CEDAR PARK MEN'S SOFTBALL LEAGUE

 

 

 

 

 

Cedar Park Men's Softball League - League Rules- Last updated March 2006

 

All basic rules of Softball apply except for the following:

 

 

 

 

OFFICIAL GAMES

  1. Games are 7 innings long.  Should it occur that darkness or bad weather interferes with the completion and at least 5 innings have been completed, the game is considered official. If it is impossible to finish the inning currently being played, the official score is the score and the end of the last full inning completed. If a game is under 5 innings the entire game will be replayed.

 

  1. Mercy Rule: If, after five (5) full innings of play, any team with less than nine (9) players is losing by more than fifteen (15) runs, the game must be stopped, and the team ahead by more than fifteen (15) runs is declared the winning team.

 

FIELD OF PLAY

  1. Ground rules will be reviewed by the team captains with the Umpire before the game.

 

  1. The pitchers mound will be the rubber at 46 feet, pitchers must have one foot on the rubber.

 

  1. A pitching screen must be used in all league games to protect the pitchers. The screen is to be placed in front of the mound with at least part of the screen intersecting a direct line from the rubber to home plate. Balls batted directly into the screen are deemed a dead ball with no ball or strike awarded. Any ball which hits the screen on a throwback to the pitcher is deemed a dead ball. A ball which is thrown into the screen on a steal attempt or after a batted ball in in play is a live ball.

 

 

 

 

OFFICIALS

  1. Umpires have the final say on all calls.

 

  1. Only designated Captains, 2 per team, may discuss rule interpretations with the Umpire. Anyone else may be ejected at the Umpires discretion.

 

  1. The Umpire, with the full approval of the league executive, may eject any player who,(1) attempts to injure another player, (2) yells or argues with an Umpire, (3) behaves in a manner unbecoming to the league ie.swearing or fighting. This will constitute an AUTOMATIC 1 game suspension, after which the player(s) will appear before the league executive. A player's suspension may be longer than 1 game depending on when the executive can meet.

 

  1. Any player ejected from a game must leave the field, player benches and remain quiet in the stands. Any refusal to do so will result in default of the game by the team of the player involved. This will constitute an AUTOMATIC 1 game suspension after which the player(s) will go before the executive board.

 

 

  1. Any striking of an Umpire for whatever reason is immediately ejected from the league.

 

 

EQUIPMENT

  1. Any bat purchased prior to April 1, 2006 is allowable so long as it was legal at the time of purchase as per the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) website will not be permitted in the league. Any bat purchased after April 1, 2006 will be banned if it subsequently is banned by the ASA.

 

  1. The home team is responsible for supplying 1 new and 1 like new ball for the start of each game.

 

  1. Rubber or plastic cleats will be allowed. The use of metal cleats is prohibited

 

 

PITCHING

  1. Pitching must be slow and have an arc coming to the plate. However, no pitch over 10 feet will be allowed.

 

  1. At the Umpires discretion a fast pitch may be called and a fast pitch will be deemed a ball. If the batter hits the "called" fast pitch they have the option of taking the play or hitting again. Each team will be issued 1 warning, per game, for a fast pitch. After the warning the following will result (1) if no none is on base the batter will be issued an automatic walk. (2) if runners are on base only the runners will advance 1 base. The batter remains at the plate with an additional ball added to the count.

 

 

 

BATTING

  1. No bunting will be allowed. Penalty for bunting is an automatic out for the hitter. The play is dead and all runners returned to their original bases.

 

  1. A foul ball 3rd strike, the batter is out. Base runners are alive and can advance on a ball caught in foul territory.

 

 

 

BASERUNNING

  1. Stealing is permitted under the following circumstances.

·          The baserunner may not leave the base until after the pitch has crossed home-plate.

·          Runners may advance from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to third but may not steal home

·          A catcher’s throw which hits the pitching screen is a live ball.

·          A baserunner used as a pinch runner may not advance by way of stealing.

·          Any runner who begins the play at third base may not steal home, even on an overthrow

 

19.   Tagging up on fly balls is allowed, including balls caught in foul territory

 

20.   A commit line will be used starting in 2006 for plays at home plate. If any part of the baserunners foot touches or crosses the commit line, he must continue onto home plate and the play becomes a force play. To score a run, the runner must pass behind home plate but must not touch the plate. The runner will be called out if he touches home plate. The only exception to this is on a home run ball that has left the park (IE no possible play at the plate) In this case, the home run hitter or any runner who come home after the ball has left the park will not be called out if the inadvertently touch the plate.)

       

21.   Runners are not obligated to slide at second or third base but will be called out if they make contact with the fielder on close plays.

 

22.   A player who is injured may use a pinch runner without leaving the game. The substitute runner must be the player who made the last out. IE in the case of a fielder’s choice, the player who was put out on the bases and not the batter of the ball.

 

23.   An orange safety bag is in use at 1st base. Baserunners must only touch the orange part of the base on any play at first base and will be called out if contact is made with the white part of the base. If there is clearly no play at 1st base and the runner is looking to advance to second base, he may use the white part of the base.

 

 

ELIGIBLE PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

24.   All teams must field a minimum of eight (8) players by 15 minutes after the scheduled game time or the game is defaulted. Umpires will be paid for defaulted games. A team must start the game with 8 or more players. A team must also finish the game with a minimum of 8 players on the field. If a player leaves, that position in the batting order is an automatic out. Teams are allowed as many batters in the lineup as they wish.

 

25.   Re-enter rule: Entry into the game can be immediate upon arrival at the park. Players arriving late must be placed at the bottom of the batting order, once the first pitch has been thrown.

 

26.   To qualify for the playoffs a player must have played in a minimum of three (3) games in the regular schedule. Certain exemptions to this rule are, injuries will be considered. The minimum age to play in the league is 18 years old.

 

27.   A team may use a substitute from another team in the league as a last resort. An effort must be made to contact all team and league spares prior to using a sub from another team. Subs from other teams can be used to bring the numbers of players up to 9 but may not be for a 10th  If a team I using a spare from another team and subsequently has other players arrive bringing numbers above 9, the spare from another team must immediately leave the game and be replaced in the lineup.

 

 

 

 

 

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