GIRLS 3RD/4TH GRADE JUNIOR LITTLE LEAGUE RULES

Sportsmanship:

Good sportsmanship should be displayed at all times by coaches and their players. All chants and cheers should be positive and for your own team. A chant that points towards the other team is taunting and will not be allowed. This league was put together in the interest of our youth being given the opportunity to have fun while learning the fundamentals of softball and fair play.

Time:

The time limit is 4 innings or 1 and ¼ hours which ever end first. No new innings will start after 1 and ¼ hour. There is a run limit of 5 runs per inning. The 4th inning is 3 outs or 5 runs.

Equipment:

We will play with an 11’ ball. If warming up a pitcher in live ball territory she must wear a catcher’s mask. All batters and base runners will wear a helmet with chin strap. (New in 2006 helmet will have a face mask.)

Field:

The distance between bases is 60 feet and the distance between the pitching rubber and home plate is 35 feet.

Pitching Rules:

  1. Player Pitches until: 1) Player strikes out or hits, 2) if a player would walk, the coach will step in. Strikes against batter will carry over to coach pitching.
  2. Coach Pitches until: 1) Player strikes out or hits, 2) if Coach throws max 5 pitches without a hit, the player is out. There are NO walks.
  3. The player pitcher must begin her wind-up with both feet on the pitching rubber and will only take one step, which must be toward home plate before releasing the ball.
  4. Umpires shall be responsible for the conduct of the game while calling balls and strikes

Rules of Play:

  1. Base Coaches will be responsible to step in to pitch to their players.
  2. You will use free substitution and everyone bats.
  3. All games must go a minimum of three (3) innings to be counted as a full game. Games called on darkness will revert back to the last full inning played to determine the winner. If three (3) innings have not been played the game will be suspended and the game will start as a new game on a later date. If a game is suspended due to darkness or weather and the score is tied the game must be played from the point of interruption.
  4. There will be 10 players on the field. You must have 4 outfielders if you have 10 players. If a team is short a player the team will be allowed to play with less. IF ALL 10 PLAYERS ARE PRESENT TO PLAY ALL 10 PLAYERS MUST PLAY AND BAT. NO EXCEPTIONS! Every attempt shall be made to allow for equal participation.
  5. Girls should slide to avoid tag and injury. If you don’t slide and you interfere, play will become dead immediately and an out will be called. (If at home plate and the interference is after she touches home plate run will score but play will become dead immediately.)
  6. BuntingIS allowed off a player pitch but NOT allowed by a coach pitch.
  7. No infield fly rule.
  8. Home is closed. No girl may steal homeoff of a pass ball or on an over throw to pitcher. A girl may advance home if there is a play made on any runner on the field. Example: a runner on third and first. If the catcher tries to make a play on the runner stealing second, then home becomes open and the girl on third can advance. Nostealing is allowed as the ball is being thrown to the pitcher.
  9. Runners on 1st and 2nd base may steal the next base once the pitch is released from the pitcher’s hand. The runner may lead off once the ball leaves the pitcher s hand. If a runner leaves early time will be called and the runner will be out.
  10. The batter may not achieve 1st base on a dropped 3rd strike
  11. If a batter should throw her bat, the umpire will give each team a warning to the effect that the next time a batter throws her bat, play will become dead immediately and the batter will be out.
  12. If a ball goes out of play, an award will be 2 bases at the time of throw will be given. (If girl is running to first base and the throw is to first base and goes out of play, if at the time of throw the girls is not yet to first base, girl is given 1st and 2nd base. If she is already by first base at time of throw girl is given 2nd and 3rd base.)
  13. There is no infield to be taken by either team. Ball may be hit to the infields down the foul lines in dead ball territory. The field will be cleared 5 min. before the start of the game for the coaches / umpires meeting at home plate.

19. Batting order stays the same during player substitutions.

Have a great year

***Promote sportsmanship***