| Age: | 16 – 18 |
| Philosophy: | The Senior Baseball Program is a competitive program that plays in the Senior Babe Ruth Summer Baseball League. This program requires a major commitment by players who have selected baseball as their primary spring/summer sport, and have played or are considering playing varsity level baseball at Middleton High School. It is recommended that players have a major commitment to the Cross Plains Senior Baseball team over other summer baseball options, though players may participate in other baseball programs if proper arrangements are made with the Senior Baseball team coaches. |
| Team Composition: | The team is generally comprised of seniors, juniors, and sophomores. Team coaches will make the final decision on which sophomores will be selected to this team. Graduated seniors are eligible to play in this program and may also play depending on roster size and the positional needs. The league director, with input from Senior Baseball coaches, will invite graduated seniors to participate if needed. Graduated seniors may be encouraged to pursue additional playing time in the Senior Babe Ruth or Home Talent baseball programs if there is a sufficient number of returning high school players on the roster. Playing time for returning high school players will be emphasized over playing time for graduated seniors during the league portion of the season. The team typically has up to 18 players on a team roster. If a player who was not on a spring high school team expresses an interest in participating on the team, the team coaches and league director will decide if there is a roster need for that player. An evaluation may be necessary if there are more non-high school players interested in playing than roster spots available. Players from the Junior Baseball team may be allowed to play on a Senior Baseball team and vice versa if one of the teams has a shortage of players for a regular season game. |
| Season: | The season will begin in early to mid-June, immediately after the end of the high school baseball season. Players may not play on the Senior Baseball team until their high school season has been completed. The team typically plays 12-20 games over a seven week period, but the number of games scheduled may decrease or increase during any given season depending on roster composition, player commitment and coach’s decision. Games may be played on any day of the week; typically Wednesday and Friday. The league portion of the season will be completed by the 2nd weekend in July, after which all league teams will be eligible to participate in the state tournament. |
| Postseason: | The Senior Baseball team will participate in the end of season state tournament unless alternate plans are made by the team coaches. |
16-18 YEAR OLD LEAGUE
• Games are played on Wednesday and Friday typically
• Any player kicked out of a game is suspended for the next game
• Games not played count as ½ win ½ loss. Must have 9 players to start game
• 10 run rule after 5 innings
• Will be using the full Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth website for scheduling and reporting scores
• $200.00 when arriving at State Tournament. Need to know by June 14th. All teams are eligible
• 16-18 year old state tournament
• Babe Ruth patches are required on left sleeve of jersey
• Certifications for managers and coaches are required
• Background checks for all levels – Babe Ruth League, Inc. programs nationwide are required to annually conduct a background check on all managers, coaches, board of directors’ members, as well as any other persons and volunteers, who provide regular service to the league and/or have repetitive access to, or contact with, players or teams
• Rule Change – Rule 8.05(c) – Requires the pitcher, while touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually stepping or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk
• April 30th is the cut-off date for age
• Bat Rule – The bat may not exceed 34” in length, and the barrel may not exceed 2 5/8” in diameter. Only composite barrel bats certified and marked BBCOR .50 will be allowed.
• Rule Change – EP (extra player (formally the “EH” extra hitter). Prior to beginning each tournament game, a team may elect to add a 10th hitter to the batting order. This position CANNOT be added once the game has started nor can it be eliminated. If you start with 10 players, you must end with 10 players
• 1 Manager and 2 Coaches only in the dugout
• Anyone warming up the pitcher must have a mask including coaches
• Umpires, Managers, and Coaches – no cell phones on the field
• Contact Rule – If a runner attempts to reach homeplate or another base intentionally and maliciously runs into a defensive player in the area of homeplate or a base, he will be called out and ejected from the game
