Effective:
March 08
Following
are local rules to be used as a supplement to the Official Little League
Softball Rules book which each team manager has. The Little League Official
Softball Rule book governs all rules not covered in this local rule
document.
ARTICLE I - LEAGUE PHILOSOPHY
Teamwork, participation, and sportsmanship will be reinforced
throughout the season.
ARTICLE II – LEAGUE PLAY
Section 1
Teams will be seeded for the end
of season tournament via a hat draw. As there are 5 teams in the tournament, a
“play-in” game will be played by the 5th and 4th seeded
teams, with the winner playing the #1 seed team. This is a single elimination
tournament.
Section 2
Games will be 6 innings, time
permitting. No new inning after one (1) hour and forty-five (45) minutes of
play. Drop dead is at 2 hours. Umpire is responsible for official time. Game time officially begins at game time
listed on the schedule. In the event of
a tie after these time limits, we go to the little league tie-breaker format
for extra innings. In this case, the
last out from the previous inning is the base runner at 2nd base
when the inning begins. This format
continues each inning until the game is over.
Section 3
OFFICIAL GAME: If time or weather does not
permit a full game, 4 innings shall constitute a game.
Section 4
Home team is responsible for
supplying the game ball. Visiting team
supplies the back up ball.
Section 5
A team will have nine (9) players
on the field at a time: catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman,
short stop, pitcher and three outfielders.
A. A team must have at least eight players to
start a game.
Section
6
Each
child will not sit out more than 2 innings in any game. This includes games which only go 4 innings
due to weather or time constraints. Any
player not starting in a game will start in the next scheduled game.
Section
7
Home team
will supply plate umpire.
Section 8
One manager and two coaches are
the maximum allowed for each team during games.
Two adult coaches are allowed as base coaches but one coach must always
be in the dugout with the team. They are
not allowed to touch the runners. One
defensive coach is allowed in the outfield when their team is on defense.
Section
1
All team members in uniform must
be listed in the official batting order at the beginning of each game and will
bat in that order, until conclusion of the game. Player’s not present at the beginning of the
game will be added to the bottom of the batting order.
a. A batter will be declared out if she
bats out of order.
b. A team’s at bat will consist of
three outs or five runs scored, whichever occurs first.
c. In the case of a five run rule,
the inning is automatically terminated when the fifth run is scored. This rule is also applicable to the last
inning.
Section 2
The batter is out after 3 strikes. If 4 balls are thrown by pitcher, than a
coach pitcher will enter the game to throw 3 more pitches, at which time the
batter is out if a hit is not made. The
strike count stays the same when the coach enters the game and the batter is
out if they reach 3 strikes total.
Section 3
Approved
little league softball bats only may be used.
Section 4
No on-deck batter is allowed to
take practice swings and must always be supervised by team parent or assistant
coach AT ALL TIMES.
Section 5
Infield fly rule will not be in
effect
– 3 –
Section 1
No leading off or stealing. Runner must stay on the base until the ball
is batted or reaches the batter.
Section 2
Runners must avoid collision with
fielders.
Section 3
Runners must touch bases and tag
up on fly balls.
Section 4
Runners are allowed to overrun
first base.
Section 5
OVER THROW RULE: Only one (1) base will be taken
for an overthrown ball to a fielding baseman when the ball goes out of play. Base runners are not to advance on overthrown
balls if the ball stays in play. This
includes overthrows to 2nd base and includes other base runners on the
bases (ie a runner on 3rd base does not advance on an overthrown
ball to 2nd or 1st base.
Section 6
Runners
may advance one base on a hit within the infield. Hits beyond the infield allow for two bases
if the runners are able to safely take those two bases (ie they are at jeopardy
and are not awarded those bases unless they safely earn them).
Section 1
Outfielders will not be allowed to
play in the infield and must remain at least ten yards behind the baseline
until the ball is hit. Outfielders are
not allowed to field bases except in the case of backing up bases for
overthrows. They are allowed to field an
overthrow and touch the base for an out but are not allowed to be the primary
base defender during any play.
Section 1
The
coaches will pitch for the first 3 innings of each game with the same rules as
noted above. After the 3rd
inning, kids will pitch a regular count to each batter. After four balls thrown to any batter, the
coach pitcher will enter the game and pitch 3 final pitches to the batter. The batter is out after these 3 pitches are
thrown without a successful hit in play.
The strike count continues when the coach enters the game, so if the
coach enters with 2 strikes on the batter and throw one pitch which is a
strike, than the batter is out. If the
coach pitches a ball rather than a strike in that situation the player gets
another pitch. However, a maximum of 3
pitches is thrown by coach regardless of balls/strikes. The exception is if the batter continues
fouling off the 3rd pitch she will continue to receive pitches until
either the ball is put in play or missed entirely.
The
strike zone is the standard strike zone during all pitches for the coaches and
players (arm pits to knees; 4 inches outside of home plate on each side).
Section 2
Each
pitch must be a legal pitch as described in the Little League Handbook (Section
8, pages 75 and forward). It is very
important that pitchers are taught proper form and technique as illegal pitches
and non pitches are counted as balls.
Pitchers will pitch from a mark 35 feet away from home plate. There will be no intentional walks.
Section
3
DEFENSIVE
pitcher will stand near the COACH Pitcher to play the ball defensively. If the batted ball hits the COACH pitcher,
the ball becomes dead immediately and the batter advances to first base. All other base runners will advance one (1)
base.
Section
4
If more
than 1 inning is pitched than one calendar day of rest is required for all
pitchers. A player may pitch a maximum
of 6 innings in a game. A maximum number
of 6 innings is allowed in any calendar week (calendar week starts on Sunday
and runs through Saturday).
Section
5
As
described in the “blue book”, a pitcher can be moved from pitcher to another
fielding position and back to pitcher in the same game.
Section 1
Metal cleat shoes are not permitted.
Section 2
An 11-inch Level 1 Safety Softball
will be used.
Catchers must wear full protective
gear, including helmet throat protector, helmet, mask, chest protector, shin
guards.
Batters must wear approved league
helmets with face masks.
Section 3
Base distance is 60 feet.
Section 4
Bats must be softball bats less
than 33 inches in length and 2 ¼ maximum diameter.