IESA Baseball Bat Rules And Regulations 2023

Illinois middle school Baseball bat rules state that all bats should be 31 inches long and should contain a BBCOR label as per NFHS standards.

Any nonwood bats are considered illegal with a barrel diameter of more than 2.625 inches. There should be a ball exit speed ratio (BESR) silkscreen labeled on the bat and should weigh more than 3 ounces less than the length of the bat. 

For example: a bat 31 inches in length should not weigh less than 28 ounces otherwise it is considered illegal.

Non-wood bats with a barrel diameter of 2.25 inches, a length of 30 inches or less, and a weight over 3 ounces, are allowed as long as the diameter is not more than 2.25 inches.

For example, a 29-inch long bat may weigh 0 ounces and is considered legal as far as the diameter doesn’t exceed 2.25 inches. These bats don’t need a BESR label.

Here are the following bats considered legal for use in IESA as per IESA baseball rules:

• Any non-wood bat with a silkscreened or permanent BBCOR label mark, as detailed in sections 1-3-2 of the NFHS baseball rule book.
• Any bat 30 inches and lesser having a greater than minus three bat drop and a barrel diameter of 2.625 inches provided that the bat contains the USA Baseball logo.
• Any wood bat that meets the NFHS standards as detailed in sections 1-3-2 and 1-3-3 of the NFHS baseball rule book.
• All bats with a 2 ¼” barrel diameter are illegal. Bats having the USSSA logo are also illegal.

Here are some of the examples regarding legal and illegal non-wood bats mentioned below:

Legal Bats:

• Bats with 31 inches in length, 28 ounces in weight, 2.625 barrel diameter, and a BESR label 
• Bats with 30 inches in length, 20 ounces in weight, 2.25 barrel diameter
• Bats with 32 inches in length, 29 ounces in weight, 2.625 barrel diameter, and a BESR label
• Bats with 28 inches in length, 19 ounces in weight, 2.25 barrel diameter
• Bats with 29 inches in length, 26 ounces in weight, 2.625 barrel diameter, and a BESR label
• Bats with 30 inches in length, 27 ounces in weight, 2.625 barrel diameter, and a BESR label 

Illegal Bats:

• Bats with 30 inches in length, 20 ounces in weight, and 2.75 barrel diameter
• Bats with 29 inches in length, 22 ounces in weight, and 2.75 barrel diameter
• Bats with 31 inches in length, 25 ounces in weight, and 2.625 barrel diameter do not meet NFHS standards for above 31 inches bat.
• Bats with 31 inches in length, 28 ounces in weight, and 2.75 barrel diameter
• Bats with 32 inches in length, 22 ounces in weight, and 2.75 barrel diameter, not meeting NFHS standards for above 31 inches bat

IESA Baseball pitching rules state that the pitching distance from the mound to the home plate is 54 foot and 6 inches. 

The pitching rule also states that any starting pitcher withdrawn from the mound might return once in a game within the legal re-entry rule.
 
The pitch count is set by the league officials considering the pitch count for the day to the players following the IESA pitching standards set. The pitching substitutions for the teams are also under the IESA and NFHS standards with pitch count being applied in all situations.

Here is the pitch count limit for the pitchers mentioned in the pitching rules by the IESA baseball committee:

• 1-20 pitch count per day - No Rest, 70 pitches in next appearance
• 21-35 pitch count per day - 1 Day Rest, Upto 90 pitches in next appearance
• 36-50 pitch count per day - Two Days Rest, 90 pitches in next game
• 51-65 pitch count per day - 3 Days Rest, 90 pitches in next game
• 66-90 pitch count per day - 4 Days Rest, Upto 90 pitches in next game

For example: Suppose Pitcher “B” threw 60 pitches in a game on Monday, He is then eligible after three days of rest and can only throw upto 90 pitches in his next game on Friday.

In addition to the pitch count, if the pitcher threw 28 pitches on the first day followed by 10 pitches the following day, then it is considered illegal in IESA. It creates a violation in the pitch count as the pitcher didn’t take a day's rest before his next pitch.

IESA baseball mercy rule comes into effect if the visiting team is behind 10 runs or more after 4½ innings, or after the 5th inning. 

This rule is implemented according to the IESA baseball playoffs rules under NFHS standard and is also called the 10-run rule. 

If either team is behind by 10 runs in the game with both teams having an equal number of bats, it comes into effect.

All the state series games shall be played till the 7 inning except for the mercy rule games.

IESA Baseball Field Dimensions 

IESA baseball field dimensions include the 80-foot basepaths and the pitching mound being 54 feet away from the home plate.

The field dimensions and layout are all recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations for the boy's baseball state tournament series in Illionois.

The main features of the IESA baseball field are mentioned below:

• Basepaths - The distance between all the bases is 80 feet. 

• Pitching distance - The pitching distance is 54 feet and 6 inches away from the home plate.

• Home plate - A five-sided slab made of whitened rubber, 17 inches long on one side, and 8.5 inches on the adjacent sides. The remaining sides are 11 inches long.

• Foul Lines - They are drawn straightly from the edge of the home plate to the outer edges of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bases expanded to the outfield fences.

• Grass Line - The semicircle with a 26 feet radius from the back side of home plate to the foul line.

• Coach’s Box - It is set in a rectangle shape about 15 feet long and 10 feet wide behind a line from the first and third bases 6 feet from the foul lines.

• On-deck Circle - It is set in a radius of 5 feet, located at least 37 feet away from home plate, in foul territory, and far to home plate than each dugout.

• Fence Distance - It should be at least 60 feet from the foul lines to the nearest obstruction or dugout. The fence lines are not set by the IESA Baseball.