MSA 8U Division Rules

MSA 1st & 2nd Grade Division Rules

* 6 innings or time limit.  No inning started after one hour and 30 minutes.

* After the first inning, no infield or outfield warm-up balls permitted. (allowances made if time is not an issue)

* Ties are permitted. If the time limit is reached with the game tied, it will be recorded as a tie game. (Sunday games will not allow ties)

* 10 players in field, free substitution, re-entry rule not in effect, substitutions need not be announced.  Only 6 players, including the catcher, are allowed to be positioned in the infield at the start of the play.  The infield extends 10 feet beyond the base path.

* We highly discourage forfeits. Therefore, as long as a team can field six girls, the game will be played.

* No Infield fly rule and no dropped third strike.

* Coaches will pitch to their own players from 35 feet.  Walks are not allowed. The batter shall be called out after 3 strikes (swinging), or after she receives 6 pitches and does not put the ball into play.  Except: The umpire will call the sixth pitch. If the sixth pitch is not put into play or fouled, and is called a strike, then the batter is out. If the sixth pitch is not put into play or fouled, and is called a ball, the batter gets another pitch, which will also be called by the umpire.

The coach who is pitching must make every effort to avoid interfering with the defensive play on a batted ball.  If, in the umpire’s judgment, the coach intentionally interferes with a defensive play or if the coach fails to make a good faith effort to avoid the interference, the play should be called dead, the batter shall be called out, and the runners shall return to the bases they occupied prior to the play.  The coach who is pitching must remain silent from the start of the pitch until the end of the play.

* Cinderella batting – all players in attendance bat.  The additional players are treated as EP’s and can freely substitute into the field.  If a player must leave or is injured, the player is skipped in batting order without an automatic out being counted.  If a player arrives late, she is added to bottom of batting order as an additional EP.

* Inning End / 4 run max – The inning comes to an end when: 3 outs have been recorded OR 4 runs have been scored.

*NO RUN LIMIT IN THE LAST INNING; THE LAST INNING MUST BE ANNOUNCED IF TIME IS AN ISSUE

* Mercy rule – 15 runs after the losing team has batted four times.

* Teams are permitted to bunt (2) times per game/not to be done in the same inning, no stealing (runners are encouraged to practice leading). Runners will be called out if they leave the base before the ball crosses the plate or is hit.

* Courtesy runners may be used for the catcher at any time.  The courtesy runner is the last batter to make an out.

* End of Play - Base runners are limited to one base on all batted balls hit in the infield. No advances are allowed for overthrows to any base.  Base runners may take additional bases on all batted balls reaching the outfield (that make it to the outfield by ground or out), as defined by any ball that goes 10 feet beyond the base path or any ball that is fielded by an outfielder.  If the base runner is not at the half way point between the bases once the ball is secured by an infielder, the runner will be sent to back to the previous base. If the runner is at the half way point or beyond once the ball is secured by an infielder, the runner may advance, at the runner’s risk.