This division plays by the standard Little League rule book except as noted below. This is a Juniors division, with base paths set at 80’ and pitching distance at 54’.

The Juniors season is structured similarly to the Majors. We play two games per week, one on a weekday and once on a weekend. Weekday games are usually Tuesday - Thursday, but can sometimes be Monday or Friday. Weekend games can be either Saturday or Sunday.

We will end the season with a league championship tournament. See below for more. The tournament ends two weeks before the first all-star games.

Individual leagues are responsible for building teams, assigning coaches and handling uniforms and practices according to the procedures of their league. When a league has more than one team, the teams should be evenly balanced as much as possible. There should not be an “A” and “B” team. This league is geared towards 13 and 14 year olds in middle school. Leagues may approve very strong 12 year olds to play up. Leagues may approve 15 year olds to play but only if they believe the player will not distort the competitive balance in the league. Leagues may allow approved 15 year olds to pitch using similar guidelines.

Leagues should supply game fields for their teams’ home games if possible. Leagues with 1 or 2 teams will need to supply one weekday game slot and one weekend game slot each week. Leagues with 3 or 4 teams will need two of each and leagues with 5 or 6 teams will need three, etc. D52 will create the game schedule to conform to the field space provided. Leagues should communicate any field use restrictions (such as use of metal cleats) to D52.

Leagues with no fields are still encouraged to play, and should work with D52 and neighboring leagues to find space.

The official Little League rulebook is in force, with the following local rules:

1. Games may begin, and continue, with only 8 players. When playing with 8 players, the 9th spot in the batting order is an out. If a team cannot supply 8 players, they will forfeit the game. If neither team can field 8, the game will be scored as a game not played. A team with 8 players may borrow one defensive player from the other team for each inning. The borrowed player must play RF or LF.

2. Teams may use any age-eligible pool players from another team or another division in your league, but only if there are less than 10 rostered players available for the game. Pool players may only be used to bring the roster to 10. Dual rostering is not permitted. Pool players should wear the hat of their rostered team.

3. Pool players may not pitch, and must bat below all rostered players in the starting line up. We also encourage coaches to avoid using pool players in “key” defensive positions.

4. Standard Little League minimum play applies.

5. Teams will use continuous batting order.

6. During pre-season, pitchers may throw a maximum of 50 pitches in a game. For the first month of the regular season, pitchers may throw a maximum of 70 pitches in a game. Carry-over is allowed. (For 2023, 70 pitch limit is Sat March 25 - Fri April 21.) 

7. Pre-season only: Each pitcher will receive one balk warning per game. A balk warning results in a dead ball. The second balk will be enforced.

8. You may use a courtesy runner for the catcher and/or pitcher of record when there are two outs.  The runner is the player who made the last out.

9. Once a batter enters the batter’s box, they must remain with at least once foot. (Exceptions given in rule 6.02(c)).

10. Weekday games have no time limit, except for those required by the city you are playing in. Weekend games will have no new inning start after 2 hours and 15 minutes.

11. The following mercy rule is adopted: 15 runs after 4 innings, 10 runs after 5 innings or later.

12. Home team will supply game balls and provide a scorekeeper.

13. Host team will prepare the field as required and supply 1-2 umpires.

The following addition rules cover what happens before and after the game.

1. Upon a protest, a protest committee will be formed by the D52 DA. Decisions of that committee are final.

2. Prior to game day, managers should communicate and ensure the game is going to proceed (weather, etc). Host manager must inform D52 and the opposing manager of any cancellations or changes.

3. Game results (scores and pitch counts) must be posted to the web site by the home team the same day as the game. Instructions are here.

4. D52 may suspend managers and coaches for any rules violations.

5. Team must ensure their rosters are entered on the system and visible on the web site prior to the first game and be updated with any changes.

6. To be eligible for the playoff tournament, players must play in 6 pre-season and regular season games (combined). Kids who miss extended time due to injury should not be penalized.

7. If you cannot field a team for a scheduled game, please email your opposing manager and D52. On that thread we will figure out if it's a cancel, forfeit or if we can reschedule it. 

Minimum Play under Continuous Batting Order

When doing CBO, all players are technically "in the game" at all times. As such the two innings of minimum play on defense do not have to be consecutive. You can have someone do the first and third, and someone else do the second and fourth innings at the same position. So long as everyone plays two inning of defense in the game, and you get through the whole batting order once, you are good.

Spikes

Spikes (metal cleats) are permitted in Juniors. However, they are not allowed on turf fields and not allowed on portable pitching mounds. So players who choose spikes will also need a set of turf shoes for some games, especially if they pitch.

Little League Standard Pitch Counts for Juniors are as follow. Remember you get to finish the batter without incurring extra rest so long as you start the batter under the threshold.

1-20: 0 days rest
21-35: 1 day rest
36-50: 2 days rest
51-65: 3 days rest
66+: 4 days rest

For players LL age 13-16, the maximum is 95.
For players LL age 11-12 (even if playing in Juniors) the maximum is 85.

(Note: the days of rest for 15-16 year olds is different, but we ask that all 15s playing in Juniors follow the rules for 14s.)

The season will conclude with a league championship tournament. The standard tournament format is a single elimination bracket seeded by regular season standings. All teams will play in the tournament. (Option: D52 has the option to create a “gold” and “silver” bracket and run two tournaments in parallel, and has the option to do double elimination. Decision will be made prior to the first preseason game.)

In each game, the higher seeded team will be the home team. If there are two divisions (eg NL/AL), each will be seeded separately and a coin toss will be used to determine home/away in the championship game.

Standings are based on winning percentage (average). Ties count for half a win for each team. Pre-season games do not count in the standings. Games unplayed due to forfeit by one team are given the score 7-0. Games unplayed due to acts of God do not factor into the standings.

If two or more teams have the same winning percentage at the end of the regular season, the tie is broken as follows:

1. Head to head winning percentage

2. Head to head runs allowed

3. Average runs allowed overall

4. Coin flips performed by the DA