RULES

Updated:
2022

&
REGULATIONS
0BU

The purpose of Valley Youth Baseball League is to provide an enjoyable organized baseball experience under adult
supervision for youth in the Roanoke Valley. The program is organized to promote sportsmanship, cooperation, and fair
play at all times while developing knowledge and skills of the game.

The Valley Youth Baseball League rules are generated by the “National Federation of State High School
Associations” (NFHS) rules and regulations which will apply except as modified herein.

Age Classification: Playing age is the age attained by a player on September 30th of the current year.

League Ages Roster Size Playing Field Ball Used

15U 13-15 Min- 11 Bases- 90’ Official NFHS
Max- 15 Toe Plate- 60’

I. PLAYER ELIGIBLITY
U

A. A child must play for the booster club / recreation department that represents the area in which he or she
resides.
B. All players should be registered with booster club and/or Recreation Department before he or she is allowed
to play in a game.

II. TEAM ROSTERS

U

A. Rosters must contain a minimum of 11 players and a maximum of 15 players.

B. Any booster club/recreation department fielding more than one team per age group must place players on
teams by using their city/county drafting policy.
C. Transfer of players during the season is prohibited, although teams may borrow players to field the
minimum number to play a game, contingent to borrow player rule.
D. An existing recreation/booster club or department must sponsor all teams. Each club/department will be
responsible for providing their team(s) safe playing equipment, securing coaches, and sign-up information.
E. Recreation clubs and/or departments should ensure their team(s) head and assistant coaches consent to a
background screening and be cleared to coach before he or she is allowed to lead/coach a team during a
practice or game.

III. PLAYING UP
U

A. At the Booster Club / Recreation Department’s discretion, children are allowed to be moved up.
B. Request for a participant to play up must go through the individual’s recreation/booster club or Department.
A final decision will be made by the individual’s “home” recreation/booster club or Department.

IV. LEAGUE RULES

U

A. Practices may begin mid-March. Games will start early-May.

B. A maximum of two (2) mandatory practice sessions may be held in a week, at no more than two hours per
session.
C. A week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday.
D. After games begin, a maximum of three (3) mandatory events may be held in a week (including games), at
no more than two hours per session. A double-header will only count as one event.
E. Two umpires will be assigned per game. It is the host team’s responsibility to provide umpires for home
games.
1. No team shall have the right to refuse an umpire.
2. One umpire shall be sufficient to play a game.
 F. Umpires are authorized and required to enforce all rules and may order a player, coach, or spectator to
refrain from interfering with the umpire’s ability to administer these rules. The umpire has the authority to
eject any player, coach, or spectator from participating or observing the game, for objecting to calls, using
abusive language, improper gestures, or physical contact, or other unsportsmanlike conduct not specifically
listed in these rules.
G. Umpires, site supervisors, or coaches can report game scores to the Recreation Department after each day’s
games.
H. Each team must supply a scorekeeper for each game. The home team will keep the official scorebook. The
scorekeepers should confer with each other at the end of each inning to be sure the score is correct and
proper substitutions are being made. Scorekeepers should sign each scorebook at the end of the game.
I. Each coach should submit a line up card with players’ names to each scorekeeper ten minutes before
scheduled start time. All players in attendance must play a minimum of 6 complete outs on defense within
the first four innings.
J. If any player is benched for disciplinary reasons, the opposing coach and the official scorekeeper must be
notified prior to the start of the game.
K. A team must have nine (9) players to play a game. During regular season play teams may borrow players
from other teams (if available) from the same age group/division. Teams may only borrow enough players to
meet the minimum player rule. The borrowed player(s) must wear their originals team’s jersey, cannot pitch,
cannot hind-catch or play more time than the original team players.
L. Teams will be given ten (10) minutes after the scheduled start time to produce the minimum number of
players to begin the game. The 10-minute waiting period counts towards time limit.
M. Each team must be supervised by a certified coach of at least 18 years of age at all times during practice and
games.
N. Recreation Departments / Coordinators will handle all official makeup games.
1. Games will only be rescheduled to meet if time and space is available at the host field.
2. Teams are required to play games when school conflicts occur if sufficient numbers of players are
available.
3. Teams/Recreation Departments should notify each other of an impending forfeit or known cancelled
game so that umpires and field set-up can be cancelled in advance.
O. Any game called early because of inclement weather or other act of God will be considered a complete game
when:
1. Both teams have batted five times, or four times when the home team is leading.
2. Tie games are allowed in all divisions where a score is kept, providing both teams have batted an
equal number of times and the minimum number of innings has been played.
3. Games not meeting the minimum inning requirements will be not be considered an official contest
and will not count towards either teams win/loss record.
P. Game cancellation information calling the location/host for your game
- Roanoke County Hosted Games 540.387.6455 ext 6
- Botetourt County Hosted Games 540.992.0012
- Franklin County Hosted Games 540.483.9293 ext 2
- Salem City Hosted Games 540.966.6900
- Roanoke City Hosted Games 540.853.1196
Q. Game schedules and league standings can be obtained at vybaseball.weebly.com .
H H

V. GAME PLAY – 15U Division

A. General
1. Maximum length of single games will be 1 hour 45 minutes or 7 innings.
Note: No new inning can start after one-hour and 45-minutes.
2. Double-headers will be played as two 5 inning games with a one-hour and 30-minute time limit on
each game. Note: No new inning can start after one-hour and 30-minutes for doubleheaders.
3. 90-foot base lengths.
4. 60-foot, 6-inch pitching distance.
5. Mercy rule, 10 runs after 5 innings.

B. Batting/Base Running
1. Every player in attendance must play a minimum of six (6) defensive outs and bat at least once. If a
player in the initial lineup has not batted, he cannot be subbed.
 2. Mandatory Substitution Rule: All substitutions must be made in the fourth inning for seven inning
games and the third inning for five inning games.
3. If any player is benched for disciplinary reasons, the opposing coach and the official scorer must be
notified prior to the start of the game.
4. Batter may run on third strike, if ball is not caught by catcher and providing less than two outs and
first base is not occupied, or first base is occupied with two outs.
5. Leading off and base stealing is permitted.
6. Courtesy runners will only be allowed for catchers. Runner must be player that/who made the last out.
Runner does not lose eligibility as a defensive substitute.
7. A bat shall not weigh, numerically, more than 10 ounces less than the length of the bat. Drop 10, 9, 8
and so on are approved length to weight ratios.
8. A bat length shall not exceed 34 inches.
9. A bat’s diameter shall be 2 ¾ inches or less at its thickest part.
10. For full bat information, visit: NFHS 2020 Baseball Rules (Section 3 | 1-3-2)

C. Pitching
1. Pitchers are only allowed to pitch 7 innings in a game. Note: In the case of a double header, the 7
inning rule will remain, although pitchers are allowed to pitch up to seven consecutive innings in a
day and innings may overlap between the two games.
2. Unless as part of a double-header, pitchers are not allowed to pitch in back-to-back games without
having received a minimum of 46hrs rest.
3. The pitcher should be removed after hitting three batters in one game.
4. Throwing one pitch constitutes an inning pitched.
5. Once a pitcher leaves the mound he is not allowed to return until he has met the 46hr rest rule.
6. Balks are in effect.

VI. EQUIPMENT
A. Base runners must wear batting helmets. Regular baseball caps may be worn under the batting helmets.
B. Catchers must wear shin guards, chest guard, cup, helmet, and facemask with throat guard for protection
from thrown bats and passed balls.
C. All bats and balls must contain official stamp approval for the respective league’s play.
D. Metal cleats are allowed.
E. Helmets with facemask are recommended, but not required. Please speak with your booster/recreation club’s
and/or recreation department’s baseball head for specific helmet rules.

VII. TIEBREAKER POLICY

U

A. Overall win/loss record will determine division champion. In the event of a tie, the following tiebreakers will
determine the division champion:
1. Head to head.
2. Least combined number of runs allowed during head to head competition.
3. Least combined number of runs allowed for all games played during season.
4. Coin flip.

VIII. ULIGHTENING POLICY

A. Anytime Lightning is visible, then all players, coaches, fans and umpires should Take Shelter Immediately!
B. Flash (Bang) Method – Count seconds between lightning flash and thunder and divide by 5 – this gives the
distance of lightning in miles. If count is 30 seconds or less Take Shelter Immediately!
C. The Umpire and Coaches should instruct all players and fans that danger is present and they should seek
shelter immediately. Safe places for shelter would be fully enclosed metal vehicles with windows up,
enclosed buildings or the low ground. Seek cover in clumps of bushes. Unsafe shelter areas include all
nearby outdoor metallic objects like flag poles, fences, high mast light poles, metal bleachers, etc. AVOID
water, AVOID open fields, AVOID using the telephone.
D. If you feel your hair standing on end or hear “crackling noises” you are in lightning’s electric field.
Immediately remove metal objects (including baseball cap), place your feet together, duck your head and
crouch down with hands on knees.
E. If anyone is struck by lightning CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. People who have been struck by lightning do
not carry an electrical charge and are safe to handle. Apply CPR immediately if you are qualified to do so.
 Automated Electronic Defibrillators (AED’s) are located at the main restroom facilities at each location in the
event one is needed.
F. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightning flash before resuming activities.

XII. SPORTSMANSHIP
A. The purpose of the Youth Recreation League is to provide an enjoyable experience for each youth participant,
while developing character, skills, sportsmanship, and to promote goodwill among all players, coaches,
parents, officials and recreational staff.
B. Any person involved in, or taking part in, any valley youth baseball event who damages or destroys property
while using the facilities will be subject to indefinite suspension and will be responsible for the cost of
required repairs.
C. Any coach found to be using an illegal player, an unidentified borrowed player, an assumed name, falsifying a
roster, or giving false information to an official or Recreation Department staff may result in the individual
being suspended for up to one year. Misconduct by players, coaches, spectators, officials, scorekeepers or
supervisory personnel will not be tolerated. Misconduct can be defined as improper gesturing, aggressive
verbal or physical contact, and the use of alcohol, smoke or smokeless tobacco and illegal substances.

D. Founded misconduct will result in the following actions and/or penalties:

NON-PHYSICAL MISCONDUCT
Any player, coach or spectator who gestures or verbally abuses an official, coach, player, spectator or supervisory
personnel will be removed from the game and is subject, upon the written report, to suspension. Each Parks and
Recreation Department has the authority to suspend a player, coach or spectator from one (1) to three (3) games or, in
severe cases, a ban from the league. A suspended player, coach or spectator is on probation for the period of one (1)
year after the violation. Any further abuse will result in being banned from the league.

PHYSICAL MISCONDUCT
Any player, coach or spectator using aggressive or improper misconduct such as striking or pushing a player, spectator,
official or supervisory personnel will be subject to being banned from the league. Any player, coach or spectator fighting
among each other before, during, or after a game, or anytime during a Valley Youth Baseball game, will be subject to a
suspension from his or her home specific Recreation Department. The official’s, club’s, or site supervisor’s report will
determine the length and severity of the penalty.

UNPROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT
Any personnel such as officials, scorekeepers or supervisory personnel under the direction of the host Recreation
Department, or a specific recreation club acting in an official capacity, should act in a professional, ethical or unbiased
manner. The penalty and length of disciplinary action will be determined by the host recreation department.

USE OF ALCOHOL, SMOKE OR SMOKELESS TOBACCO AND ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES

It is considered misconduct for coaches, players, officials, recreation volunteers or employees to use any of the
substances listed above in the presence of children. Penalty for using these substances may result in suspension or being
banned from the program, which will be determined by the host recreation department.