COACH-PITCH LEAGUE and TOURNAMENT RULES Ages: 5 & 6 year old League and Rec Tournament cannot be 7 before Jan 1 st. Open Tournament cannot be 7 before April 30 th. 7&8 year old League and Rec Tournament cannot be 9 before Jan 1 st. Open Tournament cannot be 9 before April 30 th. Super 7 s Tournament cannot be 8 before April 30 th. Regulation Game: A regulation game will consist of 6 innings or 1 hour time limit. A regulation game cannot end with a tie. Extra innings will be played as needed to determine the winner. Tournament Championship games will be 1 hour and 15 minutes or 6 innings. Called Game: The game will be called when it is numerically impossible for the losing team to win or tie, or time expires. Time is called after the completion of a full inning. The time will start for the next inning as soon as the 3 rd out of the previous inning is made. If it is possible for the losing team to win or tie, time has not expired, and 6 innings not completed, the next inning must be played. There will be no: Infield fly rule, walks, base stealing, called strikes except when swinging, and no bunts. An attempted bunt that is hit fair or foul will result in an out. If the ball is not hit, it will be called a swing (strike). Pitches: A maximum of 6 pitches will be thrown to each batter
before being called out. A batter will not be called out on a foul ball even though it is the sixth or subsequent consecutive pitch unless a defensive player catches it. Inning: An inning will consist of 3 outs or 10 batters. No one batter can bat twice in a single inning. The only exception to this rule is an injured player or batting out of order. This also applies if a team is playing with 9 players. Line Up: A legal line-up will consist of 10 players. However, a team can play with 9 players if that is all that is available. If a team has only 9 players, the opposing team has the option to play 9 or 10 players. Any changes to the line-up after it has been given to the umpire will be considered a substitute. For a player to be eligible to play in a sanctioned TYBA game, the player must be listed as a starter or substitute on the team roster, and on the line-up that is given to the umpire. On Deck Batter: The on deck batter should be in the on deck circle closes to his/her team s dugout. The on deck batter is not required to be in the on deck circle, they may remain inside the dugout. Continuous Batting Order: A continuous batting order will be used. All players must be listed on batting order card in order to play. If a player is not on the card at the start of the game, they cannot be added and they cannot enter the game at any time. If a player s name is put on the lineup card and is not present to bat, at that point the player will be called out and an automatic out each time the player comes to bat. There will be
no skipping or substituting, all players must come to bat at their turn in the order. A team must finish the game with the same number of players that they started the game with. Penalty will be forfeiture of the game. Slinging of the Bat: The team caught slinging bat will receive a warning. All subsequent infractions will result in a dead ball and an out will be called. The opposing team will receive a warning only when his team has committed a slinging bat infraction. A slinging bat infraction is at the discretion of the umpire. 10 th Batter Rule: With less than 2 outs-if the defensive team elects to play on the 10 th batter, and the 10 th batter is put out, the inning will be over. However, all runners that cross the halfway line between third and home plate before the 10 th batter is put-out, will score. If the defensive team elects to play on the lead runner, and the lead runner abandons any effort to advance his position, time will be called, the ball will be declared dead, and the inning over. However, if the defensive team elects to play on a subsequent runner before time is called, the lead runner may attempt to advance. 10 TH BATTER INJURY RULE: only on the 10 th batter should a there be an injured player needing immediate attention, the umpire has the discretion of positioning runners or replay the play. Charged Conference: A charged conference is when the head coach requests a time out to confer with his players and/or coaches. There will only be one charged conference allowed per inning on the field. More than one charged conference per
inning will result in the player-pitcher being removed as playerpitcher for the remainder of the game. The player-pitcher may assume another defensive position. Coach-Pitcher: An offensive coach will pitch to his own team. The coach pitcher may pitch in any manner overhand or underhand. He may pitch from any distance along a straight line from the center of the circle to the front of the 10 ft.line. The coach-pitcher cannot pitch from further back than the center of the circle. The ball will be considered dead ball when the coach-pitcher is hit with the ball. No runners may advance and the pitch will be replayed with the batter assuming the previous count. The coach-pitcher must make every effort to go to the designated pitchers box off the field after the ball is hit. Interference will be called at the discretion of the umpire. The coach-pitcher cannot obstruct player-pitcher position. An unintentional interference of player-pitcher is a dead ball and the pitch is replayed. An intentional interference is an out and the ball is dead. The coach-pitcher can tell his batter to swing and is not considered illegal chatter. Dead Ball: The ball will be declared dead by the umpire, and all offensive and defensive play will stop. When a dead ball has been declared, no runs may score, no runner may be put out, and no runner may advance their position. Player-Pitcher: The player-pitcher must have one or both feet inside the circle at the time of the pitch. The penalty for this is the offensive team can call pitch or no pitch. A player-pitcher can leave the circle any time after the coach-pitcher releases the
ball from his/her hand. A player-pitcher that is removed from the pitcher-defensive position may not return to this position during the inning in which he was removed. He may play any other defensive position during this inning and may return to player-pitcher in any subsequent inning. The umpire must be notified of any change in the player-pitcher position. Base Runner: All base runners must remain in contact with the base until the pitch reaches the plate. If the runner is off the base prior to the pitch, it will be considered a dead ball and base runner will be called out. One courtesy runner will be allowed per inning for the catcher. If the team has more than 10 players, the courtesy runner must be a player not presently in the game. If the team has 10 or less players, the courtesy runner must be the last player that was put out by the defensive team. Defensive Team: The defensive team must have a playerpitcher and catcher in the vicinity of their positions. Playerpitcher must have one foot in the circle; catcher must be behind home plate but does not have to catch pitches. Outfielders playing in the infield are still considered outfielders; infielders playing in the outfield are still considered infielders. Fielders may not be on the inside of the defensive line. Equipment: Catchers are required to wear a catcher s helmet with mask. Protective cup and shin guards are recommended but not required. Player-pitchers are recommended to wear a helmet with face guard and protective cup but are not required. The Playing Field: 1.
Circle- is 12ft diameter (6ft radius) 2. Base Path-60 ft. 3. Coach Pitcher Box- 4ft x 6ft (used by the coach-pitcher when the ball is batted and in play) 4. 10 th Batter Lines- a 3ft line drawn halfway between third base and home plate only. (This line is used in the 10 th batter rule only) 5. Defensive Line-An imaginary line across the infield from a point of 10ft from 3 rd base toward home to a point of 10ft from 1 st base toward home. A 3ft chalk line is to be drawn 10ft from 1 st & 3 rd base toward home. Then an imaginary line across the playing field. All defensive players except player-pitcher and catcher must be behind this line at the time of pitch. 6. Player Pitcher Circle- 42ft 5in. (all measurements are from back of home plate in a direct line to center of circle). Coach you have enormous respect and gratitude for the one who will overlook your flaws, excuse your mistakes and generally try to see and bring out the best in you at every juncture.