USSSANATIONAL RULES: RULE 8.00 – BASEBALL COACH PITCH SPECIFIC RULES
*WITH NWA SPORTS TOURNEY AMENDMENTS
Game Length and Run Rules
1 hour & 15 Minute Game Length (Championship Game time limit is 1 hour & 30 minutes)
6 Inningsmax or run rule (15 after 3, 8 after 4 (max of 7 runs may be scored per inning)
If a team is up by 20 runs after 1 full inning of baseball complete, the game will be called immediately.
RULE 8.00 – COACH PITCH SPECIFIC RULES (revised 2018)
- 8.01 Fair Ball Arc: There shall be a twenty (20) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. A batted ball must go past this line to be a fair ball.
- 8.02 Safety Arc: There shall be a thirty (30) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. Infielders must stay behind this line until the ball is hit.
- 8.03 Pitching Circle: There shall be a ten (10) foot diameter circle with the front edge at forty-two (42) feet from the rear point of home plate.
- 8.04 Pitcher’s Line: There shall be a line drawn from the pitcher’s circle to the safety arc.
- 8.04.A The pitching coach shall keep one foot on or straddle the pitcher’s line. The Coach can pitch anywhere in-between the 30’ Safety Arc and the 42’ Pitching Circle.
- 8.04.B The pitching coach shall not verbally or physically coach while in the pitching position
- 8.04.C 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.
- Rule 8.04.C Penalty: If a coach violates this rule after the ball is pitched, obstruction shall be called.
- Rule 8.04.C Additional Penalty: If a coach violates this rule before the ball is pitched, First Offense: Warning; Second Offense: Removal of coach as the pitcher for the remainder of the game.
- Rule 8.04.C Penalty: If a coach violates this rule after the ball is pitched, obstruction shall be called.
- 8.04.A The pitching coach shall keep one foot on or straddle the pitcher’s line. The Coach can pitch anywhere in-between the 30’ Safety Arc and the 42’ Pitching Circle.
- 8.05 Pitching Coach: The Pitching Coach shall be an adult at least eighteen (18) years of age.
- 8.06 The catcher shall receive the pitch in the catcher’s box in a normal baseball manner. If in the Umpire’s judgment, the catcher is not receiving the ball in a normal baseball manner, there shall be a warning issued. If the act continues after the warning, the offending teams’ manager shall be ejected.
- 8.07 Ten (10) defensive players shall play in the field with four (4) outfielders. The fourth (4th) outfielder shall not assume an infield position. All outfielders shall stay behind the baseline.
- 8.08 The defensive player listed as pitcher shall not leave the pitching circle until the ball is hit.
- Rule 8.08 Penalty: The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or no-pitch.
- Rule 8.08 Additional Penalty: First Offense: Warning; Second Offense: Removal of player from the pitching position for the remainder of the game.
- Rule 8.08 Penalty: The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or no-pitch.
- 8.09 Defensive coaches shall not be allowed on the field of play and shall coach from the dugout.
- 8.10 The Infield Fly Rule shall not be in effect at any time.
- 8.11 The batting order shall constitute all present players on the team roster at the beginning of the game. Late arrivals shall be inserted at the bottom of the batting order. All players on the roster shall bat before returning to the top of the batting order.
- 8.11.A Teams may start a game with eight (8) players. The ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) positions in the batting order shall be declared an out each turn at bat.
- Rule 8.11.A Approved Ruling: A ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) player and all subsequent players may be added to the bottom of the batting line-up as soon as they become available.
- Rule 8.11.A Approved Ruling: A ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) player and all subsequent players may be added to the bottom of the batting line-up as soon as they become available.
- 8.11.A Teams may start a game with eight (8) players. The ninth (9th) & tenth (10th) positions in the batting order shall be declared an out each turn at bat.
- 8.12 Teams may use free substitution on defense, but the batting order shall remain the same.
- 8.13 Bunting shall not be allowed.
- 8.14 The batter shall receive a maximum of six (6) pitches or three (3) swinging strikes.
- Rule 8.14 AMENDED NWA SPORTS PRODUCTIONS: A batter cannot foul out in baseball. If a batter has a foul ball on his last pitch, he shall extend the at bat to the next pitch. (fouling out is a kickball rule, we want to teach our players to extend at bats)
- Rule 8.14 AMENDED NWA SPORTS PRODUCTIONS: A batter cannot foul out in baseball. If a batter has a foul ball on his last pitch, he shall extend the at bat to the next pitch. (fouling out is a kickball rule, we want to teach our players to extend at bats)
- 8.15 A player may only be Intentionally Walked once per game by announcement from the defensive team.
- 8.16 Runners shall not lead-off or steal bases. A runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit or reaches home plate.
- 8.17 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. If the team batting has not played defense yet and a courtesy runner is used for a player, the player that was run for must assume the catching position the next inning. This scenario only applies in the first inning for the visiting team.
- 8.18 A team may score a maximum of seven (7) runs per inning.
- 8.19 The game is over, when the opposing team is mathematically eliminated from scoring enough runs to win or tie the game. (Run Rules still apply)
- 8.20 Umpires shall call “Time” after every play and declare the ball dead. “Time” shall be called as soon as the all runners are not attempting to advance. “Time” does not have to be called by the defense for the purpose of this rule.
- Rule 8.20 Comment: 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.
- Rule 8.20 Comment: 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.
- 8.21 When a batted ball hits the Pitching Coach, the following shall apply:
- 8.21.A If in the Umpire’s judgment, the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the batter is declared out and no runners shall advance.
- 8.21.B If in the Umpire’s judgment, the coach did make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the ball becomes dead and a no-pitch is declared.
- 8.21.A If in the Umpire’s judgment, the coach did not make a legitimate attempt to avoid contact, the batter is declared out and no runners shall advance.