SOFTBALL RULES SPRING 2022
Little League App Rules (updated orange book) WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS:
All DIVISIONS
1. For Divisions using CONTINUOUS BATTING ORDER. Any players arriving late to the game will be added to the end of the lineup.
2. IF A TEAM HAS LESS THEN 9 PLAYERS:
o If a team has at least six but less than nine Players present for a scheduled game, that team can “borrow” one or more Players from the opposing team to complete its nine defensive positions. The opposing Player(s) who made the last offensive out(s) in the previous half-inning will be borrowed, and will play in the outfield.
o Teams may play with a minimum of six players.
o A team can borrow players from the same level or one level down if needed to field a team. Borrowed players can not pitch or catch.
AA
1. NO NEW INNING AFTER 1 ½ HOURS
2. MAX 5 RUNS PER INNING until March 14, 2022. Starting March 14, 2022 (the start of kid pitch) we will go to 3 max runs per inning.
3. RULE 7.14 IS OUT
4. PLAY WITH A CONTINOUS BATTING ORDER
5. SITTING RULE - NOBODY SITES TWICE UNTIL EVERYONE SITS ONCE
6. Max 7 pitches per batter.
7. COACH PITCH UNTIL March 14, 2022. THEN KID PITCH FOR THE FIRST TWO INNINGS. SAME PITCHER CAN BE USED FOR BOTH INNINGS, OR CAN USE TWO DIFFERENT PITCHERS PER GAME.
8. NO WALK (unless hit by the ball) – AFTER 4 BALLS thrown by kid pitcher, COACH COMES IN AND RESUMES STRIKE COUNT. PLAYER WILL EITHER PUT BALL IN PLAY OR STRIKE OUT, EITHER THROUGH SWING OR CALLED STRIKE.
9. ONE BASE ON AN OVERTHROW PER PLAY! EX. IF BATTER HITS BALL AND 1ST BASE IS OVERTHROWN, RUNNER CANNOT GO PAST 2ND BASE.
10. PITCHES MUST BE THROWN FROM within the CIRCLE (kid or coach).
11. ALLOWED ONE COACH IN OUTFIELD WHILE ON DEFENSE
12. BUNTING IS ALLOWED (NO STEALING)
13. No hitting off of a tee.
14. Can use 10 players on the field
AAA
1. NO NEW INNING AFTER 1 hour 45 minutes
2. MAX 5 RUNS PER INNING
3. RULE 7.14 IS OUT
4. PLAY WITH A CONTINOUS BATTING ORDER
5. SITTING RULE - NOBODY SITES TWICE UNTIL EVERYONE SITS ONCE
6. TALK TO PITCHER TWICE PER INNING – THIRD TIME YOU HAVE TO REMOVE PITCHER. CAN TALK TO PITCHER 4 TIMES PER GAME.
7. STEAL WHEN BALL REACHES THE BATTER
8. BUNTING IS ALLOWED
9. No stealing to 2nd on a walk to first base.
MAJORS
1. NO NEW INNING AFTER 1 hour 45 minutes on week nights
2. NO NEW INNING AFTER 2 HOURS on weekends
3. 5 RUNS PER INNING THROUGH THE 4TH AND UNLIMITED 5TH & 6TH
4. CAN STEAL AT RELEASE OF PITCH
5. NO CONTINOUS BATTING. BATTING 9 PLAYERS WITH CORRECT SUBSTITUTION (6 consecutive outs and 1 at bat)
6. PITCHER CANNOT PITCH AGAIN IF THEY HAVE GONE TO THE BENCH. They can pitch again if they stayed on the field and played a different position.
JUNIORS
1. NO NEW INNING AFTER 1 hour 45 minutes on week nights
2. NO NEW INNING AFTER 2 HOURS on weekends
3. 5 RUNS PER INNING THROUGH THE 4TH AND UNLIMITED 5TH & 6TH
4. CAN STEAL AT RELEASE OF PITCH
5. NO CONTINOUS BATTING. BATTING 9 PLAYERS WITH CORRECT SUBSTITUTION (6 consecutive outs and 1 at bat)
6. PITCHER CAN COME BACK IN ONCE IF THEY HAVE GONE TO THE BENCH