MLB Friday Night Lights 10/23 - 8U & 12U

Eligibility

Cannot turn 13 before May 1 of the current season. Grade-exception players must meet the handbook’s 6th-grade criteria.

Bats

No bat size restriction under the 12U-and-below rule; banned/altered bats remain illegal. Wood bats are approved.

Pitching

6 innings max in one day · 8 innings max over 3 consecutive days. More than 3 innings Saturday means no pitching Sunday.

Base Running

• Standard NFHS/SWAT baserunning rules apply unless modified elsewhere in the handbook.
• Balks are strictly enforced without warning.

Lineup + Special Rules

• Standard SWAT lineup, substitution, courtesy-runner, and roster-batting options apply.
• No designated hitter in 12U.

Mercy Rule

• 20 runs after 2 innings (1½ if home team is ahead)
• 15 runs after 3 innings (2½ if home team is ahead)
• 8 runs after 4 innings (3½ if home team is ahead)

Game Rules

• Pool-play home/visitor is determined by coin toss; higher seed is home in bracket play.
• No fake bunt-and-swing (slashing).
• Legal courtesy runners may be used for the pitcher or catcher of record under the handbook rules.
• Pool games may end tied. Bracket games use the SWAT California tiebreaker after regulation.

Eligibility

Cannot turn 9 before May 1 of the current season. Grade-exception players must meet the handbook’s 2nd-grade criteria.

Bats

No bat size restriction under the 12U-and-below rule; banned/altered bats remain illegal. Wood bats are approved.

Pitching

Coach pitch from the 40-foot pitching plate/line.

Base Running

• No stolen bases or lead-offs.
• No base on balls, hit-by-pitch award, infield-fly rule, or intentional walks.
• A runner leaving early is out.
• Courtesy runner is allowed for the catcher only; use the last recorded out.

Lineup + Special Rules

• Roster-bat all present players.
• Free defensive substitution; batting order stays the same.
• Nine or ten defensive players are allowed.
• Each batter gets six pitches or three strikes; a foul on pitch six extends the at-bat.
• One bunt per inning.
• Seven-run maximum per half-inning except the sixth inning, when runs are unlimited.

Mercy Rule

• 20 runs after 3 innings (2½ if home team is ahead)
• 15 runs after 4 innings (3½ if home team is ahead)
• 8 runs after 5 innings (4½ if home team is ahead)

Game Rules

• Pool-play home/visitor is determined by coin toss; higher seed is home in bracket play.
• No fake bunt-and-swing (slashing).
• Legal courtesy runners may be used for the pitcher or catcher of record under the handbook rules.
• Pool games may end tied. Bracket games use the SWAT California tiebreaker after regulation.