The PCL division of Alpine Little League is generally for players league age 10 and 11 who have met all player evaluation eligibility requirements. All playing rules described in the Little League Official Rules apply to the PCL Division unless otherwise amended below.
As a Manager/Coach you should be sure to also be familiar with the Little League Official Rules. We cannot possibly include all rules here.
ATTENDANCE/FORFEITS
Please review the Player Pool Policy & Procedures for detailed rules and procedures regarding minimum players required to play to avoid a forfeit and minimum roster rules and how to obtain replacement players.
COMPLETE GAME
Time Limit - Rule 4.10(a) & (c)
The maximum number of innings is 6. During the regular season, no new inning shall start after 1 hour and 45 minutes have elapsed following the game’s actual starting time. The start time will be agreed to by the managers and Head umpire at the plate meeting. An inning starts the moment that the third out is made completing the preceding inning. If the time limit is reached and the home team is ahead, the game will be called after the last half inning. Games reaching this maximum time limit shall be considered regulation games even if less than 4 innings are played.
If a game is called by the umpire (e.g., for darkness, weather etc.) prior to the time limit, it shall count as a regulation game if 4 innings have been played. If a game is called by an umpire before 4 innings have been played and before the time limit has been reached, it shall resume exactly where it left off if and when and if it can be rescheduled.
Game Rescheduling
The decision whether or not to reschedule games called before they are complete rests with the PCL Division Commissioner and the Vice President, who assists with scheduling. It is possible that not all PCL games scheduled at the start of the season will be played. More details are in the Alpine LL Local Rules.
Tie games allowed - Modification of Rule 4.10(b)
Tie games are permitted during PCL regular season play but not during playoffs.
Mercy Rule - Rule 4.10(e)
Rule 4.10(e) is in effect meaning there will be a mercy rule that applies if one team is ahead by 8 runs after 5 innings, 10 runs after 4 innings or 15 runs after 3 innings. When Rule 4.10(e) has been declared, the game of record officially ends. After which, play can be extended up to 6 complete innings at the sole discretion of the losing manager. Pitching rules remain in effect. Umpires shall remain on duty. The intention of this rule is to assure that Mandatory Play requirements are achieved for all players. New pitchers are encouraged during “extended play.”
Suspensions - Rule 3.11(b) and 4.01(d)
As soon as the plate meeting concludes, the head umpire becomes the sole judge as to whether and when play shall be suspended during a game because of unsuitable weather conditions or the unfit condition of the playing field; as to whether and when play shall be resumed; and as to whether and when a game shall be terminated after suspension.
MANDATORY PLAY
Defense
All players present at the start of the game must play a minimum of 3 complete defensive full innings if their team plays 5 innings and 4 complete defensive innings if their team plays 6 innings. Further, at least one full inning must be played in the infield by the end of the 4th inning and at least 2 full innings must be played in the infield if 6 full innings are played. Every player must sit one (1) inning before any player sits two (2) innings. If the visiting team could have complied with this rule had it played defense in the bottom of the 4th/5th/6th inning (i.e. the home team won the game before it batted in the final inning), the visiting team will not be considered to have violated this rule. The 3/4 defensive inning requirement is reduced by the number of full or partial innings of defense a late arriving or early leaving player missed. The inning in the infield requirement is not reduced.
The manager or coach shall inform the Player Agent of any player who fails to play a minimum of 3 or 4 innings as described above for any reason (including illness/injury or disciplinary). Such notification shall be made prior to the next scheduled game for that team.
As provided in Regulation IV(i) Note 3, if a half-inning ends because of the imposition of the “Five-Run Rule” described below and a player on the defense has played for the entire half-inning, that player will be considered to have participated for 3 consecutive outs for the purposes of the mandatory play rule. However, if the player has not played on defense for the entire inning, that player will be credited only as having played for the number of outs that occurred while the player was used defensively.
Offense/Continuous Batting Order - Rule 4.04 - All players must bat throughout the game (continuous batting order).
PLAYING RULES
Adults on the Field - Rules 3.09, 3.17 & 4.05
No one except eligible players in uniform, manager and not more than two coaches shall occupy the bench or dugout. Only two base coaches are allowed on the field when their team is batting. All other managers/coaches should remain in the dugout. Rule 3.09 provides that managers/coaches must not warm up a pitcher at home plate or in the bull pen or elsewhere at any time. And that, while warming up in the bullpen, no adult, even a coach, is permitted to serve as the safety or backup for the session. The manager should appoint an unused player for this purpose. Consistent with the updated Little League Rule Rule 3.09, Alpine LL permits a coach to assist by catching a pitcher warming up either in the bullpen or on the mound. As soon as the catcher is in his/her gear, the catcher shall take over.
Players During Warm-Up and On-Deck
Any player at home plate during warm ups while a coach is hitting must have a catching helmet on during this time. This is for the safety of the player and not open to interpretation.
There is no on-deck position allowed. The only player allowed to swing a bat during a game is the batter. Other players cannot practice swinging anywhere else on or off the field during the game.
Slash Bunting Prohibited
If a batter indicates he will be bunting at the time before the pitcher delivers the pitch, he must either complete the bunt attempt or withdraw the bat for a no swing. He cannot attempt a full swing after any physical indication of his intent to bunt. If the batter does attempt a swing, the pitch is a called strike, the ball shall be called dead, and a warning shall be issued to the batter and his manager. Bases cannot be stolen. The batter will be called out for any repeat violations.
Sliding - Rule 7.08
A runner will be considered out if they slide head-first to advance a base. Head first sliding is only allowed going back to a base.
“Dropped” third strike - Rule 6.05(b)
In the PCL Division, a third strike, whether dropped or not, is an out; however, the ball remains live for runners already on base.
No Stealing Home/No score on passed ball. This rule to be suspended following Spring Break.
A runner on third may only score on a bases loaded walk or when a batted ball permits him to score.
Examples:
A runner on third cannot score on an errant throw back to the pitcher.
In a situation with runners on first and third, the runner on first can steal and the catcher can attempt to throw the runner out at second base. The runner on third can NOT steal home.
If a runner steals third and the ball is overthrown, the runner can go home. The runner is considered to be advancing on an error and this is not considered stealing home.
PCL Pitching Rules
Alpine LL recommends that pitchers are rotated as often as possible in order to develop youth pitchers on the team. To encourage this at the younger divisions we have adopted the following restrictions.
· In PCL, every pitcher, regardless of age, is limited to a maximum of 60 pitches per game (50 pitches in March) or 3 innings/9 outs, whichever comes first. For example, if a pitcher enters a game when there are already 2 outs and gets the third out, the pitcher can still pitch 2-2/3 additional innings.
· Every player (unless the player opts out to the coach), should pitch a minimum of 3 outings per season that are the shorter of 1 inning or 25 pitches every 4 games. Days of rest rules apply.
Five-Run Rule - Rule 5.07 - An inning is three (3) outs, or five (5) runs, whichever happens first, for the first 5 innings of the game. There is no five (5) run limit in the 6th innings.
Illegal Pitch - Rule 8.05 -Alpine LL does not enforce Rule 8.05 for an illegal pitch at the PCL level.
Infield Fly Rule - There is no Infield Fly rule in PCL or lower divisions.
No Courtesy Runner - Alpine LL does not permit courtesy runners for pitchers and catchers in the PCL Division.