|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Softball Tournament Overview
All games are coed, with a maximum of 7 males allowed on the field, and a minimum of 2 females required on the field each inning. More than 7 males are still allowed to bat in the lineup (see "Team Composition" rule 4 below) and may substitute freely for each other on the field. The softball tournament is divided into two levels of competitiveness: · Competitive: Intended for intermediate to experienced players, games in this division are standard-pitch, use official umpires, have fewer batting restrictions, and generally offer a higher level of competition. · Recreational: Intended for beginner to intermediate players who just want to play "for fun", games in this division are self-pitch where focus is placed on the safety of the players leading to additional batting restrictions. Self-pitch means that the batting teams provides a pitcher to pitch to themselves, and the umpires does not call any balls or (non-swinging) strikes. Detailed Information SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
THE GAME
1. The game clock will start at the indicated times on the schedule unless the tournament schedule itself has slipped, for instance, because the previous game too longer than expected. Teams should be prepared to play on schedule. 2. If one team is not ready to begin at the official game time (within a 5-minute grace period), 2 points will be automatically awarded to the opposing team. An additional 2 points will be awarded to the opposing team for each additional 5 minutes that the team is unable to put together a legal team (see Team Composition).
3.
Eligible players will be those who
are listed on the team roster at the start of the tournament. 4. A regulation game shall consist of 7 innings, unless run rule or time limit applies. 5. No new innings will begin after a 50 minute time limit. A regulation game will be declared even if less than 7 innings are played and the allotted game time has expired. If the game is tied at the end of the last inning, then extra innings will be played until a team wins only for playoff round games; Preliminary round games will be recorded as ties. 6. A 12-run, 5-inning
mercy rule is in effect. If one team is ahead by 12 or more runs after 5
innings have been played, then the game is called. 7. In the first 4 innings, the batting team is limited to scoring 10 runs in a single inning. Once the 10th run in the inning is scored, that half-inning is over and the other team bats. 8. Protests: All protests must be made officially to a Tournament Director. No judgment calls can be protested, only rule interpretations and ground rules. Due to time constraints, there will be no clock stoppage. TEAM COMPOSITION
1.
A minimum of 9 players constitutes
a legal team. If a team can't field enough players, an automatic loss is
declared.
2.
(Self-pitch games only) The fielding team may have at most
10 fielders; one fielder stands as the "defensive pitcher" and must
be within 6 feet of the pitcher's rubber at the time the ball is pitched. If
the fielding team has less than 10 fielders, then it does not need to field a
"defensive pitcher".
3.
There is no limit to the number of
players in a team's batting lineup. But all players who field must be in the
batting lineup. Players in the batting lineup may freely substitute positions
on the field. 4. All the teams must be coed (minimum 2 female)! 10 players are allowed on defense, with a maximum of 7 males at once. With 3 females on the team, an unlimited number of males may bat in the lineup. With 2 females on the team, up to 9 males may bat in the lineup (but still only 7 males are allowed on the field at a time). There is no restriction on the ordering of players in the batting lineup. 5. If a female player is removed from the batting lineup in the middle of the game there will be an automatic out each time she would have come up to bat. 6. Teams which field more than 3 female players on defense gain the following "handicap":
7. Note that it does not have to be the SAME female players each inning. The handicap applies once for the game (not per inning), and only the handicap which applies to the inning in which the team fielded its fewest number of women is considered. PITCHING, BATTING, FIELDING
1. (Self-pitch games only)
The batting team will provide a
pitcher to pitch to themselves. Each batter gets up to 3 pitches to
put the ball in play. If the batter fails to put the ball into play by the
3rd pitch, or swings and misses with 2 strikes (effectively, each batter
starts with a 1-strike count), he is out. (This rule does not apply for
female batters; see rule 2 below). There are no call strikes and no walks.
2.
(Self-pitch games only)
Female batters receive 5 pitches,
and start with 0 strikes. With 2 strikes, if the female batter hits a foul,
it is NOT counted as a strike. In addition, when a female is batting, all 4
outfielders must stay behind the back of the infield (edge of the grass)
until the ball is hit. 3. (Self-pitch games only) The batting team's pitcher may not interfere with the play once the ball is hit. If a hit ball touches the batting team's pitcher, the play is dead and the batter is out. 4. Runs scored with an illegal bat will not be counted. Any batter batting with an illegal bat is automatically out and no runners may advance. Bat protests need to be raised to the umpire before the next batter goes up to bat. RUNNING, SCORING 1. Courtesy runners: one "courtesy" pinch-runner is allowed per half-inning. The replacement runner must be the most recent batter, of the same gender, on the team to have gotten out. If the pinch runner is still on base at the time he is needed to bat, then he stays as a pinch runner and takes an out as a batter. 2. A commit line is on the third base line half way in between third base and home plate. Once the base runner passes this line, all plays at home plate become a force out. A veer line will be placed extending out from home plate perpendicular to the base line in foul territory. Any runner coming into home plate must cross the line instead of the plate. If a runner touches home plate, it is an automatic out. The runner can NOT be tagged out on a play at the plate -- the defense must touch home plate to apply the out. 3. Base runners must avoid interfering with defensive plays, otherwise the player will be called out. EQUIPMENT
1.
No metal cleats may be worn. 2. For the safety of all the players, restrictions on what bats are allowed depends on the division. It is the responsibility of the opposing team to complain to the umpire if they think an illegal bat is being used. Please be considerate in following this rule, as the safety of all the players is our priority! Click here for the current Bat Restrictions List; this list is updated from year to year so please check the current list. 3. Illegal Bats: All bats are subject to inspection. The directors have the right to disallow any bat under suspicion of tampering or juicing. If any illegal bat is used, an automatic 3 outs is charged to the violating team. The 3 automatic outs will carry over into the next inning. A batter is only in violation if he is holding an illegal bat into the batters box. No pitching or swing is required. (Managers, the responsibility is on you to make sure your team is using legal bats. We have opened up the bat rules, hoping that people will obey them in the spirit of fair play.) 4. A 12" 0.44 cor ball will be used for men, while an 11" 0.47 cor ball may be used for women; balls will be distinctly colored to avoid confusion. If a team is found to pitch a women's ball to a man, the opposing team has until the beginning of the next play to raise this issue with the umpire, and the game will be reset to the beginning of the play with 2 strikes against the batter. If a team accidentally pitches a men's ball to a woman then no adjustment to the game will be made as this is the batting team's mistake; the at-bat team may however transition to the appropriate ball for the remaining pitches. Under no circumstances will a team pitching a women's ball to a man benefit from such a mistake. For instance, they cannot claim the mistake themselves and ask for the play to be reset if the play results in an out for their team. UMPIRES 1. Verbal abuse of the umpires will not be permitted! The umpires are volunteers, and deserve to be treated with respect. Protests may be raised only when questioning rule interpretations, and will be decided upon by the tournament coordinator. Protests may NOT be raised when questioning judgment (e.g., safe or out, foul or fair, etc.) The umpires have permission, upon approval on a per-case basis, to eject players and call a forfeit in the event of unacceptable conduct.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
© 2008 Asian Americans for Community Outreach A Community Service - Social Events - Professional Networking www.aaco-sf.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
