Adopted January 2009
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of Emphasis
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The
following rules shall be used in
1.
All games shall be 7 innings with a 60 minute time limit. No new inning will begin after 60 minutes
unless the score is tied. The
tie-breaker rule will be used in the 8th inning or in any inning
that begins after time has expired.
2.
There is a 5 run limit per inning. The run-rule/mercy rule will be 15 runs after
3 innings, 12 after 4, or 8 after 5. If
the home team is behind by six (6) or more runs at the beginning of the bottom
of the 7th inning, the game shall be over and the home team will
not bat. If either team is behind and
cannot catch up or go ahead when time expires, the game shall be over immediately.
3.
If batting round robin, a runner who becomes injured while running
the bases may be temporarily replaced by the offensive player who precedes her
in the lineup. If that player is already
on base, then the offensive player preceding her may run for the injured
runner. If that player is also already
on base, then the offensive player preceding her may run for the injured
runner. However, if the injured runner
cannot bat at her next at-bat, she will be declared out if a team is batting
round robin or no substitute is available and the team is not batting round
robin.
4.
The pitching machine shall be set with the center of the
machine at thirty-five (35) feet for 8U and 10U. The machine speed will be set
at 35 mph for 8U and 40 mph for 10U. Prior to each game, the umpire will have
each coach feed at least one pitch and obtain a consensus that the machine is
set correctly. The umpire may adjust the
pitching machine any time he/she believes it is needed.
5.
A coach from the offensive team shall feed the pitching
machine. This coach may give advice and
help to the batter only. He/she may not coach the batter-runner or runners at ANY time.
a. After a batter hits the ball, this coach shall remain motionless behind the pitching machine or move quietly away from the playing action into foul territory away from the play. If, under the judgment of the umpire, a coach intentionally violates this rule and is hit by a batted or thrown ball, a dead ball will be called and the runner closest to home will be called out, the batter-runner will be awarded 1st base (unless no runners are on base – then she is the runner closest to home and therefore out), and other runners will advance only if forced.
b.
After a batter hits the ball, this coach shall remain motionless
behind the pitching machine or move quietly away from the playing action into
foul territory away from the play. If,
under the judgment of the umpire, a coach did not intentionally violate this
rule and is hit by a batted ball, the ball is treated as hitting the
machine.
c.
The umpire may restrict a coach to the bench or eject him/her for
repeated violations of this rule.
6.
The batter will receive a maximum of five pitches or three strikes,
whichever occurs first. If the fifth pitch is hit foul the batter will
remain alive as long as they continue to foul off pitches. If the
batter fouls a bunt attempt with two strikes the batter will be called out.
The umpire may call a "no pitch" if the pitch is clearly out of
the strike zone and the batter does not swing.
7.
A batted ball that hits the pitching machine shall be ruled a dead
ball. The batter is awarded first base. All other runners will be awarded one
base only if they are forced.
8.
A runner may not leave a base until the ball leaves the pitching
machine.
9.
A runner on 1st or 2nd can advance/steal
only one base per pitch. If they advance more than one, they are liable to be
put out. At end of play if the runner is
safe and has advanced more than one base, the umpire will return the runner to
the correct base. A runner cannot steal home.
10.
There is no dropped 3rd strike rule. However the ball remains live and runners
(not the batter) may advance/steal with liability to be put out.
11.
The defensive team must have a minimum of eight (8) and a maximum
of ten (10) players in the field. At the
start of a pitch, one player shall be in the pitcher’s position on either side
of the pitching machine with one foot on or in the 8 foot radius circle. With eight defensive players, two players
shall be shall be in the outfield at the start of the pitch. With nine players, three players will be in
the outfield at the start of the pitch.
With ten players, four will be in the outfield at the start of the
pitch. The outfield is defined as at
least 10 feet outside of the base lines in fair territory.
12.
Defensive players may not move in front of the pitching machine
towards home plate until the ball has exited the pitching machine. Should a defensive player be in front of the
pitching machine prior to the ball leaving the pitching machine, an illegal
pitch shall be declared. If no runners are on base, a warning is issued to the
defensive team. For a second offense, the batter is awarded first base. All
other runners advance one base, regardless of force.
13.
The ball is live after each play until the
defensive team has stopped all runners from advancing. Umpires should call time
at this point. There is no look-back rule in machine pitch 8U or 10U. This rule
does not preclude the umpire from calling or granting time in situations such
as when a runner has slid into a base, requests time, no other runners are
advancing, or there is an injured player.
The ball shall be dead immediately anytime the
pitching coach touches a ball thrown to him/her at the end of a play (whether
they catch it or not) and all runners will return to the last base touched.
14. One defensive coach may be outside the dugout. This coach must remain close to the fence between the on-deck batter’s box and 1st base. Should a coach move outside this area, the umpire may restrict him/her to the dugout. If subsequent coaches violate this rule, the umpire may prevent any defensive coaches from being outside the dugout. If a live ball strikes anyone or any equipment out of the dugout, bases will be awarded by the umpire.
15.
There are four appeal plays: 1) batting out of order, 2) missing a
base, 3) leaving a base before a caught fly ball is touched, and 4)
over-running 1st base and then making an attempt to go to 2nd
base.
a.
The first three appeal plays are live or dead ball appeals. The last is a live ball appeal by defensive
players only. At the end of playing
action, coaches may request time and then make a dead ball appeal.
b.
ALL OTHER SITUATIONS are ‘requests
for help.’ A player or a coach may
make a ‘request for help’ and it may be honored by the umpire at the umpire’s
discretion.
c.
The coach feeding the pitching machine may not make dead ball
appeals and may request help only as it pertains to the pitching machine.
16. There is no infield fly rule in machine
pitch for 10U or 8U.
Discussion and Points of
Emphasis for 8U and 10U Machine-Pitch Rules
1.
The philosophy behind these rules is to make them as few and as
simple as possible while accommodating the uniqueness of the 8U and 10U age
groups and the pitching machine.
2.
“5 Run limit without
continuation of the play per inning” means that there can never be more
than 5 runs scored by a team per inning.
For example if there are 4 runs already scored in the inning, bases are
loaded, and the batter hits a triple, then only one run will score and the
half-inning will be over.
3.
When a team is behind and cannot catch up or go ahead before the
end of the 6th inning or when time expires, there is no reason to
continue the game since they cannot win.
The game will not be continued just because there is time left on the
clock.
4.
Per the ASA Rule Book, a team must have a minimum of 8 players to
begin or continue a game (unless they go from 9 to 8 because a player is
ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct).
5.
The only duties for the pitching machine coach are to feed the
pitching machine and to coach the batter while at bat and before the batter
hits the ball. Limiting the pitching
machine coach to these duties only provides for a more realistic game
environment and prevents the pitching machine coach from becoming a distraction
to the defensive team. The
pitching-machine coach may not make appeals.
The pitching-machine coach may not make a “request for help” unless it
pertains to the pitching machine.
6.
The electrical extension cord from dead ball area to the pitching
machine is considered to be part of the playing field. A batted or thrown ball that touches the cord
shall remain live. If a player trips
over the electrical extension cord, it will be the same as tripping over any
other object that is part of the playing field.
7.
“In front of the pitching machine” means a direct line along the
shortest path from the center of the pitching machine to the 1st
base and 3rd base line.
8.
The defensive team must stop runners from advancing before the
ball becomes dead at the end of a play.
They cannot stop runners from advancing by merely getting the ball to
the pitcher in the circle.
9.
Players must make any live ball appeals on runners who run past 1st
base and then make an attempt to go to 2nd base by tagging them
before they return to 1st base.
At the end of playing action, coaches may request time and make any dead
ball appeals. It is emphasized that
these are the only four appeal plays to which the player or coach has a right
to make an appeal. All other situations are “requests
for help.” If a coach desires to
approach an umpire about a play that s/he disagrees with or does not
understand, s/he must first get time and approach the umpire who made the
call. It is entirely up to that umpire
whether or not to honor the request for help.
8U and 10U Machine Pitch
Umpire Mechanics
Two umpires will be used for District and State
Tournaments if at all possible. One
umpire may be used only when the Tournament Director or UIC determines that a
second umpire is just not available.
ONE-MAN MECHANICS.
TWO-MAN MECHANICS.