team to take position in the batter's box. As soon as all players are in position, the umpire-in-chief shall call "Play." 5.02 -After the umpire calls "Play," the ball is alive and in play and remains alive and in play until, for legal cause, or at the umpire's call of "Time" suspending play, the ball becomes dead. While the ball is dead, no player may be put out, no bases may be run and no runs may be scored, except that runners may advance one or more bases as the result of acts which occurred while the ball was alive ( but not limited to an overthrow, interference, or a home run or other fair hit out of the playing field). 5.03 -The pitcher shall deliver the pitch to the batter who may elect to strike the ball, or who may not offer at it, as such batter chooses. 5.04 The offensive team's objective is to have its batter become a runner, and its runner’s advance. 5.05 -The defensive team's objective is to prevent offensive players from becoming runners and to prevent their advance around the bases. 5.06 -When a batter becomes a runner and touches all bases legally, one run shall be scored for the offensive team. 5.07 -When three offensive players are legally put out, that team takes the field, and the opposing team becomes the offensive team. It will be held that an inning starts the moment the third out is made, completing the previous inning. 5.08 -If a thrown ball accidentally touches a base coach, or a pitched or thrown ball touches an umpire; the ball is alive and in play. However, if the coach interferes with a thrown ball, the runner is out. 5.09-The ball becomes dead and runners may advance one base, or return to their bases as indicated below, without liability to be put out, when- (a) A pitched ball touches a batter, or the batter's clothing, while in a legal batting position; runners, if forced, advance (see 6.08). (b) The plate umpire interferes with the catcher's throw, attempting to prevent a stolen base; runners return. If the catcher's throw gets the runner out, the out stands. No umpire interference. (c) A ball is illegally batted, either fair or foul; runners return. (d) A foul ball was not caught; runners return. The umpire shall not put the ball in play until all runners have retouched their bases. (e) A fair ball touches a runner or an umpire on fair territory before it touches an infielder or the pitcher or touches an umpire before it has passed an infielder other than the pitcher. The runner hit by a fair batted ball is out. The ball is dead, and no runner’s advance. NOTE: If a fair ball goes through, or by an infielder and touches a runner immediately back of said infielder or touches a runner after being deflected by an infielder, the ball is in play, and the umpire shall not declare the runner out. If the ball passed through or by, the infielder and no other infielder had the chance to make a play on the ball; runners advance, if forced. 40
