Local Rules and Regulations:

1: HOME TEAM: The second team listed is the home team.

2: GAME BALLS: The home team will supply one new game ball and one approved back up ball. Each team will be provided with twelve new game balls with their schedules. While your team is at bat, you are required to supply all game or back up balls to replace those that have been lost due to home runs, lost foul balls, etc.

3: BASES: Bases will be at the field. A DOUBLE FIRST BASE will be used at all fields. If you are not sure of how the double 1B is used, ask the umpire before the game.

4: LIGHTS: are on automatic timers, but will be turned off manually by the umpire after the last game of the night. Please do not delay in picking up and leaving after the last game of the night. This will help keep costs down. It will also help you to see where you are going. Umpires have been instructed to turn lights off immediately following the last game on the field.

5: GAME TIMES: 6:15, 7:20, 8:25, 9:30 No new inning will start after 1 hour and 10 minutes from the actual starting time unless the score is tied.

6: GAME LENGTH: Each game will consist of seven innings (6.5 innings if the home team is ahead) time providing. A game will be declared OFFICIAL after five innings of play (4.5 innings if the home team was / is ahead).

7: TEN RUN RULE: If a team is ahead by ten or more runs at the end of the fifth or sixth innings, they will be declared the winner.

8: FIFTEEN RUN RULE: If a team is ahead by fifteen or more runs at the end of the fourth inning, they will be declared the winner.

9: HOME RUN RULE: There is a "two home run, one up" rule for all divisions of play. "One up" means that once both teams have reached two home runs no team may be more than one home run ahead of the other team. All home runs that are in violation of this rule will be an out. This rule applies to untouched over the fence home runs only.

10: HOME RUN LIMIT: In addition to rule #9, each team is allowed a total of five home runs per game. Any home runs past five will be ruled an out.

11: TIEBREAKER: The "international" tiebreaker rule will be used on all games tied after 7 innings. After the 7th inning, each team will start their half of the inning with a runner on second base. NOTE: If the game is tied after one hour and ten minutes have expired, this rule will be applied to the start of the next inning, no matter what inning it is.

12: "ONE AND ONE COUNT": ALL DIVISIONS will use the one and one count rule. All batters will start with a one strike count and will be given an extra foul ball with two strikes.

13: RAIN OUTS / CANCELLATIONS: The person in charge of field maintenance will make the decision if a field is playable by 3:00 p.m. The team manager may call the rain out # after this time if weather is questionable. The RAIN OUT # (778-7055) or Ferndale (380-7462) may be used by MANAGERS ONLY. This is necessary to keep the phone line open so that each team can be informed by the coaches. The coach / manager is responsible for notifying their own players. If you can not get through to the rain out #, SHOW UP AT THE FIELD.

14: MAKE UP GAMES: The League Scheduler will schedule all make-up games. Be prepared to play make-up games during the regular season and on any day. You will be informed of make up games as fields become available. Not all games will be made up.

15: PLAYER ELIGIBILITY: A Player who plays in this league may not play in any other BMSA league team. All players must have signed the player roster form on file with the league. There are no "player fees" therefore, to add a player to your roster just fill out a player addition form and mail it (address on bottom of form) or see that a board member recieves a copy.

16: PLAYER VIOLATIONS: All player violations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and appropriate penalties will be levied. General rule violations will result in a suspension of league play for at least the remainder of the season and may result in your team receiving a loss for all games played with the player in violation. This rule will be strictly enforced this year.

17: CHANGING TEAMS: A player can play on only one team at any given time. Players are allowed to change teams, providing they follow the proper procedures, until July 31st. A player MAY NOT change teams after July 31st. If a player changes teams he is not eligible to play with his new team until the following week. A week is defined as beginning on Monday and ending on Friday. Violations of this rule will result in suspension from the league for at least the remainder of the season.

18: MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS needed to play is eight. No pick up players are allowed. All eight players need to be within the field of play. Players arriving late may be added to the bottom of the batting order whenever they arrive. A team must start at game time if they have eight players. There will be no grace period to obtain the minimum number of players. A minimum of eight players are needed to continue or finish a game.

19: BATTING ORDER OPTION: A team has the choice, at the start of the game of using the NSA batting rule, or batting all players and having free substitution on defense. If a player is injured, ejected, or otherwise unable to play, his name is "skipped over" in the batting order. His inability to bat WILL NOT result in an out.

20: COURTESY RUNNERS are allowed to run for INJURED players with the agreement of the opposing team captain. The courtesy runner will be the player making the last out for his team. If there are no outs in the game when a courtesy runner is needed, the courtesy runner will be the last man in the batting order. REMEMBER: The opposing team's captain / manager must approve the use of a courtesy runner. It IS NOT the umpire's decision to make.

21: SCORES: The winning team will email scores to (scores@bellinghamsp.com) before noon the morning following the game. If the score is not emailed by noon the next morning, both teams will be credited with a loss in the standings. You can also report your scores via the webpage with your username and password under POST RESULTS.

LEAGUE ANSWERING SERVICE: 734-3541

22: GROUND RULES: Straight NSA on all fields.

25: PROTESTS: A protest must be made with the umpire prior to the first pitch following the play being posted. A written protest must be filled with the League President (Rick Taunton) within 24 hours. A $10 fee must accompany any written protest. The $10 filing fee will be returned if the protest is upheld. If you are not sure if you have a valid protest, or you have a complaint about a team / player, leave a message on the League Answering machine and a League representative will get back to you as soon as possible.

26: DRINKING of alcoholic beverages is prohibited by city ordinance. Please wait until you have left the park area. After a warning from the umpire, players will be ejected from the game for further violations. All teams are responsible for everyone (players, fans, etc.) that are within the field of play, this includes the dugout area.

27: FOOTWARE: No metal, metal tipped nylon or removable spikes with posts or studs are allowed. Most standard removable cleats sold in sporting goods stores for softball play are allowed.

28: There will be no infield practice. The home team must be on the field and ready to play at game time. Infielders are allowed to warm up between innings if time permits.

29: The pitcher is allowed three warm-up pitches prior to the start of the game. After the first inning NO WARM UP PITCHES will be allowed. The umpire has the authority to call balls / strikes and / or eject players for excessive violations of this rule!! Deliberate slow play and continuous "delay of game" will not be tolerated.

30: If the umpire fails to arrive, please notify Tina Miler (384-6216). If the umpire does not arrive, and both teams agree to have an arbitrary person umpire, the game will count in the standings and said umpire will be paid the normal fee for umpiring. The League and Umpire's Association assume no responsibility for said umpire.

31: CASUAL PROFANITY RULE: Any player using casual profanity (expletives not directed at the umpire(s) or opposing player(s) and loud enough to be heard by spectators) will result in an out charged to the next batter. When casual profanity is heard during a live ball, the out is treated as a dead ball situation. If the play results in a third out and casual profanity is used by the offensive team, the first batter in the next inning of the offending team will be called out. If the casual profanity is used by a member of the defensive team, the first batter in the next half of the inning will be called out.