The Spirit of the Game
The NCBLI is a Sandlot-style league for adults and young but capable players. The goal is simple: get on the field, have some fun, and play the game we love. While the atmosphere is relaxed and "not that serious," the play on the field is expected to be very competitive.
I. Registration and Rosters
The 24-Hour Rule: All players must register at ncbli.com at least 24 hours before the scheduled first pitch.
Randomized Teams: Once registration hits the deadline, the system automatically splits the pool into two teams: Home and Visitor.
Captain Selection: Two captains are chosen completely at random from the registered players for that specific game.
The 15-Minute Trade Window: 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, the two captains meet on the field. They can make up to three trades based on the players present to ensure both teams are evenly matched..
II. Scoring and Stats
Live Documentation: Every game is recorded through GameChanger.
Volunteer Scorer: There is a dedicated registration spot on the website for a volunteer to manage the GameChanger feed.
Official Stat Posting: Following the game, all individual and team stats are exported from GameChanger and posted to ncbli.com for season-long tracking and leaderboards.
III. The Umpire Protocol
Expectation of Quality: This is a community league; umpires most likely won't be the greatest ever. Errors will happen.
No On-Field Arguing: Players are strictly prohibited from arguing calls with the umpire.
Captain’s Challenge: If a call is truly in question, only the Team Captain may initiate a challenge. This must be a simple, calm conversation with the umpire, not an emotional outburst.
The Random Rotation: If no volunteer is available, the teams provide umpires from their own rosters:
Home Team: Umpires the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th innings.
Visitor Team: Umpires the 2nd, 4th, and 6th innings.
One-Inning Limit: No registered player in the rotation can umpire more than one inning.
The Walk-On Penalty: Any player who shows up without registering 24 hours in advance can only play if there is a spot available, and they must umpire two consecutive innings as their "buy-in."
IV. Gameplay Rules
The Bat Rule: This is a Solid Wood and BBCOR Only league. No other types of metal, composite, or non-certified bats are allowed.
Footwear: Cleats are allowed and encouraged, but not mandatory.
Uniforms: All players should bring a Light and a Dark shirt to match their random team assignment.
Game Length: All games are up to 7 innings or 2 hours. If an inning is started before the 2 hour limit, it will be finished to complete the game.
The 10-Run Cap: There is no mercy rule. If a team has a 10-run lead after the 5th inning, they are capped at scoring only three runs per inning unless the trailing team closes the gap to under 10 runs.
Pitching Limits: Pitchers can pitch a maximum of three innings during one game.
Continuous Batting: The entire roster for the day stays in a continuous batting loop for the whole game.
BP Pitching: The batter, at the begining of the at-bat, can ask for the pitcher to throw BP instead of normal, live pitching.
V. Short Roster Adjustments
Defensive Vacancies: If a team is short one player, they must leave Left Field or Right Field unoccupied. If they are short two players, both Left and Right Field will be unoccupied.
The "Unoccupied Single" Rule: If a ball is hit shallow into one of these unoccupied outfield positions, it is automatically counted as a single. Depth of ball is at umpire's discretion.
The "Unoccupied Double" Rule: If a ball is hit deep into one of these unoccupied outfield positions, it is automatically counted as a single. Depth of ball is at umpire's discretion.
Base Runner Limit: On an "Unoccupied Rule," any active base runners are awarded the respective amount of bases only.
VI. Accountability
The No-Show Penalty: If you register but don’t show up, you receive an automatic one-day ban from the next available game.
