Iowa High School Pitch Count Rules (IHSAA)
- Last checked Nov 1, 2026
- By Julien Levadoux
Under IHSAA rules, Iowa high school pitchers may throw up to 110 pitches a day (grades 10–12). Up to 25 pitches needs no rest; 91 or more needs 4 calendar days of rest. The other tables and the extra limits are below.
The IHSAA rest tables
Grades 10–12 · 110 pitches a day at most
| Pitches in a day | Rest before pitching again |
|---|---|
| 1–25 | None: may pitch the next day |
| 26–40 | 1 calendar day |
| 41–65 | 2 calendar days |
| 66–90 | 3 calendar days |
| 91–110 | 4 calendar days |
Grades 8–9 · 90 pitches a day at most
| Pitches in a day | Rest before pitching again |
|---|---|
| 1–25 | None: may pitch the next day |
| 26–40 | 1 calendar day |
| 41–65 | 2 calendar days |
| 66–90 | 3 calendar days |
Other limits
- Limits are by grade, not by team level: an 8th/9th grader is limited to 90 even when pitching varsity.
- Weekly limits (Sunday-Saturday): grades 10-12 max 180 pitches per week during the first three weeks of the season (then daily limit only); grades 8-9 max 150 per week all season.
- Pitches on consecutive days are added together to determine rest, and the consecutive-day total cannot exceed 110 (grades 10-12) or 90 (grades 8-9).
- At 110 (10-12) the pitcher may not face a new batter but may finish the current batter or inning, whichever comes first; an 8th/9th grader may exceed 90 only to finish a batter.
- Doubleheader: 40 or fewer pitches in game 1 -> may pitch game 2 up to the daily max; more than 40 -> ineligible for game 2.
- A game that goes past midnight counts on the day it started; suspended games run rest from the original date and pitches carry over.
- Ambidextrous pitchers: pitches with both arms are combined.
- Varsity pitch counts must be entered in Bound within 24 hours; all levels complete the IHSAA Pitch Count Chart signed by both schools.
- Penalty: violations lead to forfeits.
Source: IHSAA Manual: Baseball - Pitching Restrictions and Pitch Count (IHSAA Baseball Manual and 2026 Memo #5). Checked Nov 1, 2026.
The calculator above is set to Iowa. Enter the pitches thrown and the day, and it shows the rest required and the first day the pitcher can throw again.
How to read the rule
Rest is counted in calendar days, after the day the pitcher threw. On the Grades 10–12 table, a pitcher who throws 78 pitches on a Tuesday needs 3 calendar days of rest, so the first day they can pitch again is Saturday. The most rest any Iowa table requires is 4 days.
More than one table
Iowa doesn’t use one table for everyone. Grades 10–12: up to 110 pitches a day, 91+ pitches means 4 calendar days of rest. Grades 8–9: up to 90 pitches a day, 66+ pitches means 3 calendar days of rest. Pick the one that fits in the calculator; both are printed below it.
Where the rule comes from
These numbers are from the association’s own document: IHSAA Manual: Baseball - Pitching Restrictions and Pitch Count, read as the IHSAA Baseball Manual and 2026 Memo #5. Associations can change their rules between seasons, so if the season is about to start, check the association’s current baseball manual too. Your league or tournament may also set stricter limits than the state.
Keeping the count is usually the coaches’ job, often with both teams’ counts compared after the game. The pitch count log has a line for every pitcher and game.