Rules and Regulations Softball 2017 Rainouts will be posted on the website(www.munciesportsplex.com) or the SportsPlex Information line 282-8080 after 3:00pm on the day of play. UMPIRE PAY: Each team is required to pay $10.00 to the umpire at the coin flip. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit. FORFEITS: Special arrangements can be made to reschedule games on a case-by-case basis for emergencies only. If a team forfeits a game, they are still responsible for paying the $10 umpire fee for that game. Any team forfeiting two (2) games during league play without prior notice could be subject to removal from league play without reimbursement of fees of awards due. ROSTERS All rosters must be completed and turned into the softball office no later than the late entry deadline. (Players can sign the roster before the first game) Rosters will not exceed twenty (20) players or twenty five (25) for coed. All rosters must be signed by the individual players to make them legal. All roster additions must occur prior to their 7 th game. If a player s name appears on multiple team rosters, on the same night he/she will be locked into the first team that takes the playing field. If a player competes for the second team in the same night that team will forfeit all games that player competed in. EXCEPTION A person can play on a men s/women s team on the same night as a coed team. If a player competes for a team and is not on the team s roster, the game is an automatic forfeit as soon as said player takes the field, no exceptions. If an umpire knows an illegal player is being used the umpire may call a forfeit. The same goes for the League Director.
MINIMUM/MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS To start and maintain a game, a minimum for eight (8) roster players must be held. Any team who does not field eight (8) rostered players forfeits the game. One of the eight (8) players must play the catcher s position behind home plate. A team with fewer than 8 players at game time will automatically be the visiting team. They will be allowed to begin the game and bat. If they make 3 outs or come up to the 7 th or 8 th spot in the batting order and the 7 th or 8 th player has not arrived the game will be called a forfeit. If the 3 rd out is made, the 8 th player must be in the dugout for the game to continue. NO EXCEPTIONS. A Team can start with no fewer than 6 players. In co-ed play when a player leaves the game for any reason, the person directly behind that person in the batting order will also be removed from the batting order, without being an out, but can still field. A maximum of twelve (12) players may bat for a men s team and maximum of fourteen (14) players may bat for a co-ed team. If a team does not have 10 players to start a game and the other team does, the team with 10 players will automatically be named the home team. Teams must finish a game with the same number of players as it started with. If not the players who left the game will be automatic outs when their turn comes to bat. If a team starts with 8 or 9, the roster spots less of 10 are not outs. ELIGIBILITY Adult league players must be a minimum age of 16. All players under 18 years of age must have the signature of a parent or guardian on the roster and have completed the waiver of liability. Any person eighteen (16) years or older will be permitted to participate in league or championship play as long as: (1) he/she completed roster signing, (2) he/she is in good standing with the national sanctioning body (NSA), (3) has signed proper waiver form. REGULATION/OFFICIAL GAME: A regulation game is seven (7) innings or sixty (60) minutes, whichever occurs first. In the Hit your own ball teams will be required for all leagues and tournament play to supply a National Softball Association approved optic yellow softball. (.52/275). Dudley softballs will be available at the park for purchase.
Each game will begin with a coin toss to determine home team. The team winning the coin toss will automatically be home team. (Exception; if one team has fewer than 10 players to begin the game) Electronic game clocks will be used and will only stop for serious injury. This will be up to the discretion of the umpire. After the time limit has expired, the current inning will be completed, and the game will end unless tied. The inning starts with the third out of prior inning. The game starts with direction from the home plate umpire. All batters will start with a one ball and one strike count. A foul ball with two strikes is an out. In the event of extra innings, the player committing the last out of the prior inning will be put on second base. In extra innings, if there is no time left on the clock, a runner will be put on second base and each batter will come to the plate with a full count. PLAYER/MANAGER/FAN EJECTION: Any person making physical contact with, or showing intent to harm, or intimidating any umpire, board member, or employee of the SportsPlex will be asked to leave the park and will be suspended indefinitely until the softball board can review the case. That suspension could be no less than three (3) weeks. In addition, if conditions warrant, criminal charges will be brought against said person. Fighting will not be tolerated. Any fighting on park property could result in a one (1) calendar year suspension, and criminal charges. Profanity will not be tolerated. Any player or manager using offensive language on park property will be immediately ejected from the game. A player may also be asked to leave the park based on the infraction, and is totally based on the umpire s discretion. The first time a player is ejected from the park they will be suspended for (1) complete week and cannot participate in any leagues or tournaments during that 7-day period. The second time this happens, a three (3) week suspension will be put in place. After a third ejection, the softball advisory board, league director, and umpire-in-chief will review the player s action and decide a proper punishment. The player could face up to a one (1) calendar year suspension. PARK CONDUCT At no time will alcoholic beverages be present at the SportsPlex. Anyone caught bringing alcohol onto SportsPlex property will be subject to suspension.
If at anytime an umpire or SportsPlex representative feels that a player is intoxicated or impaired, that player will be removed from the game. This action may also be subject to suspension from league play. Dogs are not allowed at the SportsPlex, except for the visually impaired. Food or Beverage carry-ins is strictly forbidden. TEAM/PLAYER APPAREL No Metal spikes are allowed in league play! This also includes plastic covered football cleats. Anyone found playing in metal spikes will be ejected from the game. There are no uniform requirements for teams participating in Sportsplex leagues. An entirely foot covering shoe is required on the playing field. All bats must appear on the Approved Bat List provided by the NSA. The list can be found at www.playnsa.com LEAGUE STRUCTURE All leagues will have an upper and lower division and the softball advisory board will determine talent pools within each division. Gold division 5 home runs allowed and inning ending out, play on the 325 diamonds. Silver division 3 home runs allowed and inning ending out, play on the 305 or 325 diamonds. Bronze division 1 home run allowed and inning ending out, play on the 305 diamonds. Combination leagues will use a 1-up system of the lower leagues limit (example - Bronze/Silver 1 & 1up HR limit) Women s leagues will depend on the number of participating teams, if enough teams register there will be an upper and lower division. Coed League teams should have equal number of females to the number of males playing at all times. A team may have up to 2 additional females over the number of males playing. (Example; 4 men & 6 women or 5 men & 6 women) If a male is intentionally walked, he automatically is awarded 2 nd base, the upcoming female batter has the choice of either taking 1 st base or taking her at bat and vise-versa. Outfield and infield must be two females and two males. Players will no longer be classified as Gold/Silver/Bronze. Complete team rosters will be reviewed by the directors, umpires, and softball advisory board in determining the team s classification among the other teams playing in the same evening of competition. To make this
possible it is important for teams to have their rosters in as early as possible (preferably by the early entry deadline). Failure to do so could result in the classifying of your team being bumped up into a higher league than what you have requested. League champions and league tournament champions will receive a sponsor trophy plaque. Winning teams will be given a prize list to choose what they would like in addition to the championship plaque. This list will include the following items: $100 Gift Certificate toward Sportsplex Leagues & Tournaments 15 Champion T-shirts RUN RULES At the completion of four (4) innings of play, if a team is leading by twelve (12) or more runs they will be declared the winner of the game being played. At the completion of five (5) innings of play, if a team is leading by ten (10) or more runs they will be declared the winner of the game being played. In men s leagues only will a fifteen (15) run lead after three (3) innings constitute a complete game. GRACE PERIOD There are no grace periods for any game. NO EXCEPTIONS. Games will begin at the scheduled game time and the new less than 8 player rule will be used (see above MIN/MAX player rules). RAINOUTS In case of rain all games will be rescheduled for a later date. After a 1 st rainout games will be rescheduled on the same night that the league is playing. Any subsequent rainouts may be subject to being played on other nights. Teams can list their preference of makeup days when registering for the league. In the case of rain during play, a game is considered complete after the completion of 4 innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead. In the case of a rainout in the visitor s half of the 5 th, 6 th, or 7 th inning the score would revert to what it was at the completion of the previous inning.
TIE BREAKER FOR 1 ST AND 2 ND PLACE Head to head play Run differential between tied teams only. Total runs scored minus runs given up by teams tied. Coin flip In the event of a 3-way tie, Head to head will be looked at first, then a runs scored versus runs given up system will be used. TEAM/PITCHER WARM-UPS When the pitcher takes the pitching position for the first inning, the pitcher will be allowed five (5) warm-up pitches. After the first inning, the pitcher is allowed one (1) warm-up pitch, unless a new pitcher enters the game. An infield ball will only be allowed prior to the start of inning number 1. After the 1 st inning no infield ball will be allowed. SUBSTITUTIONS All substitutions must be reported to the home plate umpire. Failure to report substitution to the umpire will result in the ejection of the illegal player, when brought to the attention of the home plate umpire by the opposing team manager. COURTESY RUNNER Teams may use the Courtesy Runner once per inning. This can be anyone currently on the roster. If that player s batting position comes up while on base as a courtesy runner, the runner s batting position will be declared an out and the next batter will become the batter. Coed leagues will use the same rule, allowing one (1) per gender, per inning. RE-ENTRY
Any of the starting players may be withdrawn and re-entered one (1) time during a game and must re-enter at the same time batting position. Any substitution (non-starter) who is withdrawn may not re-enter. SMOKING No smoking is permitted on the playing field before or after a game. Smoking is not permitted in the dugout.. DUGOUT CONDUCT Two (2) coaches, 1 st and 3 rd base, a batter and one on deck batter only will be allowed on the playing field. All other non- players must remain in the dugout or outside the playing field. BAT BOY/GIRL Bat Boy/Girl(s) are no longer allowed for all league play per NSA national rule! PROTEST RULE The following steps must be taken with all protests Notify the home plate umpire Notify park director Submit $25 cash protest fee to director with a written description of the rule being protested. No judgment calls will be considered ROSTER CHALLENGES FEE $25.00 CASH If challenge is correct, fee is reimbursed. Challenge must be brought to the attention of the league director before the game in question is finished.
PLEASE AVOID THIS SITUATION BY HAVING ALL TEAM MEMBERS ON YOUR ROSTER PRIOR TO THE GAME.