Blue Notes
Rookie Ball
Diamond Set-Up
Pitching
•Determine the 44 ft mark from home plate for the pitching machine
•Mark
M k off
ff an 8 ft circle
i l around
d the
th machine
hi
•The electrical cord to the machine MUST be buried
•The bases are 65 ft apart
•A batter receives 5 “hittable” pitches from the machine
•A “hittable” pitch can’t be over the batter’s head or bounce in the dirt A “hi bl ” i h
’ b
h b
’ h d b
i h di
unless the batter swings
•After 5 “hittable” pitches the batter is out
•If the 5th “hittable” pitch is foul, the batter shall continue receiving pitches
•A batter who bunts is automatically out
A batter cannot get a batter cannot get a “Walk”
Walk
•A
•The pitcher must stand outside the 8 ft circle
•The pitcher must stand behind the release point of the pitching machine
•The pitcher MUST wear a helmet with chinstrap
The Pitching Machine
•The pitching machine must be set up at the beginning of the game
•The speed must be between 35mph and 40mph
•The offensive coach feeding the machine may alter the height for each
batter
EXCEPTION: At the end of the inning the pitching speed may be altered
EXCEPTION The
EXCEPTION:
Th umpire
i may can correct or change
h
the
h speed
d at any point
i
if he / she feels that the machine speed is erratic
PENALTY: If a coach alters the speed during an inning, the umpire will eject
the coach
KEY RULES
•If a fair batted ball hits the pitching machine, comes to rest in the 8 ft circle, or hits a defensive coach, the ball is dead. The batter is awarded 1st
base and all runners advance if forced
•If any offensive coach interferes with an attempted play by the defence, the batter is out and all runners return to their last legally occupied base
the batter is out and all runners return to their last legally occupied base
• ‘Time’ will be called when the ball has been returned to the infield and all action has ended; this can be any infielder and not just the pitcher. NOTE: An ‘infielder’ includes the 1st baseman, 2nd baseman, shortstop, 3rd baseman, pitcher and catcher only. Outfielders, including the extra centerfielder, are not considered infielders even if they are playing in the infield.
•Each offensive inning shall be 3 outs or a maximum of 10 batters
•With less than 2 outs, if the 10th batter is put out, other runners may attempt to score so long as they tag up if required
may attempt to score so long as they tag up if required
•On a ground ball, outs may be recorded at any base, but only the pitcher or catcher may touch home plate to end an inning
•The infield rule does not apply
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