Hanover Area Little League Coach Pitch Rules

  1. All games are 6 innings or one and one half hours long (which ever comes first).
  2. Scoreboards are not to be used. Coaches may use scorebooks to track the batting line-up or keep stats on their players’ improvement.
  3. Level 5 T-Ball is used.
  4. Only 10 batters can bat during one half inning, or the entire roster if the team has less than 10 players (no player can hit twice in the same inning).
  5. Each game will be played with a maximum of twelve players on the field at one time. Standard infield and the remainder as outfielders (You cannot place an extra defensive player near 2nd base in order to make more force outs at 2nd base and outfielders must be at least 5 feet into the outfield grass).
  6. A continuous batting order must be used.
  7. Every batter must wear an official batting helmet.
  8. Catchers (if used) must wear full catcher’s equipment including a protective cup.
  9. Three swinging strikes and the batter is out. (Eight pitch maximum, unless the player continues to hit foul balls after the 7th pitch).
  10. No walks.
  11. No leads or stealing by base runners.
  12. Base runners must wear helmets.
  13. The runners can take extra bases if the ball is hit to the outfield (This rule is to teach defensive players that they need to relay the ball to the infield as quickly as possible).
  14. A play is considered dead once the ball is thrown from the outfield to the infield. At that time if a base runner is at least halfway to the next base, the runner can advance to that base.
  15. Base runners can only advance one base on an overthrow (unless coaches agree not to allow this).
  16. Double plays will be permitted.
  17. No tagging on fly balls.
  18. One coach is allowed to pitch (and should stand between 35 and 40 feet from home plate), one is allowed to catch, and you can use coaches as first and third base during offense. One coach must be in the dugout to monitor and control the bench.
  19. During defense two coaches are allowed in the outfield, if necessary. However, that coach must not move into the infield playing area or touch the ball.
  20. Outs will be decided by the coach of the batting team.

If a rule is not covered here, then the Official Little League rules apply.

Additional Comments Regarding Coach Pitch Games

  • Mangers/Coaches are encouraged to give all players a chance to play multiple positions. A single player should not play pitcher for the entire game. The mission of Coach Pitch is to develop all of the players and maintain their interest so they continue playing LL Baseball as they get older.
  • Mangers/Coaches should be aware when one team may be more talented or one team may be very young, and the team with the older/better players should start challenging the hitters more by having the pitcher either throwing harder or standing further away. We do not want games where one team scores 4 or 5 runs every inning.