Softball Rules

Montgomery County Little League (MCLL)

2023 Local Rules

Softball Coach Pitch Division

Ratified: March 2023

MCLL will be governed by the official Little League Softball Rules unless noted and modified below. Please be familiar with the official LL rules. The rules below are primarily to help clarify common areas of confusion, emphasize safety rules or set a local rule that varies from a Little League rule. Rules related to safety, good sportsmanship and the proper teaching of fundamental baseball skills should receive the highest priority. 

Note:  For D2 Games rules may differ from those listed here.  The Division Commissioner will notify teams participating in D2 games of any rule variations.  Coaches should be sure to check-in with the Division Commissioner prior to any D2 games. 

TIME LIMITS: 

1. MCLL: 1 hour and 30 minutes after scheduled start time with no new inning after 1 hour and 15 minutes after scheduled start time. 

UNIFORM: All players shall wear the appropriate Little League patches on their uniforms. 

TEAM COMPOSITION: 

1. Each team must field a minimum of 7 players for a legal lineup. (Modification of LL Rule 4.16 and 4.17)  occupying the following positions: P, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, OF.  A coach shall occupy the catcher position.

2. Only players on the official league roster provided to the manager by the league commissioner are permitted to play in a league game unless assigned by the player agent. (Summary of Regulation V) 

3. If a team knows it will be short players for a game, the manager can make a request to the Softball Player Agent for fill-in players. (Summary of Regulation V) 

EQUIPMENT: 

1. 11” Little League Approved Softballs. 

2. Defensive face guards are required for all infielders.  They are optional for outfielders.  This rule applies ONLY to internal MCLL games.  Games played against other Districts, including D2 may mandate the wearing of defensive face masks and all MCLL players must comply.

3. Batting helmets must have a facemask/cage securely attached. 

4. All other equipment must comply with Little League International Rules and Regulations. (Rule 1.11 Objectives of the Game) 

GAME: 

1. Home Team will occupy the 1st base dugout/bench area. 

2. Five-Run Rule is in effect. The 5th run scored by a team in their half inning ends the inning but the play is allowed to finish with only five runs counting. 

3. Games will me a max of 5 innings 

4. Bases are 60ft 

5. An 11-run mercy rule is in effect. If after 4 innings, three and one-half innings if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of 11 runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. 

6. A 6-run mercy run rule is in effect.  If after 5 innings, four and one-half innings if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of 6 runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. 

7. Teams may continue play if the time limit has not been reached, with any runs scored after reaching the mercy rule not counting towards the game total. 

8. If the visiting team has a lead, the home team must bat in its half of the inning before the mercy run rule takes effect.  (LL Rule 4.10e)

OFFENSE: 

1. A continuous batting order that includes all players on the team roster present for the game shall be used. (Variant of LL Rule 4.04) 

2. When a player is injured, ill, or must leave the game site after the start of the game, the team will skip over the player when that player’s time at bat comes up without penalty. If the player is able to return at a later point in the game, that player is inserted into their original spot in the batting order. If a player arrives late to the game site, the player would be added to the end of the lineup. (Variant of LL Rule 4.04) 

3. The on-deck position is not permitted in Little League Majors Division and below. (LL Rule 1.08 Note 1) 

4. Runners only advance one base per live bat. No extra bases. 

DEFENSE: 

1. Teams are allowed to use up to 10 players on defense by adding a fourth outfielder.  Upon mutual agreement coaches may agree to add an 5th outfielder, thus allowing 11 players in the field at one time. 

2. There is NO infield fly. (Modification LL Rule 2.00) 

3. No one player can play a single position for more than 2 consecutive innings. Each player must play one inning in infield and one inning in outfield by the fourth inning.  Infield positions are defined as 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P.  Outfield positions include all four outfield positions and catcher. 

4. Outfielders must play approximately 20 feet or more beyond the base path which typically means that players must be stationed on the outfield grass.
   (Modification of LL Rule 4.03(c)

PITCHING: 

1. The pitcher’s mound is set at 30 feet from home. 

2. Coach will pitch 6 pitches. Players may use tee at coaches discretion in first 3 games, but this will count as the players 6th pitch 

3. There are no walks. There are strikeouts unless the rescue tee is used during the first 3 games only.. 

4. Coach Pitcher is not a play-maker, and should move out of the field of play as much as possible. 

5. If the Coach is struck by the batted ball, the ball is dead, the batter is awarded first base and any runner that would be forced to advance a base may advance.  If runners are not forced to advance they must return to the base from which they came. and defensive players should field the ball as such. 

Summary for Coach Pitch Softball 

Game Format 

- 5 innings max 

- 10-run mercy rule after 4 innings 

- 5-run limit per inning 

- No new inning after 1 hour 15 minutes 

- Hard stop at 1 hour 30 minutes 

Field Rules 

- No Infield Fly Rule 

- runners only advance one base 

- batters get 6 pitches 

- all players play one inning in the infield and one in the outfield