5.1 PITCHING RULES: The following rules will apply to all phases of pitching in the MINOR’S (8-9 YEAR OLD)Division.
A. Pitcher may pitch a maximum of three innings (9 outs) per game.
B.
PITCHING AND BASE DISTANCES: Pitching and base distances for the 8U division are as follows:
BASE DISTANCE: 55 feet ***PITCHING DISTANCE: 36 feet ***
C. 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.
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.
5.2 BASE STEALING AND LEADOFFS:
Base runners MAY NOT lead off OR steal any base. Base runners must remain on the base until the ball is hit.
5.3 DROPPED THIRD STRIKE: A third strike is an out even if the catcher drops the ball.
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.
SPECIAL NOTE: THE UMPIRE MUST INDICATE THAT AN INNING IS THE LAST

INNING PRIOR TO START OF THE INNING. IF HE DOESN’T THE 5 RUN PER
INNING RULE STILL APPLIES., EVEN IF THE GAME IS STOPPED DUE TO DARKNESS
OR TIME LIMIT. ONCE UMPIRE DECLARES THAT AN INNING AS A LAST INNING,
ONCE THAT INNING IS PLAYED, THE GAME IS OVER, EVEN IF THERE STILL
APPEARS TO BE TIME TO PLAY ANOTHER INNING.
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 5 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 RULE: There is no infield fly rule.
5.6 BUNTING: ***Bunting is allowed and coaches are encouraged to introduce this procedure to their team. ***
5.7 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, base runners may take one base only, after which it is a dead ball.
A. The base runner MAY ADVANCE home on an overthrow/passed ball at third base if there is an attempt made on the runner.
*** PASSED BALL DOESN’T APPLY IF CATCHER MISSES A BALL
DELIVERED FROM THE PITCHER or WHEN THE CATCHER THROWS
THE BALL BACK TO THE PITCHER. *** NO STEALING HOME ***
Example: If the CATCHER or any other defensive player throws the ball back to the pitcher, and the pitcher misses the ball, the runner on third may not advance home. However, if the runner is running for third base and the ball is thrown to third and the third baseman misses the ball, then the runner may take an additional base.
B.
If the runner is more than half the distance between bases, the runner will be awarded the next base. The umpire should call a dead ball and advance or return runners accordingly.
5.8 BASE RUNNING: ***Beginning in 2012, once the ball is hit, players may advance to as many bases as possible. ***
5.9 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. ***Outfielders must play in the grass or minimum of
20 feet behind the infielder if playing on a large field.***
5.10 BATTERS IN BATTERS BOX: Batters must have both feet in the batter box; and must remain in the batters box unless the batter is making an obvious attempt to avoid being hit by the ball. UMPIRES WILL WARN THE
BATTER AND ADVISE THE COACH WHEN A BATTER IS STEPPING OR JUMPING OUT OF
THE BATTER BOX IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE ACTION.

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.
5.11 Protective Equipment: Face masks on batting helmets are encouraged, but not required in baseball. All male players are
REQUIRED to wear protective cups.