1 Pre-Game Meeting

• Discuss all of the rules and guidance below before the game begins.

2 Game Length

• Recommendation is to not start a new inning after 1.5 hours, although coaches and umpires should agree beforehand.
• Exception: All can later agree to play one more inning if weather is good and the game is going well.
• Note: Some fields have hard stops due to scheduling of other events later in the evening (e.g., Lower Soundview).

3 Minimum Play D8 Interleague

• Minimum play is 9 defensive outs in a 6-inning game.
• For games fewer than 6 innings, minimum play is 6 defensive outs.
• Required At least 3 of the defensive outs must be in an infield position.

4 Pitching

Goal: Introduce kids to pitching and batting while using age-appropriate limitations to encourage hitting, keep focus on defense, and keep the game moving.

• There will be no walks.

• If a batter takes Ball 4, the batting team's coach will coach-pitch the rest of the at-bat. The strike count resets to zero.
• Coach pitches should be on a line — no lobs. Coaches may pitch from a knee, closer in, etc. No set required distance, but no closer than halfway between the pitching rubber and home plate.
• Maximum of 4 coach pitches, unless the 4th pitch is a foul ball (batters may continue to foul off extra pitches). A non-contact result on the 4th pitch or later is a strikeout.
• Every at-bat ends as a ball put in play or a strikeout (which can happen in as few as 3 pitches, even from a coach), except on a hit-by-pitch (see Rule 5b).

• Players shall pitch using the portable mound. The pitching distance for AA is 43 feet (3 feet forward of the AAA/Majors 46-foot rubber).
• Kid pitchers must keep a foot in contact with the pitching rubber — not one or more feet forward.
• If no portable mound is available (missing/damaged), and there are two pitching rubbers, the player may pitch off the forward rubber for safety.

5 Hitting

• LL Rule There is no on-deck area in the field of play. The on-deck batter is not to swing a bat at all before hitting — this is a safety rule. Players may only take warm-up swings when actually up to bat.
• Optional If both coaches agree: On a hit-by-pitch, the batter has the choice of taking first base or continuing to bat.

6 Baserunning

Goal: Introduce base stealing with age-appropriate limitations so innings don't revolve solely around stealing. Gives players a realistic preview of older levels and discourages habits that won't work later.

• Overthrows in the infield (hitting the fence, staying in infield dirt) — baserunner stops at the base they were advancing toward.
• Hits to outfield or overthrows that go into the outfield grass — baserunners stop advancing once the ball crosses the grass/dirt line and enters the infield, even if not yet under player control. If a runner has committed to advancing to the next base, they may finish, at the risk of being tagged out.
• LL Rule No leadoffs. Baserunners may not leave a base until the ball crosses home plate.
• No stealing of home at any time.
• No stealing on a dropped ball or errant throw on the return to the pitcher.
  • Tip for coaches: Teach catchers to step forward to throw back, and pitchers to step forward 10–15 feet to receive. This saves time and prepares them for AAA play.
• No delayed steals (taking off as catcher throws back to pitcher).
• Stealing 2B or 3B is allowed all season, but only on a passed ball or wild pitch that gets past the catcher (i.e., runner cannot begin until ball is past the catcher, going toward the backstop). A pitch blocked in front of or next to the catcher does not qualify.
  • Stealing is limited to 3 times per inning (double steals count as 2).
• Base stealing is limited to a single base per baserunner (to encourage catchers to throw and fielders to defend).

7 Fielding

• D8 Interleague If a team has only 7 or 8 players at game start, the other team shall provide an additional outfielder (or two) to the opponent for defensive purposes only — that player still hits for their own team.
• After Ball 4 and a coach enters to pitch, the kid pitcher shall play a defensive position within 3 feet of either side of the pitching rubber and not be in front of or behind the rubber (to avoid becoming an unfair 5th infielder).
• Optional If both coaches agree: A 10th player can play a 4th outfield position. Highly encouraged — limits players sitting out on defense.
• D8 Interleague There is no Infield Fly Rule for AA Baseball.

8 Scoring

• 5-Run Rule (5.07): In effect for the entirety of the game, except for the sixth inning or last declared inning. Coaches should agree at the start of an inning that it is the "last declared inning."
  • Even without the 5-run cap in the final inning, see Rule 8d (below) for batter limits.
• LL Rule Mercy rules: 15-run mercy rule after 3 innings; 10-run mercy rule after 4 innings.
• Teams leading by 5 or more runs are strongly encouraged to put on the brakes (advance only on a hit ball).
• LL Rule Normally no batter may bat twice in the same inning.
  • D8 Interleague Exception: If two teams have an unequal number of hitters in a continuous batting order, the maximum batters per inning is capped at the greater number. For example, if one team has 9 batters and the other has 11, the team with 9 batters ends their inning after 11 batters (meaning 2 players bat twice).

9 Umpires

• The Home team provides the home plate umpire and may stand behind the pitcher (slightly offset) to better judge the strike zone (knees to armpits for Little League). Pay close attention to catcher positioning — catchers often set up too deep, causing strikes to bounce and balls to appear as strikes. Encourage catchers to move forward.
• The Away team may provide a second umpire to cover first and second base. In that case, the Home umpire covers third base and home plate.

10 Scorekeeping & Batting Order Tracking

• The Home team is responsible for keeping the official scorebook of record. It should track both batting orders, batting results, pitch counts, and the game score.
• Teams should provide each other with batting lineup information so both teams can keep score.