Roy Hobbs World Series

RHWS Women’s Division Rules & Playing Guidelines

Updated: 11-1-2025, and supersede any previous version. 

General Information

Roy Hobbs Baseball uses the Official Rules of Baseball (OBR) as its official rule book. The following section contains specific addendums and exceptions to OBR that apply to the Women’s Division of the 2025 World Series.

Pre-Game Warm-Up

Each team is permitted to conduct pre-game infield practice, provided weather conditions and stadium rules allow, and as long as the warm-up does not interfere with the scheduled start time of the game.

Scorebook Policy

The home team’s scorebook serves as the official record for the game, unless the home team transfers this responsibility to the visiting team and notifies the umpire accordingly.

Game Length and Timing for Pool Play

All games are scheduled for 7 innings. No new inning may begin after two hours and thirty minutes (2:30) from the start of the game. The umpire is the official timekeeper for all games.  No time limit in Championship or consolation games on Sunday.

Mercy Rule

If one team leads by fifteen (15) runs or more at the end of 5 innings (or four and a half innings if the home team is ahead), the game is declared complete under the mercy rule.

Tiebreakers

If a game remains tied after 7 innings and the time limit has not been reached, teams will continue to play until a winner is determined. If a game is tied at the end of an inning and the time limit has expired, shoot out rules will be implemented.

Shoot Out Rules

• Play continues 1 inning at a time until one team ends an inning ahead.
• The last 2 batters from the previous inning are placed on first and second base. These players are those immediately preceding the batter who leads off the next inning.
• Each batter begins with a 2-2 count.
• Each team has 3 outs per inning.
• All standard substitution rules remain in effect.

Exceptions: For Sunday’s championship and consolation games, there are no time limits, but the mercy rule still applies.

Uniform Requirements

• All players on a team must wear matching jerseys, each with a unique number. Opposing managers may waive this unique number requirement if agreed upon.
• Coaches must at least be in Team colors and/or team logo shirts.
• Players may use metal, rubber, or molded plastic cleats; however, metal cleats are not permitted in batting cages.

Equipment Regulations

• Game balls are provided by the Tournament Director and only these balls may be used in tournament play.
• Metal, composite, and wood bats are allowed, but softball bats are prohibited. There are no restrictions on length-to-weight differentials.
• All bats must be BBCor, USABat, or USSSA compliant, with visible markings or verified compliance online. Umpires may conduct pre-game bat checks and remove any non-compliant bats.
• If a removed bat is used during play, the batter and manager are ejected and an out is declared.

Player Substitutions

Offensive Substitutions

• A legal batting order consists of at least 9 players, but teams may choose to bat additional players. Teams may add players to the bottom of the order but cannot remove players.
• A starter may be replaced in the batting order at any time and re-enter once in the same lineup position, following federation rules.
• If a player is removed due to injury and a legal substitute is available, the substitute must take her place. If no substitute is available, the batting order closes without declaring an out, and the injured player becomes ineligible for the rest of the game.
• If a player is ejected or leaves voluntarily and no substitute is available, an out is declared each time her spot comes up, except that this cannot be the final out of the game.
• Pitcher substitutions follow OBR guidelines.

Defensive Substitutions

• Free and unlimited defensive substitutions are allowed without reporting to the umpire, except for pitching changes, which must be reported.
• Defensive players are not required to bat, and offensive players are not required to play defense.

Speed Up Rule

Teams may insert a runner for the pitcher and/or catcher if they are on base and there are two outs. This rule only applies if the players will pitch and/or catch in the upcoming defensive inning. The substitute runner must be the last batted out preceding the pitcher or catcher in the batting order.

Player Conduct

• Base runners must avoid unnecessary aggressive contact with fielders. Such contact may result in an out or ejection, at the umpire’s discretion.
• Fielders may not fake tags; umpires may award extra bases in response to fake tags.
• Fielders and catchers cannot block a base or home plate without possession of the baseball and must allow a clear path to the base.
• Pitchers who hit 4 batters in a single game must be removed from pitching for that game. They may play other defensive positions and hit.
• Sliding with spikes at or above the fielder’s knees is prohibited and is a potential ejectable offense if in the umpire’s judgment the act is overtly intentional.

Ranking and Seeding Procedures

Ties in standings for Sunday’s games will be broken by the following criteria, in order:

1. Head-to-head results among the tied teams. If more than two teams are tied and not all faced each other, this criterion is skipped.
2. Total runs allowed in all games.
3. Runs allowed in the best three games.
4. Runs allowed in the best two games.
5. Runs allowed in the best single game.
6. Coin flip.

If multiple teams remain tied after a tiebreaker eliminates some, the process restarts from step one with the remaining teams.

For Sunday’s games, the home team is determined by the best pool play record. If records are identical, the following tie breakers apply:

1. Fewest runs allowed in pool play.
2. Coin toss (conducted Saturday evening).

Protests

Protests regarding misapplication of playing rules or player eligibility must be initiated immediately at the time of the incident, before the next pitch. To protest, the team manager must request the game be stopped, after which the Tournament Director and chief umpire will make a final decision.

Ejections

Any player or coach ejected from a game must leave both the field and the playing site. Further contact with umpires after the game may result in disqualification from the event. Umpires are required to notify the Tournament Director of ejections and their reasons immediately following the game.

Ejection Reinstatement

Ejected players are suspended until they meet with the World Series Tournament Director or a designated representative. Failure to meet results in further disqualification. Any player ejected twice during the World Series is disqualified from further competition, and those previously ejected in other years risk similar consequences.

Appeals Process

Players ejected twice must submit a written appeal for a hearing with the Tournament Director and Roy Hobbs officials.  Their decision is final.