NC/SC ADULT BASEBALL RULES; updated 8/1/24
Eligibility
1.01 Age minimums: To be eligible to play in a NC/SC League Baseball game, a player must be: (50+ Division) At least 48 yrs old within the calendar year to be eligible to play. (In 2024 Each 50+ team will be allowed 48+ players that cannot pitch. (60+ Division) In 2024 each 60+ team may have players 58+. Underage players cannot pitch.
1.02 Penalties: A player found in violation of NC/SC ABL eligibility regulations is subject to expulsion from NC/SC ABL. All games in which the ineligible player participated will be forfeited.
1.03 League Playoff Eligibility: To participate in NC/SC ABL league playoffs,
a) Have appeared in half of the regular-season games with the team you participate with. Newly added players must play at least the last 4 regular season games.
b) An injured player may show up for games and get credit for a game played to meet the minimum game requirement due to injury.
c) Teams qualifying for the playoffs are required to provide to the league a certified eligibility list one week (7 days) prior to the start of the playoffs.
d) Use of ineligible players will lead to forfeiture of playoff games in which the ineligible player participated. Proof of participation must be noted in the player's team's scorebook.
e) Teams may borrow one player for the play-offs if they are short (less than 9 players). That player must have played at least half of his teams games and cannot pitch.
If a new player is added to the roster after the 6th game then he must make 4 of the remaining regular season games to be eligible for the playoffs.
1.04 Governance: NC/SC ABL is governed by a Governing Board, which establishes playing guidelines, fees and convenes appeals/protest hearings. Different members of the Governing Board will have selected responsibilities throughout all of the divisions.
2.00 Sportsmanship
2.01 Good Sportsmanship and adult attitudes must prevail no matter what the level of competition. Umpires will eject players before, during or after games for any of the following behaviors, which the league considers
to be unsportsmanlike behavior:
a) Threats of physical intimidation of umpires, players or spectators, including any threatening physical contact. (In case of no ejection or where umpires are unaware of such an incident, managers need to report incident to a member of the Governing Board for further action.)
b) Verbal abuse of umpires, players or spectators, such as profanity, name-calling, belittlement or excessive harassment. (Ball & Strike calls and judgment decisions are not debatable.)
c) Excessive profanity, defined as profanity that, in the umpire's judgment, is audible in the stands, dugouts and area surrounding the field of play. This is regardless of intent.
d) Throwing of equipment (bats, helmets, gloves, etc).
e) Fighting (see 2.04).
2.02 EJECTION: Any ejection for arguing with umpires will carry a 1-game suspension and other infractions will be a 2-game suspension. Fighting or pitchers intentionally throwing at batters will be an automatic suspension for the rest of the year and until the Board decides appropriate to return. (See 2.04)
a) Field conduct: Ejected players may stay on the field site, but may have no further contact whatsoever with umpires including verbal confrontation. Further contact by the ejected player will make that player subject to additional sanctions, including, but not limited to, removal from the field site.
b) Appeals: All ejections from umpires are final. (If a player is ejected in the first game of a double-header he will be ineligible for game 2).
c) Carry over: Sanctions will carry over to the following season if committed within the last 2 games of the previous season.
d) Two ejections: Any player ejected twice within the same season will be suspended from NC/SC ABL for the remainder of the season.
e) Reporting: Managers are required to report ejections and file a game report to the League office by phone or email within 24 hours of the completion of the game.
2.04 Fighting: Players involved in fights (regardless of who may have been the instigator) will be suspended for the remainder of the season and must petition the Governing Board for reinstatement the following season. Sanctioned players may appeal their suspension to the Governing Board, and, if denied, may petition for reinstatement before the following season.
2.05 Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited at the playing sites – before, during and after all league activities. Playing sites are defined as the playing site itself plus the property owned by the same entity surrounding the playing site. This includes parking lots. Player(s)/teams found in violation of open-container ordinances at playing sites are subject to game forfeiture by the umpires and subject to discipline up to and including permanent league suspension as decided by NC/SC ABL Governing Board.
2.06 Tobacco: Smoking is prohibited on the field of play or in the dugouts and their immediate area, before, during or after games. Players who wish to smoke must go to the stands or the parking lot—however, players are subject to the field owner's rules and most high schools prohibit use of tobacco products on school grounds. Player(s) found in violation of tobacco regulations at playing sites will be ejected and subject to subsequent penalties.
2.07 Property responsibility: Player(s) responsible for damage or vandalism to facilities and/or property used by the league will be suspended from play, pending an automatic review of his actions by the Governing Board, and be assessed the cost of the damages. Players will not be allowed to return to play until damage assessments are paid and league sanctions met.
3.00 Registration / Fees / Waivers
3.01 Registration: Before competing in an NC/SC ABL event, a player must:
a) Complete a league registration-contract / waiver form or sign off for the current year on the previous year's paperwork.
b) All players must sign the team insurance waiver form as well as the Roy Hobbs form before being eligible to play.
3.02 Fees: Registration fees are set each January; however, they are subject to change until but no later than April 30th if operations costs increase.
a) Every team is required to pay a $1000 team fee deposit. The fee is due approximately 6 weeks prior to the start of the season, the specific date to be set by the Governing Board, and will reserve a place in the league for the team.
3.03 Fee Payment: Managers are responsible for their team's fees and how they are collected. The Governing Board will set the deadlines for the payment of fees, league registration, and insurance. Teams will not be scheduled to play if fees are not paid.
3.04 Late Additions: Any player joining a NC/SC ABL team after the season begins will submit the appropriate paperwork before competing, regardless of the time of season he joins the NC/SC ABL team.
3.05 Violations: Players in violation will be suspended until compliance is satisfied.
3.06 Insurance: NC/SC ABL carries a $2,000,000 liability policy / $5,000 secondary medical policy through Roy Hobbs Baseball.
4.00 Rosters
4.01 Size: Minimum: 14 players; Maximum: 20 players.
5.00 Player Transfers
5.01 Players may switch teams during the off-season without the consent of prior manager OR during the season with both managers’ and the corresponding league Commissioner’s consent. The League Commissioner has the last right of refusal on player switches in order to maintain the best interests of the league
6.00 Pre-Game & Starting Rules
6.01 Where possible, home team has the field until 15 minutes before the game. Visiting team has the field 15 minutes prior to the game. Be gentlemanly and help each other out.
6.02 When multiple games are scheduled at the same site on the same day, there will be a minimum of 15 minutes between games (unless games are running behind and both managers agree to start early). There will be a 15- minute break between games of a double-header involving the same teams.
6.03 A team must have at least 8 (eight) players to start an official game. The deficient team has a 10-minute grace period or borrow enough players before the game is declared a forfeit. (Borrowed Players must bat last in the order). A team may start a game with 8 players; however, the ninth slot in the batting order will not be declared an out.
6.04 If a team is short of players, the deficient team may pick up three (3) players but no more than 3. b) Teams may borrow 3 players from the opposing team or another team. The age must be aligned with the division that the player is being picked up for. (No underage players)
60+ Catchers - An underage catcher may be used if a team does not have a catcher and no others in the 60+ division are available.
If you use a borrowed player and end up with more than 9 players then regular roster players cannot sit out over one inning during the game if they desire to play.
6.05 Team at bat is responsible for retrieving foul balls.
6.06 Managers are required to submit the official line-up to the home plate umpire and opposing manager.
6.07 Both teams are required to keep scorebooks and to communicate changes in the offensive line-up.
6.08 Injured Players - (50+ & 60+ Division) - Since everyone is required to be in the batting line-up, if a player is injured and removed completely from the game then his spot will be skipped without an out taken. Exception to this rule if the team is using an A/B slot in the lineup then one of the B hitters must be placed in the injured players slot.
This may only be used for an injured player that cannot remain in the game.
If the spot is vacated due to ejection and no available player to replace him such as A/B player then that spot in the order is an automatic out every time.
6.09 60+ Division Stealing Bases - Each team will be allowed 5 straight up steals whether it is 2nd or 3rd base.
A player stealing will be treated the same as a courtesy runner as far as if the ball is put in play then a steal is not recorded.
Penalty for stealing after the 5 steals allowed will be player removed from the bases.
Runners will always be treated the same as courtesy runners in that they can advance on balls in the dirt, wild pitches, passed balls and full count when the runner is a force out without it counting as a steal.
7.00 Games: Complete & Length
7.01 Length: Games are seven (7) innings, unless otherwise determined within a division
a) In a circumstance where a team is playing a double-header (back-to-back games), both games will be seven (7) innings, unless otherwise noted.
7.02 Time Limit / 7-inning scheduled: No new inning may start after 2 hrs 30 minutes of playing time, subject to local curfew. If the time limit is reached during an inning, that inning will be completed and the game will end. NOTE: There will be no time limit for division championship games.
a) On games where the score is tied and the game has reached its scheduled length (2.5hrs) then the game will be declared a tie. (Exception for playoff games which must have a winner)
b) DEFINITION: A new inning begins at the time the third out of the previous inning is recorded; therefore, time limit must be reached before the final out of an inning is recorded or simultaneously.
.7.04 Rainouts: Can occur only prior to the start of a game. Prior to the start of a game – field owner, commissioner or home team manager (in that order) determines status of field. Once game is under way, rain decision is in the hands of the umpire.
7.05 Complete games: Three (3) full innings will determine a completed game. If a game is suspended during an inning after 3 innings then the score at the completion of the last full inning will be the score of record.
7.06 Suspended games: If a game has played at least 2 full innings but is not a legally complete game when stopped by weather, darkness or power failure, it will be a suspended game. It will be resumed at the point it stopped at a date set by the Commissioner. If a game is suspended after 5 innings of play then the score at the end of the last completed inning will be recorded and deemed a complete game. A game of fewer than 2 complete innings will be started over and be subject to rainout rescheduling guidelines.
7.09 Mercy rule: 7 inning games: 10 runs after 5 innings, the losing team will get their 3 outs in the 6th and clear the bases for their 3 outs in the 7th. If that team happens to tie the game or take the lead, then the other team gets to play their 6th and 7th inning at bats in the same fashion.
a) conceding the win- At any time, regardless of innings played or time elapsed, a manager may concede the win. He must appeal to the plate umpire and the umpire will notify the opposing teams manager.
8.00 Forfeits
8.01 Teams will forfeit under the following conditions:
a) Fewer than 8 players are available at the start of game after 10-minute grace period.
b) Fewer than 8 players are available after the start of (or during) the game because players being lost due to ejection's or injuries. This is case regardless of the inning the game is in.
c) Use of an ineligible player.
d) Failure of an ejected player to leave the park if asked.
8.02 Rulings: The decision of the Governing Board is effective immediately.
9.00 Equipment
9.01 Uniform Quality: All teams must have uniforms of a baseball quality not unlike those worn by professional teams and be in accordance with the rules of baseball.
a) No T-shirts allowed ( jerseys must be a Henley style, a polyester blend or a pro mesh); polyester, etc., V-neck jerseys meet specifications.
b) All players on team must be dressed alike, at least with jerseys and hats. Teams are encouraged to wear same style/color pants and accessories, such as belts and socks.
c) Uniform jerseys must be logo-ed on the front and have at least a 6-inch number on the back.
d) Team logos, if not adapted from Major League or Minor League teams, must be in good taste and must be approved by league officials
9.02 Equipment: All teams are required to have the following equipment: Six helmets with at least one ear-flap and full catching gear.
9.03 Helmets: All batters (earflap toward pitcher) and runners must wear helmets
9.04 Bats: Wood bats only in all divisions (Includes: wood, composite). If a bat is challenged, Official Rules of Baseball bat specification/alteration rules apply.
9.05 Cleats: Metal cleats are allowed. Pitchers must wear turf (molded) or tennis shoes on portable mounds on all Grand Park Fields, North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex and Godwin Stadium.
9.06 Baseballs: NC/SC ABL supplies baseballs to each team. The home team and the visiting team will each supply 3 baseballs – 2 new and 1 good used – for each game.
9.07 Catchers Equipment: Catchers required to wear a skull-cap, a protective cup & throat guard (can be part of mask).
10.00 Playoff Tiebreakers
For post-season playoff seeding, the following tiebreakers will be used:
a) Head-to-Head (all teams tied must have the same number of head-to-head games and must have played each other)
b) Fewest runs allowed, head-to-head
c) Fewest runs allowed in games won
d) Fewest runs allowed in all games
e) 3-inning game in the Roy Hobbs Shootout format.
Better seed will be the home team both games for doubleheaders. Coin toss will determine home team for a 3rd game.
11.00 Safety Rules
11.01 Avoid Collisions - Base runners shall make EVERY effort to avoid a collision with a defensive player by sliding or giving himself up as an out or going around a vulnerable defensive player making a play on a ball being received, or avoid collision if the defender has possession of the ball by sliding or conceding the out by stopping. The umpire, at his discretion, may award the base to the base runner if the defensive player obstructed the base runner from advancing and the defensive player was not in imminent or actual position to make a play on the base runner.
INTENTIONAL contact by a base runner with a defender having possession of the ball will be called out, and, if in the opinion of the umpire, contact was made with the intent to be malicious, the base runner shall be ejected from the game.
11.02
Illegal slides will result in the sliding player being called out and ejected.
a) A legal slide is directly to the base (defined as player being within an armʼs length of the bag) on a straight line from the previous base. A slide may go past the base as long as it is NOT in the direction of (or makes contact with) the defensive player handling the baseball; any runner who deliberately slides into a defensive player away from a base will be ejected. In general, the players should slide at all bases where there is an apparent play.
b) An illegal slide is described as:
I. barrel-rolling
II. body blocking
III. sliding with such momentum that it takes the sliding player into a fielder beyond the base.
IV. sliding out of the baseline.
V. sliding with spikes above the fielderʼs knee
c) Offensive players may not hurdle a defensive player attempting to make a play or to avoid a tag.
11.03
The rules committee is concerned about unnecessary and violent collisions with the catcher at home plate, and with infielders at all bases. The intent of this rule is for base-runners and defensive players to avoid such collisions.
11.04
Any fielder who forces a runner to slide by faking a tag will be warned. 2nd time will be an ejection. The runner advances one base on either occurance.
12.00 Courtesy Runners
Courtesy Runners - A Courtesy Runner may be used for the pitcher or catcher of the following inning at any time. One courtesy runner per team is also allowed and should be announced at the plate before the game. If the CR is not used at any time then the runner is forfeited for the remainder of the game. The courtesy runner may not steal base except on a 3-2 count and a force runner with 2 outs but can advance on wild pitches or passed balls which is considered any pitch that hits the dirt. If a batter reaches 1st base and is injured while running to 1st, a CR may be used but that injured player must leave the game as a defensive player. Same applies if a runner is injured while on base. An "injured" player that bats and reaches first must run for himself if he plans to reenter into a fielding position.
12.1 The courtesy runner must be the last batted out unless a player not in the offensive line up is available. If that player goes into the offensive line-up then the last batted out must be used there after.
12.2 Penalty for courtesy runner stealing - Runner is removed from the base. If runner attempts to steal and the ball is put into play then play as normal. If it is not put into play then the CR is removed.
13.0 PITCHING RULES -
For safety reasons a pitcher may not fake a throw to 3rd base on a 1st and 3rd situation.
13.1 Pitchers must be removed after hitting 3 batters. He may remain in the game but cannot reenter as a pitcher for the remainder of the game.
13.2 Intentional Walks - are permitted hitter may be waived to first base upon the direction of the defensive team manager, pitcher or catcher.
13.3 Hidden Ball Trick - A balk will be called if the pitcher is anywhere on the dirt of the mound or on any area of a portable mound.
13.4 Pitcher may not wear a white or gray sleeve on his pitching arm or light colored batting glove. Pitchers fielding glove may not be light colored.
13.5 Pitchers may reenter a game once in a different inning than he was removed.
13.6 Batters DO NOT have to avoid getting hit by a pitch but they may not try to or lean into the pitch.
