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Fall Ball

D52 Fall Ball shall be governed by the current Little League Official Regulations and Playing Rules unless superseded by these local rules. Play is provided in the following divisions. As players are encouraged to play in the division they will play in the following spring, the following uses next spring's age chart. Leagues may approve playing up or down one year as they see fit.

Divisions
Name Age Field Size
Juniors 13-14 54/80
Majors 11-12 46/60
Minors - Kid Pitch 9-10 46/60
Minors - Coach Pitch 7-8 46/60

Local Rules

  1. Time Limit: Majors/Minors: No new inning after 1:45 from scheduled start time. Juniors: No new inning after 2:15. All games have a hard stop when the time slot ends, which is usually 2 hours for Majors/Minors and 2:30 for Juniors so the next game can get on. Please discuss at each plate meeting.
     
  2. Continuous Batting Order: CBO (or roster batting) is used in all divisions (Rule 4.04)

  3. Courtesy Runner: A courtesy runner will be allowed for the pitcher or catcher with two outs. It will be the last player out. If no out has been recorded, it will be the last player in the line-up. (Rule 3.04)

  4. Third Strike Not Caught (Majors/Juniors): The batter becomes a runner when the third strike is not caught, providing (1) first base is unoccupied or (2) first base is occupied with two out. (Rule 6.09(b))

  5. Five Run Limit (Minors): A 5 run rule per inning limit will be enforced for all but the 6th inning. (Rule 5.07)

  6. Mercy Rule: There is no mercy rule in the fall for Majors/Minors, as we're all here for development and want to play. Teams up by more than 10 runs are expected to switch to developing pitchers and run station-to-station. For Juniors, games will end if a team is up by 10 or more runs after the 5th inning.

  7. Pitching: In addition to Little League rules outlined below, players who pitches in another league/tournament game that day are not permitted to pitch in a game.

  8. Mandatory Play: All players will play 3 innings of defense.

  9. Baseballs: The home team should be prepared to provide the umpire with two new baseballs, and four gently used game balls.

  10. Bats: Minors/Majors must use USABats or solid wood bats only. Juniors may in addition use BBCOR bats. See below for more.

  11. Scorekeepers: The home team is responsible for providing an official scorekeeper.

  12. Coaches: One coach must be in the dugout at all times when a player is in the dugout. Additional coaches will be allowed outside against the fence of the dugout for coaching and developmental purposes.

  13. Protest: There will be no protests in fall ball games. Umpires judgment will be final. 

  14. Umpires: Home leagues will provide umpires for all games. Umpires will normally go behind the plate, but may take any position on the field necessary to do their job effectively. There are no umpires for coach pitch. The base coaches will call outs at first and third. The coach pitcher will count pitches and call outs at second and home. 

  15. League Equipment and Dugouts: Managers of teams playing the last game of the day are responsible for securing all league equipment and removal of trash from the dugouts. Have all post game team meetings outside of the dugout and off the field. Please respect the team playing prior to you – allow them to clear the dugout prior to your team entering.

Coach Pitch Rules

Due to coach pitching, we need a few extra rules for this division.

Pitcher’s Circle: A 10’ diameter Pitcher’s Circle will be drawn around the pitcher’s mound. If a pitcher’s circle is not available on the field, then best judgement should be used to determine the approximate area during game play. Play is stopped when the ball is returned to the kid pitcher who must have control of the ball with both feet inside the Pitcher’s Circle.

Coach Pitchers: All pitches thrown by a coach are strikes. Players get 5 pitches to put the ball in play. Foul balls on the 5th pitch will extend the at-bat. There are no walks. A batted ball that hits the coach pitcher is a live ball.

Defense: Ten players will play on defense, with four outfielders. Outfielders must play at least 10 feet back off the edge of the infield.

No stealing: Baserunners can only run on contact made by the batter.

Halfway Line: A halfway line will be drawn between 1st and 2nd, 2nd and 3rd, and 3rd and Home Plate. Coaches will make an assessment at the time that the ball is caught by the kid pitcher if runner fully crossed the halfway line. The defensive team is free to make plays on runners but once the ball reaches the kid pitcher who has both feet inside the Pitcher’s Circle and control of the ball, the play is dead. In the event a kid pitcher fields a batted ball inside the Pitcher’s Circle and shows intent to make a play on a runner, the ball will not be considered dead.

A Summary of Important Little League rules

Since we may have some non-LL teams participate, the following is a summary of Little League rules which will likely come up. Please consult the LL rule book or app for more.

Pitchers (Regulation VI)

This is a summary of the pitching regulations:

  • A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher.

  • Any player who has played the position of catcher in any part of four (4) or more innings in a game is not eligible to pitch on that calendar day. 

  • The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below, but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position: 

Age Max Pitches Per Day
8 and under 50
9-10 75
11-12 85
13+ 95

 

  • If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed above while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until that batter reaches base, is put out, or the inning ends.
  • A pitcher who delivers 41 or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.
  • Pitchers must follow the below days of rest requirements based on the number of pitches thrown. (This generally doesn't come into play in the fall as we play once each week.)

    Pitch Count Days of Rest
    66 or more 4 days
    51 - 65 3 days
    36 - 50 2 days
    21 - 35 1 day
    0 - 20 no rest needed

     

  • Under no circumstance shall a player pitch in three consecutive days.

  • If a pitcher reaches a day(s) of rest threshold while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until that batter reaches base, is put out, the inning ends. The pitcher will only be required to observe the calendar day(s) of rest for the threshold he/she reached during that at-bat, provided that pitcher is removed or the game is completed before delivering a pitch to another batter.

Catcher’s Equipment (Rule 1.17)

Rule 1.17 outlines catchers equipment rules. Please note, all catchers must wear a one piece mask with dangling throat guard extension.

Sliding (Rule 7.08(a)(3-4))

Any runner is out when the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag; or the runner slides head first while advancing. The is no “must slide” rule.

Interference (Rule 7.08(b))

Any runner is out when the runner intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball. (NOTE: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.)

Definition of a legal bat (Little League Rule 1.10) 

Non-wood and laminated wood (bamboo) bats must meets the USA Baseball Bat standard (USABat) and bear the USA Baseball logo. Solid one-piece wood barrel bats do not require a USA Baseball logo.

Juniors players may also use BBCOR bats.

Penalties for use of an illegal bat (Little League Rule 6.06(d)):

A batter is out for illegal action when the batter enters the batter’s box with one or both feet entirely on the ground with an illegal bat (see bat specifications rule 1.10) or is discovered having used an illegal bat prior to the next player entering the batter’s box. The ball is dead. Runners must return if they advanced on the play.

NOTE: If the infraction is discovered before the next player enters the batter’s box following the turn at bat of the player who used an illegal bat:

  1. The manager of the defense may advise the plate umpire of a decision to decline the penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play.

  2. For the first violation, the offensive team will lose one eligible adult base coach for the duration of the game. (Any of the three adults in the dugout may be used as the one adult base coach at any time during the duration of the game.)

  3. For the second violation, the manager of the team will be ejected from the game. Any subsequent violation will result in the newly designated manager being ejected.

When an illegal bat is discovered, it MUST be removed from the game at that point.