SC LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES PITCH BASEBALL RULES AND GUIDELINES
These rules were approved for play by the District Administrators of South Carolina. These supplemental rules are to beused in conjunction with the Official Little League Rulebook. The following options, rules and clarifications shall be used.
Objectives of the Coaches Pitch Division
The objective of the Coaches Pitch Division is to provide seven and eight-year olds, as well as some six-year olds thedevelopment needed to progress to the kid-pitch minors division. Players gain exposure to a variety of positions on the field and learn the beginning rules of baseball.
Games should be officiated by umpires.
Responsibility and Chain of Command
It should be clearly understood that SLL reserves the right to impose penalties, if, in its judgement, any player, manager, coach, umpire, or other volunteer conducts him/herself in any manner, on or off the field, that does not positively reflect the high standard Little League holds for sportsmanship, citizenship, and decorum. This includes displays of unsportsmanlike conduct, “making a travesty of the game,” or violating any rules, regulations, or policies contained herein during the game, at the game site, at any other location. SLL also reserves the right to impose any penalty the league deems appropriate if the board determines action is necessary to correct a situation brought to its attention, regardless of the source of that information.
Playing Equipment
The dimensions and other specifications of all playing equipment used must conform to those set forth by Little League Baseball, except for as noted below:
1. The catcher may wear a catcher’s mitt or regular baseball glove.
Appeals
No appeals are permitted on a decision involving the umpire's judgment. (Swinging strikes, fair, foul, safe, or outs). Appeals may only be made by the team Manager.
The following steps must be taken:
1. The manager must request and be granted time before making an appeal.
2. The manager must approach the umpire that made the call for an explanation. The umpire may conference with the other umpire, if he or she chooses to.
There are three kinds of appeals:
1. Runner infraction- not tagging up or failing to touch a base,
2. Batting out of order or a checked swing.
3. Location of a runner in regards to the hash mark when time is called by the umpire.
All appeals must be made before the next pitch is made.
Playing Rules
A. Fields - The batter’s box and foul lines will be marked as outlined in the Little League rule book with the following modifications:
a. A chalk hash mark 1⁄2 way between (30ft.) 1st and 2nd bases, 1⁄2 way between (30ft.) 2nd and 3rd bases,and 1⁄2 way between (30ft.) 3rd and home plate will be marked for all games.
The sole purpose of these lines is to help the umpires determine if a runner has completely crossed the halfway point between two bases at the time a dead ball is called.
b. A circle of 10 feet in diameter (5’ Radius) will be marked off around the pitcher’s mound with the center of the pitcher’s plate to be used as the center of the circle.
c. The pitching distance will be 46 feet.
B. Playing Rules: A copy of these rules must be sent to each manager.
a. An at-bat will consist of 6 pitches or 3 swinging strikes. If the 6th pitch is a foul ball the at-bat will continue.
b. Bunting is NOT allowed. Any bunt attempt will be counted as one of the 6 pitches.
c. There will be no walks.
d. Batters must keep one foot in the batter’s box during their at-bat. Penalty – Ball is dead. 1st offense- batter is warned. 2nd and subsequent offense-a strike will be called.
e. Batters may only bat once in an inning.
f. A half-inning ends when any of the following occur:
1. All players in the lineup have batted one time
2. 3 outs are recorded
3. 5-runs have been scored (may score more than 5 runs in the 6th inning of play.
**Courtesy Runner: Teams may utilize a “courtesy runner” for the catcher when there are two (2) outs. Must be the player who made the last out.
g. Stealing is not allowed. When the adult pitcher has the ball and is ready to pitch all runners shall be in contactwith their bases and shall not leave their bases until the ball crosses the plate.
● Penalty- IMMEDIATE DEAD BALL. If a runner leaves the base before the ball crosses the plate, the umpireshall signal to indicate the violation at the time it occurs. The runner is out and removed from the base upon leaving the base early.
h. Each team must have at least 9 players to start and finish the game. The defensive team shall place 10 players on defense. 6 infielders and 4 outfielders (3 outfielders if the team only has 9 players). Outfielders must be positioned on the outfield grass.
i. The infield fly rule is not in effect.
j. The ball becomes dead, and the umpire will call time when-
1. A batted ball comes in contact with the pitcher coach. The batter shall be awarded first base and runner(s) may only advance if forced.
2. The adult pitcher intentionally touches the ball or a player. The batter is out, and all runners will return to their previously occupied base.
3. A thrown ball comes in contact with the pitcher coach, the ball is dead. Any runner(s) who have crossed the hash marks shall be awarded the base they were going. If the runner(s) have not crossed the hash marks,they will return to the last base occupied.
4. A player injured. Any runner(s) who have crossed the hash marks shall be awarded the base they were going.
**If the runner(s) have not crossed the hash marks, they will return to the last base occupied. (NOTE: If a base runner is injured, the last retired batter will replace the runner.
5. When the defense has control of the ball within the baselines and the player with the ball raises his/her hands and calls “time”.
**NOTE: Runners may continue to run the bases while the ball is live (unlimited bases on overthrows). Runners take their earned base when the umpire calls time.
**NOTE: When a runner stands off a base and “jukes” or “feints” back and forth, this is to be interpreted as “not attempting to advance” and “Time” shall be called.
C. Pitching Rules
a. Player Pitcher
1. One of the 6 infielders must play the position of Player pitcher.
2. The player pitcher must stand with at least one foot inside the pitcher’s circle before the pitch is made. He/she is free to move once the ball is pitched.
b. The Coach Pitcher
1. The coach pitcher may speak to the batter until the ball leaves his/her hand or the batter is retired. The coach can only speak to a batter during a dead ball.
● Penalty – 1st time will be a warning. Second infraction- the coach will be removed from pitcher
2. Once the ball is put in play the coach pitcher shall make every effort to move quickly move out of the playing area and not return until the umpire has called time.
● Penalty – 1st time will be a warning. Second and subsequent infractions the batter will be called out for coach pitcher interference.
3. The coach pitcher must pitch over handed to each player and may pitch from any location within the pitchingcircle. (* Within is defined as any part of the foot touching the line)
4. Both feet must be completely within the pitching circle at the beginning and the end of each pitch. (* Within is defined as any part of the foot touching the line)
● Penalty – 1st time will be a warning. Second infraction- the coach will be removed from pitcher
5. The coach pitcher will apply the courtesy of making sure that the defensive team is in position before making apitch. If the umpire determines that the coach pitcher fails to do so, the batting team will receive no benefit fromthe pitch and the umpire will call a strike on the batter. Any hit or base runner advances will be nullified.
D. BENCH/DUGOUT: Only players, managers, and the 3 assistant coaches involved in the game shall occupy thedugout. Team parents and team scorekeepers are not authorized to be in the dugout.
E. DEFENSIVE CONFERENCES: When permission is granted by the umpire a manager or coach may come out once an inning to confer with any player(s).
F. MANDATORY PLAY – CONTINUOUS BATTING ORDER: All teams must use a continuous batting order that willinclude all players on the lineup to appear in the batting order. Each player is required to bat in his/her respective spot in the batting order.
1. A player may be entered and/or re-entered defensively in the game at any time. Players should be rotatedamong the 10 positions on the field. Players may not sit 2 innings in a row and no player may sit a second inning until all players in the lineup have sat one inning.
2. If a player is injured, becomes ill, or must leave the game after the start of the game, the team will skip over him/her when his/her time at bat comes up without penalty. If the injured, ill, or absent player returns he/she ismerely inserted into their original spot in the batting order and the game continues. Also, if a player arrives later to a game site, they will be added to the end of the current lineup.
3. An improper batter is considered a batting out of turn.
4. If a player is unable to complete a plate appearance due to injury, illness, or ejection, the next batter in thelineup shall take his/her place at the plate and assume the count of the original batter.
5. If a batter becomes a runner by reaching a base safely and is unable to run the bases due to injury, illness, orejection, he/she shall be replaced by the player who recorded the last out or with a Courtesy Runner if applicable.
6. Managers are solely responsible for ensuring that all players fulfill the requirements of playing participation. There is no exception to this rule.
G. SLL reserves the right to impose penalties (including but not limited to removal of the manager, forfeiture of agame, and/or disqualification of coaches from further participation) may be imposed if, in the opinion of the board of directors:
1. a manager or coach takes any action that results in making a travesty of the game, causing players tointentionally perform poorly for the purpose of extending or shortening a game, or,
2. a team fails to have players rotate substitutes
3. a manager willfully and knowingly disregards this rule.
H. RUN RULE: If at the end of three (3) innings, two and one-half innings if the home team is ahead, one team has alead of fifteen (15) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. If at the end of four (4) innings, three and
one-half innings if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of ten (10) runs or more, the manager of the teamwith the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. If at the end of five (5) innings, four and one-half inningsif the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of eight (8) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runsshall concede the victory to the opponent.
NOTE 1: If the visiting team has a lead of fifteen (15) or ten (10) or more runs respectively, the home team must bat in its half of the inning.
NOTE 2: A game determined by the 15-run or 10-run rule, shall be considered a regulation game.
I. REGULATION GAME: Games (4 innings or three and one-half innings with the home team ahead) terminated because of weather, darkness, or curfew are considered a regulation game and do not need to be resumed. Games must be resumed if the visiting team ties the game or takes the lead in its half of the inning and the home team doesnot complete their at bat or take the lead in an incomplete inning. This does not apply to games in innings 4 and 5 where the visiting team is ahead by 6 or more runs.
J. TIE GAME: A game ends in a tie when the score is tied after:
1. Six innings have been played
2. No new inning may be started due to time, weather, or darkness