GAME DAY

GAME BALLS
Unlike previous years, under the new HSL structure, the game balls will be provided by the Organisers.

UMPIRES
Unlike previous years, under the new HSL structure, the umpires will be provided by the Organisers.

SCORERS
Scorers at the games are entirely at the discretion of the respective team, although this would be preferable as the Organisers hope to publish some League stats online.

LEAGUE RULES

The following rules shall apply to this competition:

1. POSTPONEMENTS. Any games which are postponed due to bad weather or other reasons will not be rescheduled, unless the teams concerned agree to make their own arrangements to do so;
   
   
2. RESOLVING TIES IN LEAGUE STANDINGS. In the event of two or more teams finishing in a tie, either by virtue of identical won-lost records or where teams have played an unequal number of games but the “Games Behind” difference between them equals zero, the tie would be broken by using the following criteria in the order given:
   
   
   • The head-to-head results between the tied teams should be used to establish placings;
     
     
   • If still level, then the team that has conceded the fewest runs in games between or among the tied teams is placed first, the team that has conceded the next fewest number of runs in those games is placed second, and so on;
     
     
   • If still level, then the number of runs per game conceded by the tied teams across the whole of the competition should be used to determine placings.
     
     
3. REPORTING FINAL SCORES. The two teams in every game are EACH required to submit the final scores (preferably with line scores) by email to the League Organisers by midnight on the Monday following the game.
   
   
4. PITCHING RESTRICTIONS. No pitching restrictions shall apply.
   
   
5. PERMITTED BATS. Teams are allowed to use only bats which are legal in the league which they play in (i.e. those who are not allowed to use Aluminium bats in their league must not use aluminium bats in HSL games).
   
   
6. ROLLING SUBSTITUTIONS. To accommodate the preparations of teams for the upcoming season, teams will be allowed to agree on “rolling substitutions” (i.e. players allowed to go in and out of a game). It will be the responsibility of the two teams involved to reach an agreement before the start of their game to apply this rule, if they so wish. If one of the teams does not agree then neither team will be allowed “rolling substitutions”.
   
   
7. DESIGNATED HITTER RULE. Designated Hitter shall be allowed in accordance with BBF rules.
   
   
8. RULES APPLICABLE TO TIMED GAMES. At the start of the game the umpires, will inform both managers at what time the game will stop. Umpires will be the official timekeepers of all games. No new innings shall start 10 minutes from the predefined game finish time. If the predefined game finish time is reached, the umpire will allow this inning to be completed. This inning will be treated as the final inning with all the implied conditions including: (i) the bottom of this final inning will be played, and runs scored in the bottom of the inning will count, only if the visitors are leading or the game is tied in the middle of this final inning; (ii) if the visitors are in the lead in the middle of this final inning, but the home team takes the lead in the bottom of the inning, the game will end as soon as the home team takes the lead and this will be the final play and the final score. If the score is level after completing this final inning, then a count back to the last inning in which one of the teams was in the lead will be taken as the final game score. If still level, the game will be recorded as a tie.
   
   
9. DISPUTES. Any disputes over scores will be ruled by the League Organizers, whose decision will be final.

SPEED-UP RULES

In the interest of making our games more enjoyable for the players and for spectators, during the HSL, we would ask players, coaches and umpires to put an extra emphasis on speeding up the games in line with MLB Speed-Up Rules as follows:

• Umpires should urge batters to approach home plate from the on-deck circle and enter the batter's box faster, and to enforce rules such as issuing an automatic strike to batters who linger outside the box.
  
  
• Enforce the 12-second time limit between pitches. In bases-empty situations, pitchers should be warned if they don't pitch within a 12-second time limit. Pitchers should be called for a ball for each subsequent violation.
  
  
• Conferences on the pitcher's mound should be broken up more quickly.
  
  
• Teams will be asked to have a reserve player or coach ready to catch warm-up pitches if a catcher isn't ready.
  
  
• Teams must enter and exit the field quicker between innings. If teams do not comply, umpires have the option to start the game even if a pitcher has not managed to throw the allowed number of warm-up pitches.