JGS 2020 Spring Rules & Guidelines

 

6U - Division:

 

OFFICIAL GAME PLAY

 

1 hour and 15 minutes, drop dead. 

• Home team occupies the 3rd base dugout. 

• Visitor team occupies 1st base dugout. 

• Each game will be monitored and officiated by a designated board member or umpire. 

• All rules will be enforced by the designated board member or UIC. 

• All rules will be honored and adhered to by both teams. NO EXCEPTIONS. 

• Designated board members have the authority to excuse any manager, coach, team mom and/or parent from a game in which either is interrupting or impeding the progress of the game. Ejection rules and penalties apply.

​

FIELD SET-UP 

• Both team managers and/or coaches shall share the responsibility of field set-up, to include chalk lines, on-deck circle, pitcher’s circle, batter’s box and arc. 

• When Inter-league games occur at JGS home fields, JGS Managers and Coaches are responsible for ALL Field Set-Up. 

• All bases shall be secured at a distance of 60ft, one from another. 

• Pitcher’s plate shall be secured at a distance of 30ft, from the back of the plate to the front of the mound. 

 

OFFENSE 

Batting line-ups shall be provided by both teams. 

• Batting order shall be maintained at all times. 

• COACH MUST PITCH WITH ONE FOOT ON PITCHER’S MOUND AT ALL TIMES. 

• No base awards for walks or a Hit Batter. 

• No infield fly rule. 

• No base stealing. 

• Runners cannot leave the base until the batter has swung.

• Batter/base runners are awarded one base on an overthrow to first base(Umpire decision. 

• Ball is in play when hit off the coach or tee and travels past the designated arc in front of the batter’s box. 

• A hit ball that does NOT pass the designated 10-foot arc is ruled a foul ball. Batter continues at-bat. 

• A batter continues her at-bat if she repeatedly hits the ball foul. However, the batter is out after 3 strikes or after 3 completed tee attempts without contact. 

 

Games played on February 29, 2020 thru March 28, 2020 shall adhere to the following rules: 

• During the first inning of play, ALL PLAYERS WILL BAT in batting line-up order, round robin style, regardless of outs. Only 4 runs will be counted, regardless of how many runs actually cross. 

• Every inning after the first, players will bat in batting line-up order, 3 outs or 4 runs, whichever comes first. 

• Each batter will be given 3 coach pitches. If the batter does not hit a coach pitch she will be allowed to hit off the tee, until contact is made. 

​

Games played after March 28, 2020 thru the end of the 2020 Spring season shall adhere to the following rules: 

• No round robin during the first inning. 

• Every inning, all players will bat in batting line-up order, 3 outs or 4 runs, whichever comes first. Batting order picks up where it left off at the end of each inning. 

• Each batter will be given 3 coach pitches. If the batter does not hit a coach pitch she will be allowed 3 attempts off of the tee. If no contact is made after 3 attempts, batter is out. 

 

DEFENSE 

• Infield must always maintain 5 set positions: pitcher, 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and shortstop; players must be set and remain behind the pitcher until the ball is hit for safety.

• Outfield must be set 10 feet behind the bases/baseline before the ball is hit.

• When batter is hitting off the coach pitch, the pitcher must have at least one foot in the outlined pitcher’s circle and must stand to the right or left of the coach pitching, even or behind the 30' pitching plate. 

• When batter is hitting off the tee, pitcher is to remain ANYWHERE within the outlined pitcher’s circle until the ball is hit(Coach pitcher must leave the field of play). 

• Player playing the pitcher position is NOT required to stand on or near the mound. 

• Catcher position is OPTIONAL. 

• All players not in the set 5 infield positions must play the outfield.  

• Batter/base runners are awarded one base on an overthrow to first base, base runners will either continue to advance(if beyond the 30' hash) or return back to the previous base(short of the 30' hash). ​ Umpire's decision.

• Play is dead once a defensive player throws the ball to the pitcher(in the circle) and it crosses any part of the pitcher’s circle, base runners will either continue to advance(if beyond the 30' hash) or return back to the previous base(short of the 30' hash). ​ Umpire's decision.

• All official USA rules and regulations not listed are in affect.

 

8u – 14u Division(s): 

 

OFFICIAL GAME PLAY

 

1 hour and 20 minutes, no new inning for all 8u-14u games. 

• All innings will complete.

• Scores / standings are kept in these divisions.

8U - Division: - Coach/player pitch 

• Girls begin to pitch, and coaches will assume the pitch count after 4 balls (i.e. no walks, hit batter) from February 29, 2020 thru March 28, 2020.  Maximum of 3 coach pitches.

• If a batter is hit during player pitch, the count is reset, and the batter will receive 3 coach pitches.

• Coaches must pitch with one foot on the mound only.

• No bunting is authorized during coach pitch.

• From March 28, 2020 thru the end of the 2020 Spring season there is no coach pitch(Spring season only - Winter season will require Coach pitch the entire season). 

• Only 2 Coaches and/or Managers are authorized on the defensive field of play in the outfield only for the first half of the season. 

• No Drop 3rd Strike 

• Home is closed unless awarded by Umpire

• Pitching distance is 30' - 10" RIF safety ball

• Pitching limitations:
   

  • 6 inning per week per 2 games within 1 week(Monday-Sunday)

  • 9 innings per week for 3 games within 1 week(Monday-Sunday)

  • Teams with players exceeding the pitch limit will forfeit the game(s) and have the Manager suspended for 1 game, upon JGS Executive review. 

• 4 runs ahead each inning rule. 

• USA Softball Run-Ahead rule applies:
   

  • Team ahead 15 runs after 3 innings complete

  • Team ahead 12 runs after 4 innings complete

  • Team ahead 8 runs after 5 innings complete

• ​All official USA rules and regulations not listed are in affect.

 

10U – Division: - Player pitch only 

• Pitching distance is 35' - 11" RIF-10 softball

• Pitching limitations:
   

  • 8 innings per 2 games within 1 week(Monday-Sunday)

  • 12 innings per week for 3 games within 1 week(Monday-Sunday)

  • Teams with players exceeding the pitch limit will forfeit the game(s)have the Manager suspended for 1 game, upon JGS Executive review. 

• 5 runs ahead each inning rule

• USA Softball Run-ahead rule applies:
   

  • Team ahead 15 runs after 3 innings complete

  • Team ahead 12 runs after 4 innings complete

  • Team ahead 8 runs after 5 innings complete

• All official USA rules and regulations not listed are in affect. 

 

12U – Division: - Player pitch only

• Pitching distance is 40' - 12" Dream Seam softball

• No Pitcher limitations 

• 7 runs ahead each inning rule

• USA Softball Run-ahead rule applies:
   

  • Team ahead 15 runs after 3 innings complete

  • Team ahead 12 runs after 4 innings complete

  • Team ahead 8 runs after 5 innings complete 

• ​All official USA rules and regulations not listed are in affect.

 

14U – Division: - Player pitch only

• Pitching distance is 43' - 12" Dream Seam softball 

• No Pitcher limitations

• No inning run rule

• All official USA rules and regulations not listed are in affect.

 

MISCELLANEOUS 

• Both team managers and/or coaches shall share the responsibility of field set-up, to include chalk lines, on-deck circle, pitcher’s circle, batter’s box and arc. 

• All managers, coaches and team moms must wear league badges at all times. 

• All managers are responsible for maintenance and clean-up of dugouts at the end of every game. 

• All managers are responsible for maintenance and clean-up of spectator areas at the end of every game. Please encourage parents to help. 

• All managers, playing the last game of the day/evening, are responsible for breaking down the field. 

• All bases and pitcher’s mound must be removed from the dirt and placed in the fields designated field bin. 

• Any Manager, Coach, Player, or spectator ejected from a game shall remain ejected for the remainder of the game and must sit out the next game. Upon ejection the individual must leave the vicinity of the field and have no contact with any player or coach on the field.  JGS Executive Board will review for further disciplinary action. 

• Managers are required to report all ejections to the President or Vice President of JGS within 24 hours.  Failure to do so will result in further disciplinary action. 

• Final Win/Loss standing shall denote placement for End of Season Tournament 

• All scores are required to be recorded and sent to JGS Master Scorekeeper before 11:59 pm the same day, following the game, including pitcher's innings pitched when the division has pitching limits(8u & 10u). 

• Home team will supply an Official Scorekeeper.  The Official Scorekeeper must be behind backstop and be available for the home plate umpire.  Official Scorekeeper can not be on the field or in the dugout. 

• If the home team cannot provide an Official Scorekeeper, the away team has the options to provide an Official Scorekeeper and become home team(teams do not change dugouts). 

• All teams must bat the entire roster each game. No player shall sit more than 2 consecutive innings on defense if she is capable of playing (non-injury, etc.). 

• In the event of a team picking up another player, the player must be a registered Jurupa Girls Softball player for the 2020 Spring Season. Additionally, managers must utilize pickup players at the bottom of the lineup AND in outfield positions only. 

• All buckets must stay in the dugout during game play.  8u can have a coach on a bucket only while their team is on defense.  

 

Tournament Ground Rules and Regulations 

​

USA Softball rules will apply in all divisions except as modified by these tournament rules.

• All teams must be league or All Star teams made up from league teams. No travel ball or club teams will be permitted.

• All teams must check in at least 60 minutes before game time at the field where they play their first game.

• 6U and 14U games will be played at Agate Field located at 8623 Jurupa Road, Riverside, CA 92509

• 8U – 12U games will be played at Vernola Park located at 5211 Wineville Avenue, Mira Loma, CA 91752.

• Tournament will be a single elimination format during bracket play, 3 game minimum.

• All teams are limited to a maximum of 15 player roster. You must bat your entire roster in round robin fashion during Pool Play only.

• Team rosters become frozen at check in time.

• USA Softball Photo ID cards for all team members are required. Teams may provide a roster, player photo and birth certificates in lieu of USA Softball cards.

• For Pool Play, the home team for each game shall be determined by a coin flip prior to the start of the game. The first team listed on the schedule (or top team on the bracket) will occupy the third base dugout.

• For Bracket Play, the higher seed will occupy the 3rd base dugout (unless a team played the previous game which will allow them to occupy the same dugout for the next game only). Higher seed will automatically be home team. Coin flip will determine the home team in the event of same seeding.

• The home team must provide a scorekeeper and will be the official scorekeeper. • ALL GAME RESULT SCORESHEETS MUST BE TURNED IN TO TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ALL GAMES. FAILURE TO TURN IN WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FORFEITURE.

• The tournament will provide the following game balls.
   

  • 6 and under will play with the 10”

  • 8 and under will play with the 10”

  • 10 and under will play with the 11”

  • 12 and under will play with the 12”

  • 14 and under will play with the 12” 

• Any Manager, Coach, Player, or spectator ejected from a game shall remain ejected for the remainder of the game and must sit out the next game. Upon ejection the individual must leave the vicinity of the field and have no contact with any player or coach on the field.  JGS Executive Board will review for further disciplinary action.  

• There will be no protesting umpire calls. Umpire’s call is final. 

​

UPDATED: 1/11/2020