Single A Division Information (excerpt from the 2018 Folsom American Little League By-Laws)
Games:
No new inning shall start after one hour and forty-five minutes or at the conclusion of the 6th inning. The home team Manager will log the starting time of each game. If there is time for an inning to begin, then the entire inning must be played unless the game is called on account of darkness or inclement weather.
For every inning, each team may bat until three (3) outs are obtained or five (5) runs are scored, whichever occurs first.
All games will be played using the Local League provided ball.
Distance between bases is sixty (60) feet. Distance between home plate and pitcher’s mound rubber is forty (40) feet.
A coach or approved volunteer must be in the dugout at all times during the game.
Game scores are not kept during the game.
No team standings shall be maintained or published in any way.
Player statistics shall not be maintained.
Offensive Play/Batting:
The Offensive team shall supply first and third base adult coaches who will assist the runners on base and shall call all plays on the bases. A player may assist an adult coach at first base, but no player is allowed to assist a base coach at 3rd base. All players assisting the adult base coach at first base must wear a batting helmet.
The Offensive team shall supply a coach who is permitted on the field to act as a pitcher when necessary.
Teams shall bat their entire roster. The batting order shall not be changed during the game however, each inning shall start with the person who was on deck from the previous inning unless the third out was made by a base runner, in which case the current batter would begin the next offensive inning. If a Player arrives late to a game, but in time to bat in his/her original slot, then that Player will bat in the original slot shown on the line-up. If a Player arrives late and is unable to bat in his/her original lineup slot, that Player will be placed at the end of the batting lineup.
Batters are to be encouraged to hit the ball into play. There shall be no bases on balls or bases awarded as a result of a player being hit by a pitched ball.
Any batter who throws the bat will be warned that if he/she throws the bat a second time in the game he/she will be called out. The batter shall be called out the first time the bat is thrown if it hits anyone.
Bunting is not allowed.
Leading off and stealing bases is not allowed.
The infield fly rule will not apply.
Runners shall not advance to the next base on any overthrown balls to first base unless the ball goes out of the field of play. If the ball goes out of the field of play then the runner may advance one base.
A player may slide into any base, other than first, on any close play. A runner may only slide feet first. No head first sliding is permitted. Any player who slides head first shall be called out.
When a player hits a ball into the field of play that player may advance to any base with the risk of being called out by force or tag. Once the coach pitcher/umpire feels that the ball is controlled by one of the defensive team’s infielders and they are not making an attempt to put out a runner then he/she shall halt play. Once play is halted then any runners on base will go back to or advance to the base they were closest to when play was halted.
Defensive Play:
Up to two (2) adult defensive coaches are permitted on the field to assist the players.
Each team will field players at traditional defensive infield positions, with a Pitcher, Catcher, 1st Base, 2nd Base, Short Stop, 3rd Base, and four (4) outfielders, so as to have ten (10) defensive players on the field at any one time.
Outfield positions must be played in the outfield. Outfield players shall not be permitted to crowd into the infield and shall not be permitted to run into the infield to field a batted ball that would normally be handled by an infielder. The outfielder is allowed to field a ball in the infield only after the infielder attempted to make a play.
A Catcher must wear all the proper protective equipment (Helmet, Mask, Throat Guard, Chest Protector, and Leg Protection). The catcher is to play in the normal position behind home plate.
The Pitcher must begin within five (5) feet of the pitching rubber when a coach is pitching.
Each Player, in every game, must play at least two (2) defensive innings as an infielder. Infield positions include Pitcher, Catcher, 1st Base, 2ndBase, Short Stop, and 3rd Base. There will be no exceptions unless a player is injured and leaves the game or the Manager makes alternative arrangements with the consent of the President, Vice President of Divisions, or Player Agent. Parents shall be notified of any change made to the application of this rule.
No player shall sit out more than two (2) innings per game unless requested by the player’s parent, due to illness, or injury.
A player may not play the same defensive position in more than two (2) innings in a game. This rule applies to all positions and to all players.
Pitching:
Pitching will be facilitated by use of player pitch and coach pitch. Each team shall utilize player/coach pitching throughout the entire game.
The Pitcher must pitch from the pitching mound rubber. If provided, all teams will use the portable pitching mound
No balks will be called in this division.
The strike zone for this Division will be from the batter’s shoulders to knees and the width of two balls on either side of home plate.
From the first game of the Season until the end of the season the following will be required:
- Pitcher shall throw five (5) pitches, or until the ball is put into play by the batter. The coach pitcher/umpire shall call any balls or strikes.
- If the coach pitcher/umpire calls any combination of 3 swinging and/or called strikes the batter will be out. This applies to pitches thrown by the player pitcher or the coach pitcher/umpire.
- If the coach pitcher/umpire calls three balls thrown by the pitcher the coach pitcher/umpire will throw up to three (3) additional pitches or until the ball is put into play.
- If the batter does not put the ball into play on the third coach pitched ball then the batter shall be called out unless the batter fouls the third (3rd) pitch thrown by the coach. If the batter fouls the third (3rd) pitch thrown by the coach he/she will continue to receive pitches as long as he fouls off additional pitches or the batter swings and misses at a pitch or puts the ball in fair play, whichever comes first.
- The Coach must pitch from 1 knee.
The maximum pitching per game for a player is 2 innings.
Any player pitcher who hits three (3) batters in a game must be replaced by another pitcher.
The coach pitcher/umpire shall stay on the mound with the player pitcher to assist him/her. This coach is responsible for making calls on all plays at home plate and for calling balls and strikes on all pitches thrown.
The coach shall only pitch overhand, from a knee/bucket, and from a distance that will give the batter ample time to react to the ball. The coach is encouraged to pitch a strike to the player no matter how the player swings to teach proper swing to the player.
Coaches that willfully violate any of rules set forth in the Single A Division playing rules are subject to disciplinary action including suspension.