PINTOLEAGUE
1)Rules
ThePinto Division willbegoverned bythe current season's edition of thePONYOfficialRegulations and Playing Rules,unless otherwise specified inthe EYB Policies Procedures orin the Pinto DivisionRules.
2)DivisionComposition
a.TheDivisionwillconsistofeight(8)totwelve(12) teamsdependingonleague registrationnumbers.
b.Each team willconsistof aminimumof 10players anda maximumof 13players.,unlessapprovedbyEYBadministration.
3)Introduction–The PintoDivisionis aninstructional leaguefor7and8year oldplayers.
4)TheGame
a.Afull game shall consistof fiveinnings,with no newinningafter 1hr15minof play.
b.Apitchingmachinewill be usedthe entireseason.
c.Minimumplayrule:Noplayermaysitout asecond inningbeforeall players havesatout foroneinning. Noplayermaysitout athirdinning, until all players havesatout asecondinning.Allplayers mustplay at leastoneinningin theinfield (exceptionsare alloweddueto safety,butmustbe pre-approvedwiththeleague).Theinfieldplayrule onlyappliesto all Spring, Fall and Tournament play.
d.Five runrule:Ateamsatbatwillbeconsideredcompletewhen five(5) runshavebeenscoredor
(3)outshavebeen recorded.ThePinto Divisionshallobserve a "5Run Rule"forthefirst fourinnings.Whenthe fifthrun of aninningcrosses theplate, allplaystops. Intheevent thatthefifthrun scoredduringanoverthefencehomerun,thenallrunners onbaseatthetimethe homerunwas hitwill beallowedtoscore.Thefifthinningshallbean openingscoringinning. Ties are permitted.
e.Hometeam shall be inchargeof keepingscore.Score booksareavailableat thesnack bar.It istheresponsibilityof thehome teamto acquirethescore bookpriortothe startof thegame.Itistheresponsibilitiesof the visitingteamtomaintain themanualflipscoreboard.
f.If multiplegamesareplayed in aday,the hometeamwill leave thescorebookand manual flipscore boardin thedugout beforedepartingforthe nextteam.
g.At thecompletion ofthe final game ofthe day,thehometeamis toreturnthe scorebook andthemanualflipscoreboard tothesnackbar.
h.Ifthehometeamcannotprovide ascore keeper,thevisitingteamshallkeepscore.
i.Run Rule:Thefollowingrunrules apply: 15 runsahead after 3innings; 12runsahead after 4innings.
j.There willbenoprotestin the PintoDivision.
k.. Managers/Coacheswill beusedto run pitchingmachine. If adjustmentto pitchingmachineisneeded, themanager/coachwilladjustthe machineaccordingly.Junior umpires willmakecallsfrombehind homeplate.
l.The offensive teamwillbeallowed twocoaches onthe field.In thedesignatedcoachesboxesonly.Theoffensive team’smanager ordesignatedcoach will feedthemachine.He/sheis notauthorizedtoinstructthe batterfromthe positionof the machine.
m.Thedefensive teamwillbeallowed onecoach infoulterritorytoassistinball return tothemanager/coach runningpitchingmachine.Nomanager/coachwillbeallowedtocoach inthefieldof play.
n.Thepitching machinewillbeplaced 38feet from homeplate.And will beset at38-40mph.
o.Afourth outfielderwillbeallowed.But must remain 10feet behindthe infielddirt.
5)ThePitcher
a.Thepitchermustwearaprotective face mask.(league supplied)
b.Thepitchermuststand behindthecoach runningthe pitchingmachine,andeitheron theleftorright sideofpitchingmound.
6)Batter
a.All playerswill batinaccordancewiththeteamroster furnishedbyeachmanagerprior to thestart ofthegame. The PintoDivisionwill battheentireroster.
b.The battershallbedeclaredout afterhe/shehassix (6)pitches.If the batterfoulsthe sixth pitch,theymay continuetobatuntiltheyeitherhitthe ball fair,orswingand miss.Theumpiremaydeclare anopitch foraballthatiseitherabove theplayersheador inthedirt.
-----Half way through the season the league will adopt the 3 strikes and you’re out rule. The battershall bedeclared outafterhe/she hassix (6)pitches OR3swings. If thebatterfoulsoffthe6thpitchtheymaycontinueuntil theball isbattedfair orthebatter hasswungand missed. (Per managers meeting prior to Pinto season)----
c.Abattedball hittingthepitchingmachinewillimmediately bedeclared a"deadball"single.Allrunners whoareforcedwill advanceonebase.
d.Dropped third strikerule willnot apply.Buntingor softswingsarenot allowed.Penalty:Pitch is astrike andtheballisdead.
e.Abattingtee will not beusedatanytimeduringtheseason.
7)BaseRunners
a.Theball is deaduntilthebatterhitsit, andthe baserunnermaynot advanceuntilthatpoint.Therefore, noplayfromacatcherto aninfielder oranyothercombinationof playerswill result in aputout.Ball willbedeclareddeadandall base runnerswill berequiredtoreturn tothebase thattheyoccupiedatthe time ofthe pitch.
b.BaseStealingshallnotbepermitted.
c.Runners mayadvancebasesonliveballsuntilinthe umpiresjudgmentall playonadvancing
runnershasceased,andaninfielderisinpossession ofthe ball.Atthatpointtheumpirewillcalltime out.
.
d.Protective helmetsshall notbeintentionally removed bybaserunners whileadvancingbetweenbases. Penalty:runnerisout.
e.Theonly offensivecoaches allowedonthefield shall be thebaserunner'scoaches inthedesignated coachingboxesonthe firstandthirdbase lines.
k.TheInfield Fly Ruleshallnotapply.
8)UnsportsmanlikeBehavior
Anyplayerusing foullanguage duringa game orwho throwshishelmetorbat“inanger”willbeejected fromthegamewithno warning. Thatplayerwillalsoserve aone gamesuspension,which hewillhave to attendand sit onthebenchin street clothes.Thatplayermustreporttothescorekeeperbefore thestart ofthe game.If hefailsto doso, hewillhave tosit outeach followinggame until hecomplies.
9)CourtesyRunner-Acourtesy runnermaybeused foran injured playeronly.
10)Umpires - Juniorumpiresmaybe usedin thisdivision.And managersandcoaches shouldbeawareofthe following.
a.AnyUmpires decisionwhich involvesjudgment calls,such as butnotlimited to:whetherabattedballisfair orfoul,whether a pitchis astrike orball, or whether a runnerissafeor outis final.Noplayer,manager,coachorspectator shallobject to anysuch call.Officialbaseball rule9.02 (a)
b.Eachumpire hasauthority to disqualifyany player,coach, spectator,ormanagerfor objecting to adecision, forunsportsmanlikeconduct or language.Andto ejectsuch disqualifiedperson from theplayingfield.Allejections willbe conducted bythe Director onDuty.
c.The umpirehas thediscretionat the1hr 15minto 1hr20minof playtodeclare thetopof anyinningthe“last inning”.Once the“last inning” is declared,thatinningshallbethe Openinning(unlimited runsforeachteambeforethree defensiveoutsare made).
11)PintoPlayoff/TournamentRules
a.AllPintorules listedin section 4areenforcedfor Playoff/Tournament.
b.The battershall bedeclared outafterhe/she hassix (6)pitches OR3swings. If thebatterfoulsoffthe6thpitchtheymaycontinueuntil theball isbattedfair orthebatter hasswungand missed.
c.If game is tied after time expired or fifth inning has expired (whichever is earlier), the teams will play an open inning until a winner is declared. The game shall not proceed more than 2 open innings. If the game is tied after the second open inning, a coin flip will determine the winner.