TOP GUN BASEBALL MACHINE PITCH RULES

• Machine Pitch Specific Rules for Top Gun Baseball.
• Safety Arc: There will be a thirty (30) foot arc drawn from first (1st) baseline to third (3rd) baseline in front of home plate. Infielders must stay behind this line until the ball is hit.
• Pitching Circle: There will be a eight (8) foot diameter circle with the front edge set at forty-two (42) feet from the rear point of home plate.
• Pitching Machine: The front leg(s) shall be set at a distance of forty-two (42) feet from the rear point of home plate.
• Recommended pitching machine speeds:
• 36 M.P.H. – 39 M.P.H. for the 7U age division.
• 39 M.P.H. – 42 M.P.H. for the 8U age division.
• Top Gun Baseball will study the recommended pitching machine speeds and may elect to revise during the year for the better benefit of the machine pitch program.
• Ten (10) defensive players will play in the field with four (4) outfielders. The fourth (4th) outfielder may not assume an infield position. All outfielders must stay behind the baselines.
• All players must play every other inning while in the field on defense. 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.
• The defensive player listed as pitcher cannot leave the pitching circle until the ball is hit. Penalty: The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or no-pitch.

           Additional Penalty: First Offense: Warning. Second Offense: Removal of player from the pitching position for the remainder of the game.

• Defensive substitutions may occur at the coach’s discretion, the defensive rule still applies for all players that you must play in the field every other inning,
• Defensive, a coach may be positioned on each foul in the outfield-coaching box. An outfield-coaching box must be marked half way from the outfield fence and third base. The outfield coach is confined to coaching outfield players only. A coach in violation of this rule would be confined to the dugout in violation of this rule. The purpose and intent of this rule to help outfield players develop.
• The Infield Fly Rule is not in effect at any time.
• The batting order shall constitute all players on the team roster at the beginning of the game. Late arrivals shall be inserted at the bottom of the batting order. All players on the roster shall bat before returning to the top of the batting order.
• Teams may start a game with eight (8) players. The ninth (9th) and tenth (10) position in the batting order will be declared an out each time at bat. A ninth (9th) and tenth (10) player and all subsequent players may be added to the batting order as soon as they become available.
• Teams may use free substitution on defense but the batting order must remain the same.
• Teams may bunt a maximum of two (2) times per inning.
• Fake bunts are prohibited. If a batter “shows” bunt, they are committed to attempt to bunt or take the pitch.

          Penalty: A batter who swings after “showing” bunt shall be called out and no runners may advance.

• The batter shall receive a maximum of six (6) pitches or three (3) swinging strikes. On the last pitch a player that fouls the pitch will not be called out.
• Each batter (player) may only be Intentionally Walked once per game by announcement from the defensive team. Four (4) pitches need not be thrown just wave the player to first base.
• Runners may not lead-off or steal bases. A runner is out for leaving the base before the ball is hit.
•  A courtesy runner for catcher of record only the previous inning may be used. The courtesy runner shall be the player that made the previous out. If no outs have been recorded in the game, the courtesy runner shall be the previous batter not on base.
• Each team may only score a maximum of Five (5) runs the first inning.
• The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings the leading team may always be able to score Five (5) runs even though the lead could be greater than Five (5) Runs.
• The team that is behind when batting after the First (1) inning, may always be able to even up the score, and score Five (5) additional runs, this applies to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th inning only.

          The 6th inning or any additional innings played are unlimited scoring innings.

•  Umpires will call “time” after every play and declare the ball dead. “Time” should be called as soon as the runner is stopped or the lead runner is not attempting to advance. “Time” does not have to be called by the defense for the purpose of this rule.

•  When a batted ball hits the pitching machine, the ball is dead, the batter is awarded first (1st) base and all runners advance one (1) base.