Rules

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  • In the event of rain, an announcement concerning the scheduled games for that evening will be posted to the website at 3:30.
  • Players are to notify your coach if you are unable to make a scheduled house league game.
  • Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time for a pre-game warm up.
  • All players are to remain in dugouts during games.
  • Please follow coaches and umpires' instructions at all times while in the field to ensure safety.
  • Practice sessions are set for each team by our association. Our staff will assist coaches when requested.



Official Playing Rules: All games shall be played in accordance with regular baseball rules except where modified by the rules contained in this document, Newfoundland Amateur Baseball Association and Baseball Canada.

Duration of Game:

  • All games will be 6 innings or two hours in duration.
  • No new inning will commence after two hours and fifteen minutes from the scheduled start time.
  • If an inning cannot be completed within the allocated time due to darkness, the score will revert back to that of the last full inning played.
  • In fields where a two-hour time limit is in place, no new inning will start after one hour and forty-five minutes from the scheduled start time.


Rules of Play:

  • Games will commence at the time indicated on the schedule.
  • Players must wear full uniform and are advised to wear a protective cup.
  • Catchers must wear a protective cup.
  • All batters must wear helmets with chin straps when on deck or at bat.
  • Home team will be decided by coin toss prior to the game during the regular season.
  • Players must run on and off the field between innings.
  • All players are in the batting line-up whether or not they play in the field.
  • Nine defensive players are permitted on the field.
  • Coaches must rotate their players throughout the defensive line-up to ensure fair play.
  • Bunting is permitted.
  • Stealing bases is permitted, but the following condition applies: a straight steal of home when the pitcher is in the wind-up, or the ball is on the way to the plate will not be permitted.
  • Any player attempting to steal home will be called out.
  • Players are permitted to steal the next base. Runners cannot advance on a catcher's overthrow.
  • Leading off the bases is permitted.
  • The infield fly rule is in effect. This rule results in the batter being called out when a pop fly is hit to the infield with runners on first and second, or first, second or third with less than two out. Runners may advance at their own risk.
  • Runners may tag and run to the next base after a fly ball is caught at their own risk.
  • All players should slide on a close play at home.
  • Pitchers may pitch no more than 2 innings per game.
  • If a pitcher hits two batters in the same inning, the pitcher must be replaced.
  • Balks by pitchers will result in one warning by the umpire. The next infraction will result in the runners being permitted to advance to the next base.
  • A maximum of 3 runs may be scored in any one inning, with the exception of the last inning, which is open.
  • If, after the 5th inning, one team leads by 10 runs or more, that team will be awarded the game. The game may be continued at the discretion of the coaches, but the result will be official after the 10-run rule is registered.
  • Score shall be kept by the coaches and confirmed with the home plate umpire at the end of each inning. It is requested that the game stats be phoned into the baseball office by the coach of the winning team.


Playing Field:

  • The distance between the bases shall be 70 feet.
  • The distance from the point of home plate to the front of the pitching rubber shall be 48 feet.


Playoff Rules

  • Playoffs take place in the Mosquito, Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget divisions.
  • All teams make the divisional playoffs. Note that All-Star teams playing up a division are not eligible to advance to the medal rounds in the divisional House League playoffs.
  • Pitching rule that applies in the regular season, also applies in the playoff games. If a team is required to play 3 games within any one week, the third game will begin with a clean slate of innings.
  • Call-ups will be permitted in the playoffs to avoid game defaults only. Coaches must contact the baseball office prior to 12:00 pm on the day of the scheduled game to ensure sufficient time is provided to assign players.
  • No player is to sit out regularly. Playing time is to be allocated on a rotating basis, as in the regular season.
  • All playoff games will be played to completion, including those suspended by darkness or weather conditions. Players unable to play in the original part of said game will only be added to the bottom of the batting lineup.
  • Teams may be required to participate in playoff games with just one day of notice.
  • The NABA tie-breaking formula will apply with respect to a tie after the round robin play. Example: all teams have 1 win and 1 tie; the team with the least number of runs scored against them in the round robin per defensive inning will advance.
  • Home team in the round robin will be decided by a coin toss. The team with the best record after the round robin is completed will be the home team in the championship game.
  • The 10-run rule is in effect.
  • Scores of each game will be reported to the division coordinator after each game.