ORLANDO SPORT AND SOCIAL CLUB OFFICIAL COED KICKBALL RULES Copyright January 2015

Transcription

1 ORLANDO SPORT AND SOCIAL CLUB OFFICIAL COED KICKBALL RULES Copyright January 2015 Orlando Sport & Social Club Guidelines 1. The goal of OSSC Kickball is friendly competition. There may be times when play gets intense during games, but as an adult kickballer, it is your personal responsibility to never allow yourself, your teammates, or your spectators to cross that line between friendly competition and unsportsmanlike behavior. 2. Players should treat their fellow kickballers, umpires and spectators with respect and courtesy at all times. Profane or malicious remarks directed at anybody in the kickball community will not be tolerated. 3. Players should refrain from any action that is considered poor sportsmanship. Such actions include but are not limited to arguing balls and strikes, and yelling at opposing players in an attempt to distract them. 4. Players are expected to fully comply with the rules of the game. Deliberately attempting to violate any of the rules is considered unsportsmanlike. 5. During games, team captains are the only players that can address concerns to umpires and league officials. Team captains are expected to address umpires and league officials in a respectful manner. 6. Players must respect the authority of the umpires to regulate the game and abide by their decisions. Umpires have the discretion to eject players from the game for detrimental conduct. All decisions made by the umpires are final. Ejected players cannot be replaced in the line-up. An out will be awarded every time the ejected player s spot in the kicking order comes up. 6.1 Ejected players cannot be replaced in the line-up. 6.2 An ejected player may not be replaced in either the kicking lineup or in the field. 6.3 An out will be awarded every time the ejected player s spot in the kicking order comes up. 6.4 Any ejection will force a team to forfeit a fielding position. 6.5 If an ejection causes a team to be below the minimum required numbers of players the team will have to forfeit the game. I. Set-Up: Registration, Teams, Equipment, Field, Umpires 1. Registration & Rosters 1.1 All players must be registered and have paid the league registration fee to play kickball, operated by Orlando Sport & Social Club (OSSC) By registering, players agree that they are at least 18 years of age, have health insurance, and will not hold OSSC responsible for any injuries that occur during kickball game play or at any kickball-related events hosted by OSSC. 1.2 Players may only be on the team roster for the team they have registered and signed with or if registered as an independent - the team they were placed on by OSSC. 1.3 TEAM SIZE Each team shall field 10 players on the field at one time (no more than 6 men). OSSC rules allow a team to play a legal game shorthanded with 8 players, (at least 2 female). Teams may have as many players on their roster as they want. There is no maximum limit on the amount of females on the field at one time. All rosters must be finalized by 1

2 the last week of the season. Only those team members who have played in at least two regular season games and signed the waiver form and are not on another roster in the league will be eligible for playoffs. If there are multiple divisions, each is considered a separate league. Players may only be on one roster per division Shorthanded teams may play a legal game with a minimum of 8 players, at least two of them being female. Teams fielding less than 8 roster players will receive a forfeit Picking Up Non-roster Players If teams have the minimum number to field a team (8, at least two being female) they may pick up players during the regular season in order to field a full team ON THE FIELD Teams may pick up only the gender of which they are short players from their roster Teams able to field a full ON THE FIELD team of strictly roster players MAY NOT pick up players Teams may not pick up non-roster players if, after picking up players, the number of players ON THE FIELD would exceed their opponents number of on-the-field players Teams may not pick up more than 2 non-roster players for a game Teams will be allowed to play all ROSTER players, regardless of gender, when picking up players Teams may pick up only the number of gender-specific players needed to create a full team on the field and all roster players will be allowed to participate as active substitutes a EXAMPLES Team A has 6 males and 2 female roster players. They may pick up 2 female, non-roster players. Team B has 5 males and 3 female roster players. They may pick up 1 male and 1 female non-roster players. Team C has 8 male and two female roster players. They will be able to pick up 2 female non-roster players and all of their roster players will still be allowed to participate as active substitutes, as well as kick in the kicking order The use of non-roster players will not be allowed during playoffs In order to participate in the league, each participant must sign the team waiver before participating. Participants must also check in every week. Waivers are provided and must be completed and handed in no later than the first night of play. Officials will have waivers on the field prior to game time for participants to sign/check in every week. If a player shows up late, they cannot play until they see the supervisor and check in or sign the waiver if necessary. Players must sign the waiver and participate in two regular season games in order to be eligible for playoffs Any team that, during the course of a playoff game, is found to be using illegal players, knowingly or unknowingly, will forfeit the game. The player in question must be able to prove that they are the person they are checked in as, be it in a picture ID or the ability to answer questions about the contact information provided on the waiver. If the player is unable to prove their identity, the game will be immediately forfeited. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE. 1.4 All team members must stay within the sideline box marked with cones when not actively playing in a specific inning. 1.5 Players must play in at least 2 regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs. This means players have signed the waiver and have been highlighted two times. It is the players responsibility to check in with the official every game. 1.6 Teams may kick more than ten players; however, these teams must kick the same ratio (3 to 2) of fielding men and women. In situations where additional players wish to kick, the 2

3 line up must come as close to a 3 to 2 ratio as possible, even if some women need to kick twice in the rotation. When a female must double up in the kicking order, her 2 nd kick cannot occur until all other females have kicked. This order must stay consistent through the entire game or until an additional female arrives. ***Men CANNOT kick twice in the lineup to achieve a 3-2 ratio if a team plays with more women than men. Line-ups must be given to the ump for every game. i.e. 6 guys to 4 girls 7 men 4 women 8 men 5 women (1 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) 9 men 6 women (2 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) 10 men 6 women (2 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) 11 men 7 women (3 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) 12 men 8 women (4 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) Etc., etc., etc. *6 men 2 women (both kicking twice) *If playing with the minimum # of people 2. The Team Captain 2.1 Each team shall identify one team captain to the umpire prior to the game Only a team captain may speak on behalf of their team to umpires and league officials The team captain is expected to address umpires and league officials in a respectful manner in keeping with the OSSC Guidelines of Kickball. 2.3 The team captain must serve as a liaison between OSSC and his/her team, and is expected to attend any required league informational meetings and communicate league correspondence to their team in a timely manner. 3. Equipment 3.1 All players must wear closed-toe shoes All non-metal cleats and turf shoes are allowed Metal cleats or spikes are not permitted If the kicking team is caught, an out will be awarded to the fielding team. If the fielding team is caught, they will start their next time up to kick with an out. 3.2 The official ball used in game play will be a 10 playground ball or equivalent OSSC will provide a ball for every game Only OSSC balls will be used in the game 4. Playing Field (See diagram on page 13) 4.1 The field set up in the shape of a diamond, with each side being approximately 18 paces/yards The distance between home plate and first/third base is 18 paces/yards The distance between home plate and the pitcher s mound is 13 paces/yards The distance between home plate and second base is 26 paces/yards. 4.2 Cones will be used to mark each base, outfield foul lines, kicker s and catcher s box, and the pitcher s mound. 5. Umpires 5.1 OSSC will train and provide a head umpire for each game. 5.2 The head umpire will call balls/strikes, keep the official game clock, keep the official game score, and be the final ruling authority on any disputed calls. 5.3 Only umpires can call outs, fouls, balls, strikes, and dead balls. 5.4 Umpires may end a game early (prior to the 7 inning/1 hour time limit) if there is a concern for player safety (eg: unplayable field conditions, hazardous weather, etc). 3

4 II. Game Day Particulars: Games, Strikes, Balls, Fair or Foul?, Outs 6. Games 6.1 Prior to the start of a game, team captains and the head umpire will meet at home plate for introductions, to discuss ground rules, sportsmanship, and any questions. 6.2 The home team will play defensively in the field first, while the visiting team will hit OSSC will make all attempts to distribute home and away as evenly as possible. 6.3 All games are seven innings or one hour (there is no designated warm up time) No new inning will start (eg: visiting team batting) after 50 minutes expire on the official game clock. Umpires will announce the start of the final inning The home team will not hit in its half of the last inning if they have scored more runs than the visiting team If the home team takes the lead in the bottom half of the last inning, the game will immediately be over Due to differing circumstances in each and every game, some games will finish short on an hour in length, while others might run over the hour mark. Please respect your umpire s call in this matter. He/she must keep all games running on time in fairness to teams playing later hours and due to facility permit restrictions. 6.4 Regular season games can end in a tie. 6.5 A game is considered official after 4 full innings are completed, or 3.5 innings if the home team is leading Mercy rule: If a team is up by 20 runs after 4 completed innings, the game will be called Games called by an umpire or an OSSC league representative prior to being considered official will not count in the standings, and a make-up game will be scheduled by OSSC, if possible Playoffs games that are called in the middle of the game will be rescheduled from the point of which the game was called, and the batting orders/ lineup will remain the same Only participants who were presented when the original game was called can play in the rescheduled game. 6.6 The official game clock will be kept by the head umpire, and started as closely as possible to the scheduled game time The head umpire will announce when the official game clock is started, and the start of the final inning The only acceptable reasons to delay the start of the official game clock are lack of field availability or hazardous weather Teams are expected to be at the field and ready to play at their scheduled game time. If a team fails to field the minimum number of players by the scheduled start time, a forfeit will be recorded Courtesy Time: Teams will have until 10 minutes past the designated start time to field a legal team. This must be requested by the captain. 7. Strikes 7.1 The strike zone is 1 foot wide on either side of home plate, and 1 foot high Any ball pitched in this zone that the kicker swings at and does not contact is a strike ( swinging strike ) Any ball pitched but not swung at that crosses any part of the zone is a strike ( called strike ) If a kicker gets 3 strikes in one plate appearance, the kicker is out. 7.2 To be considered a called strike, a ball pitched must either roll smoothly through the strike zone or bounce no less than twice before reaching the strike zone. 4

5 7.3 Strikes and foul balls are considered separately in OSSC kickball. Unlike baseball or softball, a foul ball is not considered a strike. 8. Balls 8.1 Any ball pitched that is outside the strike zone and not a swinging strike is a ball. 8.2 Any ball pitched that does not bounce at least twice before reaching the strike zone is a ball if it is not kicked If a ball does not bounce at least twice before reaching the strike zone and is kicked by the kicker, it is a live ball and the result of the kick will count. 8.3 Each incident of pitcher encroachment (see rule ), catcher encroachment (see rule ), defensive encroachment (see rule ) and/or an illegal pitch (see rule 11.1) is a ball. 8.4 If a kicker gets 4 balls in one plate appearance, the kicker is awarded first base (a walk ). 9. Fair or Foul? 9.1 Fair territory is the area inside the first and third base lines; this area will be marked off with cones during games. Any kick not called a foul ball by an umpire should be played. 9.2 A foul ball will be called by the umpires when any of the following happen: A legally kicked ball (see rule 14.2) hits in fair territory but goes into foul territory before being touched by a fielder or reaching first/third base A legally kicked ball (see rule 14.2) lands in foul territory prior to reaching first/third base If a ball lands in foul territory and goes fair before 1 st /3 rd Base, it s a fair ball A legally kicked ball (see rule 14.2) lands in foul territory beyond first/third base A legally kicked ball (see rule 14.2), while in or over foul territory, touches an umpire, a player, a spectator, or any object other than the playing surface Any portion of the kicker s plant foot touches the ground beyond the leading edge of home plate or outside of the kicking box A ball pitched contacts the kicker more than once during a kick attempt (a double kick ) while inside the kicking box A ball pitched is kicked at or above knee level (including the knee). 9.3 Fair/foul calls will always be made based on the location of the ball itself, with no regard to whether the defensive player contacting a ball is in fair or foul territory. 9.4 If a defensive fielder catches any foul ball in the air, the kicker will be out Any legally kicked ball (see rule 14.2) caught in foul territory is a live ball foul. Players may tag up and try to advance once live ball fouls are caught Any illegally kicked ball (eg: at/above knee, kicker in front of home plate) is a foul. If caught, the kicker is out. If not caught, the kick is ruled a foul ball. Base runners cannot advance on dead ball fouls. 9.5 If a kicker gets 3 fouls in one plate appearance, the kicker is out. 10. Outs 10.1 Each team gets three offensive outs during their half of each inning An out will be called by the umpire when any of the following happen: A kicker receives 3 strikes in one plate appearance (see rule 7.1.3) A kicker gets 3 fouls in one plate appearance (see rule 9.5) A defensive fielder catches a kicked ball in flight (fair or foul) A defensive fielder tags a base that a base runner is forced to run to before the base runner gets there. 5

6 A base runner is the first object hit by a fair ball while not on base, whether trying to advance on a fair ball outside of the kicking box, tagging up on a fair ball that is touched or caught by a defensive fielder, or tagging up on a live ball foul that is caught A base runner is the first object hit by a fair ball while on base, if the runner is forced to advance to the next base but does not do so A base runner leaves a base before the ball is kicked On a play at first base, when the base runner going from home to first does not run to the outside (safety) base A base runner goes outside of the base line A base runner deliberately runs into a defensive fielder while the fielder is going for a ball in the base path Any non-defensive fielder yelling I got it or doing something similar in an effort to confuse a fielder. III. Game On!: Pitching, Catching, Fielding, Kicking, Base Running, Scoring 11. Pitching 11.1 All pitches must be thrown with an underhand or sidearm motion Any motion that causes the wrist to roll over so that palm of the hand is facing towards the ground when the ball is released is considered overhand An overhand pitch will be considered a ball and cannot be kicked The pitcher must be in contact with the pitching strip when the ball is released If at any time the ball pitched comes in contact with someone in the field of play before it reaches home plate, the ball will be declared dead and the batter will be awarded first base A pitching change can be made at any time If pitching change comes in the middle of an at bat, the new pitcher takes over with the count that was on the batter before the change. 11.5A kicker must be in the area designated as the catcher s box or the kicker s box to receive a pitch If kicker is outside of the designated areas at the time of release of the pitched ball, the ball is dead and is considered no pitch If the kicker is out of the designated areas two or more times within the same at bat, those pitches will be considered foul balls. *Exception: If the official deems the pitcher is quick pitching and not giving the kicker time to get into the designated areas, the pitched ball is dead and is considered no pitch. 12. Catching 12.1 The catcher may not physically interfere with a kicker s attempt to contact the ball The catcher must give a clear path to the ball for the kicker 12.2 The catcher must stay in or behind the catcher s box, behind the kicker until the ball is kicked or the ball has left the kicker s box. (See diagram on page 13) If a catcher physically interferes with a kicker s attempt to contact the ball, the umpire will call catcher s interference and the kicker shall be awarded first base or the result of the play If the catcher is in the kicker s box at the time of ball contact, the umpire will call catcher encroachment When catcher encroachment is called, the pitch is considered a ball. 13. Fielding 6

7 13.1 Teams must play a minimum of 8 or a maximum of 10 players in the field; 4 or more of the fielders have to be girls when playing with the maximum. When playing with the minimum 2 females are required. Teams can never have more than 6 males on the field. (see rule 1.4.1) Restriction Line: When a female is kicking all defensive players must be behind the restriction line (even with the pitcher s 10 foot circle cones), until the ball is kicked. If a defensive player breaks the restriction line before the ball is kicked, the kicker will be entitled to first base There is NO Restriction line for when a male is kicking Defensive fielders must stay out of the base paths and off of the bases when they are not actively making a play on a ball. The base paths include the areas that are reasonably necessary for base runners to round the bases If a base runner within the base paths is hindered by a defensive fielder who is not actively making a play on the ball, the umpire will call defensive interference. Play should continue, but the base runner will be awarded any extra base(s) that the umpire deems justified due to the interference. If a fielder obstructs the base path, the runner may leave the base path/stop running to avoid contact and still be deemed safe If a base runner advances beyond the base(s) the umpire would have awarded and is put out, the runner is out Pegging occurs when a base runner is hit below the neck with a ball thrown or kicked by the defense while they are off a base. It is allowed, and considered the equivalent to a tag out in baseball or softball If a defensive fielder throws or kicks the ball and it strikes a base runner's neck or head, the base runner is safe and automatically advances to the base they where advancing to. The ball is dead and no other runner(s) can advance The only exception to rule is if a defensive fielder hits a base runner in the neck or head when a base runner is ducking. In this instance, the runner is out An overthrow is when a defensive fielder throws or kicks the ball that lands outside of the foul lines in an attempt to make a play on the ball or base runner. This includes instances when a defensive fielder throws or kicks a ball that bounces off a base runner. Any throw that remains in the field of play (ex: an overthrow of second base that rolls into center field) is a live ball, and the base runner(s) can advance at their own discretion without limitation Base runners cannot advance more than one base on an overthrow. The one base is not automatic; the ball is live and the defense can try to get a base runner out if they are attempting to advance on an overthrow If the defense attempts a play on a base runner after an overthrow, the base runner(s) can advance at their own discretion without limitation If an overthrow hits a bench player, spectator and/or their gear (chair, cooler, etc), the umpire will declare the ball dead and the base runner(s) will each be awarded one additional base If a defensive player intentionally throws or kicks the ball out of play, a dead ball will not be called and the base runner(s) can advance at their own discretion without limitation A play ends when the following situations occur: All base runners are no longer actively attempting to advance and the defense is not attempting to make a play on a base runner The pitcher must be within a 10 foot circle of the pitching strip and the umpire must declare the ball dead The umpire calls time or declares the play dead. 7

8 Any base runner judged by an umpire to be more than halfway to the next base at the time the pitcher gains control of the ball in the pitching strip area will be awarded the next base Any base runner judged by an umpire to be less than halfway to the next base at the time the pitcher gains control of the ball in the pitching strip area will have to return to the previous base Prior to an umpire declaring the ball dead, if a pitcher that has control of the ball in the pitching strip area decides to make a play on a base runner then the play is live and the base runner(s) can advance at their own discretion On an infield fly the runners can advance BUT at their own risk. An infield fly is when there are less than 2 outs AND there are runner on 1 st and 2 nd base OR bases loaded. If, in the umpire s discretion, the ball is a routine pop up to an infielder, the umpire will yell infield fly, kicker out. This lets the runners know the kicker is deemed out and an infield fly is in effect A defensive player cannot intentionally not make a catch in an attempt to gain an advantage. Intentionally not making a catch includes but is not limited to: -dropping the ball -knocking the ball down -letting the ball drop Any decision as to whether the non-catch was intentional lies solely on the discretion of the umpire. The result of this will be an automatic dead ball, the kicker is safe on first and any forced runners will advance to the next base A base runner can tag up once initial contact with the ball is made by the defensive fielder. In instances where a ball is bobbled before being caught, the base runner can advance at their own discretion provided they tag up properly There are two first bases; one outside (safety) base for the base runner, and one inside base for the defense. The defense may only use the inside base when making outs. If a defensive fielder attempts to make a play on the outside (safety) base, the base runner will be declared safe by the umpire The offensive player must run through the safety base at all times. If this does not occur, the ball will be called dead and the base runner will be called out. 14. Kicking 14.1 Substitute Players/ Kicking Order Any player that is not in the original line up turned in before the game may be used as a substitute To enter the game, the substitute must enter the kicking order in place of a player from the original line-up. This player is then removed from the game in all aspects The substitute must play a half-inning in the field before they are eligible to kick The player removed from the game may re-enter the game, but only for the person who had removed them from the game in the first place, and in the same spot in the order Once a substitute is re-subbed for, they are no longer eligible to participate in the game. The only exception to this rule is if a team suffers an injury and has no one left to replace the injured player, a substitute who has become ineligible may take the place of the injured player The kicking order may not be adjusted once the game has started Any late arriving players must be added to the bottom of the lineup in the order of their arrival If a team turns in a line-up with 6 males and 4 female spots and a male arrives after the line-up is turned in they must be used as a substitute, not as an extra player. 8

9 Teams may not add an additional female spot in the order because a male has arrived late Teams must submit a line up to the ump prior to the start of the game Teams may kick more than ten players; however, these teams must kick the same ratio (3 to 2) of fielding men and women. In situations where additional players wish to kick, the line up must come as close to a 3 to 2 ratio as possible, even if some women need to kick twice in the rotation. When a female must double up in the kicking order, her 2 nd kick cannot occur until all other females have kicked. This order must stay consistent through the entire game or until an additional female arrives. ***Men CANNOT kick twice in the lineup to achieve a 3-2 ratio if a team plays with more women than men. Line-ups must be given to the ump for every game. i.e. 6 guys to 4 girls If 7 men, need 4 women If 8 men, need 5 women (1 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) If 9 men, need 6 women (2 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) If 10 men, need 6 women (2 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) If 11 men, need 7 women (3 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) If 12 men, need 8 women (4 out of 4 kicking twice if needed) Etc., etc., etc. *If 6 men, need 2 women (both kicking twice) *If playing with the minimum # of people 14.2 All players in the field must be listed in the kicking order. Kicking out of order is an appeal play which may be made only by the defensive team. If a successful appeal is made before or during the kick, the correct kicker will replace the current kicker and assume all balls and strikes. If the appeal is made after the kicker, the correct kicker is out, all runs are nullified and all base runners return to their previous place. If the appeal is made after a pitch has been made to the following kicker or when the pitcher and all infielders have clearly vacated their normal fielding positions and have left fair territory on their way to the bench or dugout area, everything stands as is When a female must double up in the kicking order, the first female in the lineup will be who kicks twice and her 2nd kick cannot occur until all other females have kicked. For example: If a team is short 1 girl Female A kicks first, followed by female B, followed by female C, since female D is not in attendance only after A, B, & C have kicked can A replace D in the kicking order. This line up must remain the same for the rest of the game or until the last female arrives A female can only be used a maximum of two times in the lineup, to achieve the 3:2 ratio of men to women Female injury: If a female incurs an injury which causes a team to no longer have the proper male/female ratio, then a female must kick twice to achieve the proper ratio. The females must maintain the proper A, B, C, D order which prevents a female from having her 2nd kick until all other females have kicked. Due to this rule, if female kicker B or C are injured then a "Line Up Change Exception" occurs. For example: If female kicker b is injured then A stays in the same spot, C shifts to B, D shifts to C, and A kicks in D's spot. If kicker A or D are injured then no exception is needed i.e. if D gets injured A replaces D and vice versa All kicks must be made within the Kicker s Box (see diagram on page 13) All kicks must be made by one foot or leg, below the knee. Any kick at or above knee level (including the knee) is considered a foul ball (see rule 9.2.7) All kicks must be made when the kicker s plant foot is within the kicking box fully behind the leading edge of home plate (see rule 9.2.5) No double kicks are allowed (see rule 9.2.6). 9

10 A kicker must be in the area designated as the catcher s box or the kicker s box to receive a pitch If kicker is outside of the designated areas at the time of release of the pitched ball, the ball is dead and is considered no pitch If the kicker is out of the designated areas two or more times within the same at bat, those pitches will be considered foul balls. *Exception: If the official deems the pitcher is quick pitching and not giving the kicker time to get into the designated areas, the pitched ball is dead and is considered no pitch If a ball kicked bounces in fair territory and then bounces over an obstruction (fence, bush, etc), the umpire will call a ground rule double and the base runner(s) will each get to advance two bases If a ball kicked clears an obstruction in fair territory (fence, bushes, etc) on the fly, the umpire will call a home run WALK RULE: If a male is walked and a female follows him in the kicking order the female has the choice to take a walk or kick. A MAXIMUM OF ONE RUN CAN BE SCORED FROM A WALK PER SITUATION. [Example: If the bases are loaded (at the time a male is up to kick) and a male is walked, if a female follows him in the order, then that female MUST kick.] Umps will enforce this rule upon request; however, they will not be responsible for notifying the kicker in each walk situation. This rule will apply at any point during the game BUNT RULE: A kicked ball must clear the bunt line of 5 paces in front of home plate to be in play. Balls that come to rest inside this area are considered foul. All balls that come to rest inside this area are considered dead and all runners must return to their original bases. ( Restriction Line: When a female is up to kick, all defensive players must be behind the restriction line ((even with the pitcher s 10 foot circle cones)), until the ball is kicked. If a defensive player breaks the restriction line before the ball is kicked, the kicker will be entitled to first base.) Any moving ball that is played in this bunt area by a defensive fielder will be considered a live ball, and are to be played as such Ball must lease the kicking box to be played by any fielder On a pop fly, the Bunt Rule is not in effect. 15. Base Running 15.1 Base runners must stay within the base paths or they will be called out (see rule ) Base runners going to first base must run to the outside (safety) base Base runners may safely overrun only first base Base runners that overrun first base should turn back and head directly back to first base at the end of a play. If a base runner makes a deliberate move toward advancing to second base (regardless of whether the base runner follows through on that move) and is tagged with the ball by the defense prior to reaching a base, the base runner is out Base runners that do not run to the outside (safety) base at first base will be called out (see rule ) Base runners must avoid a defensive fielder if the defensive fielder is in the base path and actively making a play on the ball. Failure to do so will result in the base runner being called out. Any base runner that intentionally or unreasonably puts a defensive fielder in a position for a high risk of injury will be called out and is subject to ejection from the game. The umpire will determine if a contact is deemed malicious or reckless Base runners have the right of way in the base paths if a defensive fielder is not actively making a play on a ball (see rule 13.2). 10

11 15.4 Base runners may NOT slide into any base, either feet first or head first. Any slide or attempt at a slide (in the eyes of the official) will be an automatic out A sliding that intentionally or unreasonably puts a defensive fielder in a position for a high risk of injury will be called out and is subject to ejection from the game. The umpire will determine if a slide is deemed malicious or reckless A base runner may not leave a base until the ball is kicked or they will be called out (see rule ) A base runner may tag up on a fly ball caught and/or when initial contact is made on a ball in fair territory or on a live foul ball caught in foul territory. In order to properly tag up, the base runner must be on (or go back and touch) the originating base before proceeding to the next base If a ball hits an offensive player in fair territory after being kicked, the offensive player is out unless the offensive player is on a base they are entitled to occupy All ties at a base between a defensive fielder and a base runner are decided in favor of the base runner Only one base runner is entitled to a base at any given time. A lead runner that is forced to advance to the next base and fails to do so will be called out (see rule ) Running past another base runner is not allowed. If this occurs, the passing runner will be called out An injured base runner may be replaced by a courtesy runner of the same gender A courtesy runner cannot be substituted until the play is called dead The player who requires a courtesy runner must be playing a position that requires minimal movement (catcher, pitcher, 1 st or 3 rd base). If a player sustains an injury in the field they may receive a courtesy runner only as long as they move to a position requiring minimal movement. **The courtesy runner must be the last kicker out of the same gender** Courtesy Runners: Once you have established a courtesy runner, you must use one for the rest of game. 16. Scoring 16.1 Any base runner that touches home plate safely after touching all other bases in succession will count for one run Any base runner that scores before the final out on an inning will count, as long as the final out of the inning was not a force play (where a base runner is put out before advancing to their next base) or a play where a ball was caught on the fly The team that scores the most runs during the game is declared the winner Ties are allowed during regular season games (see rule 6.3.4) There will be a 10 run limit per inning through innings 1-4. (Exception: unlimited runs may be scored if one of the innings 1-4 is declared the final inning of the game.) Unlimited runs may be scored in innings 5, 6, and 7 always. IV. Miscellaneous 17. Team Rankings 17.1 For the purposes of playoff seeding, teams will be ranked by win-loss record 17.2 Tie breakers are established for teams with the same record. Tie breakers in order of consideration are: 1) Result of head-to-head game (if the teams played each other) 2) Strength of Schedule 17.3 League standings will be posted on the OSSC website each week. These standings should be considered unofficial rankings, as they typically will not consider head-to-head results. 11

12 18. Playoffs 18.1 All rules remain unchanged during playoff games, with the exception that games may not end in a tie. Extra innings will be played as necessary until a winner emerges If extra innings are required in a playoff game, both teams will have the opportunity to bat The first extra inning will consist of normal rules and formats If the game goes to a second extra inning, the Texas Style format will go into effect: The player who was AT BAT the previous inning when the third out was recorded will start at 2nd base with no outs. The batter will start with a 3 ball, 2 strike, 2 foul count (1-pitch format). This extra-inning format will continue for all extra innings until a winning team is established All teams make the playoffs. In certain situations teams at or near the bottom of the standings may not advance to the playoffs Playoffs will be single elimination. 19. Beverage Policy 19.1 Alcoholic Beverages are not permitted at the field Players and/or spectators with these banned items are subject to ejection Park policies do not allow alcohol on site, and players can be cited for this. 20. Pets 20.1 Pets are not permitted at the field Park policies do not allow pets inside the park fences and in some situations, in the park at all. 21. Additional Rules 21.1 Any rulings not specifically covered in the rules are up to the discretion of the umpire OSSC reserves the right to amend or add to the above stated rules at any time, as needed. 12

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14 LEAGUE POLICIES GAMES: During the regular season one game will be played within time allotted. All games are seven innings or one hour (there is no designated warm up time in the hour); the last inning will start 10 minutes to the hour. The umpires will enforce this rule and will make the call at the top of the final inning. In playoffs, if the game goes to extra innings, each team will get to kick in the inning(s). UMPS: An umpire will be provided by the Sport & Social Clubs to supervise the game. It will be the umpire s responsibility to coordinate and run the games, which include the following tasks: Starting games on time. Calling outs, making final calls on any disputed balls or strikes. Settling all disputes or disputed calls. It is understood that umps will assist in the tracking of the score (i.e. Announcing it between innings) and assist in any discrepancies with regards to the coed line-up ratios. SCHEDULES: The Orlando Sport and Social Club reserves the right to shift registered teams within competition levels in an attempt to create more competitive and evenly matched games. Final decisions are at the discretion of OSSC staff. TEAMS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO SCHEDULED GAMES Rescheduled Games- A team unable to attend a game may try to have their game rescheduled by contacting our office at or via . This needs be done at least 1 week in advance of the scheduled game time. We cannot guarantee we will be able to reschedule your game but will try our best. Defaults- A team unable to attend a game may default their game by contacting our office at or via . This needs be done at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled game time. Sunday games must be defaulted by Friday at 4pm. A default will result in a loss by the defaulting team, but will have no immediate effect on the team s playoff eligibility. Defaults are an alternative to forfeits. Forfeits- Any team may be assessed a forfeit or loss by default for unsportsmanlike conduct. If neither team shows for a game, both will be charged a forfeit, and the game will not be rescheduled. In order to win the game by forfeit, the team with players there has to have the minimum number of players present, according to specific sport rules. Teams will not be refunded for forfeited games or for removal from the league as a result of forfeited games. Forfeits are extremely detrimental to the program and are strongly discouraged. If your team forfeits a game during the season, the following rules apply: First Offense: Loss of game and warning issued. Second Offense: Loss of game and staff reserves the right to remove team from playoffs. Third Offense: Removal from the league. Teams have until ten minutes past the designated start time to field a full squad (or the league minimum of players required according to rules). If at that time a team is unable to field a legal team, it will be a forfeit. 14

15 STANDINGS: The updated standings will be posted weekly. The standings will display each teams rank within its skill level. Rank is based on each team s winning percentage throughout the season. PLAYOFFS: Playoffs will begin immediately following the end of the regular season and will typically last between 2 and 3 weeks. After teams have been seeded according to their records all captains will receive an with the 1 st week of playoff game times. Teams will not receive an for any other weeks of playoffs! It is ALL TEAM S responsibility to check the playoff brackets at the league or online to find out what time they will be playing the following week if they win. In playoffs it is not uncommon, (and in some cases will be necessary), for teams to have more than one game in a given night. No non-roster players will be allowed during playoffs. All players must have signed the team waiver, played in at least two regular season games and not be on another teams roster in the same division to be eligible for playoffs. All eligible teams will make the playoffs. Playoff eligible teams will be determined on a league-by-league basis. Teams that have violated the forfeit policy during the course of regular season will not be eligible for playoffs. In certain situations teams at or near the bottom of the standings may not advance to the playoffs. Check with OSSC league coordinator to see if this applies to your league. Playoffs are single elimination. Any team that, during the course of a playoff game, is found to be using illegal players, knowingly or unknowingly, will forfeit the game. The player in question must be able to prove that they are the person they are checked in as, be it in a picture ID or the ability to answer questions about the contact information provided on the waiver. If the player is unable to prove their identity, the game will be immediately forfeited. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE. Seeding: Teams are seeded according to wins/losses. Teams may be dropped from their regular season level based on the above criteria. Teams may play more than one game per day/night, and/or play games on days/nights other than your regularly scheduled league day/night if necessary. OSSC reserves the right to schedule playoff games on days other than teams regularly scheduled league night. WAIVERS: In order to participate in the league, each participant must sign the team waiver before participating. Participants must also check in every week. Waivers are provided and must be completed and handed in no later than the first night of play. Officials will have waivers on the field prior to game time for participants to sign/check in every week. If a player shows up late, they cannot play until they see the supervisor and check in or sign the waiver if necessary. Players must sign the waiver and participate in two regular season games in order to be eligible for playoffs. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY: Any questions regarding rules, policies, or eligibility of players must be addressed before the start of the game. Any team that would like to challenge the eligibility of an opposing player must do so before the start of the game. Players, who have been placed on the roster, signed the waiver and participated in at least two regular season games are eligible for playoffs. A formal protest may be filed before a game if an opposing player s eligibility is in question. The player in question will be required to provide his/her player information (name, address, phone #, signature) in writing to an OSSC staff member prior to the start of the game. This qualifies as an official protest. Any protest made during a game or after a game will NOT be considered a formal protest. The game will then be played in its entirety as scheduled. Teams will be notified of all rulings on the identified eligibility discrepancy by the following business day decisions will not be made on site. If the protest is proven to be legitimate, it will result in the forfeiture of the game in question. Games subsequent to the 15

16 protested game may be rescheduled. The above procedure will also apply for any other logged protests. All rulings by OSSC staff are considered final. SPORTSMANSHIP: The idea of OSSC is to have fun. We hope that all participants keep that in mind when becoming involved. Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship. With this said, any behavior deemed unacceptable by staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league. Abuse of officials, referees, and other staff will not be tolerated. OSSC reserves the right to remove a player from a game or a league if they are considered to be bringing down the quality of the league. OSSC will not tolerate fighting! Fighting will be an automatic ejection from any game and in most cases ejection from the league for the remainder of the season. STAFF: To coordinate and run the league, our refs and/or staff will be available at all times to help the league run as smoothly as possible. If you have questions regarding schedules, policies, rule interpretations, directions to the bar, etc. please ask. LEAGUE CANCELLATION/RAINOUT: Leagues may be cancelled due to existing weather conditions, dangerous or unplayable field conditions, facility constraints, etc. OSSC staff makes every effort to play all scheduled games, thus we will not cancel games until absolutely necessary. Therefore, if you are calling concerning a decision on a cancellation, remember we will not have an answer until close to the start of the league. If the league is cancelled in advance, OSSC staff will change the web site immediately. OSSC will then call all of the captains to let them know. It is then the captain s responsibility to inform all teammates of the cancellation. If a league is cancelled on site, OSSC staff will attempt to contact those teams still scheduled to play the remainder of the league day/night. Depending on the time of cancellation, some teams will have to be notified on site. If we do cancel, we will push back the schedule one week and play the rained out game(s) at the end of the season. (ex. If game 2 (April 7 th ) is cancelled teams should follow the game 3 schedule (April 14 th ) for their next game, and game 2 will now be game 7). In extreme circumstances, OSSC reserves the right to run a shortened season without a refund. OSSC also reserves the right to schedule games on days other than your regularly scheduled league day/night if necessary. A game will be considered complete during the regular season when: The first half has been completed. If the game has been called and it is not to this point yet, the game will start over. The OSSC reserves the right to overrule this policy at its own discretion. OSSC GIVEAWAYS: Each team will receive a giveaway for each person signed on the waiver per team. The giveaway will be handed out during one week in the season. Please look for an announcement at the league designating which night giveaways will be distributed. The OSSC cannot guarantee the availability of giveaways after Giveaway night so please pick them up on Giveaway night. The champion in each division will receive a prize. These policies are designed to make the league run as smoothly and safely as possible, and provide continuity for its participants. Each player in the league is responsible for this information: Please advise your team of these rules and thanks for playing. 16