Hockomock Summer Baseball League - For Coaches (2024)

Adding Pitch Counts & FINAL Score in TEAMLINKT

Click on the TeamLink screen belowfor a voice over demo on how to enter your final pitch counts and scores.
Reminder: The home team is required to enter all pitch counts for both team and the final score via the mobile application. The visiting team does not access to the "League Game Statistics" menu as shown below.
IMPORTANT: Pitch counts must be entered first and saved in the app prior to submitting your final score. The "Pitcher Eligibility" screen is working intermittently. This should be used as a guide only. Please spot check the tracker and alway refer to to MLB Pitch Smart Guidlinesfor youth and adolescent pitchers.

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Roster Input

Rules by Age Group

Smart Pitch Standards

There is no aspect of youth sports more important than the safety of the players involved. The Hockomock Summer Baseball League adheres to thePitch Smart USA Guidelines. Visit the link to see pitch limits and rest requirements for each age group. ​​​​ These rules apply from the first game of the season through the last game of the playoffs. Pitch counts do not "reset" at any point during the season and all counts carry over from the regular season into the playoffs.​​​

Equipment

Responsibility

• All participating member towns in the Hockomock Summer League are responsible for providing fields, equipment, and baseballs for home games.
• All batters and base runners must wear a helmet.

Baseballs

• Junior League Division: Acceptable baseball brands: Diamond DLL, Diamond DCR, or Rawlings RLLB (No dash variations).
• Senior League Division: Acceptable baseball brands: Diamond DBR or Rawlings RSLL (No dash variations).
• Diamond League:
  • Baseballs must adhere to NFHS and NOCSAE standards.
  • Players must use BBCOR stamped bats (-3) or wooden bats with a 2 5/8-inch barrel diameter.

Bats

13 – 15-year-old Division:

• Allowed bats: BBCOR or USA stamped bats.
• Maximum bat length: 34 inches.Maximum BBCOR Bat Drop is a Drop 3
• Maximum bat barrel diameter: 2 5/8 inches.
• Only composite barrel bats certified and marked BBCOR .50 or USA stamped bats are permitted.
• Wood barrel bats conforming to Official Baseball Rule 1.10 specifications are allowed.

9 – 12-year-old Divisions: Allowed bats: Alloy, composite, or wooden bats with a maximum 2 5/8-inch barrel diameter (per new USABat standards) www.usabat.com.

Catcher’s Masks

• One piece & Two Piece (skull cap & mask) catcher’s masks are allowed.
• All masks must have throat protection via a guard or mask extension.

CALL UP Rules/Procedures

• Teams may only call up a player (s) from another HSL declared team (no Friendship, Sizzler, Suburban, independent tournament teams, etc.) from the same town.
• A team may only call up players from the same or lower age group (A 10U team may only call up 9U or 8U players). 8U teams do not have a call up option (recommendation - larger rosters. For those towns with Friendship or other 8U league participation teams, add some of those players to your 8U HSL team roster for additional callup options).
• A team may only call up players from a commisurate or lower division level (i.e. a D1 team can call up from a D2 or D3 team at the same age level or lower).
• Called up players cannot pitch.

Entering SCores & PITCH Counts

All scores and pitch counts for players on both teams are entered into the system by the home coach. For more information on how to enter data, please see our training video. The Visiting coach should validate all of the information after it's posted. As changes cannot be made once entered, any mistakes or discrepancies should be sent to the HSL board immediately for correction. Any individual found to be repeatedly entering false information will be subject to disciplinary action, including suspensions and fines for their town program.

Rescheduling and Forfeitures:

Make-Up Dates:

• All make-up dates initially offered should ideally be played at the site of the originally scheduled game.
• If the scheduled home team cannot provide a field, and the game must be played at the visiting team's field or a neutral site, the scheduled home team retains the home field advantage.

Game Days:

• The Hockomock League schedules games Monday through Friday.
• Weekend dates may be used for rescheduling, but it is not mandatory.
• Both coaches must agree to any final rescheduling of games prior to implementation.

Tournament Games vs. Hock Games

If two Hockomock Summer League towns are participating in a tournament, the game will count as both a tournament game and a Hockomock Summer League game under the following conditions:

Player Eligibility:

• Both teams must field only players from their Hockomock roster for the game.
• Opposing managers must verify player eligibility before the game begins.

Mutual Agreement:

• Both managers must agree prior to the game that it will also count as a Hockomock Summer League game.
• Once the umpire initiates play, this above agreement is final and cannot be changed.

Rules Adherence:

Teams will follow Hockomock Summer League rules during the game; tournament rules will not apply.

Umpires

Age Requirement:

• • All umpires must be at least 13 years old.
  • Umpires under 18 are classified as Junior Umpires.

Junior Umpire Roles:

• • Junior Umpires may officiate as Home Plate Umpire in the Eight-Year-Old & Nine-Year-Old Divisions, where both umpires can be junior umpires.
  • Junior Umpires can serve as base/field umpires for all divisions ten and above.

Patch Requirement:

• • All umpires must wear league patches.

Responsibility:

• • The home team is responsible for providing two umpires who meet these requirements.

Exceptions:

• • Due to umpire shortages, exceptions to the age requirement may be considered by the Hock Board for the current season.
  • Such decisions will be made before the season starts and communicated to all town representatives during pre-season meetings.

Minimum Game Requirements:

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• 8U Games - 2 Junior Umpires
• Junior Division (9U-12U) Games:
  - D1: 1 Junior Umpire; 1 Patched Adult.Playoffs require 2 Patched Adult Umpires.
  - D2-D3: 1 Junior Umpire; 1 Patched Umpire (adult or junior; as long as they are patched). Playoffs require 2 Patched Adult Umpires.
• Senior Division (13U-18U) Games: 2 Patched Adult Umpires​​​​​

Penalties for Violation:

First Violation:

• • • A $50.00 fine per instance payable to the Hockomock Summer League.
    • If the violating team wins the game, they will be penalized one point and awarded only one point for the win.

Subsequent Violations:

• • • Further violations may result in additional penalties, including potential forfeiture of games, pending review by the protest committee.

Heat Index Guidelines

Weather Related Postponements

Notification Process:

• The home team manager or representative must notify the division scorekeeper within 24 hours of the game, preferably by email, to report a postponement due to weather.
• Failure to notify within the specified time will result in forfeiture by the home team.

Make-Up Game Offer:

• Within 48 hours of the original game, the home team manager will offer two make-up game dates to the visiting team manager.
• These make-up dates must fall within 10 days of the original game.
• If a game cannot be scheduled at the home team's field, the visiting team's field can be offered.

Notification of Rescheduled Game:

• Once the make-up game is scheduled, the home team manager must notify the division scorekeeper within 24 hours with the date and time of the new game.
• Failure to notify within the specified time will result in forfeiture by the home team.

Forfeiture if Game Cannot Be Played:

• If a game cannot be played within ten days of the original game, both teams will forfeit the game.

Extension of Season:

• For any scheduled games postponed due to weather in the last 10 days of the season and cannot be rescheduled between teams, the Hockomock Executive Board retains the right to extend the season if necessary.

Pitching Rules Governing Resumption:

• Pitchers who pitched and were relieved in the game before postponement are not eligible to pitch in the reschedule remainder of the game.
• A pitcher who was pitching when the game was paused is eligible to return; however, that pitchermust be available to do so following the MLB Smart Pitch Rules(i.e. if they pitched in a separate game within the days leading up to the reschedule, then they must be off rest to resume pitching in the reschedule).

Non-Weather-Related Postponements:

Notification Process:

• The manager responsible for postponing the game must notify the division scorekeeper within 24 hours of the game, preferably by email, to report a non-weather-related event as the cause of postponement.
• Failure to notify within the specified time will result in forfeiture by the postponing team.

Make-Up Game Offer:

• Within 48 hours of the original game, the manager of the team not responsible for the postponement will offer two make-up game dates to the postponing team manager.
• These make-up dates must fall within 10 days of the original game.
• If a game cannot be scheduled at the home team's field, the visiting team's field can be offered.

Notification of Rescheduled Game:

• Once the make-up game is scheduled, the postponing team manager must notify the division scorekeeper within 24 hours with the date and time of the new game.
• Failure to notify within the specified time will result in forfeiture by the postponing team.

Forfeiture if Game Cannot Be Played:

• If a game cannot be played within ten days of the original game, the postponing team will forfeit the game.

Pitching Rules Governing Resumption:

• Pitchers who pitched and were relieved in the game before postponement are not eligible to pitch in the reschedule remainder of the game.
• A pitcher who was pitching when the game was paused is eligible to return; however, that pitchermust be available to do so following the MLB Smart Pitch Rules(i.e. if they pitched in a separate game within the days leading up to the reschedule, then they must be off rest to resume pitching in the reschedule).

Playoffs

Qualification: The top eight teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs.

Tiebreaker Rules

If teams have the same record:

Primary Tiebreaker:

1. Head-to-Head performance.
2. Fewest runs allowed throughout the season.
3. Coin toss.

Three Team or More Tiebreaker:

1. Head-to-Head performance among tied teams.
2. Fewest runs allowed against tied teams.
3. Coin toss.

Format

The team with the highest seed will have home-field advantage.

First Round (Weather Dependent):

• Game One: Eighth Place at First Place.
• Game Two: Seventh Place at Second Place.
• Game Three: Sixth Place at Third Place.
• Game Four: Fifth Place at Fourth Place.

Second Round (Weather Dependent):

• Game Five: Lowest seed winner at highest seed winner.
• Game Six: Second lowest seed winner at second highest seed winner.

Finals (Weather Dependent):

• Game Seven: Winner of game five and game six play for championship.

Seven Team Playoff Format

#1 Seed receives a first-round bye.

First Round:

• #2 versus #7.
• #3 versus #6.
• #4 versus #5.

Second Round:

• #1 seed versus Lowest Seed.
• Second Lowest Seed versus Second Higher Seed.

Finals:

• Winners of second round games.

Divisions with Six or Less Teams: Format will be announced upon completion of the league schedule.

Game Rules:

• All playoff games will be played to their conclusion, unless the slaughter rule penalty ends the game.
• Games suspended due to darkness or weather-related issues will continue from the point of suspension.
• All playoff games are scheduled during the week.
• Weather-related delays will result in games being pushed back by one weekday. If games are postponed to Friday, further postponement will move the games to Monday.