The job of the Pitch Counter is to record the number of pitches for each pitcher during a game.
Little League has pitch count rules to protect young arms from injury. Through multiple research studies, it's been shown that overuse is the largest cause of arm-related baseball injuries. Little League enforces a pitch count with varying thresholds and days rest based on the age of the pitcher to make sure young arms stay healthy.
The eligibility of a player to pitch in a game is governed by a pitch count that is tied to the number of pitches thrown in a game. The pitch count determines how many days of rest are required before a player may pitch again in a Little League game.
No pitching is allowed on a calendar day of rest.
The FINAL pitch count for each pitcher is ALWAYS THE FIRST PITCH TO THEIR LAST BATTER.
A pitcher is allowed to exceed the official pitch limit as long as their first pitch to their last batter is under or equal to their pitch count limit.
For example, a 9-year-old pitcher's limit is 50 pitches. He is allowed to begin pitching to a new batter if he has already thrown 49 pitches before the new batter steps into the box. Even if the pitcher ends up with 54 total pitches, the official pitch count would be 50, because that's the first pitch he threw to the last batter.
However, if he has already thrown 50 pitches before the new batter comes into the box, he cannot pitch to that new batter because his official pitch count would be 51 (the first pitch to the last batter).