Division Director: Kevin Chu
Girls who are born
1/1/08-12/31/09 (generally League Age 9 and 10) are eligible to play in this
division. Third graders who are League Age 8 may play Coach
Pitch upon request.
Girls learn to windmill pitch from a distance of 35 feet and many Little League
fastpitch softball rules are introduced (with modifications). Girls pitch
to batters with a 11-inch softball, and limited stealing is allowed.
After one walk in an inning, a coach will pitch when the pitcher records
four balls on subsequent batters in the same inning (i.e. no further walks
are allowed). Teams keep score and standings are kept. Playoffs and
a Championship Game are held at the end of the season.
One team is selected from this age group at the end of the season to enter
the 9-10 year old PA State Softball Tournament. This team is
selected from girls in Majors and Minors who are League Age 9 and
10. Tournament play generally starts in the last two weeks of June and
continues until the team is eliminated from competition.
Minors Local Rules
These are the general local rules of the Minors
Division of (DSBP) Devon Strafford and Berwyn Paoli Little League Softball for
the Spring 2019 season. Except as specifically modified herein, all 2019 Little
League Official Regulations and Playing Rules (“LL Rules”) will be followed.
Note that certain LL Rules may be restated below for convenience. To the extent
there is a dispute regarding these general rules, the decision/interpretation
of the Vice President of Softball shall be conclusive.
Mandatory Play
- Every
player on a team roster in attendance shall participate in the game.
Coaches should make all reasonable attempts to cause each player, who is
in attendance for the entire game, to play at least two (2) innings in the
field per game.
·
NO player shall
sit out twice until everyone has sat once. If both teams have 10 players,
field 10 players (4 outfielders) so a single player does not have to sit by
themselves on the bench.
·
Coaches must rotate
the players in the game so they play both infield and outfield.
- Each
team will bat all players in consecutive order, including players who are
not playing in the field. Coaches
must rotate the batting order throughout the season, so the same girls are
not always at the bottom or the top of the order.
- Any
player injured or who otherwise leaves the game early (and will not
return) will be skipped in the order (no automatic out). If a player is
injured or otherwise leaves the game early and the coach desires to have
the right to have such player return to the game, the player will be
skipped in the order and an automatic out will be charged for any such
skipped at bat.
- Any
late player after the game begins will be added to the last position in
the batting order.
- Coaches
may substitute freely; players may re-enter game at any position
(including pitcher).
Regulation
Games
- Games
are scheduled for 6 innings
- No
inning can begin after 1 hour 30 minutes has passed from the start of
play: provided, however, subject to field availability (e.g. no games
scheduled immediately after the game in question) and prior to the start
of the game, both coaches and the home plate umpire may agree to extend
the time for which a new inning may begin from the start of play. The
umpire shall keep the official time.
- Defensive
play shall consist of nine (9) players, including three (3) outfielders.
If a team has less than nine (9) eligible players but at least six (6)
eligible players at the start of the game, the team may play the game with
that number of players in attendance- and will borrow defensive
players from the other team or call up minor league players to field 9
players on the field. The team will bat all players in attendance
and will not be charged with an automatic out for
having less than nine (9) players in the batting order. If a team starts a
game with less than nine (9) eligible players and one or more eligible
players arrive after the start of the game, such players will be added to
the end of the batting order and will be permitted to join defensive play
upon being ready to play (in uniform and ready to immediately participate
in play) and upon completion of the current batter’s at bat (and
completion of the live action incurring from such at bat).
- If
a team does not have at least six (6) eligible players within ten (10)
minutes after the scheduled start time of the game, the team shall forfeit
the “official” game; provided, however, the teams are encouraged to play a
scrimmage game during the allotted time with whatever players are
available, including the sharing of players if necessary to have
sufficient players on a team.
- If
during a game, one or more players become unable to continue to play as a
result of injury or illness and, as a result, a team ceases to have at
least six (6) eligible players, the team shall forfeit the “official” game
unless the following criteria are met: (i) at least four (4) innings (five
(5) in the playoffs) have been completed (3.5 innings in regular
season/4.5 innings in the the playoffs if the team is the home team), and
(ii) the team in question is leading the game by more than five (5) runs
(7 runs in the playoffs). If during a game, a team ceases to have at least
six (6) eligible players other than as a result of injury or illness, then
the team will forfeit the game. If a forfeiture occurs, the teams are
encouraged to continue playing the game as a scrimmage game during the
allotted time with whatever players are available, including the sharing
of players if necessary to have sufficient players on a team.
Maximum Run Rule
·
5 Runs Per
Inning (applies to ALL innings including the last inning).
·
There will be NO 5 run rule during the
Minor Division playoffs; the 10-run mercy rule will be in effect. (i.e., after
4 innings, or 3 1⁄2 if the home team is ahead by 10 runs, the game is official
and complete).
Maximum 1 walk (or hit
batsman) per inning
·
After there has
been 1 walk (or hit batsman) in an inning, in all subsequent at-bats that
inning where the pitcher throws 4 balls (or hits a batter), the manager/coach
shall come in to pitch the remainder of the at-bat to his/her own players. The
batter inherits the number of strikes the pitcher already threw and either puts
the ball in play or strikes out.
·
The manager or
coach must throw from the 35 foot pitching rubber.
·
The umpire will
call pitches thrown by the manager/coach. Managers/coaches can strike out
their own players (called or swinging) but cannot walk them.
·
The manager or
coach ONLY gets a maximum of three (3) hittable pitches as determined by the
umpire. If the batter does not get a hit after 3 hittable pitches, the
batter is out. If the hitter fouls off the third hittable pitch, then the
hitter gets another pitch.
Leading and Stealing
·
A runner is
permitted to leave the base and take a lead after the ball leaves the pitcher’s
hand.
·
A runner is
permitted to steal 2nd and 3rd base. Runners are not permitted to steal
home or 1st base (no dropped 3rd strike rule).
·
A team cannot
steal more than 4 bases per inning.
·
A runner cannot
steal more than 1 base per pitch. There is no advancing of a runner who
has stolen a base on an errant or over-throw attempt to catch the runner.
We want catchers to attempt to make the throw so that they can develop that
skill.
·
A team leading
by ten (10) or more runs may not steal unless/until the lead is under ten runs.
This rule will not apply in the playoffs.
Live Ball
·
The ball remains
in play and is live until an infielder has control of the ball in the
infield.
·
Runners can
advance only one base on an overthrow to 1st base. Otherwise, if a fielder
overthrows 2nd, 3rd or home, the runner can continue to advance.
·
No Infield Fly
Rule
·
No Dropped Third
Strike Rule
Bat Swinging/Bat
Throwing/Bunting-Slapping
·
There is no
on-deck batter. Only the batter at the plate may have a bat in hand. All other
players are to remain at the bench or in the dugout.
·
The first three
(3) batters each inning and each subsequent batter shall have a helmet on in
preparation for her at-bat.
·
After hitting
the ball, batters must drop the bat and run down the first base line. In the
interest of catcher safety, batters cannot throw their bats back towards the
catcher/backstop. If a player throws her bat, her team will receive a
warning. After a team has received a warning, all subsequent bats thrown
will be recorded as an out for that batter.
·
Players are
permitted to bunt/slap. However, players may not show a bunting
position/fake a bunt and then pull back and swing at a pitch.
Outfielders
·
Outfielders must
be positioned no closer than the edge of the outfield grass at the beginning of
each pitch. Outfielders cannot make a force out at a base themselves;
they must throw the ball to an infielder to record a force out.
Pitching Limits
·
No girl shall
pitch more than two (2) innings per game. We do want to develop pitchers,
so we would prefer that your better pitchers do pitch at least once every game.
Umpires
·
It is NEVER
acceptable to argue with the umpires.
·
Start each game
with a friendly conference with the umpire and the other manager. Agree
on the ground rules, strike zone, and any issues that are likely to come up.
·
If there are
negative or derogatory comments about the umpiring coming from the crowd, it is
the responsibility of the manager/coaches to address the issue and put an end
to it.
·
Please complete
the umpire evaluation form after each game and send it to the league director.
Home vs. Visitor
- The home team will
occupy the third base dugout.
- The
home team is responsible for paying the umpire(s).
- The
home team will be responsible for lining the field and ensuring that a
regulation size pitching rubber is securely placed (actually fastened to the
ground) on the field at the proper pitching distance (35’ measured from
the back point of home plate to the front of the pitching rubber).
There are parents that volunteered for this job- please check with the VP
of softball for the list of volunteers.
- The
home team is responsible for staffing the snackbar at Toscani
Scores
- Winning
team reports the final score to the Minor League Director after each game.