PINTO LEAGUE – Abridged Rules

COACHES

  1. Players or adult volunteers who engage in unsportsmanlike conduct, such as fighting, abusive language or similarly derogatory activity may be suspended for one or more games.
  2. Coaches who are pitching cannot provide verbal instructions to base runners nor the batter once he starts his throwing motion.
  3. Base coaches are not allowed to physically assist runners at any time (i.e. stopping runners, assisting runners back onto a base or to the next base). PENALTY: Physically assisted runner is called out.

GAME LENGTH

  1. No inning shall begin after one hour and twenty minutes. Once play has begun in a game, if time has not expired, the game shall be played to regulation length of six innings, unless the home team is leading and does not need its half of the final inning. If a game is tied after six innings, it shall continue into extra innings until a decision is reached, time expires, or the game is called by the umpire.
  2. Teams shall not score more than five runs per inning except in the sixth or extra inning, where they may score ten runs. Games shall be considered over when it is mathematically impossible for one team to catch up in six innings.

BATTING

1. The entire roster of players present for the game shall bat in rotation.
2. All players on each team shall bat in a fixed batting order. The batting order shall not change once the

game starts unless noted otherwise herein.
3. If a player leaves a game for any reason, that player’s position in the batting order will be skipped without

an out being recorded. If a player is ejected, then that player’s position in the batting order will be

recorded as an out.
4. The batting order for each team shall be presented to the official scorekeeper before the game begins.

Any player that arrives after the game has started shall bat in its original batting order position, if that position has not batted in the game yet. Otherwise, the position is skipped in the batting order without penalty, and the late arriving player is placed at the bottom of the batting order. The official scorekeeper and the umpire shall be informed of any late player additions or changes proactively before the late arriving player enters the game.

5. Batters are not permitted to bunt.
6. The batter shall be called out after failing to hit the ball after three swings. The batter will be out after

six total pitches, except on a foul on the sixth pitch they will be awarded a seventh pitch.

FIELDING

  1. A maximum of 9 and a minimum of 7 players shall be used defensively. When using 8 or less defensive players, the catcher position shall be optional. The maximum of three outfielders must be positioned 15 feet behind the baselines, until the batter bats the ball.
  2. Fielders must stand at their intended position location. Major shifts are not allowed. All infielders must stand in the dirt area until the ball is batted. Players fielding at the Pitcher position must have at least one foot on the dirt mound area.
  3. No player may play more than a combined total of two innings at pitcher and/or first base in one game. It is recommended that all players are allowed to play at different positions in each game.

These abridged rules are intended to be a handy “crib sheet” only and are absolutely NOT the complete set of rules.
All managers, coaches and parents should read the full PONY Baseball Rules & Regulations as well as the TSA Supplement which are available on the league website.

PINTO LEAGUE – Abridged Rules

  1. Only the first baseman is permitted to field the batted ball and make the out at first base unassisted. When other players endeavor to make an out at first base, the ball must be thrown overhand to the player covering first base, unless proximity warrants an underhand toss. Exception: The only situation in which the pitcher can make the unassisted out on the batter-runner is if the ball is fielded by the pitcher in a location that allows the pitcher to tag the batter-runner without taking more than one step from the time the ball is fielded.
  2. When an errant throw is made to first base in an attempt to make an out on the batter/runner, the runners may attempt to advance only one base, at their risk. In these instances we want to encourage the fielders to attempt to throw the runner out at second base, so in the case of an overthrow at first base only on a subsequent overthrow to second base the runners may not advance further. On any other errant throws there is no limit on how far runners may advance.
  3. It is REQUIRED that each player play in a similar number of innings defensively. No player should be held out two innings defensively unless every player was held out at least one inning. Exceptions may be allowed in extreme cases of injury, disciplinary actions, special parental requests or other extenuating circumstances that both managers agree to.

BASE RUNNING

1. Base runners are not permitted to steal bases and shall remain in contact with the base until ball is hit. PENALTY: If a runner is off the base and the ball is hit, the runner is out and the ball is in play. If the ball is not hit, the runner must return to the base and the ball is dead.

EQUIPMENT

1. All batters & catchers are required to wear protective headgear with facemasks.
2. If in the judgment of the umpire a player abuses or mistreats any equipment (i.e. slings a bat while batting, throws a bat after a strikeout, etc.), the player will be warned not to do so again. If in the judgment of the umpire the same player abuses or mistreats any equipment a second time in the same

game, the player shall be declared out and no runners will be allowed to advance.

These abridged rules are intended to be a handy “crib sheet” only and are absolutely NOT the complete set of rules.
All managers, coaches and parents should read the full PONY Baseball Rules & Regulations as well as the TSA Supplement which are available on the league website.

PINTO LEAGUE – Abridged Rules

TSA Fundamentals of Sportsmanship Code

The major benefits derived from a child’s participation in competitive athletics are the development of sportsmanlike attitudes and values such as honesty, fair play, and citizenship. Having a good attitude, being a good winner and loser, respecting the official’s decisions, playing by the rules and giving maximum effort are commonly considered good sportsmanlike conduct. In youth sports settings, important role models for children include parents, coaches, officials, and professional athletes.

Sportsmanship is an honorable quality that desires to be courteous, fair, and respectful. It is a blending of cheers for the “home team” and applause for the “visitors”, observing the letter and spirit of the rules, and showing consideration for opponents. It is playing by the code of conduct, “treat other participants and spectators as you would want to be treated.”

Parents and participants in TSA activities are expected to know understand and conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the following code:

Fundamentals of Sportsmanship:

I will:
1. Remember that children participate to have fun and the game is for youth, not adults.
2. Show respect and support for all players, coaches, officials and spectators at all times.
3. Learn, understand, and appreciate the rules of the game.
4. Maintain self-control and set a good example for players and spectators to follow.
5. Recognize and appreciate skill in performance regardless of affiliation.
6. Be no party to the use of profanity, obscene language or improper actions.
7. Instruct participants and spectators in proper sportsmanship responsibilities and demand that they make Sportsmanship the No. 1 priority.
8. Refrain from arguments in front of players and spectators.
9. Abstain from throwing any objects in disgust.
10. Never ridicule or yell at my child or other participant for making a mistake or losing a competition.

These abridged rules are intended to be a handy “crib sheet” only and are absolutely NOT the complete set of rules.
All managers, coaches and parents should read the full PONY Baseball Rules & Regulations as well as the TSA Supplement which are available on the league website.

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