Majors/Minors Rules

D52 Local Rules for Inter-league Play

These rules affect gameplay during inter-league games for the Majors, Minors Kid Pitch (Minors, PCL, AAA), Minors Hybrid Pitch (AA), and Minors Machine/Coach Pitch (AA, A, Farm) divisions. These rules exist on top of the official Little League rulebook. 

Compiled from D52, Foster City, Belmont/Redwood Shores, and San Mateo National for Spring 2026 games between those three leagues. (San Mateo National not included below AAA.) We will consider rules from other leagues at a later time. For Spring 2026, inter-league games between leagues not mentioned above are not bound by this document, please consult your local league.

Local League Options (Per LLI Rule Book)

1. Continuous Batting Order: Adopted for all divisions. (Rule: 2.00)

2. Batter’s Box Rule: Adopted. Batters must keep one foot in the box. (Rule 6.02(c))

3. Sign Stealing: Prohibited. Umpires will issue one warning per team before ejections. (Rule 9.01(d))

4. Mercy Rule: Only the "10 after 4" option is in effect. (Rule 4.10(e))

5. Courtesy Runners: Allowed for the pitcher and catcher of record with two outs using the player who made the last out.. (Rule 7.14(b))

6. Double First Base: Mandatory for all divisions. Double first base becomes mandatory in high school starting in 2027. (Rule 1.06)

7. 5-Run Rule (Minors only): No 5-run cap or once through the order limit for the last half-inning for either team. The last inning is the 6th, or any earlier inning declared by the umpire. (Rule 5.07)

8. League Protests (Minors only): Prohibited; all disputes must be resolved before the next play. (Rule 4.19(g))

9. Defense (Minors Hybrid Pitch and below): 10 players are permitted on defense (4th outfielder). (Rule 1.01)

10. Ground Rules: Field-specific rules must be declared by the home team at the plate meeting. (Rule 3.13)

11. Time Limit: Set by the host team based on field availability and declared at the plate meeting as a “no new inning” cutoff (Regulation VII(h)).

Additions to Little League Rules

12. Mandatory Play: All players must play 3 innings on defense in games featuring 5½+ innings. In Minors, every player must sit one defensive inning before any player sits two. Pitchers are excused until they leave the mound, at which time they must immediately fulfill all play requirements. (Regulation IV(i))

13. Rotation of Position (Minors only): All players must play a minimum of one inning in an infield position (P, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS) and one inning in an outfield position (LF, CF, RF) within the first four innings. Pitchers are excused until they leave the mound.

14. Stealing Home (Minors only): Prohibited in March. Runners may only advance from third to home on a batted ball or if forced by a walk/HBP.

15. No Walks (Minors Hybrid Pitch only): On Ball 4, a Coach Pitcher finishes the at-bat. The strike count remains; the batter either puts the ball in play or strikes out. If hit by a Coach Pitcher, the batter may take first base or continue the at-bat. No stealing is permitted on ball 4 or while the Coach Pitcher is pitching.

16. Pitching Limits: Maximum pitch counts per game: (Regulation VI)

    • March: 50 (all ages)

    • April: 65 (ages 9-12); 50 (ages 6-8)

    • May/June: LL Maximum (85 for 11-12; 75 for 9-10; 50 for 6-8)

    • Modified Kid Pitch: 35 (all season)

17. Equipment: No cleats for pitchers on portable mounds; turf shoes or sneakers only.

18. Logistics: The host league provides umpires, scorekeepers, and game balls.

Administrative (Pre- and Post-Game)

1. GameChanger: If joint standings are being used, the home team must scores the game in GameChanger.

2. Protests: All protests are handled by the board of the home team's league.

3. Forfeits: If a team cannot field 9 players, the game is a forfeit. If neither team can field 9, the game must be rescheduled.

4. Exhibition Games: If joint standings are being used, any games not counting toward standings must be announced prior to the first game played. Typically the first 4 games are exhibition.

5. Playoff Seeding: If doing joint playoffs, it will be a seeded single or double elimination tournament with seeds are based on regular-season winning percentage. Tie-breakers: 1. Head-to-head %; 2. Total runs allowed (overall); 3. Total runs allowed (head-to-head); 4. Coin flip

Extended Rules for Machine & Coach Pitch:

1. Scope: All rules above apply except those related to pitchers.

2. Mandatory Play: Machine Pitch: 4 innings. Coach Pitch: No player plays outfield in two consecutive defensive innings; no player plays a second inning in the outfield until all players have played at least one.

3. Rotation of Position: Same as Minors (above), but catcher is considered an outfield position.

4. Pitching Circle: A painted/chalked 9-foot radius defines the circle. The player-pitcher must have at least one foot in the circle and be positioned behind the machine/coach at the time of release. On a grass infield with a dirt mound, do not chalk the circle, but play the dirt mound as the circle.

5. Halfway Mark: 3-foot lines shall be painted/chalked midway between 1st and 2nd, 2nd and 3rd, and 3rd and home plate. When the ball becomes dead: runners completely across the halfway line get the next base (if unoccupied); others return to the last base touched. Trail runners return if the lead runner is sent back.

6. Pitching Machine/Operator: The home team supplies the machine (38 mph recommended). An adult volunteer from the team on offense operates it from the circle, but must not coach while on the field. The machine is considered part of the ground; a ball settling in or under it is dead.

7. Coach Pitcher: A coach from the team on offense pitches from the rubber and must throw overhand. In Coach Pitch only, one volunteer may assist the catcher with passed balls.

8. At-Bat Limits:

   1. Machine Pitch: Out after 5 pitches or 3 swinging strikes. At-bats cannot end on a foul ball.

   2. Coach Pitch: (Option A) Out after 5 pitches. At-bats cannot end on a foul ball.

   3. Coach Pitch: (Option B) After 5 pitches the batter from a tee (max one-base advancement for all runners).

9. Adult Contact: A batted ball hitting an adult in fair territory is dead and a "do-over". A thrown ball hitting an adult is live. Adults must not catch live balls or receive the ball until the play is dead.

10. Ending the Play: The play is dead when the player-pitcher has the ball inside the circle and is not making a play on a runner.

11. Prohibitions: There is no bunting, slash-bunting, stealing, or infield fly rule.

Notes for Participating Leagues

The following league-specific rules are not included in the Interleague set. Unless noted otherwise, individual leagues may continue to apply these rules to their own teams/rosters, but they will not be enforced as "Interleague Ground Rules" by opposing teams or umpires.

Foster City: 

• Excluded Rules: Thrown bat rule is not included.

• Mandatory Play: Your 4-inning mandatory play is stricter than the Interleague 3-inning rule.

• Time Limits: Your 1:45 time limit is host-enforced; please announce at the plate meeting.

Belmont / Redwood Shores:

• Excluded Rules: Thrown bat rule, 2-inning mandatory play (for short games), and protest fees are not included.

• Mercy Rules: The “15 after 3” and “8 after 5” options are not included.

• Pitching: Your rule prohibiting pitching in the next game after 35 pitches, and the requirement for six pitchers to throw 60+ pitches by the 10th game, are not included.

• March Limits: The Interleague 50-pitch limit for March overrides the Belmont 60-pitch limit.

• Scoring: The 5-run cap suspension only applies to the last inning, not innings 4 and 5.

San Mateo National:

• Excluded Rules: Thrown bat rule, warm-up pitch limits, 8-player minimum rule, slash-bunt rule, and additional protest documentation requirements are not included.

• March Limits: Your 45-pitch limit for March is stricter than the Interleague 50; you may apply this to your own teams.

• Mandatory Play: The "sit one before sit two" rule is not applied to the Majors division (Minors only). The provision to drop mandatory play to 2 innings is not included.