2017 TEE-BALL RULES (AGES 5-6)
Sports Branch
Semper Fit Division
Marine Corps Community Services
Lejeune-New River, NC
Eligibility and Participation
1. Participants must be five (5) years of age on or before 1 May of the current season, but must not
be seven (7) years of age on or before 1 May of the current season.
2. A coach must play each player in the field for at least one (1) complete turn at bat by the
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opposing team. Every player present must bat during each of their team’s at bats.
st
Penalty:
1 offense- Head coach- warning.
2nd offense- Head coach- next game suspension.
3. Each team will consist of a maximum of 14 players. The minimum number of players per team
will be determined by enrollment.
Playing Field and Field Equipment
1. The distance between all bases shall be 50 feet. The distance from the rear tip of home plate to
the nearer edge of the pitcher’s plate shall be 35 feet.
2. There will be a circle with an eight (8) foot diameter (4 foot radius) around the pitcher’s plate.
3. Home plate, bases, batter’s box, coaches’ boxes, etc. shall be in accordance with current
National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFSHSA) regulations. The pitcher’s plate
may either be regulation baseball size of official Little League size.
4. There will be an arc marked on the field intersecting 1st and 3rd baselines at ten (10) feet
measuring from the rear tip of home plate. The ball must be hit on or beyond the arc to be a
legal hit.
Equipment
1. The ball shall be the “Safe-T-Ball” or Level 1 equivalent.
2. The bat shall be any official Little League baseball bat or tee-ball bat.
3. Catchers must wear a mask, helmet, and chest protector. Chest Protector must fit the child and
not be bulky or hinder movement. Male catchers must wear an athletic supporter with
protective cup.
4. Tennis shoes or molded rubber cleats must be worn.
5. Batting head protectors (helmets covering both ears) must be worn in accordance with NFSHSA
regulations and recommended for adult coaches. Face masks on batting helmets are mandatory.
Coaching and Substituting
1. The responsibility of following all rules lies with the coaches of each team. Defensive
substitutions may be done freely, as long as all players get their required playing time. Late
arriving players will simply be added to the bottom of the batting order.
2. Four (4) coaches may participate in assistance of participants during the game; one (1) coach in
the dugout, one (1) coach in the batter’s box, one (1) coach in the infield, and one (1) coach in
the outfield. A ‘Team Mom/Dad’ may be in the dugout during the game, but it is not
mandatory.
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2017 T-Ball, 5-6 year olds
Updated 2017 January
Starting and Ending a Game
1. Games will be three (3) innings in length or one (1) hour. No new inning will start after 55
minutes. Time will be kept by the home team. No official score will be kept. All team members
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present will come to bat each inning. As batters and base runners are put out, they will be
removed from the bases. Total out will not matter, as the inning will not end until all team
members have batted.
2. Line-ups will consist of all eligible members present.
3. Each team must start a game with ten (10) eligible players on defense, if ten (10) are available.
A team may start a game with as few as eight (8) players. If either team fails to field at least
eight (8) eligible players at game time, a game may be played with the lacking members allowed
to borrow players from the opposing team.
4. There will be no protests.
5. Double headers may be played in extenuating circumstances.
6. In case of inclement weather, each team must have completed one at-bat or the game will be
rescheduled.
7. The playing of ineligible players will result in the suspension of the Head Coach.
Penalty:
1st offense- 1 game suspension
2nd offense- rest of season
Pitching
1. The player occupying the pitcher position must stay in contact with the pitching plate until the
ball is hit or swung at.
Penalty:
1st offense- coach and player issued a warning
2nd offense- player is removed from pitching position for the remainder
of the game.
2. The ball will not be pitched.
3. Time will be called any time the ball is thrown into the pitcher’s circle and the youth pitcher
makes an attempt to catch the incoming ball (please see section on Base Running).
a. Once time has been called, the pitcher may choose to make a play on the lead base
runner only.
b. If the pitcher attempts a play on the lead base runner, no other base runners may
advance once time has been called.
c. Once the pitcher attempts a play on the lead base runner, the lead base runner may
advance at their own risk until they stop their forward motion (breaks stride).
Batting
1. The ball will be hit off a batting tee. The tee will be placed on home plate. The coach will
remove the batting tee after the ball is hit.
2. The batter is allowed three (3) strikes. In the coach’s judgment, if a swing contacts the batting
tee rather than the ball, OR contacts the batting tee and ball simultaneously, a strike will be
called. If the batter misses the ball on his 3rd swing, the batter will be called out on strikes.
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2017 T-Ball, 5-6 year olds
Updated 2017 January
3. The ball must be hit on or beyond the 10 foot arc to be a legal hit. If this does not occur, a strike
will be assessed.
4. The batter will not bunt or half swing.
5. No infield fly rule.
6. The offensive team will end its turn at bat when all team members present have had their turn
at bat.
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7. No designated hitter (DH) is allowed.
8. A batter will not throw or sling his bat in a way that could potentially injure someone.
Penalty:
1st offense- batter will receive a warning
2nd offense- batter will be removed from participation in the remainder
of the game.
Base Running
1. A base runner must stay in contact with the base until the ball has been hit or swung at.
Penalty: Base runner is out.
2. When the base runner has advanced as far as possible, has stopped forward motion (breaks
their stride), and the ball is in possession of an infielder, time will be called and the next batter
will take their turn.
3. As stated in the Pitching rules section, time will be called when the ball is thrown into the
pitcher’s circle and the youth pitcher makes an attempt to catch the incoming ball.
a. Once time has been called, the pitcher may choose to make a play on the lead base
runner only.
b. If the pitcher attempts a play on the lead base runner, no other base runners may
advance once time has been called.
c. Once the pitcher attempts a play on the lead base runner, the lead base runner may
advance at his own risk until he stops his forward motion (breaks stride).
Governing Bodies
1. The current National Federation of State High School Association rules will govern play in all
leagues, except where superseded by rules stated in this document put forth by Lejeune-New
River Youth Sports.
2. The Youth Sports section has authority in interpreting the foregoing rules and regulations.
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2017 T-Ball, 5-6 year olds
Updated 2017 January