Day 239

Just when you thought baseball was nearly over until spring, LilCrockett signed up for a fall baseball team.  It’s mostly boys from his spring team, though they are playing for a different local league, Springfield Southwest Baseball Association (SSBA).  This time it is purely coach pitch as well, no tees.  These differences mean changes in the rules and such, which I am still trying to figure out completely, which led me to the association’s website where I discovered this:

• The kids can now get tagged out at bases.
• An inning consists of 3 outs or a maximum of 5 runs.  In tee-ball, each player got to bat each inning.
• There is a maximum of 9 pitches per batter.  After 9 pitches the batter shall be declared out.  There are no walks.  In tee-ball, each player batted until they hit the ball.
• Regulation games are six (6) innings in length.  In tee-ball, there were only 3.
• On a hit ball that stays within the infield, the base runners and batter may advance one base. On a hit ball that goes into the outfield, the base runners and batter may advance as far as possible, until the ball is returned to inside the infield or its imaginary extensions in foul territory.  In tee-ball, the batter had to stop at first base regardless. 

As LilCrockett moves up to higher levels of baseball, the rules will continue to change.  Hopefully I can keep track of them all.  Today he played center field, 3rd base, and catcher.  He definitely still has to learn some tricks of the game, but did very well getting a few runs and tagging a few kids out.  

Because they are in a new league, they were issued t-shirts and hats today.  The team color is gray and LilCrockett is #7.  

Getting ready to bat…

Running to 1st base…

Coming into 3rd base…

Getting geared up to play catcher…

End of the game.  Did I mention that LilCrockett’s all-boy team played an all-girl team today.  The girls gave the boys a run for the money!  Funny but LilCrockett didn’t even realize that it was an all-girl team until I told him in the car on the way home.  I think he’s in his own little world sometimes (plus the girls were all wearing hats anyway).