Coaches Corner
Coaches Resources
Fort Hunt League Rules
Adverse Weather Conditions
A game may be temporarily delayed if it is raining or if lightning is seen. In the case of lightning, players are to immediately go to cars or shelters with a roof. No game can restart until 15 minutes after lightning is last seen. If a game is delayed, the scheduled end time will be extended by the amount of the delay.
18u League
General Game Information
- Single Games: No new inning after 1 hour 45 minutes (NNI 1:45). Drop dead time is 2 hours (DD: 2:00)
- Double-headers: No new inning after 1 hour 30 minutes (NNI 1:30) ; drop dead time is 1 hour 45 minutes (DD: 1:45). If either team is participating in a double-header then double-header times apply.
- Max 5 runs per inning for the first 4 innings. 5th and later, runs are unlimited. (interleague play limits runs to 4 runs for the first 4 innings).
- A complete game is 7 Innings.
- Games may end in a tie if the time limit has expired. For tournaments, use Tie Breaker.
- A team must have 7 players present to start the game. 15 minutes after the scheduled start, a team that doesn’t have 7 players forfeits the official game.
- Pitchers and infielders wear fielders' masks.
- The illegal pitch rule DOES apply.
- Drop third strike is in effect.
- The infield fly rule DOES apply.
- Designated runners allowed for catchers and pitchers when two outs are recorded. Runner is the player who made the last out.
12u League
General Game Information
- No new inning after 1 hour 45 minutes (NNI 1:45)
- Drop dead time is 1 hour 55 minutes (DD: 1:55)
- Maximum 4 runs per inning per team for the first four innings. For the 5th and later innings, runs are capped at 8 runs per team after the 5th
- Drop 3rd strike and the infield fly rule DOES apply.
- A complete game is 6 innings.
- During the regular season, games may end in a tie if the time limit has expired.
- A courtesy runner is allowed for the catcher who is on base with 2 outs. The substitute runner will be the person who made the last out.
- Pitchers and infielders wear fielders masks.
Team Players
- A team must have 7 players present to start the game. A 15-minute grace period will be given. A coach may use players from the 10U league to play in that game.
- All players who step onto the field MUST be paid registrants of FHYAA softball.
- Nine players will play on the field. Shifts from the standard infield positions are not allowed. Outfielders must play a reasonable distance from the infield, as determined by the umpire.
- If a player leaves the game early and was not identified at the time of the lineup exchange, that spot in the order will be an out (except in the event of an injury).
- Players arriving late will be placed at the end of the order.
Pitching
- A pitcher removed from the pitching position during an inning may not return that same inning but may return later in the game.
- Umpires may call illegal pitches, but there is no penalty.
Hitting
- The USA “Look Back Rule” applies.
- Thrown Bats will be called as outs. The first thrown bat by either team will result in a warning to both teams; the second thrown bat by any player will result in the player being called out.
10u League
General Game Information:
- No new inning after 1 hour 35 minutes (NNI 1:35)
- Drop dead time is 1 hour 50 minutes (DD: 1:50)
- Maximum 4 runs per inning for first four innings. For 5th and later innings, maximum 8 runs per inning.
- Infield fly rule does not apply
- The dropped 3rd strike rule is not in effect.
- A complete game is 6 innings.
- During the regular season, games may end in a tie if the time limit has expired.
- A half inning is complete when batting around is complete or 3 outs are executed, whichever occurs first.
- Pitchers MUST wear fielders masks.
- All helmets need to have chin straps and face masks.
Team Players
- A team must have 6 players present to start the game. Coach’s discretion will be used to continue the game with less players.
- All players who step onto the field MUST be paid registrants of FHYAA softball.
- Nine or ten players can play the field. Shifts from the standard infield positions are not allowed. Outfielders must play in the outfield grass.
Player Pitching
- A pitcher removed from the pitching position during an inning may not return that same inning.
- Umpires may call illegal pitches, but there is no penalty.
- If the pitcher is struggling to pitch a ball “over the plate” (on the fly) from the pitching rubber, she may move up within the 8-foot radius of the pitching circle to throw the pitch.
- She must finish the pitch with both feet entirely within the 8-foot radius circle.
- Any pitcher who possesses the arm strength/ability to consistently pitch a ball over the plate (on the fly) from the pitching rubber must pitch from the rubber.
- A pitcher who has achieved two strikeouts in a game shall pitch from the 35-foot distance for the remainder of the game.
- There are no walks with player pitching. Ball 4 does not entitle the batter to first base, but shall result in the coaches pitching to their own batters. See below for details. (Walks are only counted in playoffs)
Coach Pitching
- After a Ball 4 is called, the coach comes in to pitch for his/her team.
- The batter retains the number of strikes she had when ball 4 was thrown.
- The coach will pitch up to 4 pitches to her until:
- The batter strikes out swinging based on count,
- The batter strikes out on a called 3rd strike, or
- The batter puts the ball in play.
- If the batter fouls off the 4th pitch, she may continue to bat until one of the 3 above occurs.
- Coach Pitch Interference: The adult pitcher must not interfere with a hit ball or a defensive player attempting to make a play on a hit or thrown ball. If interference occurs, a dead ball will be declared. All runners must stop and return to the base they occupied just before the interference occurred.
Hitting
- Bunting is allowed. Any attempt to bunt is a strike. Players may not bunt during coach pitch.
- Thrown Bats. The first thrown bat by either team will result in a warning to both teams; the second thrown bat by any player will result in the player being called out.
- Hit by Pitch (HBP): On a hit by pitch, the batter is awarded first base or can elect to continue batting. There is no HBP when coach is pitching.
Base Running/Stealing
- The play is considered dead once the ball returns to the pitcher within the pitcher’s circle.
- Base runners may leave the base when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.
- The penalty for leaving the base early will be for all base runners to return to the base after the play has ended. However, if the runner was thrown out on the play, the play stands and all runners remain on their current base.
- Stealing will be limited to one base per batter.
- If the base runner gets thrown out attempting to advance to another base, she is out.
- There is no stealing when the coach is pitching with the exception of when a coach is pitching the entire at bat.
- After leaving third base on the release by the pitcher, a runner may steal home only on a passed ball before the ball is in the pitcher’s control in the pitcher’s circle. A “passed ball” is defined as any pitch not caught cleanly by the catcher.
Fielding/Defense
- Play ends when the pitcher has possession of the ball in the pitching circle to end play. At this point, base runners not on a base must immediately (after 1 second) move to either the base in front of them or the base they have just touched.
- The pitcher can make a play on any base runner off the base, but if she does, other base runners may advance at risk of being put out. Any base runner that does not immediately move to a base shall be sent back to the previous base.
- Once on base, a runner cannot advance on the throwback to the pitcher unless the throw results in the ball going outside the pitching circle, then the ball is live and the runner can advance at her own risk. The umpire has the discretion to decide if a throw is intended for the pitcher.