The California Interscholastic Foundation is the governing body for high school athletics in the state of California. Baseball is one of the 18 high school sports that the CIF governs in California. In addition to the standard National Federation of State High School Associations rules, the CIF has a few specific rules that are strictly used in California.
NFHS Rules
National Federation of High School Associations rules are standard across the country. These rules include the length of games being seven innings, re-entry rules regarding pinch runners and attire rules such as uniform requirements. In addition, the NFHS makes rules regarding approved bats that are permitted under safety rules. Most of the NFHS rules are made by a committee of coaches and administrators from across the country, and these broad rules are usually not changed by individual state associations like the CIF.
Pitching Rules
The CIF has a state pitching rule that dictates how much a pitcher can pitch in one week. This is a California-only rule that is designed to help protect and prevent injuries to pitcher's arms. According to CIF rules, a pitcher may only pitch for 30 outs and make no more than three appearances during each week. The CIF considers a week to be Monday to Saturday. CIF rules state that a violation of the pitching rules will result in a forfeit loss.
Number and Type of Games
According to CIF rules, varsity teams in California are limited to 20 total regular season games before playoff competition. California teams are allowed to play in three tournaments per season, with each tournament counting as two regular season games regardless of how many games are played in the tournament. According to CIF rules, teams may only play two games per week unless the extra games are in a tournament or for making up a prior postponed game.
Ejection and Other Rules
Varsity baseball teams must follow standard CIF rules regarding eligibility, which include age limits and residency requirements for players to play for a school. In addition, players or coaches who are ejected for unsportsmanlike behavior will face a suspension under CIF baseball rules. According to the CIF, upon the first ejection, a player or coach must sit out the next CIF event he participates in. The second ejection requires the person to sit out the next two CIF events, while a third ejection makes the participant ineligible for CIF events for the next year.
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