|
U.S. House
Softball League
Tournament
Rules
The tournament
game rules
shall be the 2008 Amateur Softball Association (ASA)
rules
except for the following:
Tournament Eligibility
1.1 Teams must complete and record
10 regular season games by midnight on August 31st in
order to be eligible to compete in the tournament.
The top 48 teams in the
League Standings as of
midnight on August 31st will advance to the tournament.
Seeding will be based on the standings. Should any
team be unable to participate in the tournament, the
next highest ranked team will be invited in their place.
1.2 Tournament
Rosters
The deadline for
submitting rosters for teams interested in playing
in the tournament will be August 1st. Teams
will be able to submit rosters online through their
team pages. Rosters are limited to 25
players.
Tournament Scheduling and Completion of Games
2.1 The tournament schedule and pairings will be
made public on the league web site on Monday, September
3rd as well as e-mailed to all coaches.
2.2 Games will not be postponed unless determined
by league commissioners and posted on the league web
site. All teams are required to be at the tournament
site at their designated times unless notified
otherwise.
2.3 Once a game has begun, only league
commissioners or tournament umpires may interrupt or end
a game due to weather or field conditions. If such a
circumstance should occur, pursuant to Rule 2.4, such
games will be completed at a later time determined by
league commissioners.
2.4
Seven innings shall constitute a complete game
– there will be no time limit. If a game is tied
after seven completed innings, the game will continue
into extra innings until a winner is determined.
2.5
All games will begin as scheduled unless delayed
by a prior game. Team members should be ready to play 5
minutes prior to the scheduled starting time. If a team
is unable field a minimum number of players at that
time, it will forfeit by a 7-0 score.
2.6
If,
after 4.5 innings (NEW), one team’s score is 10 or more runs greater
than the other, the game will be declared over due to
the “mercy rule.” If at any time one team's scores
is 20 runs greater than the other, and at least one full
inning has been played, the game will
immediately be declared over.
Bats and Cleats
3.1 Only 2007 Amateur Softball Association (ASA)
bats may be used in tournament games. Baseball bats or
altered bats may not be used. Anyone using an illegal
bat after the start of any game will be ejected from the
game.
3.2 Metal cleats or spikes of any kind may not be
used. Players wearing them during the game will be
ejected from the game.
Team Lineups
4.1 Teams must have a minimum of 8 players, with
at least three females at all times. These positions
must be identified in the batting order, and only
females can substitute for those positions. The
pitcher/catcher combination must consist of 1 male and 1
female at all times. Teams must
field a pitcher and a catcher as part of the minimum
requirement.
4.2 No one may play on more than one team during
the tournament. Anyone caught playing for more than one
team will result in the disqualification of those teams
from the tournament.
4.3 Prior to each tournament game, the coach’s
must submit a line-up (with substitute players) to the
umpire and other team. Anyone not listed on those
lineups will not be permitted to participate in the
game.
4.4 All substitutions must be reported to the
umpire and other team’s scorekeeper. Failure to do so
may result in a team being declared batting out of
order, resulting in outs.
4.5 Once a player has left the game that player
may re-enter the game only once and only if that player
was a starter, and may re-enter in the next half
inning. Anyone re-entering the game must bat in that
player’s original batting order position.
4.6 If an injury prevents a team from fielding
three female players, the game will be forfeited at that
point.
4.7 A female may substitute for any other player
and a male may substitute for any male or for a female
other than the three female positions in the batting
order.
4.8 A team can elect to use an extra hitter by
adding an 11th player to the lineup. This is
a starting position and must be maintained throughout
the game. A team cannot add an extra hitter once the
game starts.
4.9 The higher seeded team will be the home team
for each game.
Game Play Rules
5.1 All games will be slow-pitch softball and the
pitcher may release the ball pursuant to ASA rules,
which permits a backhanded delivery. Each at-bat will
begin with a 1-1 count. One courtesy foul will be
allowed when there are two strikes. A pitcher may
intentionally walk a hitter by indicating so to the home
plate umpire.
5.2 If a male batter preceding a female batter is
walked, the male batter is awarded second base in all
cases. The
female must then bat. However, if there are two outs, the female
batter has the option to take first base by indicating
so to the home plate umpire or hit away.
In all cases when the male
batter is awarded second base, he must touch first base
on his way to 2nd base. (Clarification)
5.3 Bunting is not allowed. Anyone judged to have
bunted by the umpire will be called out.
5.4 A runner cannot leave a base until the pitched
ball crosses the plate. Anyone leaving a base before
the ball crosses the plate shall be called out. A
runner may not advance on a passed pall or wild pitch.
5.5 On an overthrow that goes out of play, runners
will be awarded the base towards which they were advancing toward when
the throw was released by the fielder, plus one base.
If the ball remains in play, runners may advance at
their own risk.
Direction of a runner has no bearing on the base award
given to the runner. Example: If a runner is
retreating to first base as a
throw is released from the outfield towards first base,
the runner would still be considered as advancing
towards second base.
On a throw going out of play, that runner would be
awarded third base. Similarly, a runner remaining
on 1st base during the
entire play would still be awarded third base on a throw
going out of play.
5.6 A runner will be called out for interference
if the runner interferes with the fielder who is
attempting to field a batted or thrown ball. The runner
shall at all times attempt to avoid the fielder who is
attempting to field a batted or thrown ball. A
runner will be called out and ejected from the
tournament for maliciously or recklessly running into a
fielder.
5.7 Outfielders who must
remain outside the cones until the ball is hit.
5.8 There is no homerun limit
5.9 Only the on-deck hitter is permitted on the
field when a team is at bat. The rest of the team must
remain in the dugout or in the area behind the dugout.
Sportsmanship
6.1 Anyone ejected from a game by an umpire or
league commissioner must immediately leave the
tournament facilities. Failure to do so in a timely
manner will result in the disqualification of the team
from the tournament. Players will automatically be
ejected from the tournament for fighting of any kind.
6.2 Only a team’s coach (or another designated
team member) may raise a dispute or ask for a rules
clarification. Judgment calls such as balls and strikes
or outs may be questioned only for clarification
purposes.
6.3 All disputes will be settled by the umpires or
league commissioners. These decisions cannot be
protested or appealed. Prolonged argumentation or
abusive language directed at an umpire by any player
will lead to ejection for the remainder of the
tournament.
6.4
Teams will be responsible for the conduct
of their fans.
|
