Minor League Softball/Baseball Rules

CARROLL PARKS AND RECREATION Minor League Rules GAMES • Five Innings • Games will be considered official after the 3 rd inning (or after the visitors half of the 3 rd if home team is ahead). o If game is postponed prior to this, the game will be frozen and resumed from that point at a future date. o If a player not available for the original game is available to play in the postponed game they will be inserted after the last batter in the batting order. • Time limit of 1 hour 40 minutes • 10 run rule after 4 innings of play • A half inning is complete when three outs are recorded or the team bats all the way through their lineup. • Since scores are kept, teams with fewer players will be allowed to bat the same number of players per inning as the opposing team if 3 outs are not recorded in an inning. Example: If team A lists 10 players in their batting order and Team B lists 12 batters then batting around in an inning for Team A would be when 12 batters have batted in an inning. The first batter up the next inning will be the one after the batter who got the third out or after the batter who was last to bat in the order. • Game scores and team standings are kept. • End of season tournament brackets decided by records after playing each team once. • If a team has to borrow players from another team the game will be forfeited to the team that borrowed the players. PITCHING • Pitching Distance o Baseball – 43 feet o Softball – 36 feet • The entire game is kid pitch. There are no walks in this division, if batter gets four balls from the kid pitcher, the batter will keep the same count and the coach will come in and throw until either the batter strikes out or the gets a hit. All pitches must be thrown from the pitching rubber. (overhand for boys / underhand for girls) • If a batter is hit by kid pitch, then first base awarded. • Pitchers are limited in their pitch count for the game. They may pitch any number of innings in a game, but are done one their pitch limit is reached. • Softball pitchers are limited to three innings (9 outs). They may not reenter as the pitcher they get nine consecutive outs. • A team has one (1) minute or is allowed five (5) pitches to warm up in between innings. This will start from the time the last batter is out. The only exception would be to allow seven (7) pitches for a new pitcher entering in the middle of an inning. • Pitchers that reach their limit during an at bat may finish with that batter then must be taken out. • For pitch count number see attached sheet. FIELDING • 10 players in the field (6 infield/4 outfield). C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, LF, CF, RF, Rover(must play in the outfield grass) • Pitcher must play relatively close to pitching area (cannot be a fifth infielder lined up with SS, 3rd, etc.) **When coach comes into pitch** BASERUNNING • Once the ball is in possession of an infielder in the dirt infield, in fair territory, runners must return to prior base if not half way to the base. If the runner is halfway to the next base, the runner is free to continue but at their own risk. • Infield fly rule is in effect • Overthrows: One base on overthrows • (If ball is overthrown after original overthrow the player is frozen on that base) • No leading off or stealing. SUBSTITUTION • Players may reenter the game an unlimited number of times. • No player unless hurt may sit on the bench for more than one inning per game. • Extra players must be rotated in every inning BATTING • No big barrel bats allowed in the league • Strike Zone is an area that has the following approximate boundaries: From the shoulders to below the knees and the area of the plate, plus five inches (roughly 1 ½ ball widths) on the inside and outside of the plate. This normally would be the area delineated by and including the white chalk line, if consistently applied. • Dropped 3 rd strike the batter is out. • Bunting is allowed off of kid pitcher only not adult. • Helmets should have face shield on them and be worn by at batters and base runners. PITCH COUNT RULES • Any player on the team may pitch. • A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher. • A pitcher should not move from pitcher to catcher. • A pitchers age is determined by their age on the day they pitch. • The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position: AGE # OF PITCHES 13-16 95 Pitches per day 11-12 85 Pitches per day 9-10 75 Pitches per day 7-8 50 Pitches per day Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed for his/her league age while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs: 1. That batter reaches base; 2. That batter is put out; 3. The third out is made to complete the half-inning. Note: A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. PITCHER MANDATORY REST Pitchers league age 16 & under must adhere to the following rest requirements: • If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed. • If a player pitches 41-60 pitches in a day, Three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed. • If a player pitches 26-50 pitches in a day, Two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed. • If a player pitches 1-25 pitches in a day, No (0) calendar day of rest is required. **Pitch count will be taken by the pitchers coach** **At the conclusion of each game the coach shall turn in his pitch count record for his pitchers to the home plate umpire** .

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