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Softball Rules

**We will follow USA rules with the exception of the below USABL Rules. See bottom for modified 8U and 10U rules.**

Age cut off date will remain December 31st . We will be using 2023 ages meaning your team should play in the age group you played in this Summer/Spring. A player is the actual age of a child on December 31 of the previous year

  1. 8U and 10U Games will be 6 innings long. 12U, 14U, 16U and HS will be 7 innings long.
  2. Pitching distance:
    1. 8U, 10U – 35 Ft. ** Scroll to bottom for modified 8U pitching rules**
    2. 12U – 40 Ft
    3. 14U, 16U, HS – 43 ft.
  3. Rainouts shall be determined by the league office. Once the game begins rainouts will be determined by the umpires
  4. The protest shall be considered only when there is a use of an ineligible player. No protest shall be considered on a decision involving an umpire's judgment. Likewise, Protests based upon an official’s judgment or misinterpretation (misapplication) of the playing rules will not be honored (same rule as High School). Equipment which does not meet specifications must be removed from the game and shall not be the basis for a protest. The protest made due to the use of ineligible player may be considered only if made to the umpire before the final out of the game. Whenever it is found that an ineligible player is being used, that player shall be removed from the game, and the game shall be continued under protest or not, as the protesting manager decides. Protests must be submitted by the manager first to the umpire on the field of play before the game concludes and then in writing to the league president within 24 hours. The umpire chief shall also submit a report as well. Protests will be ruled upon by the league office and committee composed of chief umpires. All protests must affect the outcome of the game. Protest after the game is complete will not be accepted. The league commissioners office has the authority to rule on matters affecting outcomes of games when extenuating circumstances are present. All decisions will be made with consideration of the rules of the game, spirit of fair play and sportsmanship
  5. All players must wear the complete uniform while on the field of play and in the dugout or bench area.
  6. Players may wear plastic or rubber spiked shoes 8U – 12U diamonds. Players may wear metal spiked shoes in the 14U, 16U and HS divisions.
  7. Players must wear approved batting helmets while at bat and while running the bases.
  8. Bat Rules: A batter may not use an illegal bat. PENALTY – If the infraction is discovered by the umpire or the defense before the next pitch to a batter of either team, the defense may elect the penalty - batter out, runners return to the Time of the Pitch. No appeal is allowed after the next pitch to a batter. You cannot protest a game over an illegal bat.
  9. All team catchers must wear complete catching equipment, including mask, a protective helmet or skull cap, chest protector, leg guards and protective under garment.
  10. No family or friends on the bench
  11. The game will be declared over if
    1. 6 Inning Game:
      1. 10 runs after 4 innings,  8 runs after 5 innings
    2. 7 Inning Game
      1. 12 Runs after 4 innings, 10 runs after 5 innings, 8 runs after 6 innings
    3. Please note if the home team is losing they will still get a chance to hit in the bottom of the inning to try to close the gap and come back.
  12. All teams have the option to bat as many players as they select. In order for a player to play defense, they must be listed in the current batting order. If a team chooses to replace a starter with a substitute that person must be someone not in the game at all. Starters may then re-enter the game one time for the player that was substituted for them and remain in the same spot in the batting order.
  13. Managers will have the option before the first pitch is thrown to elect to use speedup rules. A runner for the catcher or pitcher can be used with two outs. Runners should be a player not in the batting order at the time or the last batted out. When pitchers are the last batted out, they will not be obligated to run. If teams cannot agree speed up rules will not be used.
  14. Teams may carry as many players as they wish.
  15. Playing time will be solely determined by the team manager or coach. The league strongly suggests that manager and coaches give the maximum amount of playing time to the maximum amount of players.
  16. Players must appear in 4 regular season games or have played at least 21 innings to be eligible for playoffs. Any players joining after the first game will be subject to the 4 games or 21 innings rule.
    1. All protest penalties will be issued by the protest committee.
    2. No protests will be accepted from teams that do not have their roster posted
    3. Please see rule #4 on protest (Please note you cannot protest after a game is complete. Protest must be filed with the umpire before or during the game.)
    4. The league commissioners office has the authority to rule on matters affecting outcomes of games when extenuating circumstances are present. All decisions will be made with consideration of the rules of the game, spirit of fair play and sportsmanship
    5. Any coach found guilty of using an illegal player will be under review by the protest committee. Depending on the severity of the infraction, the offending manager will be subject to a suspension or be banned. In some, cases the player may be subject to the same penalty.
  17. All teams must have a copy of each players birth certificate at the field.
  18. 2023: Age cut off date is December 31st . We will be using 2023 ages meaning your team should play in the age group you played in this Summer/Spring.
    • A player is the actual age of a child on December 31 of the previous year
  19. If a team has 8 players to start a game, they may borrow a defensive player from their opponent or play the game with 8 players. The borrowed player will be a different player each inning and will not bat for the team with less than 9 players. In the event, a ninth player arrives; he will be inserted in the batting order in the ninth spot. If a team has less than 8 players it will be a forfeit. *You may play a play-off game with 8 players. No out can be taken when a team starts the game with 8 players
  20. A team will be allowed 20 minutes to produce at least eight players.
  21. If a teams batting order shrinks at any point during the game for any reason the team will be awarded an out for the lost spot one time. The next time the spot comes due that place in the batting order will be skipped over without penalty. It is the obligation of the defensive team to point out to the umpire that they are taking the out when that spot comes due. If the defensive team does not point the vacant spot out to the umpire at the time that the spot comes due there will be no penalty awarded and the spot will be skipped over at that time and all other times. The one exception to this is if the batting order shrinks due to an injury due from the action of the game (i.e. runners colliding).
  22. When a team’s batting order falls to eight players during a game (with the exception of an ejection) they will be subject to the penalty stated above, however the opponent has the option to supply a rotating defensive player in order to finish the game. When a teams batting order falls below 8 the game will be declared complete and the teams with less than eight will be awarded a loss regardless of the game score at the time of this occurrence. If you drop to 8 players because of an ejection it will be an automatic forfeit.
  23.  League Tie Breakers:
    1. When two teams finish in a tie for a play-off following tie breaking formula will be used.
      1. Best record head to head competition
      2. Run differential in head to head competition
      3. Fewest runs allowed against all opponents. Games played will be made equal.
      4. Coin Flip
    2. When three or more teams are tied.
      1. When all tied teams have played each other and one team has beaten ALL the other tied teams without a loss, that team will be awarded the play-off spot.
      2. Teams with the most wins will be awarded the higher seed. If two or more teams are tied with points/wins and not one team has beaten the other team(s) without a loss we will proceed to tie breaker rule #3. (League Play Only does not apply to tourney)
      3. Fewest runs allowed in all games played. Games played last will be eliminated until all teams have played the same number of games.
      4. Coin Flip
  24. Players or coaches that are ejected from games by umpires will serve a one-game suspension. Any physical contact with umpires will result in more severe punishment as determined by the league office.
  25. Players may not play on two different teams in the same division. Players will be allowed to compete on two different teams if these teams play in different age groups or divisions where no possibility of the two teams meeting, including play-offs. Players may participate on two different teams in the same age bracket if the league before the start of the season declares that there will be two different champions and the league has scheduled no crossover play between American & National.
  26. Each team is required to get the last names when receiving your opponent’s lineup.
  27. Trips to the mound: 1 free trip per inning, 2nd trip in the inning pitcher must come out.
  28. Time Limits Regular Season Games:
    1. 8U & 10U – No New Inning 1 hour and 30 Minutes
    2. 12U, 14U, 16U, HS – No New Inning after 1 hour and 45 Minutes
  29. No slap bunt/slashing is allowed at 8U or 10U. A “slap or slash bunt” is defined as the act of showing or faking a bunt and swinging at the pitch instead. A slap or slash bunt will automatically be ruled a strike and a dead ball whether the batter makes contact with the ball or not.
  30. All players may use any method of sliding they wish with the exception into home plate. No head first sliding into home plate. This is an umpire judgment call and is not protest situation.
  31. Forfeit Procedure: If your team is seeking a forfeit you must ask your opponent to play the game(s) (give them an option if possible) or to concede to a forfeit. If they do not concede to a forfeit the league must hear from both teams why the game was originally canceled and not rescheduled. If the game was canceled for any reason other than field conditions, it should be an easy decision. If it was canceled because of field conditions (rain out) we will need to hear from both teams and the league will make a decision from there. You may win your forfeit request, or it may go down as a no contest if both teams showed effort & flexibility in trying to make the game(s) up.

If a team cancels a game for any other reason other than field conditions, it is the canceling team’s responsibility to be flexible with rescheduling the game to when their opponent can accommodate it (field, players, etc.) If the game is not rescheduled for any reason prior to playoff seeding the opposing team that was canceled on will be awarded a win, 3 points if they ask for the forfeit. Players will only receive credit for innings for a forfeit if the forfeit occurs at the field or if the league commissioner signs off on the players that missed out on the innings from a forfeit.

No forfeit will be issued for the regular season after the regular season deadline.

32. Intentional bases on balls may now be issued by informing the home plate umpire of a team’s intention to walk the batter. No pitches need to be delivered. This must be declared before any pitches have been thrown. If any pitches have been thrown to the batter the defensive team must then complete the at bat by delivering pitches.

Modified 8U and 10U Rules:

  1. 8U PITCHING RULES: Teams may use modified player pitch or full coach pitch but must agree at ground rules. If one team does not agree to player pitch, both teams must default to coach pitch.
    • (a) Modified Player Pitch Rules:
      • A total of 10 pitches will be thrown per batter. There are no called balls or called strikes but 3 swinging strikes and the batter is out.
      • If the ball is not put in play after 6 pitches, the coach must throw the final 4 pitches of the at bat.
      • If the batter has not put the ball in play after 10 pitches, the batter is out.
    • (b) Full Coach Pitch Rules:
      • A total of 7 pitches will be thrown per batter. There are no called balls or called strikes but 3 swinging strikes and the batter is out.
      • If the batter has not put the ball in play after 7 pitches, the batter is out.
    • If coach is hit by the ball in coach pitch it will be treated as a foul ball/strike.
      • The umpire reserves the right in extreme cases where it the coach makes no effort to move or gets hit intentionally to rule the batter out.
  2. No stealing at 8U.
  3. 10U can steal 2nd and 3rd only and cannot advance home on an overthrow on a steal attempt at 3rd. Runners cannot leave the base until the ball crosses the plate.
  4. Runners cannot advance on a dropped 3rd strike.
  5. No infield fly rule.
  6. 10U: 5 runs max per ½ inning for the first 3 innings. 4th, 5th, and 6th will be unlimited runs.
  7. 8U: 5 runs max per ½ inning for the first 4 innings. 5th, and 6th will be unlimited runs.
    • This includes when doing player pitch.
  8. Bunting is allowed, but no slash bunting.
  9. 10 players (4 outfielders) in the field are allowed at 8U and 10U.