Summary
The 15U division, formerly known as "Bantam", is for kids who are 14 and 15 years of age. 15U teams play by similar rules to those of the Major Leagues (with obvious Fair-Play modifications). Lead-offs and stealing bases are permitted, and pitchers use the same techniques that Major League pitchers do to hold runners on base. All players remain in the batting lineup and rotate equally in the field.
Details
Age Group: 14 - 15 years old (in the current calendar year)
Session Length: 120 Minutes
Roster Size: Approximately 15 players
Equipment
Required: Glove, Batting Helmet, Bat, Baseball Hat (supplied), Jersey (supplied), Baseball Pants, Cleats
Recommended: Athletic Support (i.e. jock or jill)
Optional: Batting Gloves
NOTE: Baseball hats and jerseys should be worn to each practice or game.
Session Structure
Warm-up (15 Minutes)
There is no official warm up session, however, players should arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled game time to stretch and have an adequate warm-up catch.
Game (120 Minutes)
Duration
- 6 innings or 2 hours in duration (whichever comes first).
- Innings 1-5: 3 outs or 3 runs (whichever comes first).
- Inning 6: Open inning or 3 outs (whichever comes first).
- If, after the 5th inning, one team leads by 10 runs or more, that team will be awarded the game. The game may be continued at the discretion of the coaches, but the result will be official after the 10-run rule is registered.
- No new inning will start after 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Playing Field
- The distance between the bases shall be 80 feet.
- The distance from the point of home plate to the front of the pitching rubber shall be 54 feet.
Rules of Play
- All games shall be played in accordance with official baseball rules except with any other rules contained in this document, Baseball NL and Baseball Canada.
- Coaches must rotate players throughout the defensive line-up to ensure fair play.
- Score shall be kept by the coaches and confirmed with the home plate umpire at the end of each inning.
- Catchers & Pitchers MUST wear a protective cup.
- All batters MUST wear helmet when on deck, at bat or on the bases.
- Players must run on and off the field between innings.
- Ten defensive players are permitted on the field if there are numerous players available. Tenth player is used as an extra outfielder.
- Bunting is permitted.
- Lead-offs are permitted.
- Stealing is permitted.
- The infield fly rule is used in Bantam House League play.
- Runners may tag and run to the next base, at their own risk, after a fly ball is caught.
- If the catcher misses the ball on the third strike, the batter may attempt to run to 1st base if the base is unoccupied.
- All players should slide on a close play at home.
- Pitchers may pitch 3 innings per game.
Coaches
There will be two or three coaches per team (1 Head Coach, 2 Assistants) if the number of parent volunteers allow. There will also be two PMB staff present to facilitate game play: home plate umpire and base umpire.
Head Coach
- Make batting and fielding line-ups and substitutions each inning.
- Coach a base when hitting.
Assistant Coaches
- Coach a base when hitting.
- Keep kids safe on bench.
- Call out batting order.
- Can assist head coach with hitting and fielding instruction, if comfortable.