MUSTANG 10U™ LEAGUE begins PONY Baseball and Softball belief that rather than change the rules of Baseball and Girls Softball to make it possible for young people to play the game, it is more logical to change the size of the diamonds, to adjust them to the physical potential of the players.
Use of diamonds matched to their capabilities permits younger players to play in the same proportionate position as the Major Leaguers and to make the same plays as a Major Leaguer. The double play, the squeeze play, the force play, etc. all become probabilities instead of remote possibilities.
Beginning with MUSTANG 10U™ LEAGUE Baseball, the players are playing real baseball in accordance with The Rules of Major League Baseball as well as specific PONY rules that are in place to supersede the MLB rules where appropriate such as pitching, substitution, re-entry, etc. MUSTANG 10U™ LEAGUE Girls Softball plays in accordance with the PONY Girls Softball Rulebook.
With scaled down bases and pitching distances, players react quite favorably to the greater challenge of the game and have little difficulty mastering the transition.
BASEBALL
BASES : 60 feet
PITCHING : 46 feet
FAIR PLAY AREA : Within the first base and third base foul lines and a fence or marked line 200 feet from home plate. A ball hit beyond that distance on the fly will be a home run. A minimum home run distance of 175 feet or a maximum of 275 feet will be recognized, with the recommendation that the home run distancebe 225 feet at the foul lines and 275 feet in center field to a six or eight foot barrier wherever possible.
BASES, PLATES : The home plate, pitcher's rubber and the bases shall be official size as used in regulation baseball.
PITCHING MOUND : Shall be raised by a gradual slope to a height of four inches above the level of home plate and the base paths.
RESTRAINING LINE : Located along first base, beginning 35 feet from home base and extending three feet beyond the first and second base line. The line, paralleling the first base foul line and extending three feet (36 inches) into foul territory, shall be marked with chalk or other white material two inches wide.
DISTANCE TO BACKSTOP : Recommended distance from home plate to the backstop is 20 feet.
CATCHER'S BOX : By local option, the catcher's box may be rectangular in shape 43 inches wide and eight feet deep from the point of home plate or it may be triangular in shape extending eight feet from the rear of home plate, being a continuation of the foul lines, in which case the line closest to the backstop shall be 16 feet in length.
FIELD DIMENSIONS DRAWING :
FAST PITCH SOFTBALL
BASES : 60 feet
PITCHING : 35 feet
RECOMMENDED FENCES : 150 feet to 175 feet
FIELD DIMENSIONS DRAWING :
SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL
BASES : 60 feet
PITCHING : 40 feet
RECOMMENDED FENCES : 150 feet to 175 feet
FIELD DIMENSIONS DRAWING :
