10U Leading/Stealing [Archive]

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tomzpc

10-31-2010, 12:05 AM

Hello Umpires!

Coached our last 10U fall softball game of the year today. We are Little League. The umpire was adamant that the girls could leave on release. I, and the opposing coach, both told him that we felt it was when the ball crosses the plate, as everyone in our district has been playing the entire fall season. The umpire deferred since it was our game and we (the coaches) were in agreement but he still claimed pretty strongly that LL changed it for both 12U and 10U this year. I felt 90% sure that it was only changed for 12u to release. Can't find my rulebook at the moment to check so figured I'd ask here just to check if I was right or wrong (wouldn't be the first time!).

Thanks!

Tom

bigbird69

10-31-2010, 07:36 AM

Under the Little League 2010 Softball rulebook, 7.13 is the one you are looking for:

When the pitcher is in the 8 foot radius circle and in possession of the ball, the base runner(s) shall not leave their base(s) until the pitched ball has been batted or reaches the batter.

For Junior/Senior/Big league, it is listed as the release of the ball.

The person you were talking to probably does Babe Ruth softball which by default listings in the rulebook are at the release for 12U.

gaump08

10-31-2010, 09:51 PM

Little League did change the rule to when the pitcher releases the ball. The rule change came right before our season started, after their 2010 rule books were printed. I believe, though, the rule only applied to major softball (12u)

jbonnot

11-01-2010, 12:30 AM

Major softball during the regular season. During the tournament, the 12yo and 11yo played with those rules. The 9-10s played with the ball reaching the plate.

bigbird69

11-01-2010, 04:06 AM

It looks like the rules were changed at the last minute BUT there is a note that the local league does have the option for regular season to use the old rule at the majors level. If both coaches were using the old rule, the Umpire should be informed that the league is exercising that option.

Minors and below are unchanged.

See: http://www.littleleague.org/Assets/forms_pubs/tournaments/ChangesSBRulesTourn2010.pdf

Boy, the rule changes I miss when I have not done LL Softball in 4 years. The League I worked in moved the LL softball to a county Babe Ruth league due to lack of teams to play for the local LL alone.

tomzpc

11-01-2010, 10:18 PM