Women s Softball Rules

Women s Softball Rules Current USSSA Softball 2013 Rule Book will govern Game Girls Association League with the following emphasis and modifications: EQUIPMENT / FIELD: All leagues will use the same ball provided by Game Girls. It will be a yellow 12 ball with a COR rating of.40 and brought into later games, only if deemed necessary by the umpire. The Game Girls will supply bases, 2 new softballs and one umpire. o XII.3 Balls- The official game balls are as follows Women s Recreational Leagues- any 12.40 core ball with a 325 compression (The color or the name of the ball will not matter along as the ball is stamped with the.40 core/325 compression). o If additional balls are needed, the team that loses the ball shall furnish as many additional (12,.40 C.O.R., 375 compression) playable balls, as needed, to complete their turn at bat. (The umpire must approve any non-league-supplied softball.) Bats: The department will use the USSSA rule. Only Official Softball Bats may be used. If an illegal bat is found, the umpire will remove it from the game. If a batter uses an illegal bat, the ball is dead, the batter is out and no runners may advance. A complete list of Official Softball Bats may be found on USSSA s website. Equipment shall not be allowed to remain on the playing field during the playing of the game, either on Fair or Foul Territory, with the exception of an official warm-up device which may be kept in proximity to the on-deck circle during a team s turn at bat. Please do not bring glass bottles or breakable containers to the park. Alcohol is permitted on the bench only. Smoking and drinking is not permitted on the fields, the coaching boxes at first and third bases, or the player s benches. ELIGIBILTY & PLAYERS & SUBSTITUTIONS: All participants must be 18 years old and must sign a roster/waiver prior to playing in any game (no exceptions). A team roster will consist of not less than ten (10) players and no more than fifteen (15) players. Please fill out the roster/waiver completely and neatly. Only the current pg. 1

opposing team may protest the eligibility of a player. No umpire or team not playing that game may question a player s eligibility. Eligibility must be questioned before the last out of the game is recorded. If the opposing team knows players are not legal and wishes to play the game, they may not protest later and the game outcome will stand. No players are allowed on the field before signing the roster. If a player not listed on a team s roster participates in a league game and that player s participation is contested by the opponent prior to the signing of the score validation card or is discovered by Parks and Recreation personnel/umpire a forfeit may be declared if that players ineligibility is verified. All players must be able to produce positive identification when requested by an umpire. The umpire will then report the name of the player in question to the field supervisor. The roster will be checked to see if that player was listed on the roster. All players should be in the batting order and written on the score sheet at the beginning of the game Substitutes (players not in the batting order) may be made at any time, EXCEPT FOR EJECTED PLAYERS. The team manager making the substitution or the substitute should notify the umpire at the time of arrival. If a player is ejected from the game for any reason, the ejected Player s spot in the team s batting order will be declared an out every time that lineup position is due to bat. THE GAME: Schedules and updates are posted online. Games are 7 innings or 50 minutes. No inning may start after 1 hour. Games will consist of seven (7) innings, or run rule, time permitting. No new inning may start more than 50 minutes after the starting time of the game. Any inning in progress will be completed. All rosters are due to the league coordinator before the first game. Players may not be added to the roster after the third week. After that time rosters will be frozen. o The only exceptions would involve replacing an injured player who is able to provide verification from a doctor that he/she is unable to continue playing or under special circumstances as approved by the League Coordinator. Dropping of players may be done either in person or over the phone. The addition and removal of a player may be done by the team manager in several ways: o Contacting Game Girls Director * 314-399-9GGA. Before the game begins, each team manager (or acting manager) MUST identify herself as such to the game officials at home plate before the game can be started. Umpires will provide each manager with a line-up card which must be properly completed and returned to the umpire at the start of each game. All games will begin at game time specified on the schedule with a 5 min grace period, if needed. If you do not have a legal lineup to begin the game, you will be visitors. You will start batting with all the players present. A minimum of eight players are required to start and end a game. However, there must be eight female players in the lineup at the start of the game. Additional players may be placed at the end of the batting order after a complete inning. Late arrivals beyond the tenth player may be added at the end of the line up until the leadoff batter has begun the second turn at bat, otherwise they may be used as substitutes only. The official will check the score with both teams after each inning. The home team must keep the official score. Each team manager must initial the official s score sheet at the end of the game. Refusal to sign the card constitutes a forfeit. pg. 2

The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time because of rain, darkness, fire, panic, or other causes which may place the patrons or players in danger. If the game is less than five innings old (4-1/2 if the home team is ahead), games will be postponed. If an inning is not finished at that time, the score will revert back to that of the last full inning played. Make-up games will be played at the end of the regular season. Revised schedules will be e- mailed to the captains and can also be found on the web-site. A game will not be delayed to wait for a foul ball to return to the field of play. The team at bat will be responsible for shagging balls which leave the field of play and returning them to the umpire. Teams should hustle in and out between innings as there is a time limit in effect. BASIC RULES FOR THE REGULAR SEASON: All players and coaches must wear a shirt, pants/shorts, and closed-toe athletic shoes (No sandals, crocs, or metal cleats allowed) to compete in the league. Any teams wishing to use a uniform must follow the USSSA rules on uniform codes. However, no player may wear anything which can be considered vulgar, loud, or otherwise offensive. Any player s that have to leave early must notify the umpire before the game. These players will be dropped from the line-up with no penalty. They will not be allowed to return to that game for any reason All players not injured will bat. We will be using a strike mat. If the pitch is between 6 and 10 feet and hits any part of the strike mat, it will be a strike. A legal pitch must be a minimum of six feet in height from the ground and not rise higher than ten feet in height from the ground. The strike mat is not considered to be part of home plate. For example a runner must tag the actual home plate to be considered safe. Touching the extender will not count. All players in all leagues will start with a 1 ball and 1 strike count when they come up to bat. A foul ball on the 3rd strike will be an out. NO COURTESY FOULS. Once the pitcher has possession of the ball, the play is dead and runners cannot advance. Pitchers must pitch within 5 seconds or a ball will be awarded to the batter. At least one foot is required on the pitching rubber for the pitcher to make a legal pitch. After the first inning, no warm up pitches will be allowed, except when a pitching change is made. When a pitching change is made, the substitute is allowed three practice pitches and then must pitch to the first batter her faces. Bunting or chopping down at the ball is not allowed. Runners going to first try to beat out a play must use the red/orange safety base to avoid collision. 1st base player must use white 1st base. The orange base is only live on this first play. Base runners may leave the base when the ball is hit or the ball crosses the plate. No lead offs. If the defensive player has the ball and is waiting to tag the runner, the runner must slide, give herself up, try to return to the prior base or try to avoid the tag. Only feet first sliding allowed. In trying to avoid the tag minor contact could be allowed. If the umpire feels the contact was too rough the runner will be called out. The runner may also be ejected from the game at the umpire s discretion. If in the umpire s discretion, a base runner intentionally makes contact with a fielder who has the ball the runner will be ejected from the game. If a base runner intentionally interferes, in the official s discretion, with the completion of a double play, an automatic double play will result. When a base runner is intentionally obstructed by a fielder who is not in the act of fielding, does not have the ball or fakes a tag, the umpire s judgment will be used to award bases accordingly pg. 3

Only one appeal on a base runner may be made per play and must be made before the next pitch. The ball is dead during an appeal. A player, substitute, manager, coach, trainer or other team member or umpire who is bleeding or who has an open wound shall be prohibited from participating further in the game until the bleeding is stopped and the wound is covered. o If there is an excessive amount of blood on the uniform or the bandage becomes soaked, in the judgment of the umpire, the uniform/bandage must be changed before the individual may participate. If a player is injured during the course of the game and a courtesy runner is necessary, the player of same gender, as the injured player, who committed the last out, becomes the runner. No pinch runners other than courtesy runners are permitted. Mercy Rule: The follow run rules apply. A team will be declared winner if: o Winning by 20 runs after 3 innings o Winning by 15 runs after 4 innings o Winning by 10 runs after 5 innings DOUBLE HEADER SPECIALS Forfeit time for the second game of a Double-Header involving the same two teams on the same diamond shall be 20 min after the first game forfeit has been declared. Double-header league games involving the same two teams will operate with a 120 min time limit. The first game will be played to completion and the second will be called a the 120 min limit but considered official regardless of the number of innings played. INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY: In case of inclement weather on the day of the game, call the weather hotline after 4pm on game day at Game Girls Hotline 314-399-9GGA. Note: if the weather lines are not up-dated teams must report to the fields and let the Umpires make the final decision. Please call the score line and report all cancellations. TIE BREAKER: o If at the end of regulation time and the game is tied, the following rules go into effect: o Batting orders continue the same with these rules. o The visitors place the last out from the previous inning on 2 nd base. o The inning starts with 2 outs and the batter has a 1-1 count. o The team attempts to score as many runs as they can with 2 outs. o After the 3 rd out is made, the home team now places a runner on 2 nd base with 2 outs. o The inning starts with 2 outs and the batter has a 1-1 count. o The home team attempts to tie or win the game. o These rules continue until there is a winner. o Winners of the league are determined by: o Head-to-head competition. o Least amounts of forfeits. o Fewest runs allowed. o Winning percentage of teams defeated. SPORTSMANSHIP & CONDUCT: The team s manager will be the contact person regarding all league schedules, standings, general information, suspensions and any items that need to be addressed to the team. pg. 4

Only the team manager and the involved player will be allowed to discuss a play with the umpire; if the umpire allows any discussion. A player, manager, coach, or spectator who is ejected from a game by an official shall be suspended for at least one (1) additional game (next league game played by that team). A second ejection during the season shall be an automatic suspension for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of the second incident. Player Ejections o Automatic Ejections Fighting OR excessively arguing Crashing a defensive player OR Touching or threatening an umpire Obscene language at an umpire OR Fake tagging if runner slides Leaving a defensive position to argue OR Throwing any equipment Obscene gesture at an umpire o Warning or ejection Interfering with batter s line of vision Harassment from bench OR Fake tag no slide Failure to resume game when requested Profanities OR Leaving the bench to argue Repeat of any offense PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN EJECTED MUST LEAVE THE PARK WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OR THEIR TEAM WILL FORFEIT. Any player, manager, coach, or spectator who approached an official in a negative manner after the conclusion of a league game shall be suspended for at least one (1) game. The league supervisor will determine the length of suspensions with severe or repeat offenses. Teams may be suspended for displaying behavior detrimental to the league without refund. FORFEIT POLICY: The official will declare a forfeit and award a win to the team that is ready to play with the correct number of players. If neither team is ready to play with the minimum number of players after then both teams will receive a forfeit. Teams found to have ineligible players in the game or on the game roster may forfeit that game, depending upon time of discovery and the player s effect on the game s outcome. Forfeited games will not be rescheduled and there will be no refunds for any games not played due to forfeits. Contact Game Girls Director 314-399-9GGA. o In this situation, we will contact the opposing team to inform them of the situation. Your team will receive a loss with a score of 0-7 and no further action will be taken Should any team forfeit 2 calendar dates and/or drop from the league, they will be eliminated for the entire season. All remaining games and fees will be forfeit; therefore no substitute team will be accepted. (forfeits result in a 0-7 score loss) PROTESTS: All protests must be settled before any play (next legal pitch, intentional walk, illegal pitcher action, or before all fielders have left Fair-territory) can be resumed as a suspended game except protests concerning player eligibility. pg. 5

Protests must be received within forty eight hours from the end of a game and received in writing to the League Coordinator the protest committee will consist of the league coordinator, Chief umpire and/or a player from 3 other teams not involved in the protest. The fee will be returned only if protest is upheld. Information on how to make a formal protest can be found at the USSSA website, listed on the first page of this rule sheet. LEAGUE AWARDS: o A prize will be awarded to the winner of the league. A copy of the USSSA Rule Book can be found on the web at: http://www.usssa.com pg. 6