2008-2009 Baseball Information

GENERAL INFORMATION:

1. Baseball is a state championship event in each classification, and schools are aligned on a regional basis.

2. All baseball games will be played by the baseball rules as published by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

3. The maximum number of baseball games allowed (not including state playoffs) is twenty-six (26).

4. A school shall not allow its baseball team to engage in an interscholastic practice and/or scrimmage game, except for one (1) interscholastic scrimmage consisting of a 7-inning game using a "free substitution" format and umpires registered with the GHSA.

5. All varsity baseball games shall be played with officially-dressed officials who are registered under the GHSA plan for the registration of officials.
   1. The assignment of officials for regular-season games, invitational tournaments, and any sub-region or region playoffs allowed in the 26-game limit will be made by the GHSA office.
      
      1. The GHSA will assign one or more associations to each school for their games.
      2. The school and the local association(s) will sign a contract for the games that are assigned.
   2. In accordance with By-Law 2.71-c, the host school has the responsibility of providing security escorts for umpires at all regular-season and post-season games.

6. The following items allowed in the National Federation rule book as “State Adoptions” have been adopted by the GHSA:
   
   1. A game will end anytime that a team is 10 or more runs behind and has completed five or more turns at bat. A game will end anytime that a team is 15 or more runs behind and has completed three or more turns at bat.
   2. The suspended game rule will be used:
      
      1. When a game is stopped before it becomes a legal game (4.5 or 5 innings), it is considered “no contest” and any replay will begin from the first inning.
      2. When a game is stopped after it becomes a legal game and a winner can be determined, it is a completed game.
      3. When a game is stopped after it becomes a legal game and a winner can not be determined, any replay will begin from the point of interruption.
      4. In any terminated game, pitching innings will count.
   3. The use of the “courtesy runner” is the only “speed-up rule” that has been adopted. Being a courtesy runner does not count as a game played.

7. The following interpretations have been approved by the GHSA.
   1. Termination of the game due to weather, unplayable conditions, or mechanical malfunctions:
      
      1. The umpires may halt play for up to two hours when conditions do not allow play to continue.
         
         1. The two-hour interruption(s) is cumulative
         2. The game must be terminated when the two-hour time has elapsed. If the first game of a doubleheader is terminated, the second game will be postponed.
         3. The two-hour period does not include time needed to prepare the field for the resumption of play.
      2. Umpires must wait for at least thirty (30) minutes before terminating a game.
   2. Pitching restrictions:
      
      1. Pitchers are limited to a maximum of ten (10) innings in a calendar day
      2. Pitchers are limited to a maximum of fourteen (14) innings in four (4) consecutive calendar days
      3. Entry into the ballgame as a pitcher constitutes an inning pitched. After the initial inning pitched by that individual, one pitch constitutes an inning pitched.
      4. innings count when pitched in a terminated game that is a no-contest
      5. When a pitcher exceeds the pitching limits, he becomes an ineligible player

STATE PLAYOFFS:

1. Four teams from each region will advance to the state playoffs and must be determined by May 1, 2009. Regions must determine their four winners within the 26-game playing limit.

2. When a region does not have a tie breaker method in place, the following procedure will be used for seeding purposes:
   1. Percentage of head-to-head wins against tied teams
   2. Least number of runs allowed between tied teams
   3. Least number of runs allowed overall region play
   4. Mini-game of five (5) innings
   5. In any step of the tie-breaking process if a tie involving more than two teams is broken so that all ties are broken, that step determines the placements. If two teams remain tied after a step is completed, revert back to headto- head record to break the tie. If the tie cannot be broken, move to the next step.

3. All rounds of the state playoff involve a best two-of-three series.
   1. The higher seeded team, or the team designated as the host team on the predetermined brackets (if the teams are equal seeds), will host all three games.
   2. A doubleheader is required on the first day of each round of the playoff series.
   3. At the championship round, the Executive Director may grant a format exception if the two teams are from the same vicinity and travel is not a factor.
   4. The host team will be the home team in the first game, and the visiting team will be the home team in the second game. There will be a coin flip to determine the home team if the series goes to a third game.
   5. At the end of each day's competition, the host school will phone or fax the results to the GHSA office, or a designated location.
   6. The responsibilities of the host team are to:
      
      1. furnish game balls beyond those furnished by the GHSA
      2. notify the GHSA office as to the arrangements for the series
   7. In the event that two schools involved can not agree on the arrangements for the series (dates, times, etc.), the GHSA Executive Director will make a ruling to cover the situation.

4. The time-frame for the state playoff is as follows:
   1. Round 1: DH on May 8, If game on May 9, rain day on May 11
   2. Round 2: DH on May 13, If game on May 14, rain day on May 15
   3. Round 3: DH on May 19, If game on May 20, rain day on May 21
   4. Round 4: DH on May 25, If game on May 26, rain day on May 27
   5. Finals: DH on May 29, If game on May 30, rain day on June 1

5. The finances for the state playoffs are as follows:
   1. Admission fee must be charged for all state playoff games (i.e., after the Region winners have been determined). The fee is $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for students high school and under for pre-sale only. When student presale is not applicable all fees at gate will be $7.00. In baseball, the $7.00 fee covers the doubleheader games.
   2. Total gate receipts include all ticket sales and radio/television payments (see fee schedule in Broadcast section 2.80).
      
      1. The fee for a radio broadcast is paid to the host school prior to the game and is added in to the gate receipts.
      2. Television contracts are negotiated by the GHSA Executive Director.
      3. Money from concessions and program sales are not part of the gate receipts.
   3. The process of dealing with finances is handled as follows:
      
      1. Admission must be charged for all Playoff games.
      2. Ten percent (10%) of the gross receipts will be paid to the GHSA.
      3. The umpires will be paid out of gross receipts. NOTE: If the gross receipts are not sufficient to pay the umpires, the host school will pay that cost.
      4. The remaining balance is to be divided with 60% of the proceeds going to the visiting team and 40% to the host team.
         
         1. Mileage to the visiting team is covered in their 60% share of receipts. No extra mileage is paid.
         2. The host team is responsible for paying local service charges, stadium charges, operating expenses, personnel costs, etc., out of their 40% share.
         3. By agreement of the schools involved, the 60-40% split may be set aside and another arrangement substituted.