U9

U9 Rules

Effective April 6, 2023

Objectives:

• Creating a fun environment for children to learn softball

• Developing sportsmanship, teamwork and a sense of fair play

• Increasing skill and understanding of the game of softball

• To Focus on the core skill Development and fundamentals of Softball

   

  Diamond dimensions:

   

• Base path distance: 45 feet (63 feet from home to 2nd)

• Pitching distance: 30 feet

   

  Ball:

   

• 11” Softie ball

   

  Equipment:

   

• Players provide their own glove and running shoes

• Helmets with cage and chin strap worn by all batters, base runners, and on deck batters. Players are encouraged to have their own

• Catcher’s equipment, bats, balls, bases etc. all provided by home association

• Infielders masks are required

   

  Game Information

   

• 1 Game weekly on Wednesdays

• Teams are to have a maximum of 10 players and a minimum of 6 - any Teams with more than 10 players must be approved by GEMSA

• Defensively up to 10 players are allowed on the field and a minimum of 6 players

• All Players are to bat in order

• Game Start time 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM; no new inning after 7:20 PM

• Maximum 5 innings

• Maximum 5 runs scored per each offensive inning

• Maximum 3 outs per inning

• No Bunting

• No Walks?

• No Stealing

• Base advancement is restricted to hitting. There is no stealing, or advancing on pass balls

• Base advancement may continue on a hit - once the ball is brought back into the infield, runner advancement stops, advancement is not to occur on an overthrow. Example - ball is hit thru to left field, batter runs past 1st and makes it to 2nd, left field overthrows 3rd base, batter/runner must stop at 2nd

   

  May: Coach Pitch

   

• Pitching coach will pitch a maximum of 5 balls per batter (except if the 5th pitch is hit foul, see more

• below). The batter can swing at all 5, or none. Encourage players to swing at ‘good’ pitches and leave the bad ones. The coach assisting the batter can help out the catcher as needed.

• If the batter has not put the ball in play after the 5th pitch, a tee will be set up by the coach for the player to hit from.

• If a batter fouls off the 5th pitched ball, the coach will keep pitching. If they miss the 6th pitch following a foul, the tee is set up for the batter. (i.e. Batter cannot be out on a foul ball)

• The coach pitcher should be aware to protect the player next to them from a ‘come back’ line drive, if possible.

   

  June: Player Pitch

   

• Player will start to pitch this month but this will be a ‘no walk’ format of play:

• If the batter receives 4 balls from the opposing pitcher, the batting team’s coach will pitch to their own batter. If, at the time the coach steps in to pitch, there are:

  • no strikes, the coach will pitch up to 3 balls.

  • 1 strike, the coach will pitch up to 2 balls.

  • 2 strikes, the coach will pitch 1 ball

• The batter must swing on the pitches the coach throws. If the player hits, they proceed to their base as usual. If they don’t hit and the coach is out of balls, they have struck out. If they foul their final ball from the coach, they will receive another pitch.

   

  GEMSA Finals

   

• GEMSA Finals will be hosted in June, using the June play format.