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| Adult Softball Leagues |
League Rules
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| 2009 ADULT SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES |
| ALL GAMES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE 2009 A.S.A. OFFICIAL SOFTBALL RULES UNLESS MODIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL SOFTBALL PLAYING RULES SET BY THE HAYWARD RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT (H.A.R.D.) |
| SECTION I - PLAYING RULES |
| BATS: The HARD leagues have adopted the ASA Bat Testing and Certification standards to determine which bats are legal for use. Bats must have the ASA Certification OR Re-Certification stamp on the barrel. Should specific bats be outlawed for non-compliance with licensing standards, managers will be advised. Visit ASA.com for updated bat and equipment certifications. Note: There are no ASA bat restrictions for Men's "C" ONLY. Bats cannot be altered in anyway. |
| CLEATS: No players may wear metal cleats. All-purpose turf shoes are recommended. |
| UNIFORM: There is no official uniform requirement. It is recommended that players have a numbered uniform top. Numbers should not be duplicated unless they are distinctive (example: 14 red, 14 blue), or are male and female in Co-Ed. Numbers should be at least 4" in size, legible and permanently affixed to the jersey. |
| JEWELRY: Exposed jewelry, which is judged by an umpire to be dangerous and can be removed without causing damage to the article or the player, must be removed before playing. In cases where this is not possible, the article must be taped to the wearer so that no part of it is exposed. |
| GAME BALL: Men's Slow Pitch: 12" Worth or Dudley Synthetic polycore 44 cor. Women's Slow Pitch: 11" Worth or Dudley Synthetic polycore 44 cor. Co-Ed Slow Pitch: 11" or 12" Worth or Dudley products as detailed above Team at bat must retrieve any ball that goes beyond the field of play. If ball is not retrieved the team at bat must provide another ball similar in type and in good condition. The home team will receive 1 game ball after the game is played if the game finishes with 2 used game balls. Co-Ed: Home team will get both an 11" and 12" ball provided game finishes with 4 used game balls. |
| GAME LENGTH: Game length will be 1 hour and 10 minutes or 7 innings whichever is reached first. Time limit for Championship play is 1 hour and 30 minutes. Game clock will be started after Ground Rules have been discussed and the home team is told to take the field. No new inning may start after the time limit has been used. |
| TIE GAME: In case of a tie at the end of the regular scheduled game extra innings will be played if time permits. If game is still tied after time has expired, each team will be awarded one point. |
| GAME TIME: Game times vary depending on number of teams in league (see schedule). Typical game times are 6:45, 8:00 and 9:15 pm. |
| GRACE PERIOD: A ten minute grace period will be granted for all games. All grace period time will be deducted from the allowed time limit. If either or both teams do not have enough players to play at game time (see below for legal number of players) the game clock will be started. Play will begin when both teams have enough players or a forfeit will be declared when ten minutes has elapsed. There is no team penalty for utilizing the grace period other than the loss of game time. If teams have minimum number of players play must begin. Grace period is for teams that do not have the minimum number of players. It is not at the manager's discretion. |
| DUGOUTS: Home team uses third base dugout; visitor uses first base. Only team manager, players and coaches are allowed in dugouts. For safety reasons, there are no children or pets allowed in dugouts at any time. |
| NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Co-Ed: Must have at least 4 women and 4 men to start or finish a game and shall bat alternately. In cases where there are more women than men, women may bat consecutively. Men's and Women's: Must have at least 8 players to start or finish a game. All Leagues: Once the game begins, players may be added to the END of their line-up at any time during the game without penalty. A team that loses a players or players during a game, including an EP or DP, may continue to play WITHOUT PENALTY as long as they have at least eight legal players. Players lost during play due to injury or ejection may be substituted for (same sex in Co-Ed) but should a team drop below 8 players the game is a forfeit. At one time and under no circumstances can a batting order spot be simply counted as an out to continue play. In some instances in Co-Ed other players of the opposite sex may have to be dropped from the line-up when players are injured or ejected and no replacements exist. |
| CONTINUOUS BATTING: All Leagues: Teams will be permitted to use as many Extra Players (EP's) as they desire, creating the option of a "continuous" batting order. Please note that this is an OPTION. Co-Ed: Men and Women shall always be equal. Exception: When women outnumber men, women may only bat consecutively. |
| COURTESY RUNNERS: A courtesy runner shall be allowed once pet team per inning for any reason. Courtesy runners may be any available player (of the same sex in Co-Ed). Courtesy runners must be entered immediately, after the player who is being run for, reaches base. Immediately will be defined as prior to the first legal or illegal pitch to the next batter. |
| LINE-UP CARDS: Game line-up cards including fist and last names, numbers and positions are required 5 minutes before game time. If either or both line-up cards are not in and legible at game time, game clock will begin, but play will not be started until lineups are clarified and logged in by the scorekeeper. When the line-up is written into the official score book by the scorekeeper, it will become the official line-up and will not be changed. Late arriving players may be added to the END of the line-up only. All available substitutes must be listed on back of the line-up card and additional available subs may be added at any time. |
| INFIELD: Teams will be allowed 5 minutes infield ONLY IF TIME PERMITS. Teams are responsible for beginning their own infield if they have not been told to do so. Visiting team should take the first infield fifteen minutes prior to game time, then Home team. All infield must be completed 5 minutes before game time. |
| STRIKE ZONE: Any pitched ball landing in strike box directly behind home plate or hits on lines of strike box is a strike. Pitched balls hitting any part of home plate or outside of the strike box is a ball. Ball must be delivered with perceptible arc at least 6 feet but no more than 12 feet from the ground. (See diagram shown in full packet - link at top of page). |
| PITCHING: NEW: A 4' pitching box will be used this year. Pitchers will be allowed to pitch from any point within the pitching box. |
| RUN RULE: 15 run rule after 4 innings (3 1/2 if home team is ahead) & 12 runs after 5 innings is in effect for all games including playoffs. (House Rule) |
| COMMIT LINE: Co-Ed & Women's Leagues: A "commit line" will be drawn 15' from home plate on the third base line. A force play is in effect at home for any player crossing the commit line. No tag plays allowed at home plate. |
| DOUBLE FIRST BASE: Effective 2005 all league play will be governed by the double first base. Runners must hit the right side (orange) base in running out all plays to first base. Penalty: Runners that play to white base will be ruled out. |
| RUN LINE: Co-Ed & Women's Leagues: A line will be drawn perpendicular to the third base foul line extending from the front left hand corner of home plate to the backstop. Runners may NOT touch home plate when scoring a run. Instead, they must run to cross this line. Crossing is defined as stepping on or past this line. A runner who accidentally steps on home plate will not be penalized unless they interfere with another player. If any contact or interference is observed, runner will be called out and subject to ejection. |
| SLIDING: Co-Ed "E" & Women's League: No sliding or diving allowed. Runner will be called out. NEW: Co-Ed "D" Leagues, sliding permitted. This rule is for 2009 season and will be evaluated each season. |
| HOME RUN RULES: All leagues are allowed unlimited home runs with the following exceptions: Co-Ed "D", Co-Ed "E" & Men's "E" Leagues: Any unaided balls hit over the fence will be ruled an OUT. Co-Ed "C" League: Teams will be allowed two designated home run hitters. A manager may designate his/her home run hitter on the line-up card or allow the first two home runs designate the hitters. |
| STANDINGS: League standings will be computed on the basis of 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss. If there is a tie in the standings tie breakers will be as follows: (1) Head to head record between tied team (2) Run differential between tied teams (Team with no head to head forfeit automatically wins tie break) (3) Least runs allowed versus entire league (4) Coin Flip. |
| PLAYOFFS: In leagues that have a full 6 team make-up the top 4 teams advance to playoffs. First Round: 1st Place versus 4th Place, 2nd Place versus 3rd Place. Second Round: Winners of First Round. Time limit for Championship play is 1 hour and 30 minutes. Playoff games will be played under regular league times and tie breaker format. Exception: Playoff games must continue until a winner has been determined. Leagues that consist of less than 6 teams or with 7 teams may not include post-season play. (All teams guaranteed at least 10 games.) |
| PROTEST: Team must notify the |