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Minors Coach Pitch - Baseball and Softball

Minors Coach Pitch Baseball and Softball (league ages 6-8) is a developmental division for players who have played at least two seasons of T-ball and Junior Coach Pitch. Players will be pitched to by the coach, score will be kept, and outs will be played.

  • Time Limit – 1 hour 30 minutes or 6 innings. In the Fall, it is a hard time limit where you will finish the batter at the 90-minute mark. For the Spring, no new inning will start after 90 minutes but you will finish the current inning.
  • Run rules apply for all Spring and Fall Regular Season games (15 after 3, 10 after 4, 8 after 5)
  • Run rules apply for all Playoffs and Championship games (15 after 3, 10 after 4)
  • A coach from the team at bat will be delivering pitches (overhand for baseball and underhand for softball). The coach will stand directly in front of the pitching mound or plate. All teams in the same division will play with the same speed settings. The settings will be monitored by the managers and division officer(s) to ensure the players are developing sufficiently.
  • The coach-pitcher is not an extra base coach and is not to coach base runners.
  • Refer to Player Pool concerning any shortage of players for games.
  • Refer to Scorekeeping concerning team responsibilities for keeping and reporting official scores.

Offense

  • A continuous batting order will be used.
  • Pitch and swing limits: prior to mid-season, each batter will receive a maximum of six (6) pitches with no limit to swinging strikes - the batter will be out if the ball is not hit into play on or before the 6th pitch; after mid-season date determined by league, each batter will receive a maximum of six (6) pitches or three (3) swings to put the ball in play - the batter will be out once either limit is reached without putting the ball in play. In either scenario, foul balls will continue the at-bat until the applicable limit is reached.
  • If a batted ball hits the pitching coach, the ball is dead and the batter advances to first base. Any runner forced to advance will advance one base; all other base runners must return to their base prior to the pitch.
  • Intentional interference by the coach-pitcher will result in a dead ball and the runner closest to home will be called out. The batter-runner may advance to first and force any other runner to advance; all other runners will return to the last base touched. Failure by a coach to attempt to move (such as to give a player an opportunity to catch a ball) is considered intentional interference. Exception: if the coach-pitcher catches a ball in self-defense, play will stop, and no pitch will be called. The runners will return to their bases and the batter will return to bat.
  • Unintentional interference by the coach-pitcher will result in a live ball and the play continuing.
  • No bunting; no walks; no hit-by-pitch.
  • Base runners may not advance until the ball is hit (i.e., no wild pitches, passed balls, or straight steals).
  • On batted balls, time should be called when (a) any defensive player has control of the ball on the infield and all unforced runners have reasonably stopped advancing, or (b) any defensive player has control of the ball is at the pitcher’s mound without attempting to make an immediate play on a base runner. Any base runners completely beyond the ½ way line and advancing to an unoccupied base prior to time being called may advance to the next base. Any base runners not completely past the ½ way line must return to the previously occupied base.
  • Runners may advance one (1) base on an overthrown ball to any base (or to the pitcher), at their own risk. Once they have reached that next base safely, they may not advance further during the same play, even if another overthrown ball occurs.
  • Each team may score a maximum of five (5) runs per inning through the 5th inning. The 6th inning and any extra innings are unlimited scoring.
  • A courtesy runner can be used for the catcher if there are two outs when the catcher is on base. The courtesy runner will be the player who recorded the last out. A player cannot be used as a courtesy runner more than one time per game for the catcher.

Defense

  • A coach from the defensive team will be stationed behind the catcher (off-set behind the batter) to assist with retrieving balls to speed up the game. Every effort should be made to have the catcher play his/her position without relying heavily on the coach assisting behind the plate. Pitches caught or blocked by the catcher should be thrown back to the player-pitcher (not just tossed to the coach behind the catcher).
  • The player-pitcher must be standing on either side of the coach pitcher prior to the pitch.
  • Up to ten (10) players will be used on defense including a catcher, 5 infield positions and  4 outfielders. If you do not have a player in the catcher position, then the 10th player does not go to another position in the field and you play with only 9 players on defense. Fall Season Only: with eleven (11) players present, all eleven (11) players will be used on defense (with 5 outfielders). With twelve (12) or more players present, ten (10) players will be used on defense (with 4 outfielders).
  • Two defensive coaches may be in the outfield for defensive instruction but must stay behind/deeper than the shallowest outfield player. Intentional interference or assistance (other than instruction) by a coach on defense will result in a dead ball and runners advancing to the next base plus one.
  • Any player returning a ball to the pitcher should throw it to the player-pitcher (and not to the coach-pitcher).
  • Regular Season (does not apply during seasonal play-offs): No player shall be on the bench more than one (1) consecutive defensive inning. Exceptions may be made for injury, illness, fatigue, bathroom, etc. This defensive participation requirement does not apply for players arriving late to the game; however, players arriving late will still be added to the end of the batting line up.
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