Dear Little League Boards
I hope this message finds you well. I know many of us have not been able to
play games due to COVID-19 related restrictions which had created a great
challenge for leagues. If your leagues are able to get on the fields might
we suggest an alternative.
You have received a lot of communication from Little League International
and the Regional team focusing on Sandlot Fun Days. They have seen great
success with leagues holding Sandlot style events, by utilizing "Over the
Line" guidelines. This allows kids to play ball, while maintaining social
distancing. While I personally have not played Over the Line, most of our
Regional team has throughout their youth. Here are some suggestions on how
to make this work for your leagues.
I've also attached an excel that shows the zones and player positions.
Here are the basic rules and setup for Over the Line:
Teams
* Each team needs at least three players
* Three is the ideal amount of players to ensure proper social
distancing
* One team is on defense
* The other team is hitting with one supervising adult serving as
the "pitcher"
* The supervising adult will serve as the pitcher for both teams
Equipment
* Baseballs
* Homeplate
* Cones/chalk or spray paint
* Little League approved bats
* Gloves
* Helmets
Set Up
* The game is setup just like a normal baseball game
* 6 innings, 3 outs per inning
* Visiting team bats first
* Supervising adult will keep track of score, inning and base
runners
* Please see attached diagram for a visual of how the field should
be setup
How to Score/Hit
* With one person batting at a time, the remaining players who are
not hitting must sit in the dugout and maintain social distancing until it
is their turn to hit
* The supervised adult (who is 6 feet away from home plate) is
serving as the pitcher. He or she will underhand toss the ball to the hitter
* A hit is broken up into four different categories
o Single, double, triple, homerun
* A single is a ball that is hit (in fair territory) over the first
line
* A double is a ball that is hit over the second line
* A triple is a ball that is hit over the third line (must be on the
ground)
* A homerun is a ball that is hit over the head of the last defender
that is guarding the third line
* Runs must be forced across
o Example: Player 1 hits a single, Player 2 comes up next and hits a
double. The result of this is runners on 2nd and 3rd. Player 3 comes up and
hits a single. The result is now bases loaded because each runner may only
advance if they are forced
How to Play Defense/Record Outs
* Each defender is guarding their line (three lines=three defenders)
* If the first defender (line 1) catches the ball in the air or on
the ground before it reaches the first line in fair territory, it is an out
* The other two defenders (lines 2 and 3) must catch the ball in the
air in order to record an out
o If the ball passes their line on the ground, it is considered a hit for
the other team
* If the batter fails to hit the ball in fair territory in three
pitches, it is considered an out
o Each batter has a max of three pitches to do so, no matter what
Safety Protocols
* All hitters must wear helmets when hitting
* Hitters who are waiting their turn must sit in the dugout 6 feet
apart from their teammates
* Use multiple bats, helmets, baseballs, gloves to keep from players
sharing equipment
Thank you,
JP
District Administrator
