51-4 from the 2023-2024 IHSAA By-Laws
Rule 51 - Baseball Pitch Count
a. Limits on Pitches. A baseball pitchers is limited in the number of Pitches a pitcher may throw during a Contest, is limited in the number of Pitches a pitcher may throw during a calendar
day and must rest for One (1) or more calendar days after pitching a certain number of Pitches. A School will be responsible for counting its pitchers’ Pitches (Pitch Count) and complying with this Pitch Count rule. A pitcher’s Contest Pitch Count is determined by adding all Pitches thrown by a pitcher during a Contest and a pitcher’s daily Pitch Count is determined by adding all Pitches thrown by a pitcher during all Contests in a calendar day.
b. Maximum Contest and Daily Pitch Count.
(1.) A pitcher may throw no more than One Hundred Twenty (120) Pitches in a Contest.
(2.) A pitcher may throw no more than One Hundred Twenty (120) Pitches during a calendar day.
(3.) This maximum number of Pitches a pitcher may throw in a Contest and the maximum number of Pitches a pitcher may throw during a calendar day is called the Maximum
Pitch Count and a pitcher must leave the pitching position when a Maximum Pitch Count is reached, unless the Maximum Pitch Count is reached during a batter’s at bat, in which event the pitcher may finish pitching to that batter before leaving the pitching position.
c. Mandated Rest; Pitch Count Levels.
(1.) A pitcher must rest after reaching the following Pitch Count Levels:
1-35 pitches 0 days rest
36-60 pitches 1 day rest
61-80 pitches 2 days rest
81-100 pitches 3 days rest
101-120 pitches 4 days rest
(2.) If a pitcher reaches the maximum number of Pitches in a Pitch Count Level during a batter’s at-bat, and the pitcher leaves the pitching position for the day after pitching to that batter, the pitcher’s Pitch Count will be the maximum number of Pitches in the Pitch Count Level the pitcher initially reached during that batter’s at-bat (e.g., if a pitcher reaches the maximum number of Pitches in Pitch Count Level 3 [Eighty (80) Pitches] during a batter’s at bat, and the pitcher leaves the pitching position for the day at the conclusion of that at-bat, the pitcher’s Pitch Count will be Eighty (80) Pitches, irrespective of the number of Pitches thrown during that at-bat).
(3.) Regardless of the daily Pitch Count, a pitcher who has a Pitch Count of more than Sixty (60) Pitches over Two (2) calendar days must rest One (1) calendar day. Like the daily Pitch Count, if a pitcher reaches Sixty (60) Pitches on the second calendar day during a batter’s at-bat, the pitcher may finish pitching to that batter before leaving the pitching position, and in that event, the Two (2) day Pitch Count would be Sixty (60) Pitches regardless of the number of Pitches thrown during that at-bat.
(4.) A pitcher’s period of rest begins on the calendar day following the calendar day in which the pitcher reached the Pitch Count Level which required a period of rest.
d. Pitch Count Chart. A School shall maintain a Pitch Count Chart (use IHSAA form) for every pitcher. A copy of the Pitch Count Chart with current statistics must be submitted following
each Contest to the appropriate School Administrator by the pitcher’s Varsity baseball coach. The School shall maintain the pitcher’s Pitch Count Chart until a reasonable time after the School’s baseball season is complete.
e. A School which intentionally utilizes a pitcher in violation of rule 51-4(b) (Maximum Contest and Daily Pitch Count) or rule 51-4 (Mandated Rest; Pitch Count Levels) must forfeit the Contest in which the violation occurred and report the violation in writing to the IHSAA.
f. Replacement Pitchers. A replacement pitcher for a pitcher who has reached a Maximum Pitch Count shall have a maximum of Sixteen (16) warm up throws.
g. Recommendations. It is recommended that (i) every School also use a mobile app to count Pitches, (ii) the School of a pitcher who has reached a Maximum Pitch Count carefully consider an appropriate fielding position for that pitcher after considering the fielding position’s throwing requirements, (iii) to allow for growth and arm strength, every School should develop a pitching philosophy that includes the instruction of proper throwing mechanics, broadening the number of players who become pitchers on the team, and develop a “work up” plan so that a pitcher is not throwing the maximum allowable Pitches from the first day of competition, (iv) every Schools provide an additional day of rest for those pitchers that throw more than Seventy (70) Pitches, and (iv) every School’s coaching staff learn the behaviors of their pitchers and recognize each pitcher’s “fatigue threshold”.
Example Questions:
Q. If a Varsity pitcher throws Sixty-two (62) Pitches in the first Contest of a double header, can he Pitch in the second Contest that same day?
A. Yes. The Pitch Count is a per-day count (One Hundred Twenty (120) per day) and not a per Contest count. This pitcher would have Fifty-eight (58) Pitches available in the second Contest of the double header. (rule 51-4(b)(2))
Q. If a pitcher exceeds the maximum Pitch Count, what is the penalty?
A. When a pitcher reaches the maximum Pitch Count, the pitcher should leave the Contest in accordance with the provisions of rule 51-4(c). If the pitcher is allowed to remain in the Contest after reaching a maximum pitching level or if a pitcher is allowed to pitch in another Contest after having reach a maximum pitching level, there is no penalty unless the School intentionally utilizes the 120 pitcher (knew that the pitcher had met the maximum Pitch Count and still permitted the pitcher to remain in a Contest or allowed the pitcher to pitch in another Contest), in which event the School must forfeit the Contest and report the violation in writing to the IHSAA. (rule 51-4(e); rule 3-9.4(a))
