1 PLAYER/TEAM ELIGIBILITY: 1. All players in the league shall be amateurs and cannot be under a professional contract. 2. All players must be listed on the official team roster. Roster additions or changes will only be accepted at the Pioneer Center office (240 SE Dexter) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and will only be accepted at the field on the first two weekends. All teams will automatically be registered with Washington ASA through registration fees. ASA roster changes or additions must be made by June 16 at the Parks and Recreation office. 3. Players added after season starts must register at the Parks and Recreation office. It is this player s responsibility to provide proof of registration to the softball coordinator at the fields. There will be no exceptions. 4. Changes made prior to the ASA cut-off date must have the approval of both team managers. A change is a player who has played in the league during the current season and wishes to switch teams. 5. Any request for changes or additions to rosters after the ASA cut-off date must be submitted in writing. These changes must receive approval from both team managers and league supervisors. 6. Teams using an ineligible player or falsifying line-up cards will be assessed the following penalties: a) Each game played by the offending team in which the ineligible player has participated will be recorded as a forfeit and given a 1-1/4 loss. b) All ineligible players will be removed from the offending team s roster. c) The team manager will receive a 2-game suspension. A suspended manager cannot participate in the game in ANY manner. 7. Players may not participate on more than one Coed league team. 8. A player must be a minimum of 15 years of age by the 2nd Friday in June of the current year. A player will be required to provide a parent s signature until the age of 18. LEAGUE PLAY: 1. All teams will play 10 games in the following format. Pre-Season: April 30 & May 7. Regular Season: May 14 June 25 (No games May 28, Memorial Day Weekend) Make-ups: July 9. Year-End Tournament: July 15-16. 2. All games will be played at the Pullman City Playfields on Sundays from 2:45-9:00 p.m. 3. encourages each player to play his/her own position. If a player out of position fields a batted ball the umpire may award an extra base to the team at bat.
2 GAMES REGULATIONS: 1. The game shall be played according to ASA rules. Rulebooks will be provided to all teams at registration. 2. All games are scheduled for 7 innings. a) An excessive run rule will be in effect at all games. If a team leads by 20 runs or more after 4 complete innings or by 12 runs or more after 5 complete innings, the game shall be considered complete. b) All games consist of 7 innings or 1 hour 15 minutes. No new innings will be started after the time limit has been reached except in the case of a tie. In such a case one extra inning will be played. If the game is still tied after the extra inning, it will remain tied and be recorded as such. c) All innings started must be completed. d) The time limit begins immediately after the coin flip to determine home team. A new inning begins immediately after third out of the previous inning. 3. Game starting times will be as listed on the official schedule unless otherwise specified. a) If the required number of players is not present at the scheduled starting time, the game will be declared a forfeit and will be counted as 1-1/4 loss. This will hold true in all cases. b) The umpire will keep the official time. The official starting time will be written in the book. 4. If a team drops from league competition before completing play of all scheduled games, all of their league games are deemed as losses and all opponents are credited with victories. 5. A team may avoid a forfeit by canceling a game. Teams unable to play a scheduled game must notify the Parks and Recreation office 338-3225. Teams will be allowed to reschedule their game if agreed upon by the League Supervisor and the opposing team s manager. This rule is intended to give teams the opportunity to play all their games and is not to be abused in order to gain a player advantage over another team. 6. 10 players: 2 males and 2 females in both the infield and the outfield, and 1 male and female as pitcher and catcher. 7. Each team must have at least 8 players (4 females, 4 males) to start a game. No outs will be taken for the 9 th or 10 th batting position. 8. A game may begin with 9 players, but when and if another player arrives, that player must be inserted into the lineup at the 10th batting position. Whenever a team is playing with only 9 players, AN OUT will be taken when the 10th position in the batting order appears. Teams beginning the game with 10 players may not add any more players. a) If a team begins a game with 10 or 12 players, that team may continue with 9 or 11 players only in the case of injury. If the player leaving the game is a base runner, they will be replaced by the previous out unless a substitute is available to replace the injured player. If a substitute in unavailable, the injured player will be removed from the lineup and an out will be issued in the position the injured person occupied in the batting order. The player leaving the game under this rule cannot return to the lineup. b) If a team begins a game with 9 or 11 players, that team may continue with 8 or 10 players only in the case of injury. If the player leaving the game is a base runner, they will be replaced by the previous out unless a substitute is available to replace the injured player. If a substitute in unavailable, the injured player will be removed from the lineup and an no out will be issued in the position the injured
3 person occupied in the batting order. The player leaving the game under this rule cannot return to the lineup. c) If a player is ejected, then that team must have a substitute to replace the ejected player. If the ejected player does not have a substitute, their team will forfeit the game and be given 1-1/4 loss. d) Any player may be substituted and re-entered once, provided players occupy the same batting position whenever they are in the lineup. A substitute who is withdrawn may re-enter more than once in the same batting order position. The starting player and their substitute may not be in the lineup at the same time. 9. The batting order shall alternate sexes. Coed play will use the 11-inch ball when the women bat and the 12-inch ball when the men bat. If the wrong ball is used, the manager of the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or having the last batter re-bat and assume the ball and strike count prior to the wrong ball being discovered. 10. Any walk to a male batter will result in a two-base award for the batter. Runners are advanced only if forced to advance. The next batter (a female) will bat. EXCEPTION: With two outs, the female batter has the option to walk or bat. 11. League ties will be broken in the following manner: a) First, when the affected teams played one another during the season, the team that won the most often receives the highest ranking. b) Only if first place teams are affected and 11(a) will not break the tie, they will play one game to determine the winner. c) Second, determine which team allowed the least runs in head to head play. d) Third, determine which team allowed the least runs throughout the entire season. If they are still tied, then it will be declared a tie. 12. Any over-the fence- home runs beyond the limit described below are counted as outs. These over-thefence home runs limits per game are: a) A league teams are allowed 3 (three) more than their opponent. b) B league teams are allowed 2 (two) more than their opponent. c) CB league teams are allowed 1 (one) more than their opponent. 13. Coed League Awards for 2006 a) Regular Season 1) 1st place Team trophy and individual T-shirts 2) 2 nd & 3 rd place Team plaque b) Post-Season Tournament 1) 1st place Team trophy 2) 2nd place Team plaque
4 EQUIPMENT: 1. No jewelry or watches are to be worn. 2. All teams must have similar colored shirts by the first regular season game. Failure to do so will result in their scheduled game being played but counted as a forfeit. Numbers are not required but strongly encouraged. Headgear is optional. 3. Shoes must be worn. No metal spikes or hard plastic/polyurethane spikes similar to metal sole and heel plates are allowed. No shoes with detachable cleats that screw ONTO studs are allowed, however, shoes with detachable cleats that screw ONTO the shoes are allowed. 4. Jackets may be worn over the uniform when the weather is extreme. 5. Bats: a. Shall not be more than 34 inches long, nor exceed 38 ounces in weight. b. Shall not be more than 2 ¼ inches in diameter at its largest part. c. Players may use only bats which meet all requirements and: which bear an ASA approved certification mark or Re-certification mark; or which are included on a list of approved bat models published by the ASA National Office; or which, in the sole discretion of the umpire, were manufactured prior to 1995 and, if tested, would comply with the ASA bat performance standards then in effect. Illegal or Altered Bat Use: Preseason Bat will be removed from the game. Regular season If a player steps into the batters box with an illegal bat, they will be declared out. 6. All equipment: Notwithstanding the foregoing, the ASA and local league representatives reserve the right to withhold or withdraw approval of any equipment which in the ASA s sole determination, significantly changes the character of the game, affects the safety of participants or spectators, or renders a player s performance more a product of his/her equipment rather than his/her individual skill. RAINOUTS: 1. Rain out decisions will be made by noon the day of the game. It is the manager s responsibility to call the rain out number, 334-3131, and notify his/her team about the rainouts. 2. Rainouts will be replayed on Sundays prior to the regularly scheduled games or on July 9. Notice of rescheduled games will be sent to managers ASAP. 3. Teams must report to the playing field at the regularly scheduled time unless notified by the softball coordinator or team manager. 4. The umpire and softball coordinator will be the only judge as to the playing conditions of the field after the start of play. 5. If one team fails to show and the other team is there, and in the opinion of the umpire, the game can be played, the non-appearing team shall forfeit and be given 1-1/4 loss. If neither team shows up, they will both be charged with a forfeit.
5 6. A game called by the umpires shall be regulation if 5 or more complete innings have been played or if the team second at bat has scored more runs in 4 or more innings than the other team has scored in 5 or more innings. Called games that are not considered regulation and regulation ties shall be resumed at the exact point where they stopped. PROTESTS: 1. If deemed necessary by the League Supervisor, a Protest/Disciplinary Board will be established consisting of five persons: A. Moscow representatives will include the Moscow Recreation Supervisor and League Coordinator. B. Pullman representatives will include the Pullman Recreation Supervisor and League Coordinator. C. A fifth person selected by the other Protest/Disciplinary Board members. 2. The decisions of the Protest Board will be final. 3. A protest may be made on player eligibility or on an umpire decision, which involves a misinterpretation of the rules. 4. Protest on player eligibility may be verbal or in writing, but must take place within 24 hours of the game in question. 5. Whenever a protestable matter (not including player eligibility) arises during a game, the manager of the offended team shall, before the next pitch is delivered, notify the home plate umpire, scorekeeper and opposing manager that the game is being continued under protest. 6. The written protest must be filed with the League Supervisor within 24 hours of the game in question. 7. The protest must contain: the date, time and location of the game; the names of the teams; the name of the umpire and scorekeeper; the rules and section of rule allegedly misinterpreted; the conditions surrounding the making of the decision; and all other essential facts involved in the matter protested. 8. Judgment calls and protests having no direct bearing on the outcome of the game will not be considered. TEAM, PLAYER, AND SPECTATOR CONDUCT: 1. Penalties for such time as deemed proper (one game to life) may be assessed by the Protest/Disciplinary Board for misconduct of players, coaches, managers or other team representatives while participating in or present as spectators at the game. 2. Any player(s) ejected during a game for any reason must sit out their next scheduled game. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit and the ineligible player rules will apply. A minimum penalty of ejection plus suspension for the next game will be automatic for the following: A. Use of profane language or actions. B. Use of unnecessarily rough or dangerous tactics. C. Any unsportsmanlike conduct.
6 D. Smoking on the field during the game. E. Consumption of alcohol while participating in the game or appearing in an intoxicated condition. F. Attempting to arouse spectators against an umpire. G. Other illegal, dangerous or combative acts. All ejected players must leave the premises immediately or the game will be forfeited. Team mangers are responsible for the conduct of their players. Suspended players will not be allowed on the premises until they are reinstated. If the suspension occurs late in the season, the suspension may carry into the next season (including Moscow s Co-Rec season). 3. Any player, manager, or coach ejected a second time during the course of the season will be suspended for one full calendar year. The violator will not be allowed to participate in Moscow or Pullman Parks and Recreation softball leagues. Suspensions will carry from the date of the suspension and extend into the next softball season. If, however, in the judgment of the Disciplinary Board, an individual warrants additional penalties, the board reserves the right to suspend or place individuals on probation from other Moscow or activities. 4. A suspension (one complete season to life) from the date of the violation may be imposed for: A. Any physical contact, verbal threat, abusive language, or pushing, striking, kicking or throwing objects at an umpire or league official before, during, or after a game. B. Fighting, whether it occurs before, during, or after any scheduled game. 5. Teams are responsible for the conduct of spectators who are affiliated with their team. A game may be suspended until an offensive spectator leaves or until police are called in. 6. Alcohol is not allowed at the Playfields. The softball coordinator will ask participants or spectators to leave the premises of dispose of their alcohol. If the participants do not comply, the coordinator may call the police (WA Law: Consumption of alcohol in a public place is in violation of RCW 66.44.100 and violators may be fined for the misdemeanor). SUSPENSIONS: 1. Suspensions of one game or suspensions of managers due to falsifying line-up cards or using ineligible players may not be appealed. Appeals for suspensions of a longer duration must be submitted in writing within one week of official notification from the Disciplinary Board. 2. A violator who has been suspended for a season (or one calendar year) must submit written notification to prior to team registration stating the violator s desire to be reinstated in the league.