(Ages 9-10) (REVISED 20 Aug 2017) PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulations shall govern except as modified below:
WARM-UP TIME: If time permits, teams may warm up until 5 minutes before game time. Teams shall split infield warm-up equally as time permits. There is to be a STRICTLY ENFORCED time limit between innings for pitcher warm-ups. Specifically, pitchers are limited to the shorter of 5 warm-up pitches or 1 minute. Players need to take the field ready to play.
TOTAL INNINGS AND RUN LIMITS: There will be a 4-run limit per inning, with a set 5 innings maximum per game. No new inning can start after 80 minutes. A new inning starts after the third out of the preceding inning. Tie games will end in a tie unless it is a postseason game. Postseason tie games will continue with extra innings till the tie is broken. The pitcher limit gets re-set in extra innings (ie like starting a new game)
PITCHING: · Begin with warnings for look back rule: The Look Back rule will be in effect when the ball is live, the batter-runner has touched first base or has been declared out, and the pitcher has possession and control of the ball in the 8 foot radius of the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher is considered to be in the 8 foot radius of the pitcher’s plate when both feet are on or within the lines. When baserunner fails to keep contact with the base to which she is entitled until ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, the baserunner will be declared out. When a baserunner is legitimately off her base after a pitch or the result of a batter completing her turn at bat while the pitcher has the ball within an 8 foot radius of the pitcher’s plate, the runner may stop one, but then she must immediately attempt to advance to the next base or immediately return to her base.
Failure to immediately proceed to the next base or return to her base once the pitcher has the ball within the 8 foot radius of the pitcher’s plate will result in the baserunner being declared out.
Once the runner returns to a base for any reason, she will be declared out if she leaves said base, unless a play is made on her or another runner (a fake throw is considered a play); the pitcher no longer has possession of the ball in the 8 foot radius of the pitcher’s plate; or the pitcher releases the ball by a pitch to the batter.
Begin with warnings for pitcher violations
A single pitcher can pitch a maximum of 3 innings per game. One pitch in an inning counts as a full inning for a pitcher. Pitchers (starter or reliever) may re-enter the game at any time.
STEALING LIMIT: Runners may steal when the pitch leaves the pitchers hand. No additional bases on an overthrow during a steal. Runners may not steal home. Runner may only advance home from third base on a hit ball, hit by pitch or bases loaded walk. Runners may advance and take additional bases on overthrows that occur after a hit ball. No stealing during coach pitch.
HELMETS: All players must wear an approved helmet with face mask and chinstrap.
MINIMUM PLAYING TIME: All players (the entire team) must bat in the official batting order exchanged with the opposing coach before the start of the game. Any players arriving late are plugged into the bottom of the official batting order. If a game starts and a team has less than 9 players present, the team will be required to take an OUT in the 8th and/or 9th batting position of the official batting order. Should additional players arrive during the game; the player(s) will be plugged into the bottom of the official batting order. Every player must play a minimum of 2 innings (6 outs) of defense (unless that player is late and missed the first inning). Each player that attends practice on a semi-regular basis shall play a minimum of one inning per game at an infield position.
SEVEN PLAYER MINIMUM: A team must have a minimum number of 7 players available to play within ten minutes after game time or else the game shall be forfeited. If both teams have less than 7 players within ten minutes after game time, the game is a FORFEIT (LOSS) for both teams and WILL NOT be made up except by Board approval. (An injured player will not be counted if that player cannot participate in the game.) A team beginning with 7 players may finish a game with less than 7 players if any players are lost during the game due to injury or illness. However, the team will be required to take an OUT in the ill-injured player’s position for the remainder of the game. Teams are encouraged to enlist girls playing in the Pinto division of their respective leagues to fill-in for missing players, but not the same Pinto girl on more than two occasions for a given Mustang team.
SLIDING: The runner must avoid a collision with the defensive player. Refer to the PONY rulebook POE 12 for further clarification.
BASE COACHES: A player may coach first or third base provided she wears a helmet.
BUNTING: A batter may not fake a bunt and then swing away on the same pitch. No bunting during “coach pitch”
OUTFIELD POSITIONS: Ten (10) players will be allowed to play defense (four (4) must be 10’ into the grass outfield).
NO INFIELD FLY RULE: The infield fly rule shall not be in effect.
DROPPED THIRD STRIKE: There will be NO DROPPED THIRD STRIKE rule in effect.
COACH PITCH RULE: When a pitcher walks THE 3rd batter of an inning, instead of going to first base the batter will be thrown a maximum of 2 pitches (not counting foul balls on the last pitch) by a pitcher from her own team (typically a coach) pitching from the pitching rubber. If a batter does not put the ball in play within her allotted number of pitches she is declared out. This will continue for each additional walk after the 3rd walk as well. REMINDERS:
Umpire fee is $40, track payments for reimbursement
First mustang game responsible for lining field and setting rubber at 35 feet (closest post to home plate)
Circle is 8 foot radius from center of pitching rubber
4 runs per half inning
75 minute games
Ball size: 11"
EQUIPMENT LIST
Softball glove - I recommend at least 11"
Softball Cleats
Batting Helmet with a face mask and chin strap
Face Mask for fielding
Bat - (if you're not sure about weight and length, check with the coach at first practice)
(All items available at Academy or Dick's Sporting Goods)