Coach Pitch Game Rules 2023
1. Managers shall alert opposing team’s managers & players to move infielders back to a deeper field depth for any batter with the potential to hit harder or farther than an average player.
2. Only Little League approved baseballs may be used. Only Little League approved bats may be used.
3. All batters and base runners shall wear a Little League approved helmet. NO batter shall take practice swings or wait on deck with a bat in hand before batting. Please have someone, a coach or parent monitoring the on-deck circle to reduce any potential issues.
4. Bases shall be 60 feet apart. Do not adjust bases on fields. Notify league president if no bases are provided. League will provide throw down bases if needed. Do you best to walk out the distances. Please attempt to keep bases uniform in distance.
5. All players waiting to bat shall sit in the dugout, far enough away to avoid being hit the bat and ball.
6. Home team shall have the first base side of field during games, and Away team shall have the third base side of the field during games. Use at least two coaches while the team is at bat: one to assist the batter and one to line up the children in batting order and assist the next batter in getting ready.
7. Balls shall be coach pitched. Only by CWELL approved volunteers. Players shall get 7 pitches to make contact. After 7 attempts, coach shall set ball on Tee for batter. Play shall get three attempts to hit ball off tee. Ball hit in fair territory is live. Ball hit in foul territory is an out. If after three attempts there is no contact, batter is out.
8. If your team is at bat, no coaches should go in the infield to instruct the runners on base. Only have a 1st base coach and 3rd base coach. It is distracting to be in the field of play.
9. Coach pitcher shall keep a bucket or bag of balls at pitcher mound to speed up game. To keep game moving, please keep a empty bucket or bag behind home plate for errant throws and ask a coach or team parent to fill bucket after pitches are thrown.
10. Maximum of ten (10) players shall take the field. Fill each infield position, including pitcher, first and then fill in the outfield. Four (4) outfielders shall be allowed. One player shall play catcher with full equipment. They do not need to squat in catcher's position to receive pitches. But we do want the catcher to make plays at the plate. We do not want volunteers making plays at the plate.
11. On hits TO the outfield (not a ground ball INTO the outfield, it must be hit on the fly into the outfield grass), players are allowed to advance 2 bases. So the hitter can go to second, the player at first can go to third, the player at second can run home.
12. After the play is over, the closest fielder throws the ball to the coach pitcher to resume play.
13. Teach the players about positioning … don’t let them cross the field chasing a ball or bunch up around a base. No Tee-Ball scrums. Teach them how to back-up a play and where to go (cover a base, back up …) when the ball is not hit to them.
14. Managers will keep score and record scores in Gamechanger at the end of the game. Managers shall encourage parents to keep the scorebook during the games. Winning team please send Darren Giordano the scores at the end of the game to [email protected].
15. There will be NO strikeouts during live pitching (refer back to RULE #7 after batter has 7 pitches) and NO base stealing or base leading allowed. Tagging up on a pop fly is allowed. Please use game to teach them about going half the distance to the next base on a pop fly.
16. Game length will be 90 minutes or five (5) innings. If the top of the fifth starts prior to the 90 mins and the home team is losing, please play the bottom of the 5th to give the team a chance. An inning will end when three (3) outs have been recorded, or when opposing teams scores 5 runs in the inning or the entire order is batted through. Whichever occurs first.
17. The entire team roster shall constitute the batting order for the game. All rostered payers, even on bench shall bat in lineup.
18. No defensive player shall play the same position for more than three (3) innings per game. All players must play at least two (2) innings in the infield per game. Managers shall rotate players through the field positions. If a player does not get in the game as a starter they shall start the next game. Please do your best to assure every kid gets equal playing time! Same with the lineup, move the kids up and down the lineup.
19. Outfielders cannot make an out by tagging a runner or stepping on a base. They must throw the ball back to an infielder. Encourage throws from the outfield to base and hitting a cutoff man.
20. The player pitcher must be within 3 feet of the pitching rubber when the ball is hit. Only one player shall player pitcher per inning. Rotate new player pitcher in every inning.
21. Managers and coaches shall use proper baseball terms when explaining baseball fundamentals with our players.
22. There will be no forfeits in the Coach Pitch League. Players may be borrowed from the opposing team if necessary to complete your team.
23. Volunteer umpires may be used to umpire game, but if not provided, the coach-pitcher shall make the call.
24. The regular season shall be approximately 12 weeks long and follow the Little League 12 Week Coach Pitch Curriculum, with modifications made by the league.
25. Each team will make the playoffs. Teams will be seeded. Top 6 teams will get a first-round bye. Tiebreaker for last spot will be head-to-head. If three or more teams are tied for 6th, we will go to most runs in the season. See game schedule for dates of quarterfinal, semifinal and championship games.
26. If the player is on base and running to second, third or home and he gets hit by the ball from the batter, it’s an out. If a player is egregiously out of the baseline, he is out.
27. Please remember these are kids. We are here to make it fun. So, have fun!