RFBL: 13U AA League Play Rule Summary

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Below is a selection of rules from the official Baseball Alberta Rulebook. If any discrepancies are found, the rules as described in the linked document will take priority. All rounds of League Play and Provincial Championships follow Baseball Canada rules, except for specific identifications.

Table of Contents

Pre-Game Plate Meeting

Resuming, Postponing, or Ending a Game in Progress

Yelling and/or Swearing at an Umpire

Field Dimensions

Pitching Distance & Mound

Game Balls

Bats

Bat Maximums

Pitch Count

Game Time Limit

Open Innings

Maximum 7 Run / Half Inning Rule

Mercy Rule

Participation Rule

Unlimited Substitution

Ties

Wins

Incomplete Games

Courtesy Runners

Dead Ball Situations

Dropped Third Strike

Forfeits

Fewer than 9 players

Extra Innings

Force Play/Slide Safety Rule 

 

Umpires

Pre-Game Plate Meeting

Before a game begins, an umpire's meeting with the two head coaches involves several important steps to ensure the game is conducted smoothly and all parties understand the rules and expectations. 

• Exchange of Lineup Cards: The home manager or their designee gives their batting order to the umpire-in-chief, followed by the visiting manager doing the same.
• Confirm Starting and Ending Times: Verify the starting time of the game and discuss any special arrangements, such as pregame ceremonies or delays.
• Special Ground Rules: The manager of the home team presents any special ground rules that might be necessary due to the field conditions. If these are acceptable to the opposing manager, they become official. If not, the umpire-in-chief will decide and enforce any necessary ground rules??.
• Review of Key Rules: The umpire will review any key rules or points of emphasis for the game, such as recent rule changes or specific regulations that might impact the game.
• Discuss Sportsmanship and Conduct: The umpire will remind both coaches about the importance of sportsmanship and the expected conduct of players, coaches, and staff throughout the game.
• Safety and Equipment Check: Ensure that all safety protocols are understood and that all equipment meets the required standards, including checking that players are wearing appropriate protective gear. 

Resuming, Postponing, or Calling a Game

The decision to resume, postpone, or call a game is always made by the umpire-in-chief based on the playing conditions and safety considerations. 

Yelling and/or Swearing at an Umpire

Any umpire report which is submitted for 11U games which include any mention of confrontation between a coach and an umpire and includes mention of a coach yelling or swearing at an umpire will result in automatic one game suspension of the coach. Any additional similar incidents involving the same coach could result in longer suspensions. 

 

Specific Equipment & Field Dimensions

Field Dimensions

Base Lines: 70 ft.

Bases: 15 in square

Home Plate: 17 in wide

Centre Field Boundary: Minimum 225 ft / Preferred 260 ft

Foul Line Boundary: Minimum 200 ft./Preferred 225 ft

Backstop Setback: 35-45 ft

Fence Setback: 25 ft.

Coach's Box: 8 ft x 12 ft

Coach's Box Setback: 10 ft

Batter's Box: 4 ft x 6 ft

Batter's Box to Home Plate: 4 in

Pitching Distance & Mound

Pitching Distance: 48 ft.

Pitcher's Plate: 4 in x 18 in

Max Height of Pitcher's Mound: 6 in

Game Balls 

65CC/BCAF

Bats

USSSA 1.15 and USABB bats will be both approved for play under Baseball Canada rules for the 15U and under categories. This allows for all previous & current 2 1/4”, 2 5/8” and 2 3/4” USSSA 1.15 certified bats to be used.

Bat Maximums 

MaxDifferential: -10    |    MaxDiameter 2-¾”    |    MaxLength 34” 

 

Pitching

Pitch Count

80 Pitch Maximum in one day, and no more than 120 pitches over 4 days.

• 1-25 Pitches: No Rest Required
• 26-35 Pitches: 1 Day Rest Required
• 36-54 Pitches: 2 Days Rest Required
• 55-64 Pitches: 3 Days Rest Required
• 65-80 Pitches: 4 Days Rest Required
• Required rest shall be defined in “Days” starting at 12:01 am and ending at 11:59 pm of the next calendar day.

The scorekeeper will inform the umpire of the pitch count when a count is nearing the end of a pitcher’s daily limits.

• Once a player has pitched, they cannot play catcher for the rest of the game.
• A pitcher who is removed from the mound during a game shall not be permitted to return to pitch in the same game, even if the pitcher is retained in the game at another position.
• Pitchers can't pitch 3 consecutive days unless a pitcher’s first 2 days combined pitch count does not exceed: 30 for league play / 35 for provincial play.
• Violation of any pitching rules may result in forfeiture of the game in which the violation occurred. When the use of an ineligible pitcher is evident, scorekeepers or other officials MUST notify the team manager or coach immediately for correction.

 

Specific Identifications

Baseball Canada rules apply except the below.

Game Time Limit

No new inning to start after 2 hours and 15 minutes of play, unless the game is tied. The start of the game begins when the first pitch is thrown.

Open Innings

No open inning during the final inning of a regular season game.

Maximum 7 Run / Half Inning Rule

Once the 7th run of a half inning is scored the inning automatically stops no matter how many outs there are and that half inning is over. There are no open innings during any regular season game.

Mercy Rule

In effect (10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning).

Participation Rule

All players listed on the official lineup card play a defensive position for 3 of their team’s defensive outs and receive 1 plate appearance.

Unlimited Substitution

All players who are present for a game and in uniform (unless injured and unable to play or suspended for that game by the league or team) must be listed on the batting order/line-up card, and will bat in order-- any coach who sits a player to gain a competitive advantage will be subject to discipline by Baseball Alberta.

Players are allowed to move in/out defensively without restrictions, except that if the pitcher leaves the mound to play another defensive position, that pitcher may not return to the mound or catch in the same game. Any player who becomes injured or must leave the game will be skipped in the batting line-up with no penalty.

Exceptions:

• Starting pitchers will not be subjected to this rule.
• 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.
• 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 except in case of injury or illness.
• Any 13U pitcher who throws more than 64 pitches will not be subjected to this participation rule during the second game on the same day.
• It is understood that circumstances will sometimes inhibit coaches from being able to adhere to this rule, e.g., 10 run mercy rule shortened games, rain-shortened games.

 

General Rules

Ties

Games must be played until one team wins; ties are not allowed.

Wins

All games must be played and deemed complete to count the result. Teams may not play one game for double points or flip a coin to determine the winner.

Incomplete Games 

Games not complete (due to weather/darkness) must be suspended from the point of stoppage and then re-started from that point at the next possible time.

Courtesy Runners

A courtesy runner may be used for catchers when they are on base with 2 outs in an inning for all regular-season league games. The courtesy runner must be a player who is not already in the lineup, except during Unlimited Substitution where the player may be the “last out” of the offensive team.

Dead Ball Situations

• Foul Ball: A ball hit outside the foul lines and not caught by a fielder is considered dead, and runners must return to their bases.
• Interference: If a batter or runner interferes with the play, the ball is dead, and appropriate penalties are applied.
• Pitcher’s Actions:

• A balk by the pitcher results in a dead ball, and runners are awarded one base.
• When the pitcher is in possession of the ball and standing on the rubber, the play is dead until the pitcher initiates the pitching motion or attempts a pickoff.

• Umpire Calls Time: Anytime the umpire calls "Time," the ball is dead.
• Hit by Pitch: If a batter is hit by a pitch, the ball is dead, and the batter is awarded first base.
• Overthrows and Out of Play: If a ball is thrown out of play (e.g., over the fence or into the dugout), the ball is dead, and runners are awarded bases according to the rules.
• Fair Ball Leaves the Field: If a fair ball leaves the field of play (e.g., a ground-rule double or a home run), the ball is dead, and runners are awarded the appropriate bases.
• Injury Time: When a player is injured and the umpire calls time to address the situation, the ball is dead.

Dropped Third Strike

The batter becomes a runner when the third strike called by the umpire is not caught, providing (1) first base is unoccupied, or (2) first base is occupied with two out??, regardless of whether the strike is a called or swinging strike.

Forfeits

Will result in the following scores: 7-0 score with the winning team being awarded the win, 18 offensive outs, and 21 defensive outs.

Fewer than 9 players

Any game where fewer than 9 players are at the diamond within 15 minutes past the designated start of the game will result in a 7-0 forfeit, unless determined to be a scheduling error or the team has communicated an acceptable situation to the host/home team. If 7 or 8 players are present, the game will still be played as an exhibition, and pitch counts will still count in daily/weekly totals. The opposing coach will have the option to loan that team a player(s) to play the game, but that player(s) may not pitch.

Extra Innings

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.

Force Play/Slide Safety Rule

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. “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.

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

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

• The runner slides or runs out of the base line in the direction of the fielder and alters the play of a fielder (with or without contact)
• The runner uses a rolling or cross-body slide and either makes contact with or alters the play of a fielder
• The runner’s raised leg makes contact higher than the fielder’s knee when in a standing position
• The runner slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg
• The runner illegally slides toward or contacts the fielder even if the fielder makes no attempt to throw to complete a play.

Penalties for violations of the Force Play rule:

• With less than two outs, the batter-runner, as well as the interfering runner, shall be declared out, and no other runner(s) shall advance.
• With two outs, the interfering runner shall be declared out, and no other runner(s) shall advance.
• If the runner’s slide or collision is flagrant, the runner shall be ejected from the contest.
• 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.