club sport MEN'S SOFTBALL RULES  Revised 9/10 (newer rules in Red)

NEW FOR JAN 2010: AT NO TIME CAN A TEAM PICKUP PLAYERS THAT WOULD GIVE THEM MORE THEN 10 PLAYERS OVERALL. If a team has the correct number of players to play, no pickups are allowed.

NO ALCOHOL ON THE FIELDS OR IN THE DUGOUT. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE CITY RULES REGARDING THE SPECIFIC FIELD YOU ARE PLAYING ON!!

LINEUPS

1. BATTING LINEUPS: Lineups must be presented to the umpire before each game by game time.  Once the lineup cards have been submitted to the umpire, they become official and you may add players to the bottom only. All substitutions must be given to the umpire as being made. 

2. MINIMUM PLAYERS: A minimum of 6 players from the team's roster must be present at game time or the team will forfeit the game.  

3. LATE PLAYERS: Any players arriving after the first pitch of the game (not already placed on the line-up card) must be placed at the end of the batting order. If the player bats in any other spot, it is considered an automatic out. Captains must notify umpire of any changes to line-up cards.

4. INJURED PLAYERS: If a player is injured during a game, captain must notify umpire to remove injured player from line-up card with no additional penalty.  An injured player that has been removed from line-up cannot return to the game.

5. PICKUP PLAYERS: Pickup players are NOT allowed during the playoffs. Any pickup players during the regular season must be signed on a TBCS roster for another team for that particular night/location. Pickups must be brought to the attention of the umpire BEFORE the game or may be assessed a 4 run per pick-up player penalty. Teams may pickup up to one player at no penalty in order to field a minimum team number (10 fielding players). Any pickups in addition to this (still not going over 10 players) r will result in a 2 run penalty per player. If more players from your team show up to allow subs, the free pickup player must be removed from the game. If you fail to report pickup players after the start of the game and it is reported or caught before the end of the game it will become a 4 run penalty for EVERY PLAYER picked up (included what would have been a free one), so please remember to report your pickup players to the scoring umpire.

Game Play

1. 3/2 SOFTBALL. We will be playing 3/2 softball, meaning each batter starts the count with 1 ball & 1 strike.

2. TIME LIMIT: Games are 55 minutes with a maximum of 7 innings. The inning in progress at the end of 55 minutes will be the last inning and completed. (An inning starts once the third out of the previous inning is called.) The ump will enforce this rule and will keep teams informed of time remaining.  NOTE: due to differing circumstances in each and every game, some games will finish short on an hour in length, while others might run over the hour mark. Please respect your ump's call in this matter, as they must keep all games on time in fairness to teams playing later hours and due to facility permit restrictions.  Regular season games may end in a tie. In the case of rain or other event, the league has the right to call a game as official if more than 30 minutes has elapsed. In this instance, the final score will be counted at the end of the last completed inning.

3. COURTESY RUNNERS: No courtesy runners will be allowed unless BOTH captains agree to the substitution. NOTE: TBCS staff can overrule decision to ensure fair play. Substitutions will be the same sex/last out (or furthest in lineup card if no out).

4. NO DESIGNATED FIELDERS: Any player playing the field must bat at some point during the game. This means 2 players sharing a spot in the batting line up MAY play the field at the same time regardless of who is in the batting line up at the time.

5. INTENTIONAL WALKS: Only one intentional walk may be given per game. No pitches have to be thrown. Attempts to walk a player by "intentionally" throwing unhittable pitches (as judged by umpire) will result in a walk with the next batter being given the option to hit or walk.

6. 10 RUN RULE:. When a team brings in the 10th run of the inning, it is counted and is also the 3rd out. In the final 10 minutes of the game (or the 7th inning), the 10 run per inning rule does not apply, beginning with the visiting team's first at bat within that final 10 minutes. (This DOES NOT apply during playoffs, see below).

7. FOUL BALLS: Once the batter has 2 strikes, they are allowed one courtesy foul. The next foul ball will be considered an out. 

8. RUNNERS: Stealing bases and "leading" is not allowed (will result in an out). SLIDING IS PERMITTED.  If the ball beats a runner to a forced out base in time to peel off, the runner must do so or both runners may be called out.

9. HOME RUNS. Each team may hit a total of 3 out of the park home runs, every home run after that will be an out. If both teams reach the 3 home run limit, each team will be allowed to hit 2 more, beginning with the visiting team's next batter.  Each team is responsible for retrieving their homerun balls (and foul balls). On an over the fence home run,  base runners and batter do not need to advance any bases.

10. POSITION OF FIELDERS: A defensive player may not impede a runner’s progress by standing in the baseline, unless the defensive player is fielding a batted ball. In this instance the defensive player has the right to field it and the runner must avoid contact with the fielder.  A defensive player may not block a base unless they have possession of the ball. Defensive players must catch the ball, block the base, then make the tag- in this order. Blocking of the bag without the ball shall result in an obstruction call, a warning to the offending player, and the runner will be awarded the base. In games where an orange "extra base" is being used at first base players must step on the orange base when overrunning first base, or when there is a legitimate play at first base (ball still in the infield).  Players stepping on the white base in these instances may be called out.  Balls that have gotten past the infielders and have reached the outfield will allow the runner to touch the white base in an attempt to advance to second base.  When in doubt runners should touch the orange base to avoid being called out.

PLAYER CONDUCT

1. DISPUTES AND PROTESTS: In a disputed play, only the team captain may discuss the play with the umpire. If a protest is made by the team captain, the captain must notify the umpire and opposing team captain before the next pitch.

2. EJECTIONS:  Players ejected from any league may be required to serve a one game suspension pending league review (this may included a 2nd game of a night if a team has a doubleheader and is the call of TBCS field staff). Fighting, wrestling, or pushing will not be tolerated and may result in multi-game suspensions or ejection from the league all together. Verbal abuse of officials or players, fighting, foul language, and continued rough play could result in player ejections.

3. FAKE TAGS AND VERBAL/PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONS: No fake tag outs or yelling at a defensive player as they are making a play will be allowed. Doing so MAY result in the runner being called safe (fake tags) or out (verbal distraction) and possible ejection of the offending player.

4. THROWING BATS: Intentionally throwing the bat in anger or frustration after your turn up to bat will result in an automatic out for the batter and  the following batter and may result in player’s ejection, upon umpire's discretion. 

5. PROFANITY: Profanity will not be tolerated and may be grounds for players being called out or ejected on the discretion of the umpire.

PLAYOFFS

1. FORMAT: Tournament is single elimination with seeding based on regular season standings. All teams make the tournament.

2. SEEDING: Tournament seeding will be based on the following criteria (based on won-lost percentage where applicable): 1) winning percentage, 2) head-to-head play,  3) best combined ranking among league teams in runs scored and runs allowed,  4) coin flip.

3. EXTRA INNINGS: There will be extra innings during tournament games where play ends in a tie. Extra innings will start with a runner on second base (base runner is the one who made the last out in the previous inning).

4. UNLIMITED RUNS: There is no 10 run per inning rule.  A team may score an unlimited number of runs per inning.

5. MERCY RULE: There is a 10 run mercy rule after 5 innings.

6. TIMED GAMES: All games (including Finals) will be 55 minutes in length (or 7 innings).

7. ELIGIBLE PLAYERS: All players, including added players, must sign the roster waiver BEFORE the final game of the season in order to be eligible to play in the tournament. If a player is not signed in on the roster by then, they are not eligible for the tournament. Playing with ineligible players may result in a forfeit. This call will be made by TBCS staff.  It is the responsibility of the team captains to make sure all players in their line-up card are eligible players for all games.

8. REGULAR SEASON 8th GAME: sometimes a team may play more then the 7 regular season games due to an odd number of teams.  If the team plays an 8th game the score stats and win/loss for the 8th game will not count toward standings for that team (just the team with 7 games) but will be counted if as a head-to-head tiebreaker.

EQUIPMENT

1. BATS: Legal bats are as defined by ASA rules. Bats not following these rules may not be used for Club Sport play. This information can be found at http://www.softball.org/about/certified_equipment.asp. More info can be found here too: Graphics/bannedbats.pdf The first time a team comes to the plate with an illegal bat, the batter is considered out. The second time the team uses an illegal bat, the batter is out and ejected with possible league suspension.  Each individual is responsible for using legal bats. TBCS and the umpires reserve the right to disallow a bat should it be thought the bat may have been doctored.  If a bat is used and proven to be doctored (i.e. painted over, "corked", shaved, etc) this will result in the immediate ejection of the person using the bat and the owner of the bat, and the owner/user may possibly be suspended for the remainder of the season or longer, as this is a safety issue.

2. GLOVES: Players may use any type of softball/baseball glove.  

3. CLEATS: No metal spikes are allowed. Wearing metal cleats is an ejectable offense.

4. JEWELRY: No jewelry can be worn during the games, for the safety of all players.

ROSTER MANAGEMENT

1. ADDING PLAYERS TO ROSTERS (individually paid teams): Club Sport has the right to add to your team until you reach the advertised minimum number of players. If you wish to have less you may pay the TEAM price or buy extra roster spots at the membership rate. You may have more than the roster minimum, you just need to advise the TBCS office prior to league payment to reserve spots.  If you need to add players to your roster during the season you may do so at a prorated rate, contact the TBCS office for details.  You may also replace injured or no-show players, contact the TBCS office for details.

2. ADDING PLAYERS TO ROSTERS (team paid teams): If your team is making a team payment, after the first week members may only add to the team for no charge by contacting the Club Sport office prior to game day. Any additions made at the field to rosters with team payments will be $10 a player, regardless of membership status.

3. REFUNDS: TBCS is not responsible for any refunds at any time during the season. If a party cannot continue the season, it is the responsibility of that party to replace themselves on the roster if they so choose. Also they must notify the TBCS office of the change.

If you are having difficulty interpreting the rules, please ASK! 

If a rule is not stated above, please refer to ASA Softball Rules.