From Staff Reports
The University Interscholastic League’s legislative committee approved a whole slew of changes to existing policy during the Oct. 16-17 meeting in Round Rock.
The biggest of them all was the institution of a pitch count for all high school baseball players. The committee received a recommendation from the UIL’s medical advisory committee that all high school pitchers be limited to 110 pitches per outing, and that, if they reach that limit, they must have at least four days of rest.
A player would also be limited to a total of 110 pitches total in a postseason series. If a game is postponed in such a way that a team must play back-to-back games, those games will be considered a series.
Pitchers who throw between 0-30 times in one game will not need any days of rest, according to the UIL, while those throwing 31-45 must have one day off, with 46-65 pitches requiring two days of rest and 66-85 requiring three days off. The four-day rest requirement begins once a player reaches 86 pitches.
During the regular season, a pitch-count total will be determined after a single-game appearance, and warm-up throws will not be counted against it. Also, during a doubleheader, the pitch count may be split between games, and the total pitches after the second game will determine the amount of rest required.
The home team will be responsible for keeping count of the amount of pitches thrown in each game. The person keeping the count will not be allowed in the dug out, however, he or she can meet coaches of a team rep in between innings to verify the pitch counts.
Initially the UIL proposed a pitch count limit based on age.
The medical committee’s recommendation, along with the legislative committee action, comes after the National Federation of State High School Associations required that pitch counts be instituted during the 2016-’17 school year.
The rule changes does not apply to softball.
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