University Little League
Baseball rules at a glance
Little League rules apply to anything not listed here.
Local rules revised October 1, 2026 · full rules at fwull.com/rules
| Pee Wee4–6 | Coach Pitch7–8 | Minors9–10 | Majors11–12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | ||||
| Bats | USA stamp required. A bat marked “Tee Ball” is NOT legal in Coach Pitch, Minors or Majors — the USA stamp alone does not make it legal. | |||
| DefendersPee Wee: everyone fields, max 6 infield, outfielders behind the green line. Coach Pitch: max 6 infield, 4 outfield. Elsewhere nobody sits twice until all have sat once. Free substitution except pitchers. | All of them | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Adult coachesFielding coaches stay in foul territory within six feet of the dugout door, never on the infield. Pee Wee adds an adult catcher coach; 4/5 a base coach behind 2nd. | Bat 3–4 · field 3 | Bat 2 · field 2 | Bat 2 · field 2 | Bat 2 · field 2 |
| CatcherFull gear on any player catcher: chest protector, shin guards, helmet with throat guard, cup. Coach Pitch with 9, a coach may catch. Minors and Majors: over 3 innings caught, no pitching that game. | Adult encouraged | Required at 10 players | Yes | Yes |
| The game | ||||
| Innings (max) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Time limit (minutes) | 55 | 75 | 105 (95 fall) | 105 (95 fall) |
| Runs per inning (max) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Run ruleCoach Pitch only. Play may continue for practice, but the score is final and seeding ignores run differential. | — | 4 innings, out of reach | — | — |
| When time expires | No new inning may start. An inning begins when the final out of the previous one is made. The clock does not stop between half-innings (2-min changeover); the plate umpire keeps time. Ties stand; a forfeit is 6–0. | |||
| Pitching and the at-bat | ||||
| Who pitchesThe coach throws overhand and leaves the field once the ball is in play; a batted ball that hits them is dead and replayed. Pee Wee kid pitcher: both feet in the circle, 3 ft back, chest protector. | Coach, kneeling ~25 ft | Coach, standing on the rubber | Kid | Kid |
| Length of an at-batCoach Pitch: the 6 does not apply if the last is fouled. Pee Wee: a 7th if the 6th is fouled, then the tee. No intentional bunting in either. | 3 strikes or 6 pitches, then a tee | 3 strikes or 6 pitches | Standard | Standard |
| Swings allowedAny attempt counts, contact or not. A ball short of the green turf is foul; still short after the last swing off the tee and the batter is out. | 4/5: three · 5/6: two | — | — | — |
| Pitch limitOne game a day. A limit hit mid-batter lets them finish the batter. Warm-ups are free: 8 new, 5 in relief. Over 40 pitches, no catching that day; 21–40 only if they have not caught 4 innings. | — | — | 50 · 35 for the first 14 days | 50 · 35 for the first 14 days |
| Days rest | — | — | 1–20: 0 · 21–35: 1 · 36–50: 2 | 1–20: 0 · 21–35: 1 · 36–50: 2 |
| Baserunning | ||||
| StealingMajors: home is open when the pitcher is off the rubber. Minors: no steal of 2nd on a walk unless another play is attempted — the rest is LL rules. | No | No | Not 2B on a walk | Yes, home included |
| Dropped third strikeA local rule in Majors. Not addressed for Minors — ask the umpire before the game rather than assuming. | — | — | LL rules | Yes |
| OverthrowsCoach Pitch: one base, further at the runner’s own risk while the defense keeps trying. Pee Wee 5/6 only: on a ball in the circle or to the 1st base side the pitcher may tag or touch the bag. | No advance | 1 base | LL rules | LL rules |
| When the ball goes deadCoach Pitch: once the lead runner stops or reaches a base — an outfielder holding it is not control. A runner on 2nd scores on an infield hit only on an error. Pee Wee 6: after a play at any base; 4/5, once the ball reaches the brown turf. | Umpire’s raised arm | Infielder controls it, fair ground | — | — |
| Lineup and roster | ||||
| Batting order | Continuous — every player bats, fielding or not, in the order first given to the scorekeeper. Late arrivals bat last. | |||
| Playing short | Eight may start with NO automatic out in the regular season. Seven starts taking an out in the 8th slot unless someone arrives first. Six is a forfeit. A player who leaves injured, ill or with a parent costs no out unless it drops the team to six. | |||
| Call-ups | Encouraged whenever you expect to be short, and a good inning for a player from the division below. Start it in Coach’s Corner → Call-Ups. A call-up plays OUTFIELD ONLY and BATS LAST — every season, regular and post. | |||
| Postseason | ||||
| Who qualifies | Spring: every team. Fall: the top four. Ties break in order on overall record, winning percentage, head-to-head, common opponents, the last four games, then a coin flip. | |||
| Minimum players | Nine. A short team must REQUEST a call-up; one that does not may play eight, taking an out at the 9th spot. PLAYING WITH SEVEN IS PROHIBITED IN THE POSTSEASON — the one place it differs from the regular season. | |||
| Tie after regulation | One more ordinary inning, then California rules — the last two outs go to 1st and 2nd and the inning starts with one out. The championship game is six full innings with no time limit in every division except Pee Wee. | |||