Playing Rules - Instructional

Updated Wednesday March 28, 2016 by Scott Cabral.

1: No official game scores are maintained. No formal team standings are maintained. No championships shall be recognized.

2: Teams are permitted a maximum of three playing activities per calendar week.

3: The playing field is established at 40 feet between bases.

4: Games are played off a batting tee with some coach pitch?. Children continue to bat until they hit the ball. They are allowed 3 coach pitches. If they do not hit the ball after the third pitch, the coach will present the batting tee for the child to hit. It is the discretion of the coach regarding a child’s readiness for coach pitch.

5: Offensive teams shall utilize a rotating batting order and shall be restricted to scoring no more than 5 runs in any inning. Offensive at-bat is completed after three outs or after they have gone through half of their batting order (whichever comes first). Last batter of the inning gets a “Home Run” to bring all players back to home plate.

6: A batted ball that remains in the infield shall constitute a base advance of no more than one base per base runner. A batted ball that reaches the outfield allows all base runners to advance no more than two bases. No advances are allowed on defensive overthrows.

7: Games consist of either 5 innings of play or 90 minutes in duration.

8: Defensive teams are permitted to use ten players with the additional player to be used as an outfielder. The pitcher is stationed at least 30 feet from home plate. Two adults are permitted on the playing field in all innings to supervise the defensive team.

9: All players at a game must play at least one inning in an infield position, with the catcher not being considered an infield position.

10: Team managers and coaches serve as game umpires.

11: Forfeits shall not be recognized. Team managers shall be permitted to take whatever measures necessary to ensure that a game can be played when either one or both teams field’s less than ten eligible players. Only current Instructional Division players shall be permitted to compete in special situations authorized by this rule.

12: All legally-executed outs by a defensive team shall be recognized as such by both teams.