- Game length is 6 innings or 1 hour and 15 minutes. NO INNING MAY BEGIN AFTER 10:00 PM.
- The starting time of the first game for a given day shall be delayed only for the arrival of the umpires (the clock starts for a 6:00 PM game at 6:00 PM, not when the umpire says "play ball"). Delays for warm up and late arriving players will be "on the clock". The start time for subsequent games will be no later than 10 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding game, or scheduled game time, whichever is later.
- A maximum of 5 runs per half inning are permitted, including the 6th inning. Side retires upon the fifth(5th) run or the third out, whichever occurs first.
- An inning will start 90 seconds after the third out of the previous half inning is recorded.
- The game will be declared over after four complete innings (or 3 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead), should a team be leading by ten runs or more. The team with the lead will be declared the winner.
- All players will bat. Players must play a minimum of two complete defensive innings per game. All players must have played one complete defensive inning by the beginning of inning three and have played two complete defensive innings by the beginning of inning five.
- A batter will be out after three swinging strikes (foul balls included as per rules of baseball) or failure to hit a fair ball in five (5) pitches, whichever comes first. A batter will not be out if the fifth pitch is a foul ball that is not normally an out (the pitch will be counted as a no pitch). A batted ball must go out of the dirt into the grass area in front of home plate or it is considered a foul ball. There is no infield-fly rule in U-8. NO Bunting is allowed.
- Coach must pitch from a standing position and must remain on the pitching mound with one foot on the pitching rubber. Once a player hits the baseball, the coach pitcher MUST LEAVE THE PLAYING FIELD until play has stopped and time is out. PENALTY: First offense = warning by umpire; Second offense = coach pitcher must be replaced.
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When a batted ball hits the Pitching Coach, the following shall apply:
If in the umpire’s judgment, the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the batter is declared out and no runners shall advance.
If in the umpire’s judgment, the coach did make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the ball becomes dead and a no-pitch is declared.
- Ten players maximum on the field defensively. Outfielders must remain in the outfield and cannot play in the infield. The player pitcher must keep one foot in the pitching circle until the ball is hit. PENALTY: First offense ? warning by umpire; additional offenses ? batter awarded an additional pitch or first base in the event the batter hits a fair ball.
- A properly equipped catcher will receive pitches from the coach pitcher (NOTE: when playing with only 8 players, the defensive team must play with a catcher and a pitcher)
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No defensive coaches will be permitted on the field at any time; they must remain in the dugout.
- A team may "bring across" a player or players from its own legal age group within the league in order to field UP TO 10 legal players; however, all players in attendance on Official League Roster must bat prior to any "pick up" player batting in the order. All "pickup" players must play in the outfield at all times. In the event more than two players are added, the additional players (added player four and beyond) may play in field positions.
- A team may play a game with 8 players without a forfeit; the ninth batting position will NOT be counted as an out each time through the batting order except during the CBA Post Season tournament.
- If a player listed on the batting order is not present for his/her initial time at bat, he/she will be considered an out until he/she arrives. Upon arrival, that player will take his/her assigned position in the order. A player not present when the lineups are submitted may, at the manager's discretion, be placed at the bottom of the batting order, and, if not present when it is their turn to bat, be scratched without penalty. It is the responsibility of the manager or scorekeeper of the team at bat to notify the umpire and opposing manager when a player is being "scratched".
- During regular season, a player leaving a game and missing a turn at bat may not reenter the game, the coach will notify the official scorer, and an automatic out will NOT be recorded each time through the lineup at the missing player's turn at bat.
- During post season tournament play, a player leaving a game and missing a turn at bat may not reenter the game, the coach will notify the official scorer. If the total remaining players is less than the required 9, then an automatic out will be recorded each time through the lineup at the missing player's turn at bat. If the total remaining players is 9 or more, then an automatic out is NOT recorded.
- Only in case of injury may a player be dropped from the batting order without penalty, unless dropping the player results in an 8 player batting order. In that event, an out should be recorded each time through the lineup at the missing player's turn to bat.
- Both teams' scorekeepers have the authority to notify the umpire of improper batting order. The official score book (home team, unless otherwise designated by the umpire) determines the proper batting order.
- If a batter is challenged as "batting out of order", the umpire will consult the official scorekeeper and make his/her judgment in accordance with the Official Rules of Baseball.
- Courtesy runners will be allowed only for injured players; the courtesy runner must be the player who made the last out
- Courtesy runner required with 2 outs for catcher position.
- A runner will be called out, if, in the umpire's judgment, he instigates contact with a fielder covering a base, unless while sliding
- NO METAL CLEATS ARE ALLOWED.
- Stoppage of Play ? In order to stop play, the defensive team must position the ball ahead of the lead runner in such a way that if the runner were to attempt to advance the next base, he/she would be out. The umpire will stop play when the lead runner has recognized that further advancement would result in an out. Once play has been stopped by the umpire, any trailing runners attempting to advance, but having not reached the next base, must return to the previous base without risk. Trailing runners are free to attempt to advance as long as the play has not been signaled "dead" by the umpire.
- Games will end if time has expired and outcome of game cannot be changed.
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