Covina Baseball Association

Local Rules – 2024

In the absence of specific Local Rules, Covina Baseball Association will follow the Rules and
Regulations as defined by the Pony International Baseball Rules and Regulations Rule Book
(2024).

The following is a list of Local Rules as adopted by the Board and Directors of Covina Baseball
Association:

1. Game Time Limits:

No new inning will begin after the game has reached one hour and 55 minutes.

Example: A game having reached 1 hour, and 54 minutes may begin a new inning
whereas a game having reached 1 hour, and 55 minutes will not begin a new inning.

Games will "Drop Dead" once two hours and ten minutes have been reached. Games
reaching the two hours and the ten-minute time limit and not completing the bottom half
of the inning will be considered "Suspended". Scores will NOT revert to the end of the
previous inning. All efforts will be made to complete Suspended games at the earliest
opportunity.

2. Mercy Rule:
The Mercy Rule will be in effect once four complete innings have been reached and a
lead of 15 or more is obtained by one team or a lead of 10 or more after five innings.

Example 1: The Mercy rule will be invoked once the visiting team being behind by ten or
more runs has completed their at bats and reached 3 outs in the top of the 5th inning.

Example 2: The Mercy rule will be invoked once the home team being behind by ten or
more runs has completed their at bats and reached 3 outs in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Example 3: The Mercy rule will be invoked once the home team being behind by 15 or
more runs has completed their at bats and reached 3 outs in the bottom of the 4th inning.

3. Complete Games:
Games having reached time limits as described above, will be considered complete once
two innings or more have been completed.

4. Suspended Games:
Suspended games will continue where the game left off with pitchers, runners on base,
and the batting order exactly at the point the game was suspended. The game will
resume and will be considered complete when the bottom half of the suspended inning is
completed.

Example: A game that was suspended at 3 and 2/3 innings will be considered complete
once the 3rd out is made in the bottom half of the inning. The game will not continue past
the 4th inning. In the event of a tie, the game will be considered a complete game with a
half win and half loss awarded to each team.

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 5. Continuous Batting Order (Pony Only): Regular Season
In lieu of a "Minimum Play Rule" the Pony division will use a "Continuous Batting Order".
Only players listed in the team lineup sheet will bat (e.g., 1-12). Players not in attendance
at the beginning of a game will be inserted to the bottom of the lineup sheet and
scorebook when they arrive. The continuous batting order will remain in effect at the
resumption of "Suspended" games.
NOTE: Players not listed on the lineup sheet will not be eligible to compete in the
continued game.

6. Defensive Substitutions:
Players may be inserted/removed from any defensive position at any time. Defensive
substitutions do not need to be reported to the Official Scorekeeper; pitching changes
however must be reported as soon as they are made. Pitch counts will apply and be
recorded alongside the scorebook and available for review at any time.

7. Continuous Batting Order:

A continuous batting order is in place for a maximum of 12 batters. Since a continuous
batting order is in place there will not be pinch hitters, pinch runners, or courtesy runners
allowed. Substitute batters (i.e., batter more than 12) may be inserted to the batting order
at any time during the game. Once a substitute batter has completed one at bat the
starter may reenter the batting order in the same spot, he/she started the game and will
remain in that spot in the batting order. The substitute having been replaced by the starter
is burned and will no longer bat.

8. Players Removed from the Lineup:

Players removed from the lineup will be handled in the batting order as follows:
● Players leaving the game due to illness or injury will be removed from the batting
order and the remaining batters will move up one spot. The player removed will
be ruled as an out the first time he/she appears in the lineup. Subsequent turns
at that bat will not be subjected to an out.
● Players leaving the game due to ejection or for any other reason will be removed
from the lineup and considered an out each time his/her turn appears in the
lineup. In the event there are more than 12 players and there is a sub, the sub
can be placed in the ejected player’s position.

9. Bat Requirements:
In following requirements of Pony Baseball, the following bats are allowed in Pony
division:
a. USA stamped
b. -3 Bbcor
c. Wood

In following requirements of Pony Baseball, the follow bats are allowed in the Colt &
Palomino division:
a. -3 Bbcor
b. Wood

10. Equipment:
Catcher’s mask requirement: One piece hockey mask style, per Pony Regulations
Section 8(f) in all divisions.

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 11. Uniform Rules:
All players, managers, and coaches on the field will be in matching uniforms including
baseball caps. In lieu of a jersey, managers and coaches may wear a pullover or
matching batting jacket in a color that matches the player’s uniform. Pull overs or jackets
will not be allowed to display any team or school name other than the team’s name.

12. Inning Preparedness (Player Huddles):

In an effort to keep the game moving and to complete as many innings as possible,
teams are requested to keep on field huddles to a minimum. At a minimum, the defensive
team is required to have their pitcher and catcher warming up (i.e., absent from the
huddle) and the offensive team is required to have their batter and on deck batter ready
for play (i.e., absent from the huddle). Umpires are allowed to begin an inning with or
without the batter present in the batting box or a pitcher on the pitcher's mound.

EXAMPLE 1: An umpire once signaling the beginning of an inning may instruct the
pitcher to throw pitches whether a batter is in the batter’s box or not.

EXAMPLE 2: An umpire once signaling the beginning of an inning may instruct the batter
to enter the batter’s box whether a pitcher is on the mound or not.

13. Slide or Avoid Rule

Runners are required to slide or avoid defensive fielders at all bases. At no time or at any
base will runners be allowed to maliciously perform a crash move (i.e., football move) to
take out a fielder. At the discretion of the umpire, runners in violation of this rule will be
ejected.

14. Ejections:
Managers, coaches, or players who are ejected from a game are removed from that
game and their team’s next scheduled game. Appeals to ejections are allowed as
follows:
● Managers or coaches ejected from a game have 24 hours to appeal their ejection
but do so within 24 hours of the ejection and must pay a fee of $25.00.
● Players ejected from a game are not entitled to an appeal.

15. Protests:
At no time is a protest allowed to protest a game due to a judgment call from the umpire
or when a local rule is enforced. Protests are allowed to support a violation of a playing
rule with the following conditions:
● The protest must be made immediately at the time the protestable act occurred.
● The official protest must be noted in the official lineup sheet.
● A $25.00 fee must be provided at the time of protest.

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