Regulations

1. Modification: In all Catholic League baseball and softball games, playoffs, and championships, there will be two (2) strikes and three (3) balls. There is one modification of the two strike/three ball rule: regardless of how a batter fouls a pitch on the second strike and he attempts to bunt thereafter, and the ball goes foul, the batter is out. This modification will warrant a batter an extra attempt of a second strike.
2. Games are to be seven (7) innings duration, except in a case of a tie. Tie game will continued until the tie is broken, unless it is necessary for the umpire to call the game on account of darkness or inclement weather.
   1. A tie league game called due to darkness or weather after, five (5)complete innings, are treated as a suspended game. It will be completed when the two (2) teams meet again or on a mutually agreed upon date. The league director may waive the completion of the tie game when it has no bearing on playoffs.
   2. Sub-varsity contests are seven (7) innings with no extra innings.
3. All tie games will count one-half win and one-half loss in league standings.
4. Five (5) innings constitute a game in case of rain or darkness. If a game is called before completion of five (5) innings, the game will resume at point of suspension.
5. When after five (5) complete innings, a team is ahead of its opponent by 10 runs, the game is terminated.
   1. Once a team has reached an 18 run advantage and the losing team had equal innings at bat, the game is official, regardless of number of innings played. The score will be reported as it stands.

   Teams may continue to play as a scrimmage, unless both teams mutually agree to terminate all activity or the termination point was after five (5) complete innings.

   Example: Inning 1 2 3
   Team A - 3 9 7 19
   Team B - 1 0 0 1 Final Score

6. Forfeiture of games: see National Federation High School rules. If a game is forfeited, the home team is held responsible to pay the umpires. Forfeit time is 15 minutes. See forfeiture league penalties, page 16, 14e).
7. The league will, upon request, be responsible for assigning umpires for non-league baseball and softball games, if given proper advance notice.
8. In case it is necessary to postpone a game, because of inclement weather:
   1. Notify your opponents.
   2. Re-schedule date, time and place with opponent.
   3. Call the league by 1 p.m.; otherwise, the home team will be held responsible for paying umpires.
   4. Check on officials' names and phone numbers for weekend games.
9. Rainout dates are scheduled to aid schools in making up league games. Teams must make up games on rainout dates. When a back-log develops, teams may schedule satisfactory dates.
10. No game will be postponed or canceled for any reasons other than weather conditions, unless approved by the league director.
11. League scheduled dates and rainout dates take precedent over non-league games. Failure to comply can result in forfeit. (See penalties for forfeit, regulation 10 A,B,C)
12. When games are scheduled on Saturday or Sunday, schools must call the league by Friday for names and telephone numbers of umpires, in case of cancellation.
13. Each team will furnish two (2) new baseballs to the umpire at start of game. All other balls needed shall be furnished by the home team. Each team must have new balls available, if needed. In softball, the home team furnishes two new balls per game. Best balls may be used in doubleheaders.
14. The umpire is not to furnish balls to infielders and outfielders for practice each half inning.
15. Coaches are to be uniformly dressed: cap, shirt, jacket and pants. The pants are to be the same for coaches, but not necessarily the same as the team.
16. All baseball - softball permits for diamonds assigned by the Detroit Recreation Department, will be issued by the league upon the schools advance request.
17. The scorer of the home team is the official scorer.
18. Protest rule: the protest must be lodged with the umpire by the offended team at the time of play and before the next pitch. The protest must be filed, in writing, to the league office within 24 hours.
19. Michigan High School Athletic Association regulations on days of competition, limitations on pitchers, if any, are to be upheld. Report all non-league dates scheduled. Schools are not to alter schedules to gain allowable playing dates.
20. Tiebreaker: each division will have one (1) champion. In case of two-way tie in standings, revert back to games played between tied teams. If A beat B only one game played between them, A is champion. If A beat B three of four (or two of three) times and divisional records are the same then A is the champion.

    If A beat B and B beat A, a playoff game will be played, time permitting. If a three way tie exists, but A beat both B and C, then A will be declared the winner. (Determined by both schools and league director).

    If A beat C; C beat B; and B beat A, then a three way tie exists. The winner will be selected on the total offensive runs minus defensive runs involving all tied teams. This team will be divisional champion. Maximum limited number of runs counting to be 10.

    It is hoped this system will encourage more substitutions in games and the team in contention will not jeopardize its position if opponents score.

    Example:

    A scores 13 runs or A scores 24 runs
    B scores 3 runs B scores 3 runs
    A has 10 runs B has 10 runs
    If still tied, a coin flip will declare the winner.
    The league director determines if a playoff can be held.