Pinto National Rules (Kid Pitch)
2025 Spring Season
Bats MUST BE USA stamped.
The following Rules are in addition to the basic baseball rules as contained in the Pony League Rulebook AND the PONY Pinto Division Rulebook. In the event of a conflict, THESE Rules shall control:
- GAME STARTS:
- The Manager or a Coach MUST have the team roster and the medical release forms for all players at each game.
- The home team is responsible for setting up the field and supplying two (2) new approved baseballs for each game.
- There shall be no practice on the infield prior to the game. All practice should take place in the outfield grass. No batting practice is allowed on the game field before the start of the game.
- UNIFORM:
- Each player shall be permanently assigned a uniform number at the beginning of the season.
- No team shall make changes to the league issued uniforms, without approval from the Division Director. If so, the manager and team will face disciplinary action. A player may buy and wear his own fitted cap as long as it has the same logo as the league issued cap, or an approved alternative. A player may also purchase pants as long as they are the same color as the team’s official colors.
- BAT REGULATIONS: An approved and stamped "USA" bat (not "USSSA") with a maximum barrel width of 2 5/8", must be used. Violation of this rule will constitute both the player and Head Coach being ejected. Clarification for 2025: Coaches shall make every effort to identify and remove illegal bats before the game begins, so that any potential issues may be resolved before a penalty would otherwise be levied against a player/coach. If a player comes to the plate with an illegal bat, the umpire or coaches shall ask the player to change bats. The illegal bat is ONLY deemed to have been "used in game" after a pitch is thrown to the batter - There is no penalty if the bat is changed before a pitch is thrown. In the event it is "realized after the fact" that the bat was illegal, the penalty cannot be enforced against the player/coach after a pitch has been thrown to the next batter. This is a safety rule, not a way for coaches to alter the outcome of a game by "waiting" to point out an illegal bat. Bats marked "T-Ball" are not illegal, as long as they have a proper USA stamp.
- COACHING:
- All coaches shall be adults and includes the Manager.
- Offensive team shall have at least three coaches: 1 coach at 1st base; 1 coach at 3rd base; and 1 coach in the dugout. Clarification for 2025: There is no penalty for a violation of this rule. Having three coaches is simply a "best practice" for the benefit of the players.
- BATTING ORDER:
- The batting order shall contain the entire roster of players.
- Teams will bat through their entire line-up regardless of any defensive player's turn to sit out during an inning.
- SIDE RETIRED & UNLIMITED INNING: Three outs or 5 runs, whichever occurs first. Unlimited runs are allowed in the last inning. If a game is approaching the time limit or darkness, the umpire may call "last inning" even if six (6) innings will not be completed. Managers are encouraged to talk to the umpire when the game is getting close to the time limit or darkness.
- REGULATION GAME:
- Each game will be six (6) innings. No new inning may be started after one hour and forty-five minutes (1:45) from the official start time of the game. Clarification for 2025: Games that are tied at the end of six (6) innings shall be reported as a tie for the sake of determining standings. There are no "extra innings" in the regular season. If the game is called due to darkness with the visiting team at-bat, the score shall revert to the previously completed inning. If the game is called due to darkness with the home team at-bat, the score shall revert to the previously completed inning if the home team is trailing, shall be recorded as a tie with both teams tied, or shall be recorded as a victory with the home team leading.
- There is a mercy rule in effect. Mercy rule applies if the home team is leading by 10 runs at the end of 4 or more complete innings. (Removed for 2025: There is no 3-inning mercy rule.)
- MANDATORY PLAYING TIME:
- No player shall sit on the bench for consecutive innings.
- No player shall sit two (2) innings in a game until all players have sat out at least one (1) inning.
- Any player not starting the game will start in the next scheduled game (injury, illness or discipline are exceptions).
- ALL players will play at least 1 inning in the infield.
- Clarification for 2025: There are no "in-game" penalties for violation of these rules during the regular season. Violations should be reported to the Division Director who will remind the coach of rules, and may elect to issue discipline for blatant/repeated violations. See the final bullet point in these rules for how penalties for a violation are assessed in the playoffs.
- STRIKE OUT/WALKS:
- Strike outs are permitted. Dropped third strike is a dead ball and the batter is out.
Removed for 2025: The strike zone will be enlarged during the beginning of the season from one ball outside of homeplate to one ball inside of homeplate, and from the shoulders to the knees. The strike zone will condense into a traditional strike zone as the season progresses.- Players shall be allowed to walk.
- Walked runs in are allowed and count as a run.
- When a batter is walked, the ball is dead. If the catcher fails to catch the ball, the player that was walked can not advance to second on that play.
- Removed for 2025:
When on defense, a coach may be positioned at the backstop behind the catcher. Their responsibility will be to get passed balls back to the pitcher which will help speed up the game. Coaches, please use your discretion when the offense has runners on base as to not disrupt any stealing.
- HIT BY PITCH:
- If the batter is hit by a pitched ball, the batter shall be awarded first base.
- If a single pitcher hits three (3) batters within an inning the pitcher must be pulled.
- HIT BY A BATTED BALL: If baserunner is hit by a batted ball, the baserunner will be called OUT. All other advancing baserunners will continue to the nearest base and the play called dead.
- INFIELD FLY RULE: The infield fly rule does NOT apply.
- THROWING THE BAT: Any player who, after one warning, throws the bat while batting shall be called out. Any player who has been called out twice in one game for this offense shall lose their remaining turns at bat in that game. Clarification for 2025: No subsequent outs will be recorded in the place of a batter removed from the lineup for throwing the bat. That player may remain in the game on defense. This is a safety rule, with the goal of teaching the player.
- BASE RUNNING & STEALING:
- A team may pinch run for a pitcher/catcher with runner that made last batted out at any time during the game.
- There shall be NO leadoffs prior to the pitch crossing home plate. Base runners MUST stay in contact with the base until the pitched ball crosses home plate.
- Stealing is permitted. Runners may steal second and third base, but shall not leave the base they are occupying at the time of the pitch, until the pitch has been hit or has crossed home plate.
- New for 2025: If the catcher overthrows second base in an attempt to catch a base runner stealing, the runner may advance. This includes a back-pick attempt by the catcher to first or second base. If the catcher overthrows third base in an attempt to catch a base runner stealing, the runner may NOT advance home.
- Should a baserunner leave the base clearly before the ball crosses home plate, the baserunner shall be returned to the previous base and warned of the rule. Should the infraction continue, the baserunner shall be declared OUT by the umpire. This is not intended to be a punitive rule; rather, only in cases where the infraction is obvious should the penalty be imposed.
- Home is locked. A runner can only advance home in the event of a ball put in play, walk, or hit by pitch.
- PLAYER EJECTION: Players shall be ejected from the game and receive an additional game suspension for the following conduct:
- Forearming or tripping runners;
- Intentionally running into fielders; or
- Bad sportsmanship, such as taunting or ridiculing other players.
- If a parent, family member/friend or coach are ejected from a game, that person will not be permitted to attend the following scheduled game and the associated player will also be ineligible to attend.
- Any player that is ejected from a game will be subjected to a review of the play by the Division Director, which could include an additional suspension. If a player is ejected from a game for a second time during the same season, that player shall be suspended from the team's next one (1) to three (3) games (including practices) upon review and ruling of the NHBA President and Division Director. If a player is ejected for a third time in the same season, that player is subject to probable suspension for the remainder of the season upon review and ruling of the NHBA Board.
- PROTESTS AND FORFEITS: There will be no protests. If a team only has 7 players at the start of the game, the official ruling will be a forfeit, with a 6-0 victory awarded to the non-forfeiting team. A team can play with 8 players (Clarification for 2025: Players arriving after the start of a game may be added as the last batter in the lineup, and may enter the game without penalty). Removed for 2025:
When the ninth spot in the batting order comes to the plate it is an automatic out. Clarification for 2025: While the official score will be 6-0 in favor of non-forfeiting team, the forfeiting team may "borrow" defensive players from the other team, so that the game can be played for the sake of development/enjoyment. Arrival of a player after an official forfeit shall not reverse the ruling.
- PITCHING:
- There are no balks. It is a teachable moment for the kids. However, in no instance can a runner be penalized by being picked off or thrown out stealing if a pitcher has “balked.” The runner is always safe.
- See the PONY pitch count chart below, and contact the Division Director with any questions:
- WEEKLY EVENTS
- There shall be no more than three (3) mandatory events per week. Events are games or practices at which a coach and more than three team members are present. Clarification for 2025: Restriction applies to regular season only.
- During the playoffs, it is possible that more than three (3) events in a week may occur, based on playoff and game scheduling.
- There will be NO mandatory events on Sunday, unless weather delays or other unforeseen events make it necessary.
- MUST AVOID RULE: There shall be no collisions between base runners and defensive players. In all cases, without exception, the runner shall avoid a collision.
- If the runner makes contact with a defensive player, the runner shall be declared out.
- Should the contact be, in the judgment of the umpire more than incidental unintentional contact, the runner shall be ejected from the game.
- Should the umpire determine, in his judgment, that there was intent to injure on the part of the runner, in addition to the ejection and the automatic one game suspension that accompanies such an ejection, the player shall be indefinitely suspended pending an incident review and determination by the Board of Directors.
- If the runner slides or runs past a base to avoid a collision because the defensive player is blocking access to the base without possession of the ball or without the ball en route to the defensive player, then the runner shall be declared “safe” and awarded advancement of a minimum of one additional base. Additional bases may be awarded if, in the judgment of the umpire, the runner would have attained such bases safely.
PLAYOFF RULES:
Each game shall be six (6) innings in duration, subject to the following conditions:
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Both the official start time of the game and the sunset time must be agreed-upon by both teams’ head coaches and the umpire, before the game commences.
No new inning may be started after one hour and forty-five minutes (1:45) from the official start time of the game, even if this means that less than six (6) innings will be played.
In the event that less than six (6) innings are played as a result of the 1:45 “no new inning” time constraint, the leader after completion of the final full inning will be declared the winner.
If the game remains tied after the final full inning, play shall resume until a winner is established, even if this means that more than six (6) innings must be completed, and the game is over the one hour and forty-five minute (1:45) time rule. In this situation, no new inning may be started after ten (10) minutes prior to the previously agreed sunset time.
The umpire has sole discretion to stop play in the event of darkness. In the event that the umpire determines that the game cannot safely continue due to darkness, the game shall be suspended. There is NO outcome where the score will revert.
- The suspended game shall resume the following day, at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the next scheduled playoff game, regardless of whether either team was previously scheduled to play that day.
- The final pitcher for each team at the time the game was suspended may return to pitch in continuation of the suspended game. Pitches thrown in continuation of the game will be applied to the pitcher’s daily pitch count for the day that the game originally began. All other daily and weekly pitch rules will remain in effect.
- The suspended game shall continue according to the foregoing rules, until a winner is established.
- Pitching - A pitcher may pitch in two (2) games in the same day. The pitcher must remain below the 20-pitch threshold (Removed for 2025:
And pitch less than 2 innings) in the first game, in order to remain eligible to pitch his remaining daily maximum pitches in the second game.
- Mandatory Playing Time - Violation of the Mandatory Playing Time rule in the playoffs shall result in a forfeit. If both teams are in violation, the game result will stand.