Elementary Majors Rules

Elementary Majors Rules

• General Game/League Info
  • Teams must have at least 7 players.  If a team is going to be short, coaches can contact the league president to assist with a call up from the Elementary Minors Division
  • Regulation game will be 6 innings.  Game must go at least 3 and a half innings if the home team is winning or 4 innings if visitors are ahead to be an official game.
  • Once the game has become official, if a team is leading by 12 or more runs the game will be over.  If team that is losing would like to continue the game, score will no longer be kept 
  • There will be a 5 run rule for all innings except the final inning (6th inning or mutually agreed last inning due to time constraints).  Once the 5th run of an inning has been scored and play complete, teams will switch.
  • No top of an inning will start more than 1 hour and 45 minutes after the first pitch of the game and no game will last longer than 2 hours.
  • If game does not become official within the time limit or weather related, it will be continued at a later date from the point of suspension
  • Unless injured, no player can sit out more than one inning in a row and all players must play at least one inning in the infield in the first 3 innings and 2 in the infield if we play a complete game
• Equipment
  • Fielding masks must be worn by fielders at pitcher and third base.  We encourage them to be worn by all other fielders.
  • Catchers should have their equipment on and ready to go if they are not hitting or on base and must wear all equipment (helmet, chest protector, shin guards, and glove)
  • All players must wear a batting helmet with safety mask while at bat, on deck, running the bases, or coaching bases
  • No jewelry of any kind is to be worn by players.  Earrings may be covered by tape or bandages.
  • Teams will use 11 inch official ASA softballs
  • Only official softball bats are permitted
  • No metal cleats are allowed
• Pitching
  • The pitching rubber will be set at 35 feet, if a pitcher needs to move in, they can take a full step in front per coaches/umpire discretion 
  • No player may pitch more than 4 innings in a game
  • Players will pitch with one of three outcomes, a batted ball in play, a walk after 4 balls or strikeout at 3 strikes
  • Windmill pitching is allowed
• Batting
  • Base paths will be 55 feet
  • No slap bunting will be allowed
  • Sliding is encourage to avoid collisions at bases
  • Stealing will not be allowed to start the season ***We will considering adding mid season***
  • We will use a continuous batting order
  • Teams can utilize a courtesy runner for the catcher.  The courtesy runner must be the player who made the last recorded out.
  • Baserunners must wait for the ball to be hit before leaving the base
• Fielding
  • Teams can have 10 players in the field: pitcher, catcher, 4 infielders at normal positions, 4 outfielders
  • Max of one base advancement on an overthrow
  • No advancement of baserunners once the pitcher has the ball. If a player is between bases, they can only advance if they are more than halfway to the next base.
• Other
  • This league promotes positive play.  Anyone at the field (coaches, players and team followers) is prohibited from harassing any individual player or umpire verbally or physically (all players and parents have signed Code of Ethics Form from City of Beverly which prohibits these actions). Chanting in unison against your opponent is not allowed, only positive chanting for your team is allowed. SWING is not to be said by the catcher or any other person during the actual pitch.