The Tyke Division aims to ensure that players have fun and learn the game in a safe way. It is essential that Coaches use the rules below in a manner consistent with these aims. The game outcome is not relevant in comparison to the practice of patience and good sportsmanship.

There will be no scores or standings recorded, but feel free to track your player's OBP. The goals of this Division are to have fun and build on skills development in preparation for Rookie ball.

1. An 8-foot diameter safety circle shall be marked off directly in front of home plate and its center shall be 41 feet from home plate. No player is permitted to break the plane of the safety circle, which is considered a dead ball area. Players who hit the ball that comes to rest inside this circle or hits the pitching machine may proceed to first base. Breaking the plane means that any part of the body enters the safety circle.

2. The home and visiting Coaches must agree on the pitching machine speed at the beginning of the game (between 30 and 35 mph). Coaches are encouraged to start the season at 30 mph while players adjust to a ball in flight. The Coach can only adjust the height for each batter. The speed of the machine cannot be adjusted until the end of a completed inning and only if both Coaches agree.

3. Three Coaches are allowed in the outfield during their defensive half of the inning. The Coaches cannot physically assist players. If they do, the situation will be treated as an automatic double.

4. A batter is out when: a) their fair or foul ball is caught by a defensive player, or b) they are forced out or tagged after hitting a fair ground ball, or while running the bases. All players who are retired shall return to the bench.

5. The defensive catcher must have control of the ball and touch home plate to stop the play for the last batter.

6. It is the responsibility of the offensive Coach to call out ‘last batter’. If ‘last batter’ is not announced all base runners will return to the positions they occupied at the time the ‘last batter’ took his/her position at the plate and the ‘last batter’ will come up to bat again.

7. “Time” is called and the ball is dead when an infielder raises the ball in the air and in the opinion of both Coaches no attempt is made to make a play on any baserunner. Baserunners will return to the base they last occupied. This does not apply when the last batter in an inning hits a fair ball, as all offensive players are then forced home.

8. Outfielders must play 6 feet behind where the outfield grass meets the infield. The ball must be thrown from an outfielder into an infielder. Runners can complete advancing to a base but cannot advance further once the throw reaches the infield and “time” has been granted. An outfielder cannot run in and tag a base in order to make an out. An outfielder may not receive a throw at a base to record an out (e.g., the right fielder may not run into the infield in order to take the throw in place of the first baseman).