What happens if a game is suspended due to weather or other unforeseen events??
The following guidelines are verbatim from the 2024 Babe Ruth League official rulebook.
4.12 SUSPENDED GAMES. (a) A game shall become a suspended game that must be completed at a future date if the game is terminated for any of the following reasons:
(1) A curfew imposed by law
(2) A time limit permissible under league rules
(3) Light failure or malfunction of a mechanical field device under control of the home club. (Mechanical field device shall include automatic tarpaulin or water removal equipment)
(4) Darkness, when a law prevents the lights from being turned on
(5) Weather, if a regulation game is called while an inning is in progress and before the inning is completed, and the visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead, and the home team has not retaken the lead; or-
(6) It is a regulation game that is called with the score tired. Leagues may also adopt the following rules for suspended games, (If adopted by a League, Rule 4.10(e) would not apply to their games.)
(7) The game has not become a regulation game (4 ½ innings with the home team ahead, or 5 innings with the visiting club ahead or tied).
(8) If a game is suspended before it becomes a regulation game, and is continued prior to another regularly scheduled game, the regularly scheduled game will be limited to seven innings.
(9) If a game is suspended after it is a regulation game, and is continued prior to another regularly scheduled game, the regularly scheduled game will be a nine inning game.
(10) A suspended game shall be resumed at the exact point of suspension of the original game. The completion of a suspended game is a continuation of the original game. The lineup and batting order of both teams shall be exactly the same as the lineup and batting order at the moment of suspension, subject to the rules governing substitution. Any player may be replaced by a player who had not been in the game prior to the suspension. No player removed before the suspension may be returned to the lineup. A player who was not with the club when the game was suspended may be used as a substitute, even if he has taken the place of a player no longer with the club who would not have been eligible because he had been removed from the lineup before the game was suspended.
(OBSA League note: The OBSA League local rule known as the "Sunset Rule" will reman in full effect and supersedes the above Babe Ruth regulation. In the event a game is terminated due to the OBSA local Sunset rule, the game is ruled as "final").