Palos Power 8U In-House Rules
· Bases will be 50 feet and the pitcher’s mound 30 feet. If a team has a maximum of 9 able players on or before official game start time, the opposing team will be limited to fielding 9 players, however, should each team have 10 or more players, the team shall field 10 to maximize player participation. A team may take the field with seven players. A coach may borrow players, but only enough to have 9 available players to play. Borrowed players may NOT pitch and must play the outfield and bat last in the order. Teams are not allowed to borrow players in the playoffs.
· No Bunting, drop third strike, or infield fly rule.
· The mandatory slide rule will be in effect for all bases except first base. If it is a close play at the base, the player must slide to avoid a collision with one warning given per team prior to next runner being called ‘out’.
· The play will be considered dead when the ball has returned to pitching ring and is held by a player. Runners that have not reached the halfway point between bases, when a player gets the ball in the circle, will have to return to the previous base. Once the ball is called dead all players must immediately return to base.
· When the team that is batting scores five runs in their half of the inning, the inning will be over and the opposing team will go to bat. This rule will not apply in the fifth or last inning as determined by the umpire due to time constraints. Last full inning notification will be given to both coaches so they are aware it is uncapped.
· Mercy Rule: Game will end when any team is up by 10 or more runs after the 4th inning.
· The game will last for five (5) innings; no new inning may start after 1 hour and 30 minutes. Once inning is started it will play to natural conclusion. A game will be considered completed when a weather shortened game, which includes darkness, has played at least 3 innings (score of the game reverts back to the last completed inning, unless the home team is leading, in which case, the final score shall be recorded when the game is “called”); however if the home team is winning after 2 1/2 innings have been played and the game is “called” due to weather in the middle or the bottom half of the 3rd inning, then the game is complete. A game can end in a tie.
· Walks will not be allowed. The batting team’s manager pitches, the batter will either hit the ball or strike out. A player from the defensive side will field the pitcher’s position. The manager or coach must get out of the way of the batted ball. If the manager or the coach is hit by a batted ball the ball is dead and the batter will be awarded first base with each other base runner advancing one base as well. Manager or coach must have at least one foot on pitching rubber when pitching to batter.
· There is no batting out of order penalty due to injury, communicate with other coach if player will not be batting.
· The pitching rules for the 8U division will be a follows:
1.) Pitchers can pitch a max of two innings per game, no limit per week since 3 games may be played in a week.
2.) One pitched ball is considered an inning.
3.) There is no re-entry rule for any pitcher (i.e. pitcher may reenter as pitcher provided they have not pitched the max number of innings).
4.) After two hit batters in one inning, the pitcher receives a warning, three and the pitcher must leave the mound and may NOT reenter.
· Equal playing time for all players is required. Each player should sit out one inning per game if the appropriate number of players are available in a full regulation game. All levels are considered instructional, therefore each player should be provided the opportunity to play an infield and outfield position in each regular season game. It is required that all players wear a fielding face mask.
· The running rules for the 8U division will be a follows:
1. Ball hit and fielded in the infield: All runners may not advance beyond the base she is running towards once the fielder possesses the ball and attempts to make an out at any base, either by throwing the ball toward a base, tagging a base or tagging an advancing baserunner. As further clarification, there is no advancing bases after the aforementioned “fielder’s attempt”, including no advancing on an overthrow or non-catch to any base.
2. Ball hit and fielded in the outfield: If the ball is fielded outside of the infield, once the ball is thrown and possessed by any fielder inside the diamond delineated by the bases, or the fielder runs with possession of the ball inside the diamond, the runners may not advance beyond the base that runner is running toward at the point the ball is possessed by a fielder inside the diamond. Should an outfielder’s throw “beat” any advancing runner to the base, that runner may not advance on an overthrow or non-catch. “Outside the infield” is defined as an area outside of the diamond delineated by the bases and behind any infield position player (i.e. shortstop, 2nd basemen, etc.).
AS A GENERAL RULE RUNNERS CAN EXPECT TO ADVANCE TWO BASES ON A HIT TO THE OUTFIELD AND ONE BASE ON A HIT TO THE INFIELD. A CLEAN INFIELD PUTOUT ATTEMPT SHOULD NOT SCORE A GIRL FROM 2ND BASE. A CLEAN SECURED OUTFIELD GROUNDER WITH A RELAY TO THE INFIELD SHOULD NOT SCORE A RUNNER FROM 1ST BASE.