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Little League Intermediate 50/70 · At the field

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Pitching and rest

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Daily pitching limits · Full cited entry
  • Pitching limits (Little League International rule): Regular-season daily limits: league ages 11-12, 85; league age 13, 95. The finish-batter exception ends when that batter reaches base, that batter is retired, the third out occurs, or the pitcher is removed before the plate appearance ends. Intermediate pitchers cannot pitch in two games in one day. Regular Season Pitching Rules
Lineup changes (Little League International rule)
Arm and player safety (Safety guidance)
  • Arm and player safety (Safety guidance): Stop throwing for fatigue. Elbow or shoulder pain requires stopping pitching and evaluation by a sports-medicine physician. Keep an off-season, coordinate workloads across teams, develop basic throwing before fastball and changeup, and avoid combining pitcher and catcher workloads. Eligibility is not medical clearance. Position Statement for Adolescent Baseball Pitchers
Catcher and pitcher role changes · Full cited entry
  • Pitching limits (Little League International rule): Catching four or more innings in the same game prevents pitching that calendar day. Pitching 41 or more prevents later catching unless the 40-pitch batter exception applies. A player who catches up to three innings, then pitches 21 or more, cannot return to catcher unless the 20-pitch batter exception applies. One live pitch in an inning counts as an inning caught. Regular Season Pitching Rules
Pitching rest (Little League International rule)
  • Pitching rest (Little League International rule): League age 14 and under: 1-20 pitches requires 0 calendar rest days; 21-35 requires 1; 36-50 requires 2; 51-65 requires 3; 66 or more requires 4. Rest thresholds use the first pitch to the batter. No pitching on three consecutive days. Regular Season Pitching Rules

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Lineups and participation

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Player eligibility (Little League International rule)
  • Player eligibility (Little League International rule): The national division age band is league ages 11-13; actual roster and tournament eligibility must be checked separately. Little League Baseball Divisions
Player participation (Little League International rule)
Lineup changes (Little League International rule)
  • Lineup changes (Little League International rule): With a traditional batting order, starter re-entry requires the substitute's defined at-bat and six consecutive defensive outs; the original batting slot is retained. Once mandatory play is met, starter and substitutes may re-enter for one another as Rule 3.03 permits. Emergency exceptions require the actual rule, not an invented roster shortcut. Little League Baseball Rulebook app: Rule 3.03

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Game and event rules

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Current rule changes (Little League International rule)
Illegal pitches and balks (Little League International rule)
  • Illegal pitches and balks (Little League International rule): Balk rules apply with runners on base. From the set position the pitcher must stop before delivering. Rule 8.05 includes a play-result exception when the batter reaches first and every runner advances at least one base; do not teach every balk as an unconditional immediate stoppage. Little League Baseball Rulebook app: Rule 8
Infield fly (Little League International rule)
  • Infield fly (Little League International rule): With fewer than two outs and first and second occupied (or bases loaded), a fair fly other than a bunt or line drive that an infielder can handle with ordinary effort can be an infield fly. The batter is out; the ball stays live. Catch/retouch obligations still matter. Explanation of the Infield Fly Rule
Leaving a base (Little League International rule)
  • Leaving a base (Little League International rule): Intermediate permits leadoffs and steal attempts at any time while play is live. Do not import the Majors wait-until-the-pitch-reaches-the-batter restriction. Little League Baseball Divisions
Illegal pitches and balks (Little League International rule)
  • Illegal pitches and balks (Little League International rule): Rule 8.01 permits a legal step-and-throw pickoff from the rubber. A pitcher in contact must step directly toward the base before a throw. A feint to first from the rubber is not a legal throw over. Little League Baseball Rulebook app: Rule 8
Player eligibility (Little League International rule)
  • Player eligibility (Little League International rule): Rule 6.06 does not impose a blanket national slash-bunt ban. A league or event may restrict this play. A no-slash training station is a coaching choice; check the actual game rules separately. Little League Baseball Rulebook app: complete Rule 6.06
Uncaught third strike (Little League International rule)
  • Uncaught third strike (Little League International rule): On an uncaught third strike the batter can become a runner with first unoccupied or with two outs. With first occupied and fewer than two outs, do not manufacture a force by treating the batter as eligible to run. Uncaught Third Strike: No Catch

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Field dimensions

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Field dimensions (Little League International rule)

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Safety at practice

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Player eligibility (Little League International rule)
  • Player eligibility (Little League International rule): Intermediate permits qualifying USA Baseball bats and qualifying BBCOR bats under Rule 1.10. The coach must inspect the whole equipment rule, not infer eligibility from barrel size alone. Little League Baseball Rulebook app: Rules 1.08 and 1.10
Arm and player safety (Little League International rule)
Before practice: the site and the plan

Coaching practice

Before practice: the site and the plan

  • Know the field address and where an ambulance would enter. Carry a charged phone.
  • Bring a first-aid kit and know where the nearest AED is, if the site has one.
  • Decide who calls 911 and who meets responders before anyone gets hurt.
  • Keep emergency contacts where your league keeps them. This planner has no place for names, medical details or phone numbers, and none should be typed into it.
Weather and heat

Safety guidance

Weather and heat

  • Thunder or lightning: stop, and move everyone into a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle with the windows closed. A dugout is not shelter.
  • Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back out (National Weather Service guidance), and follow your site plan.
  • Heat: plan water breaks and shade. Stop a player who looks dizzy, confused or unusually tired and get help.
Head injury, fainting and emergencies

California law and CDC guidance

Head injury, fainting and emergencies

  • California Health and Safety Code 124235 applies to youth sports organizations in California: a player suspected of a concussion or other head injury, or who passes out or faints, is removed from the activity for the rest of the day.
  • That player does not return until a licensed healthcare provider gives written clearance. After a concussion or head injury, return follows a graduated protocol of at least seven days under that provider. The coach never clears a player.
  • For a suspected head injury the organization notifies a parent or guardian of the time, the symptoms seen and any treatment given.
  • Call 911 for anyone who is unresponsive, not breathing normally, or having a seizure. Start CPR and use an AED if trained and one is available.
  • Coaching advice: stop activity for chest pain, unusual shortness of breath or a racing heartbeat during exercise, and tell the parent or guardian.
Arms and throwing

Coaching practice

Arms and throwing

  • Any arm pain stops throwing for that player that day. Tell a parent or guardian.
  • Game pitch limits are maximums for games, not targets for practice. A practice plan never counts as pitching eligibility.
  • Breaks between throwing blocks are part of the plan. Do not shorten warm-up or throw more to fill time.
Lanes, bats and loose balls

Coaching practice

Lanes, bats and loose balls

  • Every throwing line throws the same direction; nobody walks between lines.
  • Only the batter holds a bat. Waiting players stand behind a marked line.
  • Balls are collected on an adult's call, never while someone is swinging or throwing. Players do not chase balls into another station.
  • Helmets for batters and runners, and any other equipment your rules require.
Adults at practice

League policy

Adults at practice

  • Drill adult counts are station minimums. Follow the organization's supervision, screening and reporting policies. California youth-service policy requires at least two mandated reporters to be present to the greatest extent possible when adults contact or supervise children (BPC 18975).
  • Only league-approved adults who have completed the required screening and training lead stations.
  • Keep adult-player interactions observable and interruptible: no one-on-one time out of sight.
  • If there are not enough approved adults for every station, run fewer stations. Never leave a station with bats or thrown balls unsupervised to make the numbers work.

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Coaching situations

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Build a player-first practice

Build a player-first practice

Choose one game problem, demonstrate a short solution, let players make a decision, then use coaching points to improve the next rep.

  • Coaching point: Keep stations small enough for every player to act and explain a read.
  • Avoid: A busy schedule is not proof that players practiced the intended skill.
  • Also consider: Adjust station length to attention and league-approved staffing. Keep adult-player interactions observable and interruptible.

Coaching tip

Track mandatory play separately

Track mandatory play separately

Before a regular-season game, an adult plans defensive outs and batting opportunities for every rostered player. The plan also records the batting-order format. Regular-season mandatory play calls for each player to get six defensive outs and one at-bat. Regulation IV(i) covers shortened games and other exceptions.

  • Coaching point: Use a paper or league-approved record; this training page is not an eligibility tracker.
  • Avoid: A short-game exception must come from Regulation IV(i), not an improvised reduction.
  • Also consider: Tournament procedures and an adopted continuous order require their own checks.

Related rule or safety source: Player participation

Check traditional-order re-entry

Check traditional-order re-entry

A starter is waiting to return for a substitute. Before making the change, the adult reviews the substitute's defined at-bat and defensive outs.

  • Coaching point: Keep the original batting slot and distinguish starter/substitute re-entry from pitcher return.
  • Avoid: Do not drop 'consecutive' from this particular requirement.
  • Also consider: Emergency roster exceptions and tournament play need their exact provisions.

Related rule or safety source: Substitution

Handle a returning pitcher

Handle a returning pitcher

An eligible Intermediate pitcher moves to another defensive position and remains in the game. Later, the coach considers one return to the mound.

  • Coaching point: Carry the day's count and that pitcher's visits forward. Read the 2026 8.06(b) clarification.
  • Avoid: Changing positions does not reset fatigue or eligibility.
  • Also consider: A legally permitted return is not a reason to use a tired or painful arm.

Related rule or safety source: Substitution Safety

Use league age for pitch limits

Use league age for pitch limits

A league-age 11 player and a league-age 13 player are on the same Intermediate team. The adult uses each player's league age when checking the regular-season daily maximum. Regular-season daily limits go by league age: 85 pitches for league ages 11-12 and 95 for league age 13.

  • Coaching point: Verify league age rather than assuming birthday age or a division-wide limit.
  • Avoid: A shared jersey does not create a shared pitch limit.
  • Also consider: The finish-batter exception has defined endpoints; record the relevant batter, not just the final count.

Related rule or safety source: Pitching limits Eligibility

Check the rules for this event

Check the rules for this event

A tournament or interleague event approaches. Before changing the lineup, the coach checks that event's rules and the league's written options.

  • Coaching point: This lesson covers regular-season Intermediate. Check the event's governing rules when competition changes.
  • Avoid: A rule remembered from another program can sound familiar and still be wrong here.
  • Also consider: AA, AAA and Travel labels need their own actual profile; do not invent them.

Related rule or safety source: Player participation Substitution

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Sources and review date

Sources reviewed 2026-09-06. Check the current official rules and written local options for your game. Coaching suggestions are teaching choices.

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