ELIGIBILITY FOR BRONCO BASEBALL: CSYBA Spring Bronco Division is primarily for kids that are in the 5th and 6th grade. During Summer it is for kids who just completed the 5th and 6th grade. During Fall Ball, it is for kids just entering the 5th and 6th grade.

COMPETITIVE BALANCE: Stacked teams, all-star teams, travel teams, or any pre-formed teams are strictly prohibited from participating at the Bronco division. Communities with multiple teams participating in the Bronco division must make every effort possible to assure teams are well balanced. This could be achieved through a draft, an evaluation session, or other means to assure competitive balance across a communities multiple teams.

No team can be made up of predominately older players. All teams must have at least 1/3 of its players comprised of 5th graders. Exceptions can only be made to this rule if there are imbalanced registration numbers.

1. POLICIES ON CONDUCT

   1. The coaches shall promote sportsmanlike conduct and control the behavior and deportment of their players, assistant coaches, fans, as well as themselves. The coaches will do their best to emphasize the League’s purpose of developing skills and providing fun for the players, while encouraging respectful competition within the game.

   2. A player or coach who swears, throws a bat or batting helmet, or is otherwise disruptive or unsportsmanlike shall be given a verbal warning by the umpire. A player who engages in such conduct may, at the umpire’s discretion, lose his next turn at bat. Any subsequent act of misconduct by that player or coach shall result in ejection from the game.

   3. All cheering and yelling must be done in a positive and encouraging manner. Negative comments or yelling by coaches, players, parents or fans will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Use of abusive, foul or obscene language by coaches, players, parents or fans is prohibited.

   4. Coaches and players may not question or protest judgment calls made by the umpire and coaches will be responsible for causing their players and their team’s fans to do so likewise.

2. EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS

   1. Rubber-cleated shoes are highly encouraged. No metal spikes of any kind are allowed.

   2. During games, all players are required to wear full uniforms. The uniform shirt should be tucked in and brim of hat facing forward at all times.

   3. All bats must have a USA Baseball Stamp on them. The barrel size or 'drop' is not important as long as it has a USA Baseball Stamp. All wood bats are are also acceptable.

   4. All batters and base runners must wear batting helmets at all times.

   5. Any player who is catching for a pitcher must wear a catcher’s mask, including the time when the catcher is “warming up” the pitcher and no batter is present. All players must wear cups.

   6. No jewelry may be worn.

3. FIELD SPECIFICATIONS

   1. The distance between bases is 70 feet.

   2. The distance from the pitcher’s rubber to home plate will be 48 feet.

   3. The home team will occupy the third (3rd) base side bench or dugout.

4. GAME TIME, GAME BALLS, INNINGS, RUN LIMITS, SLAUGHTER RULE

   1. All games will begin at game time. Please have all players arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the game for warm up. A 15-minute grace period will be given before a forfeit is declared.

   2. The home team must provide two (2) new baseballs for the game balls for each game. If the condition of the game balls deteriorates during the game, the umpire may require either or both teams to provide one or more new game balls.

   3. If a game is called due to inclement weather, it is considered a regulation game if four innings have been completed, or if the home team is winning and 3½ innings have been completed. If a game ends prematurely due to inclement weather, it is considered a suspended game. It will be rescheduled and resumed at the point of suspension. For playoff games, 6-innings must be played, unless a game ends early due to Rule 4.9.

   4. Regulation games will be six (6) innings for the Bronco League. Each game will have a time limit and NO NEW INNING will start after 2 hours has elapsed. Coaches and the umpire should agree before the start inning if they believe the 4th or 5th inning will be the last inning, based on time limit, or darkness. Exception: There will be no time limit for playoff games.

   5. When a game is tied at the end of regulation, one extra inning will be played if time allows. If the score remains a tie after a 7th inning, the game shall be declared a tie game. Exceptions are given for playoff games. For these games, play will continue until a winner is determined.

   6. The 7 run rule will be in effect for all regular season games. The maximum number of runs that a team may score in one inning is 7 runs with NO continuation (i.e. during a play from a batted ball only runs scored up to the 7th run of an inning will count). If a team is losing 10 to 0, the most runs they can score in the inning is still 7 runs.

   7. The 7 Run Rule Regular Season (Last Inning) - The only exception to this rule is in the last inning of a game. The umpire will determine which inning is the last inning based on Rule 4.d above. During the last inning, there no limit to the number of runs that can be scored.

   8. During the playoffs. The 7-run rule will apply for the early rounds. For the Semi-Finals and Championship games, there will be no run-limit.

   9. Ten (10) Run Slaughter Rule. A game will end if a team has a lead of 10 or more runs at the end of 4 innings (i.e., at the end of 3 ½ innings of play or as soon as the 10th lead run is scored in the bottom of the 4th or 5th inning). The 10-run rule will apply for early rounds of the playoffs. For the Semi-Finals and Championship games, there will be no slaughter rule

5. PACE OF PLAY

   1. If there are two outs and the team at bat has its catcher for the next half inning on base, the catcher on base should be removed from the base and be replaced by the player who has made the last out. In addition, if there are two outs and the catcher of the hitting team is not on base, the umpire should remind the coach to get the catcher ready to start the next half inning.

6. SUBSTITUTION/PLAYER PARTICIPATION: MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS

   1. A team must have seven (7) rostered players present to start the game and must have seven players for the duration of the game. If a team has insufficient players to start a game or to continue a game, a forfeit will be declared. A 15-minute grace period shall be permitted before forfeiting a game. If a forfeiture has occurred, the teams are encouraged to exchange players and play a practice game.

   2. All players present for a game will bat in a continuous batting order. If a player leaves a game early, or gets injured during the game, their spot in the batting order is skipped and no penalty is given.

   3. All players present during a game must play at least 4 complete innings in the field. No player may sit more than two innings and they cannot be consecutive. If a team has more than nine (9) players, all players must sit out at least once, before a player can sit out for a 2nd defensive inning. Coaches are encouraged to give all players the opportunity to play an infield position for at least one inning every single game.

   4. A late arriving player will enter at the end of the batting order as the last batter in the score book.

   5. During playoff and championship games, if a team only has 8 players, the 9th player in the batting order will be considered an automatic out. If a team only has 7 players, only one automatic out will be given and then the 1st batter will be up to bat.

   6. Only a player who is playing in a lower-age league sponsored by one of the league participating communities may be called up by a team if the manager will not have sufficient players. A call-up cannot pitch and must bat at the bottom of the batting order. Any exceptions to this must have league commissioner approval.

7. PITCHERS

   1. A pitcher may pitch a maximum of 2 innings in a single game and the innings must be consecutive. One pitch constitutes an inning.

   2. A pitcher who has withdrawn from the mound will not be permitted to return to the mound as a pitcher in the same game.

   3. There are no intentional walks. Pitchers must pitch to every hitter.

   4. Any pitcher who hits three batters during a game will be immediately replaced and will not be allowed to pitch again in that game.

   5. A pitcher may not through a deliberate curve ball. If a curve ball is thrown, a warning will be given. If a second curve ball is thrown, the pitch will be called a ball, regardless of where it is in the strike zone, or if the batter swung. This is solely the umpires discretion and is not a matter that can be argued.

8. BALKS and “HIDDEN BALL PLAY”

   1. The umpire shall issue one warning per pitcher per game prior to calling a balk on that pitcher. If an umpire calls a coach to the mound to explain or discuss a balk, it shall not count as a trip to the mound. After a warning is given, subsequent balks will cause base-runners to be awarded one base. If there is a runner at 3rd base when there is a balk, that runner stays at 3rd. Other runners advance, only if applicable.

   2. The “HIDDEN BALL PLAY” will not be allowed under any circumstances.

9. BASE RUNNING (STEALING, LEADOFFS, OVERTHROWS and SLIDING)

   1. Lead offs and stealing from First and Second Base

      1. A runner may take a lead-off, but once a pitcher has begun his delivery, that runner cannot inch forward, take a secondary lead-off, or make a stolen base attempt until after the pitcher goes through his delivery and releases the ball.

      2. If the runners leaves early or takes a walking lead and a steal is attempted, play is stopped, and the umpire will send the runners back to the previous base. If a runner persists in leaving early they may be called out at the umpire’s discretion.

      3. If a pick-off attempt is made by a pitcher, runners can steal at their own risk once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

   2. Lead-offs and stealing from 3rd Base

      1. Prior to each game, the umpire will establish a line approximately 10 feet from third base on the 3rd base line toward home plate. This will represent a ‘wall’ that the runner on 3rd base cannot advance from until the ball has crossed home plate.

         1. The runner on third can advance ONLY on i) a batted ball; ii) walk with the bases loaded.

         2. The runner on third cannot: i) Steal home on either a pitch or a return throw to the pitcher from the catcher; ii) advance on a passed ball or wild pitch.

         3. On an overthrow during a pick-off or stolen base attempt, runners may advance to 2nd or 3rd only. Runners CANNOT advance home.

   3. Sliding

      1. A runner is out if the runner does not attempt to get around the fielder, or otherwise attempt to avoid a collision with the fielder who has the ball, or who is about to have the ball, and is waiting to make a tag at a base. There no slide requirement, just a requirement to avoid contact.

      2. Runners are not permitted to slide 'head-first' into any base. Runners that attempt to do so will be called automatically out. Exception: Runners are allowed to slide head first when retreating back to a base during a pick-off attempt.

10. BUNTS, DROPPED 3RD STRIKE, THROWN BATS

    1. Bunting is permitted.

    2. A batter who shows bunt, must either pull back, or attempt to bunt the ball. Fake bunting and then swinging is not permitted. The batter will automatically be called out and a dead ball will be called.

    3. Drop-third strikes are in play when first base is not occupied. If there are two outs, a drop-third strike is in play, even if first base is occupied. Exception: There is no drop-third at all when the bases are loaded, even if there are two outs. Runners CANNOT advance home on a drop-third strike.

    4. If a batter throws his bat while swinging, the umpire shall give him a verbal warning. If the batter throws his bat for a second time, he should be declared out and a dead ball will be called.

11. INFIELD FLY RULE

    1. An Infield Fly is a fair fly ball which can be caught by an infielder in fair territory with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out.

    2. When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare “Infield Fly” for the benefit of the runners, and the batter is out. Runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched.

12. WALKS AND HIT BATTER 

    1. A walked batter is not free to advance beyond first (1st) base until after the first (1st) pitch to the next batter.

    2. A batter hit by a pitched ball is awarded first (1st) base.

    3. A batter hit by a pitched ball on a bounce is a hit batter and the ball is dead

13. UMPIRES

    1. Players, assistant coaches, adults assisting the team and fans may not question, protest or object to any rule interpretation or application by the umpire.

    2. During a game, the umpire has complete discretion in the application and interpretation of the rules. While these rules endeavor to cover many of the rules of baseball there are situation that may arise that require the umpires discretion.

    3. Application of rules by the umpire.

       1. To raise a question, a head coach must request and be given time out. The head coach shall confer with the umpire at home plate. All players shall be ushered away from home plate during such time out. The opposing head coach, any other umpire assigned to the game may participate in such discussion.

       2. Such discussion shall not extend past one (1) minute from the calling of time out. At the end of the time out, the head coaches shall return to the dugouts/bench areas.

       3. Final confirmation or reversal of the interpretation or application shall be decided by the umpires at the field. No question may be raised after the first (1st) pitch following the interpretation or application at issue and such interpretation or application shall thereupon be final and irreversible.

14. SCOREKEEPING AND STANDINGS

    1. Each team must supply a scorekeeper who is responsible for maintaining a game score book for that team. Scorekeepers should confirm the game score with each other at the end of every half inning. Head coaches, if requested, must supply one another with the batting lineup prior to the start of play.

    2. League standings will be kept by winning percentage.

    3. All scores must be submitted by the winning team to the league commissions using the online form within 48 hours of the contest.

15. RULES

    1. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Rules govern play and is the main rule book for the CSYBA. It is supplemented by these Local Rules. These Local Rules should be in the possession of the manager of the team at every game. The Local Rules supersede IHSA rules in every instance.

    2. The League Commissioners have the authority to make final interpretations and applications of and changes to these rules at any time.