Recreation C League Rules
I. PLAYER REGISTRATION/ELIGIBILITY
Teams are formed by current grades, not age.
A player may be on only one team roster within RAYB/MAA. Any player(s) added after the registration deadline must be approved by the respective association board.
II. GENERAL RULES INCLUDING POSITIONS AND PARTICIPATION
C league is for kids in grades 2 and 3 and is considered an instructional and competitive league.
Scores and standing are kept during the season and there is a postseason playoff and championship game.
The home team shall keep the official scorebook and will be responsible for reporting the scores on the website.
All players must be in matching uniforms that consist of a hat and a jersey at a minimum. Cut-off sleeves or shirttails are not permitted.
A courtesy runner shall be used for the player who is going to catch the next inning when there are two outs. The player who made the last out must be the courtesy runner.
There is a two-minute time limit between innings. Please have your fielders ready to take their positions before it is time to go onto the field.
Teams must field a minimum of 7 players. Less than 7 players results in a forfeit of the game and a loss in the standings. The players from the two teams will join and split evenly to make two teams in order for the kids to play a game.
Each player present at the start of the game must play a minimum of 3 innings unless injured. No one player may play more than one additional inning more than any other player. All players will be included in the batting order and bat in sequence regardless of whether the player is in the field (roster batting).
Each player must play in the infield and the outfield in each game. No player may play any position for more than 2 innings in any game. The objective is for each player to have the chance to play and learn several positions. Every player should sit once before any other player sits twice.
Fielding changes should not be made during an inning unless there is an injury.
Infield consists of the following 6 positions: 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, C
The pitcher must be positioned next to the pitching machine while the ball is thrown. The pitcher's feet need to be on the dirt of the pitcher’s mound.
4 outfielders will be used unless the head coaches from both teams agree to play 3 outfielders prior to the start of the game. Outfielders must stand a minimum of 15 feet into the grass outfield prior to the ball being hit.
Outfielders may not field a ground ball until it has passed all infielders. Penalty is the batter and all baserunners are safe.
Batting lineups shall be written game to game to give players equal number of at-bats.
Batting orders and fielding line-ups shall be presented upon request in the event of a challenge to the player participation rules
Failure to follow any of these will result in game forfeiture.
The home team is responsible for field set-up.
The visiting team is responsible for field clean-up. Field clean-up includes raking the field, putting away pitching machine and equipment including bases and placing tarps over the pitcher’s mound and home plate.
III. FIELDING AND POSITIONS
A player must play in the field at least three innings per game. Penalty is forfeiture of game.
All players must play both infield and outfield positions, and no player may play more than two innings per game at a single position.
Infield consists of the following 6 positions: 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, C
The pitcher must be positioned adjacent to the pitching machine while the ball is thrown. At least one foot needs to be in the dirt of the pitcher’s mound.
4 outfielders will be used unless the head coaches from both teams agree to play 3 outfielders prior to the start of the game. Outfielders must stand a minimum of 15 feet into the grass outfield prior to the ball being hit.
Outfielders may not field a ground ball until it has passed all infielders. Penalty is the batter and all baserunners are safe.
IV. BASERUNNING
No base stealing is allowed.
Safety base- first base will be a safety base in order to avoid collisions. Placement-The safety base is used only at first base and is placed directly on the first base line. The white portion of the safety base is placed inside of the line -- in fair territory, while the orange half is placed in foul territory. Batted balls that hit the white portion of the base are fair, while balls that hit the orange half are foul.
The 1B and other defensive players are allowed only to touch the white portion of the safety base during play. On offense, the runner may touch only the orange portion of the base during close plays. Because a runner is allowed to run through first base, they may run straight through the orange half, remaining in foul territory.
There is no leading off base. A runner may leave only on the batter's contact.
On a ball hit to the outfield, a batter may round the bases until the ball is returned to the infield (even if the ball is not under control). The runner must stop at the oncoming base.
No advancing on overthrows. In order to encourage fielders to attempt to make outs, there is no advancement on overthrows.
Base coaches should be judicious with base running and speak with the other team’s coaches between innings to make sure teams are not over-running.
The infield fly rule is not in effect. The batter is out on a caught fly ball and a play can be made on a runner that has left the base.
Contact must be avoided at all times, unless it occurs during a legal slide. Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal as defined by the NFHS.
Baseball Rule Book - no head first slide at home plate. This no-contact rule will be strictly enforced by the coaches calling the plays.
Any player deliberately making contact with an opposing player will be ejected from the game.
V. BATTING
No bunting is allowed.
All players must bat in a set rotating order.
Pitching machines will be used. Any ball striking the pitching machine or bin of balls will be considered a dead ball. All runners will be allowed to advance one base.
Balls and strikes will not be called. Each batter will get a maximum of six (6) pitches. If the batter hits the ball in fair territory, the batter will advance toward first. If the batter, after six (6) pitches, does not hit the ball fair, the next batter is up. A courtesy pitch will be used on a foul tip on the 6th pitch.
The coach running the pitching machine will call the plays at second base and home. The first base coach will call the plays at first base and the third base coach will call the plays at third base.
No warmup bat swinging is allowed outside the fenced field area. This is for the safety of teammates and spectators and must be strictly enforced.
No soft toss or warmup hitting of anything is permitted into the backstop or field fence. This causes damage to the fence structure and must be strictly enforced.
There is a limit of 5 runs per inning. Teams may bat until they have three outs, score 5 runs, or have 12 at bats, whichever comes first.
VI. EQUIPMENT
All males must wear metal, fiber, or plastic cups. All females must wear pelvic protectors.
Protective headgear with ear guards must be worn by all players while at bat and base running.
All players must wear sneakers or rubber cleats. Metal cleats are strictly prohibited.
Players must wear complete uniform as issued by their home association.
Catchers will use all proper gear, including catcher's mitt.
Any bat weight is allowed. Only metal bats are allowed. No wooden bats are allowed.
VII. FIELD DIMENSIONS
Base paths are 60 feet long.
The mound is 46 feet from home plate.
VIII. GAME LENGTH
There is a 90-minute time limit for all games. No new inning may start after the time limit. An inning in progress when the time limit is reached will be completed.
If a game is tied after regulation innings and there is still time left, extra innings will be played in an attempt to break the tie. If a playoff game ends in a tie, the team that was leading the last full inning that didn't end in a tie is declared the winner.
Game starting time is 6:15 PM.
C league plays 6 innings. Games are considered complete after 4 innings, or 3 ½ if home team is ahead.
Ties will stand after curfew or darkness. Do not risk injury due to darkness. To ensure the playing of the full number of innings, hustle between half innings and retrieve all foul balls in a timely manner. Have your fielding positions set before the end of your last at bat.
If the game is called when the teams have not had an equal number of completed terms at bat, the score shall be the same as it was at the end of the last completed inning. If the home team in its half of the incomplete inning scores a run (or runs) which equals or exceeds the opponent's score, the final score shall be as recorded when the game is called.
IX. GAME CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS
If weather makes play doubtful, the Commissioner or the Rec League Director will cancel all games.
No make-up games will be scheduled at the discretion of the Commissioner and Rec League Director depending on field and team availability.
Last upated: 05/06/2026