GENERAL RULES FOR ALL DIVISION

GENERAL RULES

EXTRA INNING GAME PROCEDURE - 13U, 15U, 18U CATEGORIES*

If the game is tied at the completion of regulation (7 innings), the following procedures will be implemented during extra innings: Each team will begin the extra inning (and any subsequent necessary extra innings) with a base runner on first and second, no outs. (See example below to confirm who is on first and second) The batting order of the extra inning or any subsequent innings will be determined by how the previous inning ended. (See example below to confirm who is at bat) The traditional system of the visiting team hitting in the top of the inning and the home team hitting in the bottom of the inning will remain in effect until a winner is determined.

Example: 

If the last regulation inning ends with the #6 hitter having the last plate appearance, then the extra inning begins with the #7 hitter at bat, and the #5 hitter at second base and the #6 hitter at first base. With the exception of beginning the inning with runners on first and second base with no one out, all other League Rules and Baseball Canada rules will remain in effect during extra innings required to determine a winner. 

*This rule will be applied to all Baseball Alberta League Games and the Round Robin portion of the Provincial Championships.

FORCE PLAY SLIDE RULE

The intent of the force-play-slide rule is to ensure the safety of all players. This is a safety and an interference rule. Whether the defense could have completed the double play has no bearing on the applicability of this rule. This rule pertains to a force-play situation at any base, regardless of the number of outs.

A. On any force play, the runner must slide on the ground before the base and in a direct line between the two bases.

Exception: 

A runner need not slide directly into a base as long as the runner slides or runs in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder. Interference shall not be called.

“On the ground” means either a head-first slide or a slide with one leg and buttock on the ground before the base.

“Directly into a base” means the runner’s entire body (feet, legs, trunk, and arms) must stay in a straight line between the bases.

B. Contact with a fielder is legal, and interference shall not be called if the runner makes a legal slide directly to the base and in the baseline extended.

Approved Ruling – If contact occurs on top of the base as a result of a “pop-up” slide, this contact is legal.

C. Actions by a runner are illegal, and interference shall be called if:

PENALTY for 1-5

Approved Ruling

If the bases are loaded with no outs, a double-play attempt is made, and interference is called, all other runners must return to their original bases. 

Note: 

On a force play, with a two-man umpiring system, if the plate umpire does not have a potential play at the plate, he should move toward the base to observe the runner going into second or third base. In this situation, the base umpire must follow the throw and may not see the true effect of the lead runner’s action.

EXTRA-HITTER (EH) RULE

League Play:

Applicable in ALL rounds (where unlimited substitution is not applicable) up to and including the Provincial Championships, except for the 18U AAA & BAEL Provincial Championships.

An Extra-Hitter (EH) may be placed on the lineup card (a 10th hitter in the batting order; can be placed anywhere in the batting order) as a way to get more athletes at-bats throughout the game. This rule is optional for both teams prior to each game and DOES NOT have to be used by both teams during a game.

A. This rule may be used in any Baseball Alberta League game that is not already hitting everyone on the lineup card.

B. Each team has the option to use an extra hitter (EH) and bat ten (10) players. The EH must be marked on the lineup at the start of the game and must be used for the entire game.

C. The EH may be interchanged with any other position during the game and can be changed multiple times (for example, the SS could become the EH, and the EH become the SS).

D. At the 15U AAA and 18U level a team may elect to use an EH and a DH. These rules are completely separate.

E. In the event that a player is injured or ejected and no substitute is available, the team may remove the EH from the lineup and proceed for the remainder of the game with a nine-player lineup. Any further loss of players would result in a forfeit.

PARTICIPATION RULE

Divisions Affected:

13U AA, 13U AAA, 15U AA, and 15U AAA.

Participation Rule –  For 13U AAA and 15U AAA, this rule will be applied to league play leading up to but not including Provincial Championships. All players who are listed on the official lineup card will play a defensive position for 3 of his team’s defensive outs and receive 1 plate appearance. 

This rule does apply to 13U AA and 15U AA Provincial Championships.

Exceptions:

A. Starting pitchers will not be subjected to this rule.

B. In rounds where the Designated Hitter is allowed, a Designated Hitter is not required to play a defensive position during 3 of his team’s defensive outs provided he receives 3 plate appearances through the course of the game.

C. When a team is scheduled to play 2 games in one day, the scheduled starting pitcher for the second game of the day is not subject to this participation rule during the first game. If this is the coach’s intention, he should make note of that to the umpire and opposing coach before the first game.

D. When a team is scheduled to play two games in one day, a coach may choose to have two players playing the same position play complete games. A player playing the second game of the day in this situation is not subject to the participation rule. However, these players cannot be substituted for except in case of injury or illness.

E. Any 13U pitcher who throws more than 64 pitches will not be subjected to this participation rule during a second game on the same day.

F. Any 15U pitcher who throws more than 74 pitches will not be subjected to this participation rule during the second game on the same day.

LIMITED RE-ENTRY SUBSTITUTION EXAMPLES