No New Regulations for 2025: 

North Dakota Rules Experiment:

One-Way Communication Devices

1. Only allowed to be used by defensive players to call a pitch or a play
2. Digital signal devices (e.g., wristband) may be used by any defensive player
3. In-ear/hat/helmet audio devices may only be used by the catcher

1. An exclusively one-way electronic communication device from the dugout to the field for the purpose of relaying the pitch or play call is permitted.  The use of an in-ear communication device shall be limited to the defensive position of the catcher.

*Starting in 2024, the postseason baseball will be the Wilson A1010

1. The baseball season is determined by the NDHSAA Board of Directors and is published in the NDHSAA calendar.

2. Each player must have 9 daily practices (counting only one per day) prior to the first interscholastic competition.
3. Members of high school baseball teams may not participate on independent or town teams until after the high school season is over or high school eligibility in baseball will be lost for six contests or the remainder of the season, whichever is less for each violation.
4. Teams can play a maximum of 36 games in 23 dates prior to the state tournament.
5. Individual players can play a maximum of 252 innings prior to the state tournament.  Extra innings are counted as extensions of the final inning (extra innings pitched will count toward individual pitching limitations).

Pitch Count regulations:

1. Regular Season
   *120 daily pitch maximum
   Pitches                Days Rest
   0-30                     0
   31-45                   1
   46-60                   2
   61-75                   3
   76-120                 4

1. The deliberate or inadvertent use of an ineligible participant in a team sport contest shall require the offending team to forfeit the contest(s) in which the ineligible participant participated.

2. Postseason (State and Region Tournaments, including Region Play-Ins)
   *120 daily pitch maximum
   *135 tournament maximum
   *3 appearance limit during tournament
   Pitches                Days Rest
   0-45                     0
   46-90                   1
   91-120                 2

1. The deliberate or inadvertent use of an ineligible participant in a team sport contest shall require the offending team to forfeit the contest(s) in which the ineligible participant participated.

3. Other Pitch Information

1. Daily Limits – If a team plays two games in one day, a pitcher may pitch in both games, just add pitch totals together.
2. If the daily or postseason max pitch count is reached during an at bat, the pitcher is allowed to finish that batter. For all other pitch count thresholds, there is no allowance to finish the batter and remain under that threshold, only the daily or postseason maximum.
3. Home book is the official book for pitch counts.  It is recommended that the teams compare pitch numbers during the game.
4. If a pitch count tracker is present, they are the official pitch count.
5. Tournament managers will track pitch counts and update teams accordingly.
6. IBB do not count towards the pitch count.
7. Use care when choosing a position for a removed pitcher (ie catcher).
8. Postseason pitch counts will be used for all State and Region Tournaments no matter how many days the tournament lasts or if it is on consecutive days.  For all regular season tournament formats regular season pitch count rules apply.

7. For all NDHSAA State Tournament games, a maximum of 18 players may dress and play in a game.
8. All state tournament games will be 7 innings unless the score is tied (extra innings will be played) or is terminated by the 10-run rule (4-2-2) as provided in the current Federation Baseball Rules Book. Suspended games will be played to completion from the point of interruption.
9. All regional issues will be under the supervision of the regional committee such as determining the representative to the state in the event the region tournament is not completed by the deadline.
10. Protective equipment for the batter, base runner and catcher shall be required as provided in Rule 1-1-5, in the current Federation Baseball Rules Book. (Please note the warning and ejection rule pertaining to failure of base runner to wear a helmet.)
11. Bat Regulation:

1. (Both Class A and Class B) Any BBCOR stamped bat (wood, aluminum, or composite) or a single piece wood bat shall be used.

12. The substitution rule permitting re-entry into the game will be in effect as provided in Rule 3-1-3 in the current Federation Baseball Rules Book. Likewise, the designated hitter rule as provided in Article 4 of the same rule will be in effect.
13. A coach in a uniform may occupy the coaches’ box.
14. Speed-Up Rule to be used is, “the team at bat may use courtesy runners for the pitcher and/or the catcher. The same runner may not be used for both positions. Neither the pitcher nor the catcher will be required to leave the game under such circumstances”.

1. Players who have participated in the game in any other capacity are ineligible to serve as courtesy runners.
2. A player may not run as a courtesy runner for the pitcher or the catcher and then be used as a substitute for another player in that half inning.
3. NOTE: An unreported courtesy runner is an illegal substitute.

15. No protests will be permitted relative to any NDHSAA tournament game and the decisions of the officials will be accepted as final.
16. All umpires (must be registered) and coaches are to complete an online NDHSAA rules clinic and test annually.  All umpires must also attend an NDHSAA sponsored workshop annually.
17. State Tournament Awards:

1. State:  Individual awards will be presented to 18 rostered players and 1 coach (19 plaques will be given to members of 1st and 2nd place teams).

Regional Organization:

1. Each participating school has been assigned to a region.
2. Each regional chairman is to organize a meeting of all schools in the region.
3. The region tournament formats, game times and sites shall be determined by the schools involved.
4. Financial profits and losses belong to the regions.
5. Class B teams that did not sponsor a team the previous season must notify the NDHSAA office by Jan. 1 if they intend to sponsor a team. A team that declares on or after Jan. 1 will not be eligible for postseason.
6. Team champion and runners-up trophies will NOT be provided by the NDHSAA.

A Region Assignments and Chairs:

West Region – David Mieure, Williston

Schools: Bismarck, Bismarck Century, Bismarck Legacy, Bismarck St. Mary’s, Dickinson, Jamestown, Mandan, Minot, Turtle Mountain, Watford City, Williston

East Region – Travis Christensen, Fargo

Schools: Devils Lake, Fargo Davies, Fargo North, Fargo South, Grand Forks Central, Grand Forks Red River, Shanley, Valley City, Wahpeton, West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne

B Regional Assignments and Chairs:

Region 1 – Brent Wolf, Oak Grove

Schools: Central Cass, Enderlin/Maple Valley, Hankinson/Fairmount/Campbell/Tintah/Lidgerwood/Rosholt, Kindred/Richland, Lisbon, Northern Cass, Oakes

Region II – Justin Foss, Hatton/Northwood

Schools: Finley-Sharon/Hope-Page, Hatton/Northwood, Hillsboro/Central Valley, Larimore, May-Port-CG, Nelson County/Midkota, Thompson

Region III – Ryan Larson, Kidder Co/Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter

Schools: Carrington, Griggs County, Kidder County/Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter, LaMoure/Litchville-Marion, Medina/Pingree-Buchanan, New Rockford-Sheyenne, South Border

Region IV – Jon Koehmstedt, Grafton

Schools: Drayton/St. Thomas/Valley-Edinburg, Grafton, Langdon Area/Munich, Midway/Minto, Park River/Fordville-Lankin, Pembina Co. North

Region V –

Schools: Bottineau, Dunseith, Harvey/Wells County, North Star, Northern Lights, Rugby

Region VI –

Schools: Bishop Ryan/South Prairie, Central McLean, Garrison/Max/White Shield, Surrey, Velva/Drake-Anamoose                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Region VII – BJ Karhoff, Des Lacs-Burlington

Schools: Des Lacs-Burlington, Divide County, Lewis & Clark-Berthold, MLS/Glenburn, Kenmare/Bowbells/Burke Central, Parshall/NSP, New Town, Ray, Stanley, Tioga         

Region VIII –

Schools:  Beulah, Hazen, Heart River, Hettinger/Scranton/Mott-Regent/New England, Shiloh Christian, Washburn/Wilton/Center-Stanton

State Tournament Qualifying:

A & B teams will qualify eight teams for the tournament.  Each A region will determine four qualifying teams and each B region one qualifying team on or before the Saturday prior to the State Tournament.  Be sure to allow for inclement weather when scheduling as the region deadline will not be extended.

State Tournament:

The formats are eight teams and single elimination with consolation brackets.

The State B will be played in Fargo with Todd Olson serving as manager.  The head coaches of the eight qualifying teams will use an electronic process to seed the top four teams for the state tournament.  An NDHSAA-approved designee will randomly draw the opponents for the top four seeded teams. In the State Tournament, the higher seeded team is the home team (#1 is highest seed).  If both teams are unseeded, a coin flip will determine home team.  NDHSAA staff is allowed to adjust order of quarterfinal games to avoid conflicts with schools that also have a softball team competing in the state tournament.

The quarterfinal pairings are:

#2 seed vs. Second Random Draw

#3 seed vs. Third Random Draw

#1 seed vs. First Random Draw

#4 seed vs. #5 seed

The State A will be played in Jamestown, with Jim Roaldson as manager.

The nearest town to the tournament site will play in Game 4 and the bracket will be set as listed below. If there are multiple teams from the nearest town, the highest seed will play in Game 4.

                                Bracket #1     Bracket #2     Bracket #3     Bracket #4

Game 1           W1 vs. E4           E1 vs. W4           W1 vs. E4       E1 vs. W4

Game 2           E2 vs. W3           W2 vs. E3           E2 vs. W3       W2 vs. E3

Game 3           W2 vs. E3           W1 vs. E4           E1 vs. W4       E2 vs. W3

Game 4           E1 vs. W4           E2 vs. W3           W2 vs. E3       W1 vs. E4

State Tournament Passes:

Up to thirty passes per school may be issued. All players, student managers, coaches, and school officials must present passes or tickets for admission to any and all sessions. * The cost for extra tickets will be deducted from the school’s team payment.

12/5/24