MACHINE PITCH MAJORS RULES & REGULATIONS
- Player Age:
- Intended for 7-8 year olds
- 6 year olds may play up an age if they have played machine pitch in a previous season.
- Playing Field:
- Distance between bases is 60 feet
- Pitching machine will be 40 feet from back tip of home plate.
- Pitching machine speed will be set to 36-40 mph
- Maximum number of players to be on the field while playing a game is 10.
- Length of game:
- Regulation games shall be 6 innings.
- Game length is 1:30
- No new inning shall start after 1:25 of beginning of game
- Once the offensive team has scored 5 runs or 3 outs, their half of the inning is over.
- An inning in progress may be finished provided that enough daylight remains for safe play.
- No player may play more than 2 consecutive innings in the infield.
- No player may sit more than 1 consecutive innings in the dugout.
- Batting / Pitching machine:
- If a batted ball hits the pitching machine or the pitching machine feeder it will be a dead ball and the batter/runners may only advance 1 base.
- Each batter can take a maximum of 3 balls (pitches in or out of the strike zone that the batter does not swing at). A strike will be called if the batter does not swing. After taking three (3) pitches, a player may strike out or put the ball in play by hitting the ball with the bat. Foul balls count as strikes except on the third strike. No walks are allowed. A player may only “take” up to three pitches.
- An official pitch is one that crosses home plate between the batter’s neck and knees.
- If a batter swings at a pitch that would have been called an illegal pitch, the pitch counts as a legal pitch.
- Bunting is NOT permitted. An attempted bunt will result in a strike being called even if the bunt was successful.
- Offensive coaches will load the pitching machine and pitch to their own players. If the coach running the pitching machine interferes with the fielding or throwing of a ball by the defensive team, the batter will be called out and the runners will return to the base(s) at which they started before the ball was hit.
- It is the responsiblity of the home team of the last game of the day on a field to put the pitching machine away in the storage closet behind the Field #4 backstop.
- Base running:
- First base will consist of a double base, consisting of a white base in fair territory and an orange base in foul territory. If a ball is hit to the infield, the hitter must run to and touch the orange base. The fielder must touch the white while in in control of the ball prior to the runner reaching the orange base. When no play will be at first base, the runner may touch the white base.
- Once any infield player has control of the ball in the infield area, official play is stopped. If a base runner is proceeding to the next base when time is called, that runner will be allowed to continue to the next base. If the base runner’s progress has stopped, that base runner will return to the previous base unless it is already occupied. The umpire will call time as soon as the lead runner is not attempting to advance.
- Base runners may not steal. No runners will leave the base until the batter hits the ball, the runner will be called out it they leave prior to the hit ball
- An offensive player must slide at any base except first base if the play is close. The batter may be called out at the discretion of the umpire if he does not attempt to slide in the event of a close play.
- Runners may advance 1 base on an overthrow.
- The infield fly rule is not in effect.
- Outfield players may not be brought in any closer to the batter than the edge of the infield and the outfield grass.
- Teams must play a catcher at all times even if they don't have enough players in the field.
- Catcher’s mitts are recommended but not required.
- There may be 6 adults on the field during the game. One in each coach’s box (hitting team), one on each side of the outfield in foul territory (not to be in a position to interfere with the coaches in the coach’s boxes), and one supervising the players in each dugout.
- No defensive coaches are allowed in the field of play between the foul lines. One coach may be up the first base line and one coach may be up the third base line as long as they do not interfere with the offensive coaches in the coach’s boxes. They can be beyond first and third base in foul territory.