mercy rule

[paulsimko]

in high school (NJ) baseball and/or softball....is there a mercy rule that says that the game is over when a team is down by 10 or more afetr it has completed its 5th at bat? and if that is the case, does that mean that if the visiting team is up by 9 in the top of the 6th and they score a run, is the game over?

thank you

[Umpire in Chief]

Larry will give the official answer. But I'm pretty sure NJ high schools play under federation rules which have a mercy rule of 10 runs after 5 innings.

In your scenario, the game wouldn't be over. Each team has to have equal opportunities to bat/score. But conversely in the bottom of the 5th, 6th or 7th if the home team reaches a 10 run lead then it's over.

[paulsimko]

warren...have you ever seen a situation where the rules call for "down by xx runs after having completed its 5th at bat" - that allows for the game to be over w/out the equal number of at bats, as long as its after 5?

[LMSANS]

NJ follows the Fed rules on this and Warren is right. The mercy rule is 10 runs after the losing team has had 5 at bats or if later in the game and the home team (if losing) gets their "last licks".

There is a new rule for HS softball this year. After 3rd inning (or 2½), if one team is ahead by 15 runs, the game may be ended with the consent of both coaches. This is a NJSIAA adopted rule and may not apply everywhere.

warren...have you ever seen a situation where the rules call for "down by xx

runs after having completed its 5th at bat" - that allows for the game to be over

w/out the equal number of at bats, as long as its after 5? "

I can't think of any rule that I have seen like that.

[Umpire in Chief]

No I think it would be inherently unfair to kill a game w/o equal at bats, unless the home team is winning.

[paulsimko]

thank yous

[PeteBooth]

in high school (NJ) baseball and/or softball....is there a mercy rule that says that the game is over when a team is down by 10 or more afetr it has completed its 5th at bat? and if that is the case, does that mean that if the visiting team is up by 9 in the top of the 6th and they score a run, is the game over?

thank you

There are certain FED rules like the Mercy rule in which states adopt or not.

Example:

I live in New York and for Varsity baseball UNFORTUNATELY we do not have a mercy rule nor do we allow CR's. We have a 15 run rule for Modified and JV.

I can speak for New Jersey baseball even though I am from New York because this past weekend one of our teams played a team from New Jersey in a non league game. The team from NJ was leading 20-2 after 5 complete.

The coach of the NJ team said blue "Don't you guys have a mercy rule here" to which I replied "sorry skip I wish we had".

Therefore NJ baseball has adopted the mercy rule.

The second part of your question

if the visiting team is up by 9 in the top of the 6th and they score a run, is the game over?

Answer: NO the HT has to bat

Pete Booth

[mstaylor]

Our men's league uses the 10 after five as soon as it happens. If the visitors go up by 10 in the top of the sixth, the game is over. I don't know of any youth leagues that use an uneven rule.

[BT_Blue]

warren...have you ever seen a situation where the rules call for "down by xx runs after having completed its 5th at bat" - that allows for the game to be over w/out the equal number of at bats, as long as its after 5?

I have NEVER seen a league that has a mercy rule that does not allow equal number of atbats unless the home team is winning.

There are certain FED rules like the Mercy rule in which states adopt or not.

Example:

I live in New York and for Varsity baseball UNFORTUNATELY we do not have a mercy rule nor do we allow CR's. We have a 15 run rule for Modified and JV.

I can speak for New Jersey baseball even though I am from New York because this past weekend one of our teams played a team from New Jersey in a non league game. The team from NJ was leading 20-2 after 5 complete.

The coach of the NJ team said blue "Don't you guys have a mercy rule here" to which I replied "sorry skip I wish we had".

Therefore NJ baseball has adopted the mercy rule.

Pete Booth

I also want to add that certain states (READ CALIFORNIA HERE) actually have separate districts (ex. Northern and Southern Section, San Francisco, LA, etc.). I know for a fact that LA Section has a 10 run mercy rule for all levels and that SS and LA use a mercy rule for all JV games. However SS and NS both allow different leagues to adopt the mercy rule or not for varsity games. Its enough to want to and oh yeh, and :bang:

[therefump]

I have NEVER seen a league that has a mercy rule that does not allow equal number of atbats unless the home team is winning.

I also want to add that certain states (READ CALIFORNIA HERE) actually have separate districts (ex. Northern and Southern Section, San Francisco, LA, etc.). I know for a fact that LA Section has a 10 run mercy rule for all levels and that SS and LA use a mercy rule for all JV games. However SS and NS both allow different leagues to adopt the mercy rule or not for varsity games. Its enough to want to and oh yeh, and

You CA people do have a different way of doing just about everything......:fuel:

[BT_Blue]

You CA people do have a different way of doing just about everything......

yes, yes we do