Softball Rulebook

Co-ed Slow-Pitch Softball Rules

APPROVED BAT LIST

Roster

  • Minimum of 14 and a Maximum number of 20 players allowed on a team roster, with a minimum of 4 males and 4 females. All players must be listed on the roster and acknowledge upon registration the Terms & Conditions to participate.
  • Players must be at least 21 years of age at the start of the season.
  • Players can only be on one roster per league.
  • Players may be added at any time until the start of the 2nd game of the season.
  • All members must be registered BYSC member. Substitutes are not permitted.Violation will result in a automatic forfeit.
  • A team must field at least 7 members and no more than 10 (with a minimum of 3 of each gender). If a team has less than the required members of each gender the team must play short in the field. (Example: When a team only has 2 of one gender and 8 of another they may only field 9. A member of one gender cannot play in place of a member of the opposite gender)
  • Field positions must include a pitcher and catcher.
  • Any rostered member present is eligible to be placed in the batting order. (see “Batting”)

Officials

  • Games must be officiated by at least one authorized BYSC umpire, the Head Umpire.
  • An umpire will be provided by BYSC to officiate all games. It will be the umpire’s responsibility to coordinate and run the games, which include the following task:
    • The head umpire governs all game play and issues all final rulings
    • Starting game on time
    • Calling outs, making final calls on any disputed balls or strikes
    • Settling all disputes or disputed calls
    • Calls Timeouts
    • Call a game due to darkness, rain, or lightning
    • Penalize a player, including game ejection, for any reason. This iincludes but is not limited to, un-sportsmanlike conduct, fighting, delay of game, or excessive verbal abuse.
  • Only CAPTAINS may dispute Calls.
  • It is understood that umpires will assist in tracking of the score and assist in any discrepancies with regards to the co-ed line-up ratios. However, it is the responsibility of both teams to maintain their respective line-ups and score each inning (The “Home Team” scorebook will be the official scorebook)
  • The umpire has the right to eject any member from the game engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct. (See “Discipline”)
  1.  Field/Equipment
  • Games will be played on any softball field with a distance from home plate to the outfield fence of at least 180 feet.
  • The distance between bases will be 60 or 65 feet.
  • First base will include a orange safety base placed to the right. (See “Running”)
  • BYSC will provide all required equipment (ball, bases, and bats) except gloves.
  • All Bats MUST be inspected and approved before Gameplay. Any member caught using a non-approved bat will result in that member being called out. Any and ALL runs scored during the members at-bat (the at-bat when the bat is identified as illegal) will be null and void. (See “Discipline”)
  • Only single-wall aluminum bats with the ASA 2004 certification that appear on the ASA approved single-wall aluminum bat list are permitted. BYSC has the final authority in approving bats not listed.
  • The ball will be a 12 inch .52 COR/300 maximum compression softball.
  • BYSC members must wear their BYSC team shirt of the appropriate color for their team, issued that season.
  • Steel Cleats are NOT ALLOWED.
  1. Game Clock
  • Regulation game length is 55 minutes or 7 innings, whichever comes first, with no new inning starting after the 50 minute mark.
  • The game time is indicated on the schedule. Teams must be ready to start the game within 5 minutes of the scheduled game time. If a team is not ready within 15 minutes then they will receive a forfeit.
  • Tied games will be recorded as such. (See “Playoff Procedures”)
  1. Gameplay
  • The winner of a coin toss will choose Home or Away. (see “Playoff Procedures”)
  • The team captain is responsible to bring up any issues (protest players, illegal bats, shirt rule, etc.) that can be addressed prior to the start of the game (or as soon as they are noticed).
  • Lineup:
    • Team captains are responsible for ensuring batting orders are exchanged before the start of the game.
    • Any rostered member present is eligible to be placed in the batting order however, only members playing the field are required to bat.
    • The batting order must include a minimum of 3 members of each gender. Otherwise the point in the lineup for the missing member of that particular gender will be an out.
    • 3 members of the same gender are not allowed to bat in succession in the entire batting order (this includes between the end of the batting order and the beginning of the batting order) without taking an out before the 3rd batter of the same gender. However, after the minimum members of each gender have batted and the batting order is such that more than 3 of particular gender would bat in a row, members can be rotated accordingly.
    • Any players who show up after the game has started shall be added to the end of the batting order.
  1. *Beginning Summer 2018 Season there will be no outs for being short players unless a team has less than 3 of either gender*

 

  • Pitching:
    • Pitches must be with an underhand motion and have an arc between 6 and 10 feet, otherwise the pitch is an illegal pitch and will be considered a “ball”.
    • The strike zone shall be marked with an orange, rubber strike mat behind home plate. Direct contact by a legal pitch with either the strike mat or home plate will be considered a strike
  • Batting
    • Each member will start their at bat with 1 ball and 1 strike. A batter will receive 1 courtesy foul on their strike.
    • Bunting is illegal, any bunted ball will be considered a foul ball.
    • There will be limited number of 2 out-of-the-park home-runs per team, those in excess will count as an out.
    • Each half inning will end based on 3 outs or 7 runs, whichever comes first.
    • *Beginning Summer 2018- There will be no run limit in the last inning. If the inning is not finished at the 60 minute mark, scores will revert back to the last full inning.*
  • Running
    • No stealing. A runner who leaves the base prior to the batter making contact with the ball will be called out.
    • No sliding into first base. A slide into first will result in a automatic out
    • All overruns must be made on the safety base, failure to do so may result in an out.
    • Each team can have 1 courtesy runner (same sex) per inning per gender ONLY, after the batter reaches 1st base. No second courtesy running will be granted, even if any injury occurs. If the courtesy runner is on base and is up to bat. The batter will be considered OUT.

 

  • Walking
    • If a male batter is walked and he is followed in the batting order by a female batter he is granted an extra base.
    • If there are 2 outs and a male batter is walked, the female directly following him in the batting order may choose to bat or take 1st base.
    • All other walks are granted 1st base.
  • Mercy Rule
    • The mercy rule will end the game when a team is down by more than:
      • 21 going into the 5th inning
      • 14 going into the 6th inning
      • 7 going into the 7th inning 5.
  • Inclement Weather
    • BYSC may at its option, shorten the regular season and/or the playoff schedule (and the number of teams that make the playoffs) as cancelation due to weather.
  • Team Standings
    • Points will be awarded to teams as follows:
      • Win = 1.0
      • Tie = 0.5
      • Lose=0
    •  During the regular season, there will be no overtime to break ties
  • Tournament Rules
    1. The commissioners will determine the number of teams making the playoffs.
    2. Single Seeded Elimination: Seeding will be determined by the following:
      1. Total Points
      2. Head-to-Head
      3. Runs Against
    3. The higher seeded team is automatically Home Team.
    4. Playoff and Championship Games will not end in a tie. Extra innings will be played to determine a winner.

Discipline

  1. Any player ejected must leave the field. Games will not resume until the player ejected has left the area.