8U COACH PITCH RULES

• IN THE 8U DIVISIONS 4 OUTFIELDERS MAY BE USED.

• MUST SLIDE AT ALL BASES TO AVOID CONTACT. IF CONTACT IS MADE WHILE THE CATCHER IS MAKING A PLAY AT THE PLATE AND THE RUNNER DOES NOT SLIDE, THE RUNNER IS CALLED OUT.

• SECOND VIOLATION BY THE SAME PLAYER IS AN AUTOMATIC EJECTION.

• NO HEAD FIRST SLIDES TO ADVANCING BASE. ONLY TO RETURNING BASE.

• NO METAL CLEATS.

• OPEN DEFENSIVE SUBSTITUTIONS, STARTERS MAY REENTER.

• ALL PLAYERS IN THE LINEUP MUST BAT.

• NO LEAD OFFS OR STEALS. RUNNERS MUST REMAIN AT THE BASE UNTIL BATTER MAKES CONTACT.

• A TEAM'S AT BAT WILL END WHEN THE 3RD OUT IS MADE OR WHEN THE 5TH RUN PASSES THE PLATE.

• 5 RUNS PER INNING, LAST INNING UNLIMITED.

• PLAY WILL END WHEN FORWARD PROGRESS OF LEAD RUNNER IS STOPPED.

• AN ACTIVE PLAY WILL END WHEN THE UMPIRE CALLS TIME. PLAYERS DO NOT CALL TIME.

• COACHES MAY COACH THEIR DEFENSIVE TEAM FROM THE OUTFIELD FOUL LINE NEAR THE FENCE (ONE IN RIGHT FIELD AND ONE IN LEFT FIELD). NO COACHING FROM BEHIND CATCHER – OFFENSE OR DEFENSE.

• THE COACH-PITCHER SHALL NOT COACH THE OFFENSIVE PLAYERS DURING AN ACTIVE PLAY. HE MAY, HOWEVER, ADVISE HIS BATTERS BEFORE EACH PITCH IS THROWN.

• THE COACH-PITCHER SHALL PITCH OVERHAND FROM A DISTANCE OF 35-36' FROM HOME PLATE. THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER-PITCHER SHALL PLAY IN A POSITION NOT MORE THAN 6' FROM THE COACH PITCHERS "RUBBER" BUT NOT IN FRONT OF THE COACH PITCHER. IF NOT THE BALL IS DEAD, OFFENSIVE MGR GETS OPTION OF AWARDED BASE FROM HIT OR REPITCH.

• THE COACH PITCHER SHALL MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO AVOID BEING HIT BY A BATTED BALL, THE PLAY SHALL BE DEAD AND THE BATTER AND ALL RUNNERS MAY ADVANCE TO THE NEXT BASE.

• THE INFIELD FLY RULE SHALL NOT APPLY.

• PLAYER PITCHER MUST WEAR HELMET.

• 2 BUNTS PER GAME WILL BE ALLOWED. A BUNT ATTEMPT ON THE 5TH PITCH OR 3RD STRIKE WILL BE AN OUT.

• THE BATTER SHALL BE ALLOWED UP TO THREE STRIKES OR 5 PITCHES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. A FOUL BALL, NOT CAUGHT IN THE AIR PRESERVES THE BATTERS AT BAT.

• 10 PLAYERS MAX ON THE FIELD. CANNOT HAVE MORE THAN 4 INFIELDERS. MUST HAVE 9 PLAYERS TO START A GAME.

• NO BUTCHER-BOY PLAY, BATTER WILL BE CALLED OUT.

• NO NEW INNING AFTER 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

• NO MERCY RULE