City Championship/Interleague Rules

The City Championship between the respective Majors and M-A Minors/Alpine PCL division champions of Alpine and Menlo-Atherton Little Leagues shall be held the weekend following each league’s championship weekend. Further, in the middle of the Spring season, the two leagues shall organize two (2) interleague games for each Majors team, with each team getting to play one game on the opposing league’s home field.

Hosting the City Championship shall rotate every other year. Alpine Little League shall host in 2024.

During all interleague games between Alpine and Menlo-Atherton Little Leagues, including the Majors City Championship and Minors/PCL City Championship, the teams shall faithfully observe all Little League Official Rules unless superseded by the applicable local rules. The Local Rules of the hosting league shall apply, as set forth below.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS - CITY CHAMPIONSHIP
Both teams participating in the Majors City Championship and Minors/PCL City Championship games must field a minimum of 12 players for the entire game, comprised of the same players from the regular season squad if possible. If a player is unable to attend all or part of the game for any reason, the player must be replaced by another player of similar ability level, such as another player drafted in or about the same round as the unavailable player.


GAMES HOSTED BY ALPINE

  • Every player must play a minimum of three (3) (Majors) or four (4) (Minors/PCL) complete defensive innings.  For PCL only, at least one full inning must be played in the infield by the end of the 4th inning and at least two full innings must be played in the infield if 6 full innings are played.
  • If the visiting team could have complied with this rule had it played defense in the bottom of the sixth inning (i.e., the home team won the game before it batted in the sixth inning), the visiting team will not be considered to have violated this rule.
  • All players in attendance will bat each time through the lineup (continuous batting order).
  • Penalty: Any team who violates these rules (even unintentionally) shall lose by forfeit. 
  • Host league will be the home team.


GAMES HOSTED BY MENLO-ATHERTON

  • Every player must play a minimum of four (4) complete defensive innings and at least one full inning in the infield by the end of the 5th inning.
  • If the visiting team could have complied with this rule had it played defense in the bottom of the sixth inning (i.e., the home team won the game before it batted in the sixth inning), the visiting team will not be considered to have violated this rule.
  • All players in attendance will bat each time through the lineup (continuous batting order).
  • Penalty: Any team who violates these rules (even unintentionally) shall lose by forfeit.
  • Host league will be the home team.


GAME DAY
Umpires and Scorekeeper
The hosting team is responsible for procuring at least two umpires, an official scorekeeper, and a separate person to manage the scoreboard (if applicable). The visiting team may choose to procure a shadow scorekeeper, who may check in with the official scorekeeper during the game to ensure alignment.

Fields
The hosting team sets up the field to be ready for the warm-ups and cleans up and puts away the equipment afterwards including powering down the scoreboard and stowing the scoreboard controller where applicable.

Dugouts
When hosted by Alpine LL, the home team will occupy the third base dugout. When hosted by Menlo-Atherton Little League, the home team will occupy the first base dugout.

PRE-GAME SCHEDULE
45 Minutes Before 1st Pitch

  • Lineups will be exchanged between the teams, including player names and jersey numbers
  • Teams share the use of the batting cage
  • Teams share the use of the outfield grass
  • Every attempt should be made to split the allotted time equally between the teams

 

25 Minutes Before 1st pitch

  • Home team takes infield practice
  • Visiting team uses batting cage


15 Minutes Before 1st Pitch

  • Visiting team takes infield practice
  • Home team uses batting cage
  •  5 Minutes before 1st pitch: home plate meeting between coaches and umpires

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