🥎 Softball

Minor Softball — Ages 9–11

2026 RNLL Local Rules. These supplement — and do not replace — the official Little League® Regulations.

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Sections

  1. An 11 year old should only play Minor if no previous play
  2. A 12 year old with no experience may elect to play in the Minor division
  1. Game time limit is one (1) hour and 30 minutes, or six (6) completed innings, whichever occurs first. No new inning may start after the time limit is reached. If the time limit is reached during an inning, the home team will be allowed to complete their inning
  2. Teams may start and play a game with only eight (8) players. The opposing team will not be required to reduce their lineup (defense or offense) to eight players.
  3. In the event of a player not being able to complete a season, and the team roster drops below ten, a replacement will be determined by the player agents. There will be no replacement of a player lost during the last two weeks of the season nor during the post-season tournament unless the team roster drops below nine.
  4. Temporary Replacement: If there is a time when only 7 players show, on a case-by-case basis, there may be the opportunity for a temporary replacement to make a team of 8 in order to avoid forfeit. The replacement player may not pitch or catch. This must be approved prior to the game by a player agent.
  5. The first baseman, pitcher, and third baseman will be required to wear a facemask, and all batters are required to wear a helmet with a face mask. Bats must meet Little League specifications and standards (Rule 1.10) (USA Softball bat stamps are allowed, 2 ¼ barrel diameter, BPF 1.20, Damaged bats will be removed)
  1. 12-year olds may NOT pitch in interleague games.
  2. A player may pitch a maximum of 8 innings in one week. Until the end of the month of April, a player may pitch a maximum of 4 innings in a game. Delivery of a single pitch constitutes having pitched in an inning. A week is defined as Sunday through Saturday. Game Changer will serve as the official pitching log.
  3. Pitchers will pitch off of the pitcher plate, 35 feet from home plate.
  4. Coaches may call pitches.
  5. Intentional walks are not allowed.
  1. Courtesy runners for the pitcher or catcher are allowed with two outs. The last batted out is eligible as a courtesy runner.
  2. Runners may advance until the ball is in the control of an infielder.
  3. Stealing bases is allowed, but the runner may only leave the base once the pitched ball reaches the batter, with a limit of one base, including an overthrow. On a passed ball, or overthrow to the pitcher, a runner may advance one base.
  4. Runners may steal home or take home on a passed ball.
  5. No dropped 3rd strike.
  1. Inning Limitation: Each half-inning shall end upon the earlier of:
  2. the scoring of five (5) runs, or
  3. the recording of three (3) outs, except as provided below.
  4. Trailing Team Exception: If the offensive team is trailing at any time during its half-inning, it may score more than five (5) runs. The team may continue scoring until it obtains a lead of five (5) runs. The half-inning shall then end immediately upon the earlier of:
  5. the offensive team obtaining a five (5) run lead, or
  6. (b) the recording of three (3) outs.
  7. Example: If a team begins its half-inning trailing 10–2, it may score up to thirteen (13) runs to obtain a 15–10 lead. The half-inning ends immediately upon reaching the five (5) run lead or upon the third out, whichever occurs first.
  8. Time Limitation: No new inning shall begin after the allotted game time has expired. If time expires during the visiting team’s half-inning, that half-inning shall be completed (subject to this rule). The home team shall then complete its corresponding half-inning unless the home team is leading at the conclusion of the visiting half-inning, in which case the game shall be final. If the home team takes the lead during its half-inning after time has expired, the game shall end immediately.
  1. The entire team is in the batting order, even if the player is not in the field during that inning. Batting order will remain the same throughout the entire game, and will not be affected by substitutions.
  2. Batter is awarded first base if hit by pitch, even if there have been 3 walks permitted in the half inning (see pitching rules).
  3. Slash bunting is not allowed
  4. During each team’s first four (4) games of the regular season, batters will not walk. Rather, after four (4) balls, the hitting player’s coach will pitch up to three balls to the batter, with the existing count carrying over. If the batter does not put the ball in play after three pitches, the batter is out. A batter will receive another pitch if they foul off strike three/final coach pitch. In the case that one team has already completed four games and their opponent has not, the team managers will come to an agreement prior to beginning the game whether or not to use coach pitch.
  5. During coach pitch the following rules apply:
  6. Bunting is not allowed, runners may not steal, and runners may not advance on a passed ball.
  7. If the coach is struck by the batted ball (or interferes with a fielder attempting to field the ball) the batter is out and all runners return to the base occupied at time of pitch.
  8. On game 5 and beyond, upon four pitched balls, the batter will walk. There will be a maximum of three walks in a half inning. After the third walk, if the pitcher delivers 4 balls to a hitter prior to recording 3 strikes or a ball in play, the number of strikes will carry over and the offensive coach will deliver however many remaining strikes to the batter. If the batter fails to put the ball in play, the batter is out.
  9. For the entire season, during coach pitch the following rules apply:
  10. Bunting is not allowed, runners may not steal, and runners may not advance on a passed ball.
  11. If the coach is struck by the batted ball (or interferes with a fielder attempting to field the ball) the batter is out and all runners return to the base occupied at time of pitch.
  1. The defensive team shall consist of ten players on the field, with four players in the outfield.
  2. The defensive team must position players in an umbrella formation in the outfield, at least 15 feet off the infield; use of a rover or short fielder is not allowed. Standard infield positions must be used.
  3. When the offensive coach is pitching, the pitcher must remain within 3 feet of the pitching rubber.
  4. Each player shall play at least one (1) inning in the infield each game. If this is not met, then the player will start the next game in the infield and play two consecutive innings at the same infield position. Exceptions may be made for purposes related to player safety (with prior approval of the Division Liaison and Player Agent).
  1. Each player shall play at least one (1) inning in the infield each game. If this is not met, then the player will start the next game in the infield and play two consecutive innings at the same infield position. Exceptions may be made for purposes related to player safety (with prior approval of the Division Liaison and Player Agent).
  2. Every player on a team roster will participate for a minimum of nine defensive outs and bat at least one time per game. If a player does not bat at least one time in a game, the player must start the next scheduled game and bat at least two times in that game.
  1. Regular season record will determine tournament seeding. If there is a tie, a coin flip will determine seeding. The highest seeded team will be the home team.
  2. The five up rule will not apply and a ten run mercy rule will be in effect after the fourth inning.
  3. In the event of a tie after the time limit or the sixth inning, a runner will be placed on second base. The runner will be the player who was the last out in the previous inning.
Rules sourced from Google Docs · Updated automatically · Last fetched 5/20/2026, 6:37:59 PM