Corning Little League

THE FIELD is roughly two-thirds the size of a baseball field. Many Little League games are played on softball fields, which use similar dimensions. The bases are 60 feet apart (as opposed to 90 feet in baseball), and the pitcher stands 46 feet from the batter (not 60 feet 6 inches). The outfield fence must be at least 165 feet from the plate, and most fields have fences closer to 200 feet away.

EVERY PLAYER on a Little League roster must play at least two innings in the field and bat at least one time. To ensure each player a chance, Little League allows players who leave the game to re-enter, provided their substitutes have played their two innings and batted. The re-entry rule differs in tournament play.

THE GAME is six innings long (not nine). If it rains, an “official” game is four innings (instead of five), 3½ if the home team is ahead. In most leagues and in tournament play, the game ends if one side holds a ten-run lead in an official game.

THE BATTER is automatically out on strike three in Little League, whether or not the catcher holds on to the third strike.

DESIGNATED HITTERS do not exist in Little League Baseball. All nine fielders bat in their proper turn, just like in the National League.

BASE RUNNERS must stay on their bases until the pitched ball has been batted or reaches the batter. If a runner leaves a base ahead of time, the runner’s advance, and the advance of every runner on base at the time, is restricted to no more than how far the batter advances as the result of his safe hit.

DOUBLE HEADERS (two games involving the same team or teams) may be scheduled no more than once per calendar week (Sunday through Saturday), except when one game is the completion of a suspended tie game.

PITCHERS are limited in how much they can pitch. A pitcher aged 11 or 12 may not pitch more than 85 pitches in a day; 9- and 10-year-olds are restricted to 75 pitches in a day; 8-year-olds and younger are limited to 50 pitches in a day. Rest periods following a pitching appearance are determined by the number of pitches thrown that day.

THE MANAGER is allowed two visits to a pitcher during an inning, one more than in regular baseball. A third trip in one inning or a fourth trip in the game mandates the pitcher’s removal.