Ages:
As of August 1, 2004, players to be 6 or 7 years old. Exceptional 5 year olds by individual Town League recommendation.

Players:
No more than 15 players per team. Recommended 10 players on the field, extras recommended playing in the outfield. No minimum # of players, and no forfeits.

Game:
4 Innings. NO new inning may start after 90 minutes of play. Weekday games begin promptly at 6:00 PM. Saturday games begin promptly at 9:00 AM or 1:00 PM. Each team is allowed a 15-minute field warm up prior to the game start.

Home team warm up:
30-minutes prior to start of game (i.e., weeknights, 5:00 PM) Visitor team warm up: 15-minutes prior to start of game (i.e., weeknights, 5:30 PM) Games are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Two games and one practice recommended, beginning April 26 and ending May 29.

Home Team Provides:
Safe playing field conditions, 2 league approved baseballs, bases, and batting tee.

Inclement Weather:
Prior to game: Head coach of home team is required to call off the game by phoning the head coach of the visitor's team with at least 90 minutes notice prior to game start (i.e., weekends, by 4:30PM and Sat. morning by 7:30 am)

After Game Start:
In the event of darkness, weather, presence of lightning, or unsafe conditions, either head coach shall terminate play. There is no make-up game required if game is terminated after one full inning. The 1st clap of thunder, or 1st flash of lightning stops the game.

Rescheduling Games:
The head coach of the home team is responsible for rescheduling a make-up game promptly. All games are to be made up and played prior to May 30. The head coaches shall coordinate extra games, those in addition to the regular schedule. Extra games are at the option of the head coaches.

RULES OF PLAY

Fielders:
10 players in field (extras in outfield). Free substitution of all players. All players must be rotated throughout the season into different positions to understand and experience all fielding positions. Coach is to keep track of position played. No player may sit more than on consecutive inning except for injury or disciplinary actions.

Pitching:
Pitching rubber is 36 feet in front of home plate. Coaches pitch 4 innings, underhand or overhand. No walks, no hit batsman, no strikeouts. It is highly recommended each child be given the same amount of pitches; say 5, before bringing out the tee, to keep the game moving along. Both head coaches should discuss this and agree on a strategy prior to the game.

Catching:
It is recommended that the coach of the team at bat play as the defensive catch to keep the ball in play, and to assist his players at bat. It is up to each head coach to decide if one of his players (wit helmet and glove on) may play at the catcher position. In either case, the rule is the catcher must be at least ten feet back from the plate, for safety.

Batting:
All players bat each inning, in succession, regardless of outs made. Each hit is limited to a single. Play stops after last batter rounds all bases signaling end of inning. No throwing the bat after hitting the ball. Coach is to give a warning. No on deck batters are ever allowed. There is no exception to this rule ever. Any ball hit from tee must travel 15 feet from home plate or it is considered a foul ball. Any ball hit from a coach's pitch is considered in play regardless of the distance.

Base Running:
Baselines are 50 feet long. Runners may advance one base per hit, with the exception of the last batter, who along with the runners on base, rounds all bases. No leaving base until pitch reaches home plate. It early, player(s) sent back. No player advance on overthrows, Runner is out if a batted ball hits runner. No stealing, No leading.

Out Rule:
The runner is out when his/her hit ball is caught on the fly, his/her ball is a force play at the base; a defensive player between bases tags a runner. Player leaves base when out. EXCEPTION: On a close or questionable play, runner is considered safe.

Scoring:
Runs scored should not be kept. All games end in a tie, with both teams winning. It is optional to track outs made in the game, but it is required that each coach complements every player for every effort they make.

Guidelines:
understand this is both an instructional and highly recreational level a non-competitive environment should be enjoyed. Involved as many parents as possible as individual player attention is often needed. A bench parent (coach) is a great idea for teams to have supervised, and explain the game as teammates are at bat or in the field. Safety is rule #1. Bat-parents should supervise any child with a bat in their hand (NO on deck batters).

Helmet Safety Rule:
All batters, runners, pitchers, catchers, and 1st basemen, MUST WEAR HELMETS. Each team should have at least 6 helmets in good condition.

General Rules

Applicable Little League rules will apply except for those stated above.

Players are to be in uniforms as presented by town. No spikes are allowed. Rubber cleats are OK. Coaches may coach base paths.

All games shall employ the use of an impartial umpire. Patched umpires are strongly suggested although no required. Home team is responsible for providing an umpire. The umpire call is considered final.

Parental Concern:
Philosophical differences generated by any parent(s) are to be handled by the Town Commissioning or Governing Board.

Conflicts, Protests, and Rule Violations:
Improper conduct by coaches or players, and all other such manners, are to be brought to the Diamond League Board of Commissioners for resolution.

All players must be a resident within the town they play for, except as allowed (in writing) by the Diamond League Board of Commissioners.

Coaches are responsible for providing a positive environment for the game including controlling players/parents, who may become verbal or disruptive. Coaches shall promote and enforce proper sportsmanship. Player comments are restricted to positive reinforcement only; no "taunting" of the opposition will be allowed.

No one except eligible players in uniform, a manager and not more than two coaches shall occupy the bench or dugout. When batters or base runners are retired, they must return to the bench or dugout at once. Batboys and/or batgirls are not permitted.

When a manager, coach, or player is ejected from a game, they shall leave the field immediately and take no further part in the game. They may not sit in the stands and may not be recalled.

Protest shall be considered only when based in the violation or interpretation of a playing rule, the use of an ineligible pitcher or the use of an ineligible player. No protest shall be considered on a decision involving an umpire's judgment.

If the umpire is convinced that the decision is in conflict with the rules, the umpire shall reverse that decision.

Bunting foul on a third strike is an out.

The batter is entitled to first base when the batter is touched by a pitched ball, which the batter is not attempting to hit. Unless, the ball is in the strike zone, when it touches the batter or the batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball.

A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out, whether it was intentional or not.

If a base is dislodged from its position during a play, any following runner on the same play shall be considered as touching or occupying the base if, in the umpires judgment, that runner touches or occupies the dislodged bag, or the point marked by the original location of the dislodged bag.

If in the judgment of the umpire, the base coach at third base, or first base, by touching holding the runner, physically assists that runner in returning to or leaving third base or first base the runner is out and the ball is dead.

When the third out is made by a force play or a fly ball catch, no runs score that play. When the third out is made buy a non-force play, all runs scored before the out was called will count.