AA Machine Pitch

General

  1.  Regular season games consist of 4 innings, with a five-run limit applying to all innings.
  2.  Each game has a time limit of 1 hour and 30 minutes, and no inning can start after this time limit.
  3.  A 10-foot arc will be marked from home plate, and all batted balls must pass this line to be considered "fair"; otherwise, they will be called "foul."
  4.  The pitching rubber and pitching machine are situated 35 feet from home plate, measured from the back 'point' of home plate.
  5.  The pitching machine should be set at 35 MPH.

 Hitting / Running

  1.  Players will hit off the pitching machine throughout the season.
  2.  Teams will use a continuous batting order, meaning everyone in the lineup bats.
  3.  Base on balls is not allowed; batters face 3 strikes. Bunting is also prohibited. Each batter is allowed a maximum of 7 pitches. However, if the 7th pitch results in a foul ball, dead ball, or is declared unhittable by the umpires/coaches, the batter will receive another pitch.

 After hitting the ball, the batter can advance at their own risk. The maximum advancement is as follows:

  1. Infield hit: 1 base
  2. Beyond the infielder (defined as reaching the grass of the outfield): unlimited advancement (assuming no fielding errors).
  3. Base runners may not advance on an overthrow.
  4. A batted ball hitting the pitching machine (and/or bucket of balls) is considered a dead-ball single, and the batter is awarded 1st base. Only base runners with other runners behind them will advance. For example, if there are runners at 1st and 3rd base and the batter hits the machine, the batter is awarded 1st base, and the runner from 1st base moves to 2nd. The runner on 3rd base would stay at 3rd.
  5. Stealing is not allowed. Runners must not lead off from the base and must remain on the base until the ball is hit.
  6. Runners may advance at their own risk on a base hit according to the following scenarios:
    1. On an infield hit (not reaching the grass), they must stop at their current base once an infielder has possession of the ball on the dirt infield or after there has been one play at a base. If the runner is not at least halfway to the next base when possession is obtained, the runner must return to the previous base.
    2. On an outfield hit (ball reaches the grass), runners must stop at their current base once the outfielder has THROWN the ball into the infield, hitting the dirt (this applies regardless of possession by an infielder). The runner must also stop at their current base once an infielder has possession after catching said ball from the outfielder.

 

Defense

  1.  The defense will play with ten players, including four outfielders, but they can have up to 11 players on the field.
  2.  Outfielders must start no closer than 10 feet from the edge of the outfield grass and cannot be used to play a base. If an outfielder fields the ball, they must throw it back to the infield. The outfielder can make a play on a ground ball that gets past the infielders and on a fly ball hit in front of them if the ball travels beyond the infielders.
  3.  The girl playing the pitcher's position must wear a helmet or face mask. She must remain even or behind the pitching rubber until the ball is hit and must not enter the pitching circle. When fielding a batted ball, the pitcher should throw to the base and may not run and tag the base for the out.
  4. The girl playing first base is required to wear a helmet or face mask.

 

Note: The safety of the girls is the top priority.

 

  1. The infield fly rule is waived.

Playing Time

 

  1. Every player must play at least four defensive innings.
  2. Players must be rotated every inning to a new defensive position.
  3. They must play at least 2 innings in the infield and 2 innings in the outfield. The catcher position is considered to be part of the outfield rotation.
  4. Players may only play a maximum of 2 innings at a specific defensive position. This rule also applies to call-ups.