games each game shall be considered a forfeit.

Each team is permitted without penalty two game schedule changes within a season, provided each change is made at least 24 hours prior to the game scheduled.

Postponed/rescheduled games are required to be made up/completed through mutual agreement within two weeks of the originally scheduled game.

If the teams involved are unable to agree to a date, time, and field, the District Coordinator shall assign a date, time, and field.

Failure to field a team on that date scheduled shall result in a forfeit.

Forfeits

Managers of teams that are charged with a forfeit shall receive a written warning from the Inter-League Chairperson with a copy to the District Coordinator.

Teams charged with two forfeits shall be removed from the program for the remainder of the season.

Wins shall be given to all teams that were scheduled.

Manager of a team charged with a forfeit shall be suspended for the next game.

Manager of a team charged with two forfeits shall not manager/coach that season in a tournament/special game team, in any division. (Local Leagues must adopt.)

Protests

All protests shall be submitted to the District Coordinator in writing within 24 hours of the completion of the game.

Protests shall be made to the home plate umpire (as outlined in the rule book), and it is the manager’s responsibility to see that the protest is entered in the official scorebook.

The official scorekeeper and the plate umpire must sign the official scorebook.

Protests will be heard and resolved by a committee appointed by the District chaired by the District Coordinator.

Pitching Eligibility

All rules listed in the Official Little League Rule book shall apply.

Managers shall carry a copy of the attached affidavit with them to each game.

Affidavit will be made available to the opposing manager upon request.

Affidavits (both teams) shall be given to the Official Scorer prior to the game.

Official Scorer shall record the pitchers for the game.

At the conclusion of the game, managers will sign the affidavit of the opposing team verifying the pitchers used during the game.

Managers shall list on the line-up card ineligible pitchers for that game.

Conduct – Ejections

Managers, coaches, players, or parents/fans are expected to demonstrate the highest degree of conduct when involved in this program.

Managers, coaches, players, or parents/fans ejected from a game shall be required to leave the playing field and the general area of the field.

Managers, coaches and players ejected shall be required to sit out the next league game.

Managers, coaches and players shall not be at the game site while serving a suspension.

Managers, coaches and players ejected for the second time shall be removed from the program for the year, including tournaments.

All ejections shall be reported to the District Coordinator immediately after the game by the team’s manager/coach and the plate umpire.

If an ejected player plays in the next game the game shall be declared a forfeit and the manager shall be removed from the program, including tournaments.

Cell phones shall not be used while on the field except for a medical emergency or scoring in the GameChanger app.

Time Limits

No time limit unless multiple inter-league games are scheduled for the same field.

Exception: Senior softball: No new inning after 2 hours, 15 minutes. Hard stop: 2 1/2 hours.

If multiple games, no inning may begin after the scheduled start time of the second game.

A grace period to start a game is limited to 20 minutes from the scheduled starting time.

Minor Softball Inter-League Rules Addendum

All cancelled games must be rescheduled by home team within 48 hours. Please notify the inter-league coordinator of the rescheduled date. At the end of each game, both mangers must send a text to the inter-league coordinator that games were played.

Gameplay Rules

Continuous batting order will be in effect.

On-deck batters are not allowed in Minors Softball.

Either a maximum of 5 runs per offensive inning or three outs will end the ½ inning, whichever comes first.

In the 6th inning, unlimited runs will be allowed.

There will be a 2-hour time limit on all games. If playing in Felton, the game ends when the light by the tractor shed comes on, or 2 hours, whichever comes first.

The batter and base runners may advance until the ball is in the infield and under control.

Base runners may advance one base on an overthrown ball to any base.

Base stealing: Players may advance one base on a pitched ball.

Players may not steal home unless the catcher throws the ball to pick-off a runner attempting to steal a base.

Players may only steal one base on a pick-off.

Teams are allowed two coaches on the field when playing defense. They must always have one coach in the dugout, and one volunteer with players in the dugout.

There will be no umpires for these games. The offensive manager or coach will call balls/strikes and caught fly balls. Base coaches will call safe/out and fair/foul.

Pitching Rules

All Teams: Coach pitch is allowed in all games until May 7th. Teams are allowed to have player pitch during this period as well.

After May 7th, the remainder of the season is player pitch.

Pitchers are limited to four innings per game.

Player pitcher can pitch to a batter until four balls are called, the batter puts the ball in play, or the batter strikes out.

If four balls are called on a batter, the coach of the offensive team will pitch to the batter until three strikes are called or the batter puts the ball in play. (Player Pitcher strike count continues after coach takes over pitching.)

There will be no walks (i.e. base on balls). (We are trying to promote pitching and batting.)

If a player-pitcher hits a batter, the batter will be rewarded first base, per rule 6.08(b)

Time Limits

No new inning may start after the 2 hour, 15 minute mark.

For 6:00pm games with a late game following, there is no new inning after 8:00pm. (If the game is an official game of five innings and not tied at 7:50pm, then the game is over.)

Late games must not start a new inning after 10:30pm.

Play Time

Batting order is nine batters with substitutes.

Minimum play is six consecutive defensive outs and one complete at-bat.

Substitutions may be re-entered after they meet minimum play time and for the same player they substituted for in the same spot in the batting order. Refer to Little League rule book, Rule 3.03.

Game Preliminaries

Managers must have three copies of the line-up prepared for each game. Exchange line-up cards with the official scorekeeper, the umpire and the opposing manager.

Each team must maintain one approved adult coach in the dugout at all times.

Home team keeps scorebook and supplies baseballs for the game.

Visiting teams keeps the pitch count log.

Home team provides the crew chief umpire. Visiting team may supply an umpire.

Mercy rule applies: 15 runs after 4 innings and/or 10 runs after 5 innings.