General Rules
Majors shall use Little League approved 12-inch softballs only.
Time Limit: Games will be subject to a 1 hour & 45 minute time limit.
A new inning cannot start after 1 hour & 40 minutes.
Playing with Less Than 9 Players: No penalty.
Mandatory Play: If more than 9 players are present for a game, each player must bat at least once & play defensively for at least 6 consecutive outs.
International Tie Breaker: If the score is tied after 6 innings or time limit, one extra inning will be played. The offensive team will place the player who made the last out of the previous inning at 2nd base to start the extra inning.
Mercy Rule: The game shall end after the game has reached the end of 4 innings and a team is ahead by 15 runs or more; or if after 5 innings and a team is ahead by 10 runs or more.
5 Run Rule: A half inning ends after 3 outs or 5 runs, whichever occurs first
Unless in the 6th inning then no run rule shall be in effect
Call-Up Players: With approval of the town president, managers may invite Minors players if they expect a shortage of their normal roster that would place the team at 8 or fewer expected players. Minors players will be permitted to play in up to 7 games.
Minors players will not be allowed to pitch.
Jewelry – except items worn to alert medical personnel to a specific condition – is prohibited.
Offense
There is no on-deck circle. All players must remain in the dugout until their turn to bat.
Establish whether the team is batting their entire lineup or 9-player batting order. This should be decided at the plate meeting prior to the start of the game.
Dropped 3rd strike rule applies.
Sliding is not required, but runners who do not slide may be called out if an umpire believes the runner interfered with a defensive player. Runners must slide feet first when advancing to a base.
Runners may dive when returning to a base
Look Back Rule: If the pitcher has the ball in the circle and is not making a play on any runner, the runners may leave their bases & stop once before making an immediate decision to advance or return to their base.
A runner may leave their base when the pitcher releases the ball.
Defense
All catchers must have on protective gear: throat guard, and little league approved chest and head gear. Violation of this rule will result in a forfeit of your game. The score will be declared 9-0. No exceptions.
Pitching
Pitching Distance: 40’ measured from the front of the pitcher’s plate to the back of home plate.
Pitching Limits: A player may pitch in a maximum of 9 innings per game and 18 innings per calendar week (Sunday-Saturday).
Pitching Records: Date, opponent, location, names of pitchers and number of innings thrown by each pitcher. Opposing managers should initial the other’s pitching records after each game.
A pitcher who remains in the game & moves to another position may return to pitch, but only once per inning.
Time Limit: Games will be subject to a 1 hour 30 minute time limit. A new inning cannot start after 1 hour 25 minutes.
Minors shall use Little League-approved 11-inch softballs only.
Playing With Fewer Than 9 Players: No penalty
Mandatory Play: When more than 9 players are present for a game, each player must bat at least once and play defensively for at least 6 consecutive outs.
Call-Up Players: With approval of the town president, managers may invite Rookies players if they expect a shortage of their normal roster that would place the team at 8 or fewer expected players. Rookie players will be permitted to play in up to 7 games.
Rookies players will not be allowed to pitch.
Establish a batting order consisting of all players, including those not playing defensively, before the start of each game.
5-Run Rule: A team at-bat will end after 3 outs or 5 runs, whichever occurs first.
Runners may leave the base when the pitch reaches the batter.
Runners may dive when returning to a base.
All catchers must have on protective gear: throat guard and Little League-approved chest and head gear). Violation of this rule will result in a forfeit of your game. The score will be declared 9-0. No exceptions.
Pitchers throw from 35’ with an 8’ pitchers circle.
Pitching Limits: A player may pitch a maximum of 12 innings in a day. Once a player has started the 7th inning she must rest 1 calendar day before pitching again.
Pitching Records: Date, opponent, location, names of pitchers and number of innings thrown by each pitcher. Opposing managers should initial each other’s records after each game.
Time Limit: The earlier of 1 hour & 15 minutes or 4 innings.
An inning underway when time expires shall be completed. Do not start a new inning after time limit unless the game is tied.
Rookies shall use Little League-approved 11-inch Softballs (Hard balls only).
Play shall end as soon as the pitcher has reached the mound with the ball.
Playing With Fewer Than 9 Players: No penalty.
Score will be kept and a winner will be declared at the end of each game.
Leading Off: Runners must stay in contact with their base until the pitch reaches home plate.
Sliding: Sliding is not required. If a runner doesn’t slide and is judged to have interfered with the defense, she will be called out for interference. Runners must slide feet first when advancing to a base.
Batted ball contacts Coach Pitcher: Dead ball - runners return to base & batter hits again.
Bunting: Prohibited
Stealing: Prohibited
All catchers must have on protective gear: throat guard and Little League-approved chest and head gear). Violation of this rule will result in a forfeit of your game. The score will be declared 9-0.
No exceptions.
Standard infield positions and no more than 1 extra outfielder.
The play is over when the pitcher (coach or player) has possession of a ball deliberately thrown to him/her. Runners in between bases when throw is made will stop at the next base.
The pitching distance will be 30 ft. measured from the back of home plate to the correct distance. The Home team will need to either move the pitching rubber or make a chalked line at 30 ft. for player to pitch from.
Pitching must start with a kid pitcher.
Kid pitchers will pitch 4 pitches to every batter. Once a pitcher reaches 4 pitches, a coach may step in and relieve.
The coach will throw only 4 pitches and must be an underhand throw. If the batter has not put the ball in play after the 8 pitches, she is retired (No out is recorded.)
Strikes will be called.
The Head Coach for the batting team only will call balls and strikes from behind the mound.
Batters cannot walk but can strike out no matter who is pitching (Coach or Kid).
Keeping Score: No score will be kept.
Time Limit: 1 hour or 4 innings – whichever occurs first
Coaches Allowed On The Field: Two adult base coaches and two adult defensive coaches are allowed on the field. One adult (may be a parent) must stay in dugout with players at all times.
The catcher position will not be used as we do not have proper protective gear for this age.
Fewer Than 9 Players: No penalty.
More Than 9 Players: Players must assume normal infield positions: pitcher, first base, 2nd base, shortstop and 3rd base. All remaining players must play in the outfield.
The play is over when a fielder attempts to throw the ball back to the pitcher. Runners in between bases when throw is released will stop at the next base.
Batting Out Of Order: No penalty.
Retiring The Side: Change sides after all offensive players have batted.
Sliding: Sliding should be avoided to prevent injury to inexperienced players. A runner will not be called out for leaving the baseline or stepping off the base to avoid a defensive player.
1 Base on an overthrow: Runners may advance 1 base on an overthrow of an obvious attempt to retire a runner.
Starting the week of May 20th, coaches should begin to pitch to the batters rather than starting with the tee.
Coach will give the batter 4 pitches to hit. If the batter does not hit, then the batter will use the tee.
P.O. Box 304 Bondurant, Iowa 50035