(ABC) Development division of Tee Lob Division
Ages 8 & 9 Year old Girls Coach/Kid Pitch
Mission Statement:
Wallen Complex wants to continue to improve the growth of the girls in our program and open the opportunity to excel at stages of our division of softball. We are creating a division that is a foundation to help develop the girls to develop and to make the game more enjoyable for years.
League:
· ABC (Leana Arnold, Phyllis Bookout, Dottie Wiltse Collins) Former players of Fort Wayne Daisies Professional Women Baseball League
· Modified fast-pitch coach pitch/kid pitch for 8 - 9 year olds
· ABC Teams will be guaranteed 10 games in a season (Spring)
National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules will apply except as follows:
Age Requirement:
· A player’s age is calculated as of January 1st of the current year.
· No Player allowed to “play down” in a younger age group.
· A player may “play up” in an older age group if approved by her parents and league representative(s)
Field Dimensions:
· Bases—50 feet (This may change depending on the field of play)
· Pitching Rubber 32 feet
· Pitching Circle—6 Foot Radius around the 32-foot pitching rubber
Equipment:
· An 11” optic yellow ball will be used in this league
· Bats- no specification
· Batting Helmets- Must be equipped with a face mask. Batting helmets are prohibited from being overly reflective as to be a distraction. It is recommended that each girl has their own helmet.
· Cleats- No METAL or Fiberglass cleats are allowed.
· Fielding Masks - ALL INFIELDERS HAVE TO WEAR FACE MASKS. It is strongly recommended that all players wear a face mask. Wallen will not supply a face mask.
· T-shirts or uniforms will be provided by the League and should be worn during all games.
· Catchers must wear full catcher’s equipment. Certified equipment will be provided by the League as needed.
Players and Substitutions:
· All players must appear in the batting lineup at all times.
· Only 11 players may play in the field. Additional players will need to sit out. No player will be allowed to sit out a second inning until all players have sat out 1 inning, (and then 2 innings and then 3 and so on…don’t sit the same girls all the time)
· A team can play a maximum of 5 outfielders at a time.
· The minimum number of players required to begin or continue a game is 8 players. (Spring only) A grace period of 10 minutes from the scheduled time will be permitted. A team not able to field 8 eligible players will forfeit the game. Coaches can choose to play by mutual consent, but the forfeit will stand.
· A team that plays with less than 9 players, but must take outs for any less than 9, wherever you put them on lineup card.
· ABC teams will be permitted to use any 7-year-old lob-ball player as a substitute player to field a team of no more than 9 players.
· Any substitute player(s) will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.
· A late arriving regular roster player will be inserted at the bottom of the batting order.
· A substitute player will be allowed to continue playing after the arrival of a regular roster player.
· If a player is injured, gets sick or has to leave a game due to extenuating circumstances, her absence in the batting order will not be an automatic out. An injured or sick player cannot play offensively or defensively. The opposing coach will be immediately informed of any change in a player’s participation.
Game:
· A regulation game in the Spring, shall be scheduled for 4 innings or a one hour and 10 minute time limit, finish the inning. In the Fall, games are all 4 innings or 70 minutes drop dead, finish the batter.
· If the time limit expires during an inning, the inning will be allowed to finish unless the home team is at bat and is winning at that time or visitors are up by 6. (Spring)
· Regular season games allowed to end in a tie.
· Mercy Rule- If a team is ahead by 6 runs after three innings, the game will be called. (Spring)
· Stealing will not be permitted. The umpire will assess a bench warning to any team determined to be stealing. After 1 warning the umpire may assess a penalty of a ball or a strike for additional stealing.
· No leading off and No bunting.
· In case of rain, 3 complete innings, or 2 ½ innings if the home team is ahead, is considered a complete game.
· If a rain delay occurs, the game will be resumed from the point of delay if the first inning was complete, if the first inning was not complete the game will start over.
· If a game is approaching the time limit, and the umpire is aware that there are players on either team that have not batted, the umpire may reduce or increase the number of outs allowed in an effort to ensure that all plays on both teams gets at least one turn at bat.
· Maximum number of runs allowed per inning is 5 per team. There is no per inning batting order rotation limit.
· All outfield players must remain behind the designated line (grass line) until the ball is hit.
· If in the Umpire’s judgement a batter throws her bat and interferes with a defensive player or injures a player. A warning shall be assessed then after that batter shall be declared out and baserunners will return to the base previously occupied.
· Only 1 base allowed on an overthrow, even if ball is in fair territory. Overthrows are balls thrown to bases only. Not when the ball is thrown in from the outfield.
· Coaches will only be allowed on the field: On offensive, in the pitching circle (during coach pitch) and 1st and 3rd base (limit 3). On defensive, team coaches (limit 2) may only be in outfield.
· Infield fly rule is not in effect.
· Runners may advance until an attempt is made to throw the ball into the pitcher in the circle. The ball does not need to be possessed by the pitcher, in the umpire’s judgment, after an attempt is made to throw the ball to the pitcher the runners have to stop running. In both coach and girl pitch. Unless the ball is declared dead on an overthrow, or a coach has touched the ball as it is being thrown it back into the circle.
· Players in field may not block the base, if they do it is called interference, coaches will be given one warning by the umpire, it will be given to the coach not to player, its responsibility of the team Head Coach to instruct his own players of correction.
· With 2 outs the catcher may receive a courtesy runner. The courtesy runner is the last out made.
· If a catcher catches a foul tip ball with 2 strikes it is considered an out.
· A lineup card must be submitted to the other team, prior to each game.
· If a ball is hit into the outfield and into a crowd of fans, it will be considered a ground rule double.
· Neither team is allowed to warm up on the field (turf) before the game, only in the outfield.
· Umpires will be treated with respect. Calls can only be questioned by the head coach, Assistant coaches and fans are not allowed to address an umpire. Head coaches are responsible for the fair treatment of the umpires and are expected to address any fan or assistant coaches that are seen to be disrespectful.
Pitching
· Coaches will pitch the first 2 innings of each half inning for their own team. The last 2 innings if within time limit will be girl’s pitch.
· No walks are given. They must either put the ball into play or strikeout.
· There is no dropped third strike rule. A batter is declared out on a third strike regardless of whether the catcher catches the ball.
Coach Pitch
· Each batter may receive a maximum of six pitches per at-bat. Regardless of the location of the sixth, the batter’s coach will call out the batter if the ball is not hit. In the event the sixth pitch is a foul ball, the batter shall receive an additional pitch to hit.
· When the coach is pitching the girl playing the pitching position must have at least one foot in the pitching and no closer to home plate than the coach pitcher.
· The coach must pitch on or touching the pitching rubber.
· If a ball is batted during coach pitch the coach must avoid all contact with players and batted balls. Once the ball is hit the coach must move out of the field of play. (Foul territory)
· If the coach is hit by a batted ball, it is considered a dead ball and the pitch will not count, the batter will return to the baters box and continue the at bat.
Kid Pitch
· Pitchers are required to wear face masks while pitching.
· When the pitcher has thrown 4 called Balls, a coach from the offensive team will come in to pitch to that batter. The current count will remain in place. The coach will get a maximum of 3 pitches to allow the batter to either put the ball in play or strike out. In the event the 3rd pitch is a foul ball, the batter shall receive an additional pitch to hit.
· Pitchers are only allowed to pitch 2 consecutive innings. And no more than 4 total innings for a regular season week.
· At start of the 3rd inning the girls will be allowed 5 warmup pitches, same for relief pitchers, if returning pitcher will be given 2 warmup pitches.
· If a pitcher hits 3 batters in any inning or 4 batters total for game, that pitcher will not be allowed to pitch for remainder of that game. A hit batter is ball that hits the batter in the air. The umpire will make the final call.
Tournament (Spring)
· Tournament games will not end in a tie.
· Tournament games will continue until a winner is decided. In the case of extra innings, or innings played after the time limit expires, International Tie Break Rules will apply. At the beginning of each half inning, the batting team will put its last batted out on second base. Play will resume as normal at that point.
· Tournament games will be 4 innings or 70 minutes, finish the inning.
· There are no pitching limits during the tournament.
· The championship game will be 5 innings with no time limit and no run rule in the 5th inning.
· The tournament will be all girl’s pitch.
· A maximum of 4 outfielders will be allowed during tournament games. Additional players will remain in the dugout. No player will be allowed to sit out a second inning until all players have sat out 1 inning.
· Teams may have less than 9 players, but must take outs for any less than 9, wherever you put them on lineup card.
· The higher seed will be the home team.
8/2023