8U Coach Pitch Rules (804 Baseball) Locations Mechanicsville Little League 7631 Walnut Grove Road Mechanicsville Va. 23111 Field Director: Ken Upshaw 804-572-8294 Coach Pitch Bats As clarified during the 2010 season USSSA does not allow bats marked as (or designed or even marketed as) coach pitch practice etc. to be used in any USSSA sanctioned play that utilizes regulation baseballs balls. While in general this remains the rule at the request of the manufacturers beginning immediately USSSA will allow such bats if they have passed the 1.15 BPF testing and have the appropriate USSSA 1.15 BPF mark on the bat. 8u Coach Pitch Rules and Information Please refer to the website regularly for updates modified rules schedules results and standings.. Please acquire the needed team insurance and your teams 2015 USSSA membership. Also team rosters must be updated with players information before player can participate. When play finishes the results will be posted to the USSSA website. The tournament will follow USSSA rules and those posted below. Schedules will be posted on the website by the Wednesday prior to the tournament. Teams will play two games then get seeded in the following order: win-loss record(tie counts as a half win) runs allowed runs scored coin flip. Only the top 2 seeds will advance for the Championship game. Highest seed is home team. No time limit. If tied after 6 innings teams go to international rule of play. International Rule of play is in effect in the event of a tie after 6 innings of play during championship games. 1. Bases - 60 feet. 2. Fair Ball Arc - There will be a 20-foot arc drawn from the 1st base line to the 3rd base line in front of home plate. A ball must go past this line to be fair. 3. Safety Arc - There will be a 30-foot arc drawn from the 1st base line to the 3rd base line in front of home plate. Infielders must stay behind this line until the ball is hit. 4. All games will be the earlier of 6 innings or Time Limit – 1 Hour 15 Minutes. No new innings after time limit expires 5. A base runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit or reaches home plate. Stealing is not allowed. 6. 10 players play in the field with 4 outfielders. The 4th outfielder may not be allowed to assume an infield position. All outfielders must stay behind the base line. 7. The batting order shall have all players on the team roster at the beginning of the game. Late arrivals shall be inserted as the last batter. All players on the roster shall bat before returning to the top of the order. Teams may start a game with eight (8) players. The ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) positions in the batting order will be declared an out each turn at bat 8. A maximum of 7 runs per inning or 3 outs. Including the last inning. ( This is a change to be the same as national rules ) 9. Free substitution on defense. Batting order must remain the same. 10. No bunting. 11. Defensive coaches are not allowed on the field of play and must coach from the dugout. 12. Umpires will call "Time-Out" or "Time" after every play and declare the ball dead. Once ball has been received and controlled in pitching circle time will be called as soon as play has ceased and runners are not obviously advancing. "Time" does not have to be called by the participants. When a runner stands off a base and “jukes” or “feints” back and forth this is to be interpreted as “not attempting to advance” and “Time” shall be called. 13. Infield fly rule does not apply. 14. No Intentional Walks Allowed. 15. A full use catcher's helmet and mask are required. A courtesy runner for catcher of record only the previous inning may be used. The courtesy runner shall be the player that made the previous out. If no outs have been recorded in the game the courtesy runner shall be the previous batter not on base. 16. Coach pitch only. 17. Pitching Circle: There shall be a ten (10) foot diameter circle with the front edge set at forty-two (42) feet from the rear point of home plate. 18. A batter shall receive a maximum of 6 pitches or 3 swinging strikes. A batter that has received less than six (6) pitches and has a count of two (2) swinging strikes shall have his turn at bat extended on foul balls up to the six (6) pitch limit. Otherwords a batter shall not receive more than 6 pitches regardless. 19. The defensive player listed as pitcher cannot leave the pitching circle until the ball is hit and must keep at least 1 foot in the circle. 20. Pitching coach hit by batted ball: A. If in the umpire's judgment the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to get out of the way then the batter is declared out. No runners advance. B. If in the umpire's judgment the coach did make a legitimate attempt to get out of the way then the ball becomes dead and a no pitch is declared. Once no pitch is called the batter resumes his or her at bat with pitch count remaining the same before hit coach. 21. Pitcher’s Line: There shall be a line drawn from the pitcher’s circle to the safety arc. The pitching coach shall keep one foot on or straddle the pitcher’s line. The pitching coach shall position himself as not to be an obstruction to the defensive team on any possible play once the ball has been hit. A. The pitching coach cannot coach while in the pitching position either verbally or physically and once the ball has been hit must position himself as not to be an obstruction to the defensive team on any play at all. It is highly suggested the pitching coach kneel down or exit to foul territory to remove himself from interfering. Out of common courtesy for this age division it is recommended that pitching coaches use good judgment when players throw ball back to the coach rather than the defensive player. It is best just to leave the pitching circle and remain out of the way until time is called. 22. Slaughter Rule. 15 Runs After 3 Innings (or 2 ½ Innings) 8 Runs After 4 Innings (or 3 ½ Innings) 23. A flip of a coin between the two teams shall determine the home team in pool play games. Highest seed will be home team in all other games. 24.Only Seeds 1 and 2 will play a championship game. No other teams will play a 3rd game. There is no time limit in Championship Game Only ( Seed 1 vs 2). 25. All decisions made by the umpire are final at the field and will be reviewed by the tournament director if requested by the umpire. 26. There is no USSSA rule regarding a player sliding head first into a base. However coaches should make players aware of the injury potential. 27. The umpire fee per team per game is $25. Teams shall pay umpires doing the coin toss. 28. Teams need to provide two quality baseballs per game. 29. Teams are asked to report scores to tournament table after each game. Please leave your pets music and grills at home. Anyone not complying with this request will be asked to leave the complex.