Minor League Softball is for participants 5-11 years old and can be operated with multiple divisions that are based on age and/or ability. Divisions may include “coach pitch” and “player pitch” using an 11-inch softball. By local option, a player who is league age 5 or 6 for the current season and has played a year in Tee Ball is eligible for the coach pitch or machine pitch minor divisions.
A local league might organize its 7-8-year-olds in the Coach Pitch Division and its 9-10-year-olds in the Player Pitch division; however, by local option, some of the 9-year-olds could “play down” in the coach pitch division, and some of the 8-year-olds could “play up.” This is entirely the choice of the local league board of directors.
The diamond has 60-foot base paths and a 35 foot pitching distance. Games are 2 hours or 6 innings and may be considered complete after 4 innings. All innings are limited to 5 runs, except the last inning which is open scoring. Stealing is allowed after the ball crosses the plate.
Ages: Participants League Age 9 through 11 may play Minor League softball. Players League Age 8 may play Minor League softball if their assessment indicates readiness to move up from Farm Softball. Please use the League Age Calculator to determine eligibility.
Team Formation: Minor League softball teams have approximately 11-14 players. The league groups children according to age and player assessment, in an effort to maintain a competitive balance among the teams.
Practices: Teams may begin practicing in about mid-March. How often a team practices is up to the manager. Softball teams generally practice about 2 times per week until the regular season begins in early April. After the regular season begins, team coaches determine the frequency of practices.
Games: Softball teams play 2 games per week - usually one at 6:00 pm during the week and one on Saturday. Games are scheduled from early April through mid-June. In late March the official schedule will be published at www.sepll.org.
Rules: Softball follows the Little League Softball Official Regulations and Playing Rules unless otherwise stated in the District #2 interleague rules.