Please find the Tournament Rules for the District Only All Stars for Machine Pitch Baseball and Softball.
The following items and/or clarifications have been added to this document. There are no deletions from the 2017 document:
-- A half-inning consists of five (5) runs or 3 outs, whichever occurs first. This applies to every half-inning, including the sixth inning.
-- A continuous batting order will be used. Therefore all substitutions will occur on defense. Mandatory play for each player is a minimum of six consecutive defensive outs (two consecutive half-innings on defense). A substitute cannot be removed from the game prior to their completion of mandatory play.
-- Managers will be reminded at the beginning of the 4th inning if they have players that have not met their mandatory play obligation on defense. Non-receipt of a reminder does not eliminate the Manager's responsibility to ensure that all players meet their playing obligation.
-- The Manager is the only person who may appeal the application of a RULE. The Manager is responsible for clearly stating the rule, and why they believe that it has been misapplied. The Manager will return to his/her dugout while the Umpires discuss the situation away from any players, managers, or coaches.
-- If the Manager continues to believe that a RULE has been misapplied, they can appeal the decision to the Tournament Director. The final appeal (at this level) is to the District Administrator.
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL
TEXAS DISTRICT 13 – 2018
PITCHING MACHINE TOURNAMENT RULES
For any matter not specifically mentioned below, the Little League Official Regulations and Playing Rules shall be used.
1. PITCHING MACHINE SETUP:
A. Distance:
* Baseball: The pitching machine shall be set 46 feet from Home Plate and shall be set at 40 MPH.
* Softball: The pitching machine shall be set 35 feet from Home Plate and shall be set at 35 MPH.
B. Adjustments: Prior to the start of the game, the umpires will set placement of the pitch at approximately 18 to 24 inches above home plate. The umpire has authority to make adjustments to the machine at any time during the game to be sure the machine throws strikes.
2. GAMES:
A. Reminder: There are NO on-deck batters. Batters will remain in the dugout until their at-bat for their safety.
B. Three (3) outs or five (5) runs scored will complete a half-inning. This is applied to every half-inning that is played.
C. A complete game is 6 innings (or 5 ½ if home team is leading).
D. A called game is considered complete if 4 innings have been played (3 ½ if home team is leading)
* Ten (10) run rule after the 4th inning (3 ½ if home team is leading)
* Games will end once they are “out of reach” – i.e. if a team is leading by 6 or more runs after 5 innings (4 ½ if home team is ahead), the game shall be called at that time.
E. There is NO TIME LIMIT on games. Curfew is 11:00 pm. No inning may start after that time.
F. No tie games will occur – games will continue until there is a winner.
3. PLAYERS:
A. A game may not be started or continued with less than nine (9) players per team.
* If a team is waiting on a player that will be their ninth (9th) player, the start of the game may be delayed for a maximum of 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, a forfeit will be declared.
* If a team with only nine (9) players has a player who is injured, sick, ejected, or otherwise unable to finish the game, a forfeit will be declared.
B. Late arrivals: Players who are not present at the start of the game but are expected to arrive shall be listed at the end of the roster and both the scorekeeper and the opposing manager notified that the player is en route. When the player does arrive, the manager shall notify the scorekeeper and opposing manager and the player shall be inserted into the game. If the player has not arrived by the time he or she is to bat, the position shall be skipped without penalty. The manager shall try his or her best to fulfill the mandatory play requirements for the late-arriving player.
4. MANDATORY PLAY:
A. Continuous batter order shall be used – i.e., all players bat in order. All players should bat at least once per game.
B. Each player present at the start of the game must participate for a minimum of six (6) CONSECUTIVE defensive outs.
* There is no exception to this rule unless the game is shortened for any reason.
* Note: If a half-inning ends because of a run-rule limit and a defensive player has played that entire half-inning, the player is considered to have participated for 3 consecutive outs.
* Note: A substitute may NOT be removed from the game prior to completion of his/her mandatory play requirements.
* At the beginning of the 4th inning, managers will be notified of players who have not yet entered the game to meet their mandatory play requirement of 6 consecutive defensive outs. This notification does not eliminate the manager’s responsibility to ensure that all players meet their mandatory play requirement.
5. MANAGER/COACHES:
A. A maximum of one (1) Manager and two (2) adult coaches will be allowed. No additional adults will be allowed in the dugout. When their team is at bat, base coaches must position themselves in the coaching boxes located along first and third base. Base coaches may not physically assist any runner.
B. The Manager and Coaches will remain in the dugout, except when performing their duties as a base coach or when retrieving a bat.
C. Each team must have an adult in the dugout at all times.
6. UMPIRES:
A. The umpire will feed the ball into the machine.
B. Any umpire’s decision which involves JUDGMENT is final (such as fair/foul balls, safe/out calls, “halfway” to the next base, etc.) and MAY NOT be protested.
C. The Manager is the only individual who may appeal to the Umpire (after being granted time out) a decision that may be in conflict with the RULES. The Manager is responsible for clearly stating the rule, and why they believe it has been misapplied.
D. The Manager will be asked to return to his/her dugout, and the umpires will discuss the situation away from any players, managers or coaches and finalize their ruling.
E. If the Manager continues to believe that there has been a misapplication of the rule, it can be appealed to the Tournament Director, and the final appeal is to the District Administrator.
7. RULES OF THE GAME:
A. Each batter will receive a maximum of five (5) pitches. No balls will be called. Three (3) strikes/swings or five (5) pitches (whichever comes first), and the batter is out. No walks will be allowed for any reason.
* A batter fouling off the fifth (5th) pitch will continue at bat until he/she hits a fair ball or strikes out.
B. Pitcher’s Position:
* Circles will be placed on each side of the machine with the center of the circle being 6 feet from the side of the machine. These circles will be 4 feet in diameter.
* The pitcher may occupy either circle.
* The player occupying the pitching position may not leave the circle until the ball leaves the machine. The penalty for leaving too soon is the pitch will be called an illegal pitch, unless the batter hits a fair ball and reaches base safely. In this case, the pitch will stand. An illegal pitch will NOT count toward the batter’s five (5) allowed pitches.
* The player occupying the pitching position shall wear a helmet.
C. All batted balls hit into fair territory are live balls regardless of whatever objects (i.e. pitching machine) or persons they may strike.
* In the SOLE judgment of the umpire, if the ball cannot be safely fielded in the area of the pitching machine, the umpire may call “TIME” and point runners to their bases.
* Base runners including the batter may advance at their own risk. There are no “base limits” on overthrows.
D. Bunting will be allowed. However, a player that shows a bunt must either bunt or pull back. A player cannot fake a bunt and then take a full swing. First offense shall be called a foul ball and given a warning; after that, player can be called out.
E. There will be no base stealing. Runners cannot leave the base until the ball reaches the batter. For the first offense, a player is given a warning. If a runner repeatedly leaves early, he may be called out. A manager who is coaching his/her players to leave early can be ejected.
F. Once a ball is put into play, the ball remains “live” until the PITCHER has control of the ball in the pitcher’s circle. NOTE: The umpire should call “TIME” at this point and point runners to their bases.
* At that time, any base runners who have advanced halfway or more to the next base are awarded that base. Any base runners who have advanced less than halfway must return to the previous base. This is a judgment call by the umpire and the umpire shall indicate if runners can remain on a base or must return.
G. The catcher must have a pinch runner when he/she reaches base if there are two outs. The pinch runner must be any player in the dugout who is not in the game defensively. If there are no extra players, the player who made the most recent out shall be the pinch/courtesy runner.
H. There is no “Infield Fly” rule in machine pitch.