2023 Spring Ball inter league Rules

 

THE LEAGUE FORMAT REQUIREMENTS AND DIVISION PLAYING RULES

 

General Rules That Apply To All Playing Divisions (Exceptions Are Noted)

• USA SOFTBALL RULES WILL APPLY UNLESS NOTED

• All games postponed due to weather or darkness may be played off, if possible. Rescheduling

needs to be cleared by the division Commissioner and Umpire in Chief.

• All players must have played two full innings within the first four innings, unless injured and unable to.

• All team rostered players must be placed in the batting line-up (Round Robin batting).

• Unsportsmanlike conduct or “showboating” type behavior will NOT be tolerated and parent/coach/player will be ejected from the game.

• Violation of forthcoming policy shall result in board action and may result in a forfeit.

If any girl plays only 2 of the 5 or 1of the 3 innings she must start the next game. Failure to adhere to this

All girls must play a minimum of 50% of the game (2 of 4 innings; 3 of 6 innings; 3 of 7 innings).

• Ties will be allowed. If the game is tied after 6 innings in 8U or 10U or 7 innings in 12U or 14/HS.

USA RUN-AHEAD rule will apply –. (15 after 3, 12 after 4, 8 after 5).

• Each team must have a minimum of eight (8) players to start and end the game (NO Exceptions). Late players may be added to the bottom of the line-up at any time before the start of the third inning. Any player arriving after the start of the third inning is ineligible.

• Leagues will recognize the USA "short-handed" rule which states that you may start w/ 8 players but have to take an out for the empty spot in the line-up, which will only occur the FIRST time only.

• Courtesy runners for pitcher and catcher only.(last batter out)

• All catchers will wear a facemask with throat or wire guard, chest protectors, and leg guards when behind home plate. When a player is warming up a pitcher, she must wear an approved catcher's mask.

• All bats shall be official softball bats or those allowed by USA softball.

• All girls must wear batting helmets with NOCSAE approved face guard when batting, running bases, in the on-deck circle, coaching in the Coach’s Box, and all the way into the dugout. Removal of the helmet during a live ball will result in an out.

• No jewelry or hard hair barrettes shall be allowed. Absolutely no earrings of any kind. Covering earrings with band-aids is not allowed. Medical alert are allowed but must be taped.

• Teams in all divisions must fulfill all of their snack bar duties in order to be eligible for playoffs (end of season tournament)

•  If a player leaves during the game or is unable to continue to participate, the first time she is scheduled to be up, she will be out. Subsequent at bats will be skipped without penalty.

•  If a player is injured while running the bases (note: injury must occur while running the bases, runners will not be given for injuries occurring before running the bases), the last SCHEDULED BATTER may be used as a courtesy runner (at umpire’s discretion). The next scheduled at bat of that batter will be an automatic out if she is unable to continue. Subsequent scheduled at bats will be skipped without penalty.

 

• Coaches need to be INSIDE the dugouts, no buckets allowed on the field of play.(Umpire Discretion)

 

T-ball / 6U DIVISION

Home team will be determined by a coin flip at the Home Plate Meeting.

• Coaches Will UmpireT-ball and 6u. No official game scores or team standings will be maintained for T-ball

• A 10” ball will be used (A safety ball)

• All games shall be limited to 1 hour 15 mins drop dead for 6u and 45 mins. For T-ball

• The base paths shall be set at 60 feet (6u). 35 feet (t-ball)

• T-ball season will begin with the tee. Each batter will be allowed 3 swings off the tee, a foul ball on the third swing will be considered a foul ball.

• 6u season will be coach pitch all fall. The designated coach pitcher will get to pitch 3 balls to the batter from the pitching plate, if after the 3rd pitched ball the batter doesn’t hit or foul off the ball, the tee will be brought out for 2 swings.

  • If player does not place ball in fair territory on 1st or 2nd swing the player is out

 

• Pitching distance shall be set at thirty (30) feet. The player shall stand anywhere behind the pitching rubber with one foot in the pitching circle while the adult pitcher is pitching.

• The outfield shall be considered any area 10 feet  beyond the base paths between 1st and 2nd bases and 2nd and 3rd bases.

• . The catcher must remain in the defensive position until after the ball has been hit.

• No base stealing is allowed. All base runners must remain on the bases until the ball is hit. If a runner is

off the base when the ball is hit, the ball is dead, the runner returns to base and batter bats again (Do-Over).

• The team taking the field will place all other players in defensive positions: six (6) in the infield including the pitcher and catcher, and the remaining players in the outfield.

• Three adults are allowed on the field during the season to guide in making defensive plays. They are not allowed to touch the ball or interfere with the play.

• T-ball innings will consist of all batters batting then the opposing team will bat all batters for 2 to 3 innings with time permitted.

• 6u innings will consist of 3 outs or a 4 up run rule.

• If an out is made the player that got out must return to the dugout.

• 1 base on overthrows. The base awarded will be the next base attainable at the time of throw.

• No penalty for sliding

• Helmets must stay on heads and have a face guard

• Only official softball bats are allowed for games.

 

8U Division

Game Time and General Rules

• A game will be limited to six (6) innings or (1) hr and (20) min no new inning/ (1) hr (30) min drop dead.

• A 10” USA Softball approved softball will be used.

• Pitching distance shall be thirty (30) feet.

• Run Limit per inning: 5 Up Run Rule

• There shall be no infield fly rule or drop third strike.

• Coach pitch will active until 10/7/23 games 10/14/23 and on will have no coach pitch 

• All walks (hit by pitch would be considered a walk also) the designated coach will pitch the remainder of the strikes for that batter.

• Each team must have a minimum of eight (8) players to start and end a regulation game (No Exceptions). Offensive Rules

• BASE RUNNING-open

• The adult pitcher shall pitch from within the pitching circle. One foot must be on the pitching plate at the release of the ball.

• No stealing on Adult pitches

• No Adult pitcher will be allowed on/after 4/3

• The defensive player (pitcher) shall stand anywhere behind the pitching plate with at least one foot in the pitching circle while the adult pitcher is pitching. The pitcher who pitched ball four must be the same player who stands in the circle for coach pitch. No substitutions except for injury.

• If a batted ball strikes the adult pitcher or the adult pitcher interferes with the play a “dead ball” is called and the batter returns to the plate.

• Bunting or sliding will be allowed. (Exception no bunting off adult pitcher)

8.7.T & Rule Supplement #34 in the USA Softball Rule Book.

• When the pitcher has control of the ball while in the pitching circle, The Look Back Rule will apply, per RuleBase running is open

 

• Runners may not leave the base until the release of the ball from the pitcher’s hand. Defensive Rules

• Ten (10) players are used in the defensive position, six (6) on the infield, and four (4) in the outfield.

• Outfielders must remain behind 10 feet behind the baseline until the ball is hit.

• Illegal pitching will be brought to the manager's attention, with no penalty. However, if the illegal pitch creates an advantage or if obvious leaping, crow hopping, or quick pitch occurs, at the umpire’s discretion, it may result in a penalty.

• Unlimited Pitching

 

10U UNDER DIVISION

Home team will be determined by coin flip

• An 11” softball will be used

• The base paths shall be set at sixty (60) feet.

• Pitching distance shall be thirty-five (35) feet.

• A game will be limited to six innings or (1) hour and (20) minutes no new inning/1 hr 30 minutes drop dead.

• A team at bat may establish a 5 Up Run Rule

• Nine players are used in the defensive positions (six in the infield, and three in the outfield) with open substitution allowed throughout the game.

• Infield fly rule is in effect. (Runners on 1st & 2nd, or 1st, 2nd, & 3rd with less than 2 outs, the batter hits the ball into the air that could be caught by an infielder. It does not need to be caught.) Batters’ out.

Pitching limits:

Unlimited

Base Running

 

1. Open home plate will be used during the entire playing season.

2. Drop 3rd strike will be in effect.

3. Base stealing and leadoffs are allowed only after the release of the pitch.

4. Sliding is allowed.

5.  

12 AND UNDER DIVISION

Home team will be determined by coin flip

• Pitching distance shall be forty (40) feet.

• A 12” ball will be used.

• A game will be limited to seven (7) innings, or 1 hour 20 minutes no new inning/1 hr 30 minutes drop dead.

• The base path shall be set at sixty (60) feet.

• The team at bat may establish a 5 Up Run Rule

Pitching

• No pitching limits.

 

14/ HS AND UNDER DIVISION

Home team will be determined by coin flip

• The team at bat may establish a 5 Up Run Rule

• Unlimited Pitching. Pitching distance will be 43

• A game will be limited to seven (7) innings or 1 hour 20 minutes no new inning/1 hr 30 minutes drop dead.

Pitching

• No pitching limits.

 

Tournament/PLAYOFF RULES

 

All rules remain in effect as is, with the exception of the following:

Playoffs

6U  

• SCORE WILL KEPT

• Coin flip for home

• 1 hr 10 min NO NEW 

• At 1 hr if at the top of the inning and the visiting team has no outs, the blue can call last inning. 

  • If the visiting team has 1 or more outs the umpire will call the following inning the last inning. 

 

8U-14U

• Regular season rules will stay in effect except for following

• Higher seed will be home and take 3rd base side 

• 1 hr 20 min NO NEW 

• At 1 hr 10 min if at the top of the inning and the visiting team has no outs, the blue can call last inning.

  • If the visiting team has 1 or more outs the umpire will call the following inning the last inning.

 

• Runners for pitchers and catchers only when there is two outs, last out runs for them.

• 5 UP run rule till last inning, last inning unlimited runs

• Subs for 9th players must play outfield and bat last