(USA SOFTBALL RULES APPLY EXCEPT AS AMENDED HEREIN RULE)
1.00 THE GAME
1.01 REGULATION GAME: Shall consist of five (5) innings. A game called by the umpire due to inclement weather shall be considered complete if three (3) or more innings have been completed. If the home team is ahead after 3 ½ innings, it will be considered a complete game. A game postponed after at least two (2) innings have been completed, will be continued from that point at a later date. If less than two (2) innings are complete, it will be restarted at a later date. If the postponed game is tied and 4 or more innings have been played, the game will be resumed at a later date only if time remains in the time limit.
1.02 GRACE PERIOD: A five minute grace period will be allowed from the scheduled starting time of the first game only to have the legal number of players present to start.
1.03 TIME LIMIT: No new inning will begin after 1 hour, 5 minutes from the start of the game. The game starts when the first pitch is made. Games called by time limit will be considered official. Any inning in progress will be the final inning of the game.
1.04 TIE GAMES: Ties in the final standings will be decided by the results of head-to-head competition between the teams involved in the tie. Teams tied for 1st place will be co-league champs.
1.05 MERCY RULE: If the losing team is behind by 15 or more runs after 3 innings, or 10 or more after 4 or more innings the game will be stopped, and considered a complete game.
RULE 2.00 THE PLAYING FIELD AND EQUIPMENT
2.01 PERSONNEL: Only the following personnel will be permitted in the bench area during the games:
a. the Head Coach and two (2) assistant coaches (for BBA)
b. players on the team roster
c. a bat boy/girl with a helmet
2.02 UNIFORMS: Participants must wear shirts provided by the the BBA. Shirts MAY NOT be cut, torn, or altered in any manner. Jewelry may not be worn, and must be removed.
2.03 PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT: Catchers MUST wear the mask and the chest protector. All batters, base runners, and on deck batters MUST wear helmets. Any player that is injured and bleeding must leave the game for medical attention.
2.04 GAME BALL: Official game ball shall be a MacGregor safesoft softball or equal, provided by the home team. One new and one used ball will be provided for each game.
2.05 PLAYING FIELD: The pitching machine shall be approximately 30 feet from home plate. The Recreation Department reserves the right to adjust the pitching distance if deemed necessary. The distance between bases will be 60 feet.
RULE 3.00 SPECIAL PLAYING
RULES 3.01 BATTING: All participants will bat in a continuous batting order throughout the game. Late arrivals will be added to bottom of batting order. Teams bat around their order once - if teams have unequal number of players the higher number will be the maximum per team. If a player leaves a game for any reason or is unable to further participate, her position in batting order is skipped. No out will be recorded unless the player is ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
3.02 FREE SUBSTITUTION: Any player may re-enter a game defensively in any inning. Each player arriving on time must play a minimum of three (3) innings in the field by the 5th inning. No player may sit the bench in two (2) consecutive innings. If the 5th or bottom of the 6th is not played due to the time limit, run rule, or weather conditions, the visiting team is not in violation if each participant does not play the mandatory 3 innings on defense. Coaches should start these players in the next game.
3.03 PLAYERS & POSITIONING: Eleven (11) players may be fielded defensively (5 out-fielders) Infielders must play in normal defensive positions. The outfielders must play behind the designated outfield lines on the fields. On fields with large infield cutouts, outfield lines should be designated with dash marks approximately 75 feet from home plate. If lines cannot be placed on the field, the outfield grass will be the designated line. They may not move toward the infield until the ball is hit. A minimum of seven (7) players are required to start and end a game. NOTE: NOBODY MAY PLAY MORE THAN 3 INNINGS AT THE SAME INFIELD POSITION.
3.04 INFIELD FLY: The infield fly rule is not in effect.
3.05 BAT THROWING: Thrown bats can be dangerous to other players. Umpires will give a team warning after which batters will be called out by the umpire for inadvertent bat throwing. On any such play, the ball is dead and all base runners must return to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch. NOTE: INTENTIONAL THROWING OF EQUIPMENT IS AN ACT OF UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT. THIS MAY RESULT IN THE PARTICIPANT BEING EJECTED FROM THE GAME BY THE UMPIRE.
3.06 COURTESY RUNNER: Courtesy runners are permitted in event of injury to a player. The courtesy runner must be the player that made the last out. This rule is not intended to offer an opportunity to replace a slow base runner.
3.07 The league will use the pitching machine for the ENTIRE SEASON.
a. Base umpire will operate pitching machine. They will present ball to the batter before placing it into the machine. - Each Batter will get up to five (5) “good” pitches to attempt to put the ball in play. Umpires should verbally count “Good” pitches so that all may hear. - There are no called strikes. Three (3) swinging strikes will be an out. Exception: if a batter has two strikes and fouls a ball she continues to bat until she looks at two “good” pitches or she swings and misses or she puts the ball in play. - There are no walks.
b. Speed and accuracy will be adjusted to suit the majority. BBA/OPPOSING TEAM will make the adjustment. Balls will be pitched with a minimum arc.
c. Any batted ball that strikes the pitching machine or operator will be declared dead and the batterrunner will be awarded with a single. All runners on base will advance 1-base only if forced.
d. Any thrown ball that strikes the machine will remain alive
3.08 Bats must be softball bats, or bats meeting the acceptable bat rules as defined by the BBA.
3.09 All players in attendance for the entire game MUST play at least 1 inning defensively in the infield, providing they have 12 or less players in attendance. If a team has 13 or more players participating, any who do not get their inning in the infield must do so in their next game. The infield positions are defined as P, C, 1 st, 2nd 3 rd, and SS. If a player refuses to play an infield position, or must be kept out of the infield for safety reasons, the league director & a parent must be notified, and in agreement.
3.10 STOPPING BASERUNNERS BATTED BALL HIT TO THE OUTFIELD Once a batted ball that is hit to the outfield is in control of any player on the defensive team that is physically in the infield, all base runners may continue to advance, AT THEIR OWN RISK , only if they had started to run to that base prior to the control of the ball in the infield. The defense is encouraged to make a play on these advancing runners with NO RISK, since the base runners may advance no further, even if the ball is thrown out of play. BATTED BALL NEVER LEAVES THE INFIELD ALL base runners, including the batter/runner may advance only 1 base on a batted ball that never leaves the infield.
3.11 DOUBLE 1ST BASE (ASA Rule 8, Section2, M) For safety reasons, the double 1st base will be used. A batted ball hitting or bounding over the white portion is declared fair, while a batted ball hitting or bounding over the colored portion is foul. Whenever a play is being made by an infielder on the batter-runner, the defense must use the white portion, the batter-runner uses the colored portion. If the batter-runner touches only the white when there is a play being made at 1st , he/she shall be called out, no appeal is necessary. Teams will be given a warning prior to an out being called. On a force attempt from the foul side of first, or an errant throw pulling the defense off the base into foul ground, both the defense and the batter-runner can use either the white or colored portion. On extra base hits or balls hit to the outfield, the batter-runner may touch either portion of the base. Should she return, it must be to the white portion. The white portion must be used for tagging up. If there is a force play on the batter-runner, who touches only the white portion and collides with the fielder about to catch a thrown ball while on the white, interference is ruled, ball is dead, batter is out, and all others returned to the last base occupied at the time of the interference.
RULE 4.00 CONDUCT
4.01 Coaches/players/spectators should cheer for their team in a sportsmanlike manner. Comments directed at opposing team members or game officials ARE NOT permitted. PENALTY: A warning or possible disqualification from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
4.02 Any coach, player, or spectator disqualified from a game for unsportsmanlike conduct is automatically suspended from participating in or attending the next game played by their team. Serious or repeated offenses may warrant additional penalties, as deemed appropriate by the BBA.
4.04 Smoking or use of tobacco products is not permitted in the bench area or field during games or practices.
4.05 A base runner is NOT required to slide to avoid a fielder who has or is about to have possession of the ball. If the runner makes what the umpire rules as MALICIOUS CONTACT with a defensive player the ball is immediately dead; the runner shall be called out. The runner may be ejected from the game, at the discretion of the umpire. A player ejected from the game may not play in her team’s next game.