President's corner

CLINIC (COACH PITCH) RULES

1. The diamond shall be a 60 foot square.

2. A regulation game shall be six innings.

3. A game may end any time after five innings, or after 4 1/2 innings when a team is 12 or more runs behind and has completed its turn at bat.

4. If a game is called for weather, darkness, or curfew, it is a regulation game if three full innings have been played, or if the home team has scored a greater number of runs in two or two and a fraction turns at bat than the visiting team has scored in three turns at bat.

5. If a game is called prior to the completion of a full inning after the third inning, the game becomes a suspended game in the following situations:

a. The score is tied at the time the game is called.

b. The visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie the score or take the lead, and the home team has not retaken the lead.

6. A suspended game, when continued, shall be played until the game becomes official and a winner can be determined. If the game shall be completed, it shall be completed from the point of suspension with the lineup and batting order of each team the same as the lineup and batting order at the time of suspension.

7. The infield fly rule shall not be enforced.

8. Adults shall pitch under the following rules:

a. Each coach or designated adult shall pitch to his own team.
b. A player shall receive seven pitches. If the batter fails to hit in seven pitches, the batter is out. If the batter fouls off the seventh pitch, then one more pitch shall be allowed. If this pitch is fouled off, the batter is out.
c. Balls and strikes shall not be called, but a batter may strike out swinging.
d. No bunting is allowed.
e. If a batted ball strikes the adult pitcher, it shall be ruled dead and no pitch shall be charged against the batter.
f. Coaches must pitch from between 40 and 45 feet from home plate.
g. Adult pitchers must wear and use a fielder’s glove.

9. One adult representing the defensive team may be positioned in the outfield to provide instructional aide. If a batted ball strikes the field adult, the ball shall be alive.

10. Stealing shall not be allowed. Leads shall be permitted after the pitched ball reaches home plate. If a runner leads early, the pitch shall be ruled dead and shall be charged against the batter (unless it is the seventh pitch, whereupon the batter shall be given another seventh pitch).

11. A team may start and finish a game with eight players. If there are only eight players, then the ninth position in the batting order is an automatic out.

12. Every player on the team shall be placed in the batting lineup and shall bat in turn. However, only nine players shall play in the field. Free substitution of fielders is allowed, but every player must play three complete innings (nine outs) in the field, unless prevented by end game situation such as legal game shortened by weather or darkness.

13. The defensive team must play three outfielders beyond the infield (“in the grass”) and play one infielder in the pitching area. A catcher must also be provided. If a team is short one player, an adult may catch but a team member must make all defensive plays.

14. The offensive team shall bat until three outs are made or until every player in the lineup bats. If opposing teams have an unequal number of players at the game, then the maximum number of players allowed to bat in an inning shall be equal to the number of players on the team having the fewer players. Exceptions: if one team has only eight players, then the opposing team may bat nine players in one inning.

15. If a player is removed from a game for injury, illness, or a situation beyond the coach’s control (e.g., parents removing a player from a game), then the team’s batting lineup shall be reduced one player and the allowable batters in one inning for the opposing team shall also be reduced on player.

16. Play can be stopped by traditional baseball means.

17. The last batter can only advance to 2nd base on an infield hit.

18. There shall be no limit on the number of offensive and defensive conferences between coaches and players.

19. No hard balls are allowed. The only balls that can be used are RIF – Level 5 balls.
THIS RULE SHALL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE
CHILDREN. Teams caught using a hard ball will forfeit the game.
NO EXCEPTIONS.

The winning coach is responsible for e-mailing in scores to the Commissioner at Tony.Fazio@faa.gov or leave a message at 202-267-7833. Scores of winning games not called in, will not count towards playoff standings. Every attempt will be made to e-mail coaches the standings on a weekly basis.