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U.S. House
Softball League
2010
Regular Season
Rules
About the U.S. House Softball
League
Regular Season Game Rules
I. League Rules
1. During U.S. House Softball League
REGULAR SEASON games, teams are
encouraged to use these as de facto game
rules when an agreement on a divergence
from the rules cannot be met between
both coaches. Remember, there are no
umpires and no called balls and strikes
in the regular season (unless both teams
decide otherwise).
Remember, at the end of the day, teams
just want to be able to play and we are
out there to have fun. So coaches are
encouraged to come to an arrangement to
allow the games to proceed, even if that
means agreeing not to report the results
of the game.
2. Individuals participating in the
U.S. House Softball League do so at
their own risk. The league is not
responsible for injuries or property
damage incurred during participation.
Coaches of each team are responsible for
making all participants aware of this
before they commit to play.
3. On
Monday, April 5th, teams can begin
scheduling games. The League will send
out an e-mail to all coaches with e-mail
addresses for every coach in the
League. You can use these to ask other
teams to schedule games. However, after
initial scheduling and during the
season, coaches are encouraged to use
the
Scheduling Message
Board
to ask for games during the week and not
inundate everyone with daily mass
e-mails. REMEMBER, TEAMS MUST RECORD
RESULTS FROM AT LEAST 10 GAMES TO BE
ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN THE TOURNAMENT.
II. Team Responsibilities
1. Each team is responsible for
providing its own playing field and
equipment. The team that provides the
playing field will be the HOME team,
unless otherwise agreed upon by the
coaches.
The “Home” team is responsible for
securing a “playable” field for game
time. If the visiting team has a viable
permitted field and the “Home” team has
chosen not to play there and cannot find
or secure a playable field by agreed to
game time, the “Home” team will forfeit.
2. Teams are permitted to use
strike mats if agreed on by both
coaches. These are the guidelines
coaches should use if they choose to do
so:
Strike Mat
Dimensions
A.
Each batter will start out with a one
ball-one strike count. The calling of
additional balls and strikes will be
done by the home plate umpire (a member
of the team at-bat) with the use of a
pitching mat behind home plate. A strike
will be any pitch, within a six-foot
minimum and 12-foot maximum arc, which
lands on any portion of the mat without
hitting any portion of home plate.
Any pitch that 1) does not hit any
portion of the mat, 2) hits any portion
of home plate, or 3) does not have a
6-12-foot arc, will be called a ball by
the home plate umpire. An illegal pitch
is one that does not have a minimum of a
6-foot arc, and a maximum of a 12-foot
arc.
Note:
If a batter puts (or attempts to put) a
ball in play that does not have the
required 6-12-foot arc, the result of
the batter’s action will stand (strike,
foul, home run, single, etc.).
B.
Batters will be called out on strikes
when the strike count reaches three.
Batters will have one courtesy foul
ball with two strikes and will be out on
the next foul ball or strike. Walks
will be issued to any batter attaining
four balls. If with two (2) outs a male
batter is walked, and the next
batter in the batting order is female,
the female batter has the option of
either taking a walk or hitting. If the
female chooses to hit instead of taking
the intentional walk, the male batter
only gets 1st base. A female batter may
not automatically receive a walk if
there are less than two outs.
If a player has two strikes
but a courtesy foul remaining, and
he/she tips a foul ball into the
catcher’s glove it is an out.
3. It is the responsibility of the
winning team to record the results of a
game through their team page on this
site. Teams are prohibited from
canceling on their scheduled opponent
and playing another game the same
night. Teams doing so will take a
forfeit for their original game.
4. Each team is responsible for
completing and reporting all games by
August 27, 2010. This includes making
up all rain outs and postponements. A
game is considered a regulation game
after the completion of four innings in
case a game should be concluded due to
weather or darkness.
III. Forfeit Policy
1. Coaches must have notified
their opponents prior to 2pm on game day
that there could be an issue fielding a
team, and must notify that they are
canceling no later than 4pm on game
day. If your team does not give your
opponent a heads up but cancels by 4pm,
that will still be counted as a forfeit
if they choose to enforce it.
2.
Unless otherwise agreed to, official
game times are considered to be 6:30pm.
After a 15-minute grace period at
6:45pm, if teams have 7 men and 3 women
present, the game must begin. At
7pm, if a team does not have a minimum
of 8 players present, a forfeit is in
order. (NEW)
3.
Weather conditions do not apply to this
policy. When there is rain in the
forecast, the coaches must make a
decision on whether to continue or not -
the notification policy does not apply
here.
4.
All protests must be registered
with the league no later than 2 days
after the game. Please keep a record
and submit any contacts between the
teams to the league at this time as
verification that notification was made
in a timely manner.
5.
Forfeited games should be
recorded as 7-0.
IV. GAME FORMAT / PLAY
1. The team at bat will provide
first and third base coaches. These
coaches will serve as umpires, and their
decisions are final. Any team that
chooses not to field a first or third
base coach at any point in the game
gives the fielding team authority to
call plays at 1st and 3rd.
2. Games will consist of 7
innings. The completion of 4 full
innings is required for the game to be
considered final. If the game is
interrupted by darkness, rain, or any
other event at any time after the
completion of 4 full innings, the score
will revert to the last full inning
played
If a game is called for rain,
darkness, or any other reason before the
completion of 4 full innings, the game
will be rescheduled and replayed from
the beginning.
3. No Bunts
4. Sliding is allowed provided it is
used only to avoid a tag and/or
collision.
5. No metal cleats
6. Baseball bats are not allowed
7. Base paths should be 65’, and the
pitcher’s mound should be 45-50 feet.
V. PLAYERS and SUBSTITUTES
1. Each team will field a minimum
of 8 players, and a maximum of 10
players. Of those 8 positions, one must
be a pitcher and a catcher. A team
playing with 9 or fewer players must
designate one slot in the batting order
as an empty one, and take an automatic
out each time it comes up in the batting
order.
At least 3 fielders must be women.
Failure to field at least 3 women will
result in a forfeit.
2. Each team may bat a maximum of
eleven players – 10 fielders and an
extra hitter.
a. At no time during the game may a
player change slots in the batting
order.
b. The same 3 slots assigned to
women in the order will remain female
slots throughout the game
VI. LEAGUE DISPUTES
1. Any
disputes should be reported to the
League via e-mail (housesoftball@gmail.com)
no later
than 2 days after the game.
Any unresolved situations will be
discussed and voted on by the League
Commissioners. All rulings are final.
VII. TOURNAMENT
1. The top 48 teams in the
standings at midnight on August 27th
will advance to the League Tournament on
September 11-12th. The Tournament will
be seeded based on those rankings. In
the event of a tie, the team with the
better winning percentage will be seeded
higher.
2. In order to be eligible for the
playoffs, each team must have their
rosters entered on their team pages
(max. of 25) by July 30th. These
rosters are final, and any players found
on other tournament rosters will result
in a forfeit by both teams.
3. For full
tournament rules, click
HERE
If you have any
questions or suggestions, please do
not hesitate to contact us directly at
housesoftball@gmail.com.
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