Scorekeeper's Guide to Little League Majors Baseball League Age 9-12 2026

Daily limits by league age

Required rest

Also note:

• A player may never pitch on three consecutive days.
• In Majors, a player may not pitch in more than one game in a day.
• A pitcher removed from the mound can't return as a pitcher in that game.

After the game, record each pitcher's total and the date they're next eligible to pitch.

Rest is set by the pitch count at the first pitch to that batter, not the final total. Little League's rule: "A pitcher's pitch count for the purposes of day(s) rest threshold is determined by the first pitch thrown to a batter."

Example: a pitcher's first pitch to their last batter is pitch number 35, and they finish that batter on pitch 39. Thirty-five falls in the 21-35 band, so they need one day of rest, not two.

Record the pitch number at the start of each at-bat so you can work this out. At the daily maximum, a pitcher may finish the current batter but can't start a new one.

Count every pitch delivered to a batter, including balls, strikes, fouls and pitches put in play. Some situations that trip scorers up:

• Hand to mouth violation: the ball awarded to the batter counts as a pitch.
• Penalty strike on a batter for leaving the box and delaying the game: no pitch is added, at any level.
• Warm-up pitches before an inning or in the bullpen don't count.

A good habit is to confirm totals with the other team's counter at the end of each half-inning, so any difference is settled while it can still be checked.

Record the innings each player catches, because catching affects who can pitch and pitching affects who can catch:

• A player who catches in four or more innings can't pitch that calendar day.
• A pitcher who throws 41 or more pitches can't catch for the rest of the day.
• A player who catches three innings or fewer, then throws 21 or more pitches, can't catch again that day. If they reach 20 while facing a batter, they may finish that batter and keep their catching eligibility.

Note the pitch count at the start of each batter too. League pitch count reports, such as GameChanger's, include innings caught and the first-pitch number to the last batter for exactly this reason.

Every rostered player present at the start of the game must play six defensive outs and bat at least once. Little League defines them as:

• Six defensive outs: the player enters the field in one of the nine defensive positions and stays in that position while six outs are made. They don't need to be consecutive.
• Bat at least once: the player enters the batter's box with no count and completes the at-bat by being retired, reaching base safely, being retired on the bases, scoring, or the half-inning ending.

Practical tips:

• Mark the out count in the margin when each substitute enters the field, so you can tell the manager who still needs outs.
• A substitute entering for the first time can't be removed before completing mandatory play, and a starter can only re-enter after their substitute has met it.
• A player who misses mandatory play must start the next game, so note it in the book.

A courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher and/or catcher of record when there are two outs. In the regular season this is a local league option (Rule 3.04).

• The pitcher or catcher of record is the one at the end of the previous half-inning. You can't use a courtesy runner for a player who isn't currently pitching or catching, even if they will be next inning.
• If the team uses a continuous batting order, the courtesy runner may be in the batting order and must be the player who made the last out.
• From 2026, with a continuous batting order, a courtesy runner may be used even if the pitcher or catcher hasn't yet completed mandatory play.

The player who was run for stays in the lineup; a courtesy runner isn't a substitution. In GameChanger, choose Courtesy Runner on the baserunner. A special pinch-runner (Rule 7.14) is entered the same way.

Don't point it out. The scorer must not call the umpire's or either team's attention to a player batting out of turn. It's up to the defense to appeal.

The appeal must be made before a pitch to the next batter of either team, or before any play or attempted play. If the defense appeals properly, under Rule 6.07 the proper batter (the one who should have batted) is declared out, not the player who batted out of turn, and the improper batter's action is nullified.

Record exactly what the umpire rules, and keep your lineup card current with every substitution so you can confirm who the proper batter was if asked.

Note the exact situation at the moment of the protest or suspension:

• the score
• the number of outs
• where any runners are
• the ball and strike count on the batter

Also record each pitcher's pitch count and any mound visits charged. A suspended game resumes from the exact point it stopped and is treated as the same game, so visits carry over. If a protest is upheld, the game resumes from the point of the infraction, so your record is what the league uses to restart it.

If there's a question about a pitcher's eligibility, the Official Scorer's record is treated as official.

Tell the umpire immediately. The scorer is required to inform the umpire when the teams change sides before three outs have been made.

That's one of the few times the scorer speaks up during play. The scorer must not make any decision that conflicts with the playing rules or an umpire's decision.

Yes, if your league allows it. Scorebooks and pitch counts can be kept on paper or electronically. Little League names GameChanger as its official scorekeeping, pitch count and stats technology partner.

Managers and coaches may use a scorekeeping, pitch-counting or rulebook app on a device in the dugout, as long as the device isn't used to receive messages of any kind (Rule 3.17 note).

Whatever you use, compare pitch totals with the other team's counter regularly so any difference is settled during the game, not after it.

• Illegal pitch: in Majors and below, record it as IP. There are no balks (BK) until the Intermediate (50/70) Division.
• Runner removed for leaving early: Little League Majors and below have a base-running rule (Rule 7.13(c)) that can remove a runner. When you prove your box score, count those removed runners alongside runs and runners left on base.

A box score is in balance when a team's at-bats + walks + hit batters + sacrifice bunts + sacrifice flies + batters awarded first for interference or obstruction equals its runs + runners left on base + runners removed under Rule 7.13(c) + the opposing team's putouts.