2020 NFHS Baseball Rules Book

1 2020 NFHS Baseball RULESBOOKDr. KARISSA L. NIEHOFF, PublisherB. Elliot Hopkins, MLD, CAA, EditorNFHS PublicationsTo maintain the sound traditions of this sport, encourage sportsmanship andminimize the inherent risk of injury, the National Federation of State HighSchool Associations writes playing Rules for varsity competition amongstudent-athletes of high school age. High school coaches, officials andadministrators who have knowledge and experience regarding this particularsport and age group volunteer their time to serve on the Rules associations of the NFHS independently make decisions regardingcompliance with or modification of these playing Rules for the student-athletes in their respective Rules are used by education-based and non-education-basedorganizations serving children of varying skill levels who are of high schoolage and younger. In order to make NFHS Rules skill-level and age-levelappropriate, the Rules may be modified by any organization that chooses touse them.

2 Except as may be specifically noted in this Rules book, the NFHS makes no recommendation about the nature or extent of the modificationsthat may be appropriate for children who are younger or less skilled thanhigh school varsity individual using these Rules is responsible for prudent judgment withrespect to each contest, athlete and facility, and each athlete is responsiblefor exercising caution and good sportsmanship. These Rules should beinterpreted and applied so as to make reasonable accommodations forathletes, coaches and officials with disabilities. 2019, By the National Federation of State High School the whole nor any part of this publication may be copied orreproduced and/or translated without first obtaining express writtenpermission from the of all or any portion of this publication on the Internet isexpressly prohibited. Published by the NATIONAL FEDERATION OFSTATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS, PO Box 690, Indianapolis,Indiana 46206; Phone: 317-972-6900, Fax: , photo courtesy of Keith Warren, Mississippi High SchoolActivities OF CONTENTSRule 1.

3 Players, field and EquipmentRule 2. playing Terms and DefinitionsRule 3. Substituting Coaching Bench and field Conduct ChargedConferencesRule 4. Starting and Ending GameRule 5. Dead Ball Suspension of PlayDead Ball TablesRule 6. PitchingRule 7. BattingRule 8. BaserunningBaserunning Awards TableRule 9. Scoring Record KeepingRule 10. UmpiringSuggested Speed Up RulesSuggested Double First Base RulesPoints of EmphasisComments on the RulesRules by State Association AdoptionOfficials Signal ChartMission StatementSuggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion in SportsEquipment GuidelinesCommunicable Disease ProceduresLightning GuidelinesCoaches Code of EthicsOfficials Code of EthicsNFHS DisclaimersEach state high school association adopting these Rules is the sole andexclusive source of binding Rules interpretations for contests involving itsmember schools. Any person having questions about the interpretation ofNFHS Rules should contact the Rules interpreter designated by his or her statehigh school NFHS is the sole and exclusive source of model interpretations of NFHS Rules .

4 State Rules interpreters may contact the NFHS for model rulesinterpretations. No other model Rules interpretations should be NFHS Position Statements and GuidelinesThe NFHS regularly distributes position statements and guidelines topromote public awareness of certain health and safety-related issues. Suchinformation is neither exhaustive nor necessarily applicable to allcircumstances or individuals, and is no substitute for consultation withappropriate health-care professionals. Statutes, codes or environmentalconditions may be relevant. NFHS position statements or guidelines shouldbe considered in conjunction with other pertinent materials when takingaction or planning care. The NFHS reserves the right to rescind or modifyany such document at any time. Position Statements are located at the end ofthis for Baseball rule interpretations or explanations should be directedto the state association responsible for the high school Baseball program inyour state. The NFHS will assist in answering Rules questions from stateassociations whenever called facilities used for high school athletics come in many shapes, sizesand conditions, on-site event management may on occasion conclude thatcompliance with NFHS directives about event configuration is not all circumstances, onsite event management should utilize set-ups thatminimize risk under the conditions with which they deal.

5 If a given facilitycannot be made reasonably hazard-free, the event should be Rules changes are denoted with Baseball Rules Changes(For comments on the 2020 Rules changes, see Rules Changes Comments)3-1-4 Modified the role of the defensive player and the designated Baseball Points of Emphasis(For a complete discussion of these points of emphasis, see Points ofEmphasis Discussion)1. Game-Ending Procedures2. Player/Designated Hitter Role3. Proper pitching Positions4. Force Play Slide Rule5. Enforcement of NFHS Jewelry Rule6. Compliance of Player s EquipmentNFHS Baseball Rules CommitteeRule 1 Players, field and EquipmentThe NFHS does not perform scientific tests on any specific items ofequipment to determine if the equipment poses undue risks to student-athletes, coaches, officials or spectators. Such determinations are theresponsibility of equipment 1 POSITIONS OF PLAYERSART. 1 .. In high school Baseball , each team is permitted seven turns at bat(see 4-2-2) during which it attempts to score runs by having its battersbecome base runners who advance to and touch first base, second base, thirdbase and home plate.

6 The team in the field attempts to end each turn at bat ofthe opponent by causing three of its batters or base runners to be out. Each ofthe two teams consists of at least nine players throughout the game (SeeException 4-4-1f), one of whom must be designated 2 .. The captain and head coach represent the team incommunications with umpires. The captain's and head coach s duties shallinclude: 1) providing the umpire-in-chief with his team's lineup card whichshall include the name, shirt number, position and batting order of eachstarting player, the name and shirt number of each eligible substitute shouldalso be listed; and 2) informing all players as to special ground Rules asannounced by the umpire-in-chief. Lineups become official after they havebeen exchanged, verified and then accepted by the umpire during thepregame conference. The umpire shall not accept the lineup card until allsubstitutes are listed. There is no penalty 1:Key: 1 Pitcher; 2 Catcher; 3 1st Baseman; 4 2nd Baseman; 5 3rdBaseman; 6 Shortstop; 7 Left Fielder; 8 Center Fielder; 9 RightFielder; U Umpire; X On-Deck Circle; Stippled Area GrassART.

7 3 .. A player is designated on the line up card and in the scorebookby name, shirt number, batting order position and fielding position. Acustomary arrangement of the fielders is shown in Diagram 4 .. At the time of the pitch, all fielders shall be on fair groundexcept the catcher who shall be in the catcher's box. A fielder is in fairground when at least one foot is touching fair : Illegal pitch. (2-18)ART. 5 .. A player may change to a different fielding position at any timeexcept that a pitcher, after being listed as such on the official lineup cardhanded the umpire, cannot change until conditions in 3-1-1 and 2 are should be reported to the umpire-in-chief and 2 THE FIELDART. 1 .. A diamond (or infield) shall be a 90-foot square. Whenmeasuring the distance to first base and third base, measure from the apex ofhome plate to the back edge of the base. The outfield is the area between twofoul lines formed by extending two sides of the diamond as in Diagram infield and outfield, including the boundary marks from home plate tofirst and third and their extended foul lines, are fair ground.

8 All other area isfoul 2 .. All lines on the playing field shall be marked with a materialwhich is not injurious to the eyes or skin. All non-permanent lines should bewhite. Lime or caustic material of any kind is 3 .. The on-deck circle should be to the side and away from homeplate, 37 feet if space allows. Neither team's players shall warm up in theother team's on-deck circle. The on-deck circle does not have to be occupied,but if a player wishes to warm up, he shall do so only in his team's on-deckcircle, provided the on-deck circle is located safely away from home plate.(2-23)ART. 4 .. When the dugout area is temporarily extended, for any reason, itshall be extended toward the outfield on a line parallel to the foul line. Theextension of the dugout area shall be equally applied for both 5 .. When constructing a new field for high school play, the distancefrom home plate to the nearest obstruction on fair ground should be at least300 feet down the foul lines and at least 350 feet to center field .

9 It isrecommended that the line from home plate through the pitcher's plate tosecond base run east-northeast. This line, using a steel tape or a strong tapeor a cord, must measure 127 feet, 3 3/8 inches from the rear tip of home plateto the middle of second base. The catcher's box, home plate, bases, coaches'boxes, batters' boxes, and three-foot running lane shall be as in Diagram recommended width of a foul line is 2 6 .. On a sodded field , an unsodded area, commonly referred to asthe "pitcher's mound," should have a radius of about nine feet centered 1 feet in front of the midpoint of the front edge of the pitcher's 2 OFFICIAL MEASUREMENTS .. for laying out Baseball fieldDiagram 3 SUGGESTED LAYOUT OF PITCHER'S MOUNDThe top of the pitcher's plate must be 10 inches above the top surface ofhome plate. Inside the circle, a pitcher's mound should be constructedaccording to the specifications shown in the degree of slope from a point 6 inches in front of the pitcher's plate to apoint 6 feet toward home plate shall be one inch to one foot, and such degreeof slope shall be pitching mound is an 18-foot diameter circle, the center of which is 59feet from the back point of home the front edge of the rubber 18 inches behind the center of the front edge of the rubber to the back point of home plate is 60 feet, slope starts 6 inches from the front edge of the slope shall be 6 inches from the starting point, 6 inches in front of therubber to a point 6 feet in front of the level area surrounding the rubber should be 6 inches in front of therubber, 18 inches to each side and 22 inches to the rear of the rubber.

10 Thetotal level area is 5 feet x 34 7 .. The pitcher's mound may consist in part of synthetic materialthat is commercially manufactured for that purpose. If a mound pad iscomposed of natural soil and synthetic material, the synthetic material mustbe securely attached to the ground and be installed at least flush or slightlybelow the surface of the ground. The mound area shall meet suggested heightand slope specifications found in the Suggested Layout of the Pitcher'sMound (Diagram 3).ART. 8 .. Media shall be prohibited from being in live-ball area. If adesignated media area is to be used, it shall be established before the gamebegins. The home team or game management shall designate a lined area forthe media, which shall be considered dead-ball 9 .. First, second and third bases shall be white bags, 15 inchessquare and 2 to 5 inches in thickness, and made of canvas filled with a softmaterial, or molded rubber or synthetic material, and shall be securelyattached to the ground or an anchor system as in Diagram 2.