League Rules:
Official PONY Pinto League Rules for will govern play except for the following exceptions:
• League Play will start at the same time as the older baseball leagues and continue until the middle of June. Pinto 7/8 Tournament Teams will not be permitted to participate in Outside Tournaments until the regular season is over, unless approved by the Board of Directors.
• Participants will be divided into teams of no more than twelve (12) players/team and will be formed in the following manner:
• Parents may request that participants be placed with friends/neighbors at registration time. On any individual team a manager may have 2 players placed on
the team that were requested to do so in addition to the manager's child or children, if applicable. Requests made after teams have been formed will not be honored.
• Remaining participants will be listed by birth date (descending). The number of teams will be put in a hat and the managers will draw to determine the order of assignment of players. Starting with team one; the unassigned players will be divided among teams starting at the top of the list and continuing to the end of the list until all players are assigned to a team.
• A practice schedule will be provided by the SVBSA for each team.
• Games will be played between teams. A game schedule will be provided by the SVBSA .
• The playing field will be lined with hash marks halfway between each base (first to second, second to third and third to home). Play is stopped either by a play at any base or when an infielder has possession of the ball while in the infield and in fair territory. An outfielder cannot stop play in the infield. Any runners that have advanced at least halfway to the next base may attempt to advance to that next base. If the runner did not reach the halfway line when play was stopped, the runner must return to the previous base. At any time, the defensive team may attempt to make a play on any runner attempting to advance to the next base.
• Use of Pony League approved bats USA Bat stamped 2-5/8" diameter barrel and smaller are to be used. All other bats are prohibited.
• Ten (10) players will play defensively. There must be four outfielders. The use of a “short” fielder in the infield instead of the outfield is prohibited.
• All players should play both infield and outfield positions during games. No player may play more than two (2) innings in any one position.
• Games will consist of six (6) innings or maximum two-hour time limit.
• Each inning will end after the batting team makes three (3) outs or scores five (5) runs, whichever comes first. SCORES ARE NOT KEPT EXCEPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER A TEAM HAS SCORED FIVE (5) RUNS IN AN INNING.
• Continuous batting order will be used.
• There will be free substitutions and under no circumstances shall a player sit out of the game more than one inning consecutively and two innings in a six inning game. Playing time should be equalized.
• The batting tee will not be used in games.
• No base stealing will be permitted. Sliding must occur at all bases (except first) when a play is being made at that base.
• A runner may not slide head first while advancing to the next base. If a runner Violates this rule the runner is called out. The runner can go head first into a base if they are going back to a previous base
• One coach is permitted on the field for the defensive team for the purpose of instruction only.
• There will not be a post-season tournament. Each participant will receive a participation trophy.
• Spring Competitive, in-house, and tournament ball players ages 7-12 SHALL wear a batting helmet facemask for protection.
Seven Year Old Specific Rules:
• Coaches will pitch to the players on his/her team. Each batter will receive a maximum of eight (8) pitches. No bases on balls will be recorded. There must be a defensive player with one foot in the pitching circle prior to any pitched ball.
• Strikes will not be called. Players are encouraged to swing.
• There will be no player pitch in the seven (7) year old league.
Eight Year Old Specific Rules:
• Coaches will pitch to their own players for the first half of the season. Coaches and eight (8) year-olds will pitch the second half of the season. The eight-year-old players must pitch a minimum of the first three innings, maximum of four innings. Each eight-year-old is permitted to pitch a maximum of thirty pitches or two innings, whichever comes first. When an eight-year-old is pitching, the eight-year-old will pitch the first 4 pitches to the batter and the coach will pitch the remaining four if needed.
• Strikes will be called when the eight-year-old pitches to encourage the batter to swing and to reinforce the pitcher's conception of balls and strikes and the strike zone. Strikes will be called by the coach pitcher from behind the pitcher's mound. Three strikes will constitute an out.
• 8 year old pitchers will pitch from a portable pitching rubber set at 40’ from home plate. This rubber need not be elevated or placed on a mound. It will be placed on the flat infield.