RULE 9.00 – MACHINE PITCH SPECIFIC RULES
- 9.01 Fair Ball Arc: There shall be a twenty (20) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. A batted ball must go past this line to be a fair ball (this includes a ball that is legally bunted).
- 9.02 Safety Arc: There shall be a thirty (30) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. Infielders must stay behind this line until the ball is hit.
- 9.03 Pitching Circle: There shall be a ten (10) foot diameter circle with the front edge at forty-two (42) feet from the rear point of home plate.
- 9.04 Pitching Machine: The front leg(s) shall be set at a distance of forty-two (42) feet from the rear point of home plate.
- 9.05 Recommended pitching machine speeds:
- 9.05.A 36 M.P.H. – 39 M.P.H. out of the machine for the 7U age division.
- 9.05.B 39 M.P.H. – 42 M.P.H. out of the machine for the 8U age division.
- 9.06 Pitching Machine Operator: The Pitching Machine operator shall be an adult at least eighteen (18) years of age.
- 9.07 Ten (10) defensive players shall play in the field with four (4) outfielders. The fourth (4th) outfielder shall not assume an infield position. All outfielders shall stay behind the baseline.
- 9.08 The defensive player listed as pitcher shall not leave the pitching circle until the ball is hit.
- Rule 9.08 Penalty: The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or no-pitch.
- Rule 9.08 Additional Penalty: First Offense: Warning; Second Offense: Removal of player from the pitching position for the remainder of the game.
- 9.09 Defensive coaches shall not be allowed on the field of play and shall coach from the dugout.
- 9.10 The Infield Fly Rule shall not be in effect at any time.
- 9.11 The batting order shall constitute all present players on the team roster at the beginning of the game. Late arrivals shall be inserted at the bottom of the batting order. All players on the roster shall bat before returning to the top of the batting order.
- 9.11.A Teams may start a game with eight (8) players. The ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) positions in the batting order shall be declared an out each turn at bat.
- Rule 9.11.A Approved Ruling: A ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) player and all subsequent players may be added to the bottom of the batting line-up as soon as they become available.
- 9.12 Teams may use free substitution on defense, but the batting order shall remain the same.
- 9.13 Teams may bunt a maximum of two (2) times per inning.
- 9.13.A Fake bunts shall be prohibited. A batter that “shows” bunt is committed to an attempt to bunt or take the pitch.
- Rule 9.13.A Penalty: A batter who swings after “showing” bunt shall be called out and no runners may advance.
- 9.14 The batter shall receive a maximum of six (6) pitches or three (3) swinging strikes.
- 9.15 A player may only be Intentionally Walked once per game by announcement from the defensive team.
- 9.16 Runners shall not lead-off or steal bases. A runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit or reaches home plate.
- 9.17 A courtesy runner for catcher of record only the previous inning may be used. The courtesy runner shall be the player that made the previous out. If no outs have been recorded in the game, the courtesy runner shall be the previous batter not on base. If the team batting has not played defense yet and a courtesy runner is used for a player, the player that was run for must assume the catching position the next inning. This scenario only applies in the first inning for the visiting team.
- 9.18 A team may score a maximum of seven (7) runs per inning.
- 9.19 The game is over, when the opposing team is mathematically eliminated from scoring enough runs to win or tie the game. (Run Rules still apply)
- 9.20 Umpires shall call “Time” after every play and declare the ball dead. “Time” shall be called as soon as all runners are not attempting to advance. “Time” does not have to be called by the defense for the purpose of this rule.
- Rule 9.20 Comment: 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.
- 9.21 When a batted ball hits the pitching machine, the ball is dead, the batter is awarded first (1st) base and all runners shall advance one (1) base.
