Section 5: KIDS FIRST PLAYING RULES:
Specific rules for MAJOR’S Division (Ages 10-12)
Revised on 4/12/12
Beginning in 2012: BASIC LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL RULES APPLY
WITH EXCEPTION OF DROPPED THIRD STRIKE AND INFIELD FLY
RULE.
Rule 1.10 of Little League Baseball’s rulebook provides the specifications for bats
are allowed in games. The bat must have a smooth, rounded surface and must be
made from wood or a metal alloy, such as titanium alloy or aluminum alloy,
approved through Little League testing for play. Most bat manufacturers clearly
label bats as Little League-approved.
The rulebook states that bats used in ages 4-11 (Kids First extend this to age 12)
must be no longer than 33 inches and no more than 2.25 inches in diameter. Bat
Performance Factor is another consideration for all non-wood bats. Most bat
manufacturers now label bats with a BPF number. To qualify for use in the three
lowest divisions of Little League Baseball, bats must have a BPF of 1.15 or less.
BPF does not apply to wood bats.
5.1 PITCHING RULES: The following rules will apply to all phases of
pitching in the MAJOR’S (10-12) Division.
A. Pitcher may pitch a maximum of 4 innings per game.
B. INTENTIONAL WALKS ARE PERMITTED. When a coach is requesting an
intentional walk, he or she must inform the opposing coach and umpire.
The pitcher is not required to pitch to the batter.
The umpire will
indicate the intentional walk and the batter will be awarded first
base. This procedure is used to speed up the game.
PITCHING AND BASE DISTANCE: Pitching and base distances for the boy’s
baseball 10U division are as follows:
BASE DISTANCE
60 feet
***PITCHING DISTANCE 42 feet***
5.2 LEAD OFF & STEALING BASES: Lead offs and stealing is permitted.
5.3 DROPPED THIRD STRIKE:
Dropped
advancement to first is permitted.
third
strike
is
an
out.
No
5.4 OFFENSIVE INNING/5 RUN RULE: No team shall score more than five
runs in one inning. If there are less than three outs when five runs
are scored, the teams shall change sides with the following exception:
THE FIVE RUN MINIMUM DOES NOT APPLY IN THE LAST INNING IF THE VISITING
TEAM IS DOWN BY MORE THAN 5 RUNS, BUT LESS THAN 10 (10 RUN RULE WOULD
THEN APPY). A TEAM MAY HAVE THEIR LAST AT BAT TO TRY TO SCORE MORE THAN
5 RUNS TO WIN THE GAME. THE 10 RUN RULE WILL NOT APPLY IF A VISITING
TEAM’S LAST INNING AT BAT RESULTS IN CATCHING UP AND GOING AHEAD BY
MORE THAN 10 RUNS.
NOTE:
This applies when an umpire indicates last inning due to time
limit or darkness.
Once an umpire calls last inning, once the inning
is over, the game is finished, even if you have not reached the time
limit or there still appears enough sunlight to continue another
inning. The umpire’s decision is final.
EXAMPLE: The home team is up by 7 runs after 5 innings. The visiting
team will then have an opportunity to bat and score as many runs as
possible to take the lead.
If the visiting team takes the lead, the
home team will have an opportunity to bat to win the game, even if the
visiting team is then winning by more than 10 runs.
Game will be limited to two hours or 6 innings, whichever comes first.
No inning will be started after 7:45pm. If an inning begins prior to
7:45 (example: 7:35 or 7:40pm), the inning must be finished
5.5 INFIELD FLY:
Infield Fly rule does not apply
5.6 OVERTHROWS/PASSED BALL: A PASSED BALL IS A BALL THAT GETS AWAY FROM
AN INFIELDER BY EITHER AN OVERTHROW OR MISSING A BALL THROWN DIRECTLY
TO HIM. On an overthrow/passed ball, there is no limit to the number of
bases a runner may advance.
5.7 DEFENSIVE TEAM: A defensive team will be considered as a team with
nine defensive players. A team may play a game with a minimum of eight
defensive players.
5.8 BATTERS IN BATTERS BOX: Batters must have both feet in the batter
box; and unless the batter is making an obvious attempt to avoid being
hit, must remain in the batters box. UMPIRES WILL WARN THE BATTER IN AN
ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE ACTION. NO CONSEQUENCE WILL BE GIVEN AS A RESULT
A. If batter steps out of batters box at any time other than to avoid
being hit by a pitch, the umpire will call the pitch ball a ball or
strike as if the batter were in the batters box. AN AUTOMATIC STRIKE
WILL NOT BE CALLED AS A RESULT OF THE BATTER STEPPING OR JUMPING OUT OF
THE BATTERS BOX.
5.9 Protective Equipment: Face masks on batting helmets are encouraged,
but NOT REQUIRED. All male players are required to wear a protective
cup. All catcher are REQUIRED to wear both an athletic supporter and a
cup