TOP GUN BASEBALL

COACH PITCH RULES

DIVISION-3 (AA)

DIVISION-4 (A)

8 & UNDER DIVISION

REVISED FEBRUARY 1, 2008

         AGE CUT OFF

• Age 8 & under.  Cut off date is May 1st players may not turn 9 before May 1st.   Please have Birth Certificates or copies available for inspection at check in.

• Girls that elect to play coach pitch may not turn 10 before May 1st. Please have Birth Certificates or copies available for inspection at check in. 

           THIS IS A DIVISION 3, AND DIVISION 4 RULE ONLY.  

      NATIONAL FEDERATION RULES

• National Federation Rules Apply with the following TOP GUN EXCEPTIONS

      BASEBALL USED 

• The DeBeer Top Gun Baseball approved Baseball must be used for all Top Gun Tournaments. This is a hard regular baseball and must be used in all Play Top Gun Sports Baseball Tournaments

      RECOMMENDED FENCE DISTANCE

• The recommended fence distance is from 140 feet to 200 feet.

      ROSTER SIZE

• Roster size will be a minimum of 10 players and a maximum of 15 players. A minimum of two (2) coaches and a maximum of four (4) coaches per roster. A bat person is also permitted under the age of 18 years old.

      BAT RESTRICTIONS

• Small Barrel Bats only 2 ¼ barrel bats only for Division 3 and Division 4 ONLY.

          THIS IS A DIVISION 3, AND DIVISION 4 RULE ONLY.  

     REGULATION GAME AND TIME LIMIT

• A regulation game will be SIX (6) innings.

• Time limit will be one (1) hour & 30 minutes.

• The 10-Run Rule shall apply four (4) innings and (31/2 innings if the home team is ahead). Mandatory except in Bronze and Gold medal games.

      BASE PAT

• Base paths will be 60 feet.

      PITCHING

• Pitching rubber or plate will be set at 35 feet for Division 3 and Division 4.

• Pitchers circle will 8 feet radius from the pitcher plate.

• The coach/pitcher must pitch from the pitcher plate.

• Pitching distance will be 35 feet for Division 3/4 as the minimum.  THIS IS A DIVISION 3/4 RULE ONLY.

• Player pitcher must have one foot inside pitching circle at the batters contact, providing the batter is not bunting. If player is bunting the player pitcher can leave the circle early.

• Each player gets 5 pitches or 3 swings unless the last pitch/swing is fouled off. There will be no walks or free bases

• All coaches must pitch overhand.  Once the ball is batted the coach must move to the nearest sideline until all play is dead. Any delay, interference, or obstruction by a coach will be ruled upon by the umpires. On bunts only, the adult pitcher must take a knee in the pitcher circle. A ball that strikes the adult coach pitch pitcher is dead and all runners return to original base.

      GAME SCORING

• EACH TEAM MAY ONLY SCORE A MAXIMUM OF 5 RUNS FOR THE FIRST INNING.
•   The 2nd 3rd, 4th, 5th, innings the leading team may always be able to score 5 runs even though the lead could be greater than 5 runs.
• The team that is behind when batting after the first inning, may always be able to even up the score, and score 5 additional runs, this applies to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th innings only.
• The 6th inning or any additional innings played are unlimited scoring innings.

      BATTING

• All team players on the roster and present in the dugouts will bat in a SET BATTING ORDER.

• Teams are to bat the entire roster. The entire roster means all players that are present at the game, and dressed to play. Coaches MAY NOT elect to delete players from the playing roster to gain and advantage.

• The Setting out of players for big games is classified as UNSPORTMANLIKE CONDUCT. Violation of this rule may result in Team Disqualification from the event. 

• Coach Pitch uses 10 players. You must have at least eight (8) players to start or finish a game or it will be ruled a forfeit.

• If a team has less than 10 players in the batting line-up, then this rule is applied  

      (EXAMPLE):

      TEAMS WITH 8 PLAYERS BATTING, THE 9th BATTER ONLY WOULD BE CALLED OUT DURING HIS TIME AT BAT.)  

• THE 10TH BATTER IN DIVISION 3/4, IS NOT RULED AN OUT. THIS IS A DIVISION 3/4 RULE ONLY.

• A batboy will be allowed in the dugout.  Any time the batboy comes onto the playing field, he must wear a batting helmet.

• A team whose batter slings a bat will receive on the first incidence a warning.  The second incidence by any batter will be an out, and the ball is dead with no runners advancing.

• Bunting is permitted. No fake bunts, player showing bunt may not fake bunt and swing in an effort to hit the ball.  PENALTY IS THE BATTER IS OUT, AND THE BALL IS DEAD.

• Bunting the defensive pitcher may leave the circle at the same time the batter shows a bunt.

• Batted balls, unless called foul by the umpire, is alive and in play until the defense stops the progress of all runners AND THE UMPIRE CALLS TIME OUT.  The ball is dead until the next batter.

• A batted ball that strike the coach pitch pitcher is dead and all runners return to original base.

• Players that are listed on the line up card must bat in the order. Players that arrive late may be added to the bottom of the lineup. Players that become sick or hurt during the game will be ruled an out each time at bat and may return to the game at a later time.

• Players that become sick or hurt may return to the game if an out is taken.

• If a player becomes hurt and the coach elects not to have the player return to the game no out will be recorded. THIS IS A DIVISION 3/4 RULE ONLY.

• The coach pitcher is limited to instructing the batter only. The coach pitcher may not instruct the base runners. 

• Only one batter allowed in the on deck circle. All other players must remain in the dugout.

       DEFENSIVE

• Ten (10) players will play when a team is in the outfield. All Players must play every other inning while in the field. The setting out of players for big games is classified as UNSPORTMANLIKE CONDUCT. Violation of this rule may result in Team Disqualification from the event.

• Defensive substitutions may occur at the coach’s discretion, the defensive playing rule still applies for all players that you must play in the field every other inning.

• To be able to continue or start a game a team must have at least eight (8) players or game will be ruled a forfeit.

• Teams finishing with less than 10 players must still provide a catcher in the catcher position.

• Only 6 infielders may be used.

• Four (4) outfielders will be used and outfielders may not cover 2nd base for a put out on the first throw. Outfields must play at least behind the 90-feet mark on each field. Teams that start with less than 10 players must field a full infield.

• The catcher must be properly equipped. The catcher must play his position himself no more than six feet from home plate at the start of the pitch. The catcher should make the first attempted play at home plate
• A coach may stay behind the catcher to assist but may not interfere with the play in any manner and must remain quiet and not instruct the catcher. THIS IS A DIVISION 3/4 RULE ONLY.

• A safety line will be 30 feet from home plate. No player may be inside of the safety line on contact of a batted ball. PENALTY-BATTER WILL BE AWARDED FIRST BASE.

• In bunting situations the defensive players may charge at the sign of a bunt and may be inside of the 30 feet line on contact.

• There is no infield fly rule.

       BASE RUNNING

• There is no base stealing.

• All runners shall be in contact with their bases and shall not leave their bases until the batter has hit the pitch.  If a runner leaves the base before the ball is hit, the umpire shall signal to indicate the violation at the time it occurs. The runner is removed only from the base upon leaving the base early for Division 3/4. IMMEDIATE DEAD BALL. THIS IS A DIVISION 3/4 RULE ONLY.

• Runners do not have to slide at a base or home plate. Runners must however avoid malicious contact with and defensive player which includes the catcher or any fielder. This rule is the judgment of the umpire.

• There is no head first slide in Division 3/4 Coach Pitch at any base including Home.  A player may dive back to a base which is permitted. The penalty for a head first slide is the runner is out and the ball remains alive, so other runners may advance.  This rule is the judgment of the umpire. THIS IS A DIVISION 3/4 RULE ONLY.

      COACHES

• Offensively, only base coaches and the coach pitcher will take positions on the playing field during a game. The base coaches only may instruct the base runners, THE COACH/PITCHER IS NOT ALLOWED TO INSTRUCT BASE RUNNERS.

• Defensively, a coach may be positioned on each foul line in the outfield-coaching box. An outfield-coaching box must be marked half way from the outfield fence and third base. The outfield coach in confined to coaching the outfielders only. A coach in violation of the coaching box rule will be confined to the dug out in violation of this rule. At no time may the coach step onto the playing field except in case of obvious injury.

• Base Coaches may not have physical contact with runners while the ball is alive and in play. Penalty is runner is out.

      SPEED UP RULE

• Speed up rules may be used for the catcher at any time. The last batter that made the out may run for your catcher at any time, but it is not mandatory.

      TIME OUTS

• National High School Federation Rules apply.

      RAIN

• Teams should report to venues, if there is any doubt of game being played. The responsibility will be on the head coach to find out if games are rained out. Coaches must come to venues to find out in games will be played, or if a game has been rescheduled. If at all possible, games will be played in complete.
• Games that are stopped will be continued form the point of stopping, if not reached official game status. Rain delays could last for any period of time. The tournament director has the authority to change the format of the tournament due to inclement weather.
• In rain occurs after official game status has been reached, and the games cannot continue due to rain and field conditions, the game will called and become a complete official game. Only the tournament director will make that decision.

      FORFEITS

• The tournament committee shall administer the rule so that any team which forfeits will not benefit and may not advance to championship pool play or bracket play, unless the tournament committee determines there were extenuating circumstances causing the forfeit.

      PROTEST

• Protests must be made verbally with the umpires by the offended team at the time of the play and before the next pitch is thrown. A fee of $100.00 cash (refunded if upheld) must accompany the protest. All decisions of the protest committee shall be final. Only the decision involving the misinterpretation of misapplication or a rule may be protested. No protest shall be allowed in matters involving solely the official’s judgment.

      EJECTIONS

• Manager, coach, or players in all age divisions, the first occurrence results in the suspension for the game and the removal from the game venue, and also the next scheduled game. The coach is not permitted at the game venue for his suspension game. A player ejected may remain in the dugout after being ejected.
• A second ejection during the tournament results in suspension for the remainder of the tournament as well as possible impositions of further sanctions subject to the review of Top Gun Baseball.

      MISC RULES

• No coaches or officials will be allowed to use any tobacco products inside the fence, including the dugout.  First action will be a warning from the umpire.  Second action will require the offender to leave the playing field.

• A maximum of four adults allowed in the dugout at any time.