U9 Rules
Home Run Line
To make the game more fun for the kids and exciting for the parents, in 2006 Calgary Minor Softball introduced the “Home Run Line” or HRL. The HRL effectively eliminates the outfield.
The Home Run Line is a series of cones or pylons set up in the outfield 25 feet past the 45’ base line as shown in the diagram. The home team will do this prior to the game.
A home run is
A home run is a ball that crosses past the home run line when the player is pitching.When the coach pitches no home runs permitted, the ground rule double comes into effect.The umpire will determine if a ground ball lands past the homerun line.
Any ball that touches the ground in fair territory past the home run line is a home run.
A home run is not
A fly ball hit past the HRL but caught by a defensive player prior to touching the ground, is not a home run. It is an out!!
A fair ball hit past 1
st or 3
rd. base and going into foul territory prior to reaching the home run line is a fair ball, but not a home run. The play is live.
Base stealing
Stealing is allowed on 1st and/or 2nd base.Players cannot leave the base until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. No additional bases are awarded on an overthrow when a play is made on a runner stealing.
Stealing of home is not allowed under any circumstance. You may only advance to home off 3rd base on a ball put in play with a hit.Player must be tagged to be put out by a steal or lead-off.When the coach is pitching there is no stealing of any kind permitted.Batters are not permitted to bunt when the coach/parent comes into pitch
- This rule does not apply on a hit ball. All runners may advance as many bases as they wish on a hit ball until they are put out or the ball has been returned to the Pitcher in the Pitcher's Circle.
Overthrow
In case of an overthrow into foul territory – foul territory being an area outside the diameter of the playing field then the runner automatically gets to advance one base except on 3rd base.This encourages the catcher to attempt to throw to 3rd base when base runners attempt to steal 3rd base without the risk of the opposing team scoring a run.You may only advance to home off 3rd base on a ball put into play with a hit
No More Walks!!
Batters hit by a pitch. Call it a ball and keep playing. A batter struck by a pitched ball will continue to bat. The hit by pitch would be considered a ball. Should the player be injured from the hit pitch they can be removed from the game and re-entered once they are recovered.
Clarification: If the player doesn’t finish their at bat and leaves the game “injured” they will not be allowed to run the bases for that at bat. They can return to the game to play defense or bat when their turn comes again. On the scoresheet, player that is removed, mark INJ on the scoresheet. This player is not considered an out.
Batter # 1 (B1) is at the plate. The game is played normally up until the batter receives a 4
th ball, which would normally result in a walk. This is where the game changes. After the 4
th ball, the batter will have a count against him/her. It will either be 4 balls, 0 strikes (4-0), 4-1 or 4-2. The coach, or designated pitcher for the offensive team (B1’s coach or selected parent), will now come in to pitch to his/her own batter. The number of pitches that the batter will receive from the coach/parent is dependent upon the number of strikes that the pitcher had achieved against that batter prior to throwing the 4
th “ball”. All batters continue using the same rules.
If the count was 4-0, and the batter did not have a strike, the coach parent may throw up to 3 pitches.
If the count was 4-1, and the batter had 1 strike against him/her, the coach parent may throw up to 2 pitches.
If the count was 4-2, and the batter had 2 strikes against him/her, the coach parent may throw only 1 pitch.
Pitches (pitch) from the coach or parent are the only opportunity that the batter will get to hit the ball and get on base. There is no opportunity to walk. Every pitch will be considered a called strike. If the batter has 2 or 3 pitches to work with, he/she may leave the pitch and wait for a potentially better pitch. The coach/parent will pitch from the pitching rubber (normal distance) and may pitch orthodox (underhand toss) or regular fastpitch.
If the batter uses up all his/her strikes without hitting the ball, he/she is out. Once again, every pitch is considered a called strike no matter where the pitch is thrown. The batter does not have to swing to strike out, nor does the pitch have to be in the strike zone.
On the third strike only, if the batter hits a foul ball, he/she will be granted an additional pitch, unless of course the foul ball is caught! This will be the same as regular rules in regard to a third strike foul ball.
The defensive pitcher will remain in the pitching circle to field balls hit into play.
If a ball hit into play by the batter that 1. comes in contact with, 2. is touched by the parent/coach, whether intentional or accidental, 3. is interfered with by the coach/parent acting as the pitcher as determined by the umpire, the play will be called dead & treated like a foul ball.
Pitching / Pitchers
Fastpitch softball is a game that requires effective pitching to be fun. Please try to get as many kids pitching as possible so that more pitchers can be developed as the kids get older. With the new pitching rules and with kids at this young age, there is far more benefit to the team and the game if there are more kids learning how to pitch. The no walk rule should allow coaches to use more pitchers, as there is not going to be a situation where the pitcher is responsible for walking the batters. The batters will still have to hit the ball!!
Strategy
If your team hits a lot of home runs and the other team moves all the players out to the cones to possibly catch the ball, it might be a good time to teach the kids how to bunt.
Some teams may employ a strategy of not swinging at any of the balls in the hopes that they will get to hit pitches off their coach. That is their choice. The best solution is to use pitchers that maybe do not throw as fast but have the ability to throw strikes. This can be a great time to use a pitcher that is less experienced, and it will give her the opportunity to face some batters. Coaching involves being prepared to react to the opposition’s strategy. In fact, the game is far more fun for coaches’ players and parents when different strategies are used. Be innovative…be creative!!
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