SOFTBALL - RULES
Sportsmanship, camaraderie and having fun are the 3 most important things in all CMSS activities. Please keep these in mind while playing
9x9 - Mixed Division with 9 innings
9x9 - Umped Division with 9 innings
9x9 - Mixed Division with 6 innings
Please note umpire leagues have a different rules page
– Captains must email scores in by 17:00 the day following their games. If this is not done, a tie or loss will be recorded. No exception
- A pitcher's mask and a catcher's mask is required
-Every team is responsible for bringing a first aid kit to each game
– It is the team’ responsibility to bring their own gloves and bats to all games as well as any extra softballs. Teams must also bring their bases. Should the city fail to set up bases and the teams fail to bring theirs, both teams will be penalized in the standings (home team will lose 2 pts, visiting team loses 1).
– Arrive 15 minutes early so that you can start your games on time. Games are seven innings in length with a time limit of 1½ hours. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 15 minutes after the official start time. (A default will be recorded as a 1-0 loss)
– We play rain or shine. Games that are forced to be cut short due to dangerous playing conditions will end with the final score at the end of the previous completed inning. If you feel like playing presents a personal danger to you because of the rain or field condition, pls stop playing. No new inning can start within 5 minutes of the scheduled end time of the game. Please be courteous to the teams waiting to play.
– During the playoffs, if the game is tied after the completion of 7 innings, or the expired time, teams will utilize the following tie-breaker format. The visiting team will start the inning by placing the last out from the previous inning on 2nd base, with 2 outs. Once 3 outs have been reached, the home team will then come to bat in the same format. This process is repeated until the tie is broken with both teams having the same number of chances.
- A team can only score a maximum of six (6) runs in one inning. EXCEPTION: A team has no run limit in the final inning of the game.
– Teams are comprised of nine (9) players, (1 rover) with a minimum of three (3) of each gender. A team can play with a minimum of seven (7) people, as long as that includes two (2) players of each gender. A team can also play with eight (8) players if it only has two of one gender (i.e. 2 women), BUT a team of 9 or more players that only has two women can only have 8 players on defense. It will play short 1 player on defense).
– Sliding is allowed into 2nd and 3rd base ONLY. Sliding on 1st is only allowed if the player is running back from 2nd base. Players are not allowed to wear metal spikes.
– The rover can only play in the outfield.
– The pitcher will be a player from the batting team. Every batter is allowed 2 swings to a maximum of 5 pitches. All wild pitches, and balls count as pitches. However, a ball that is hit with a full swing, but does not go past the pitcher IS a live, playable ball. Bunting is not allowed. If your ball hits the pitcher, it's a dead ball. It doesn't count as a swing or a pitch.
– The batting order is two (2) men followed by one (1) woman – but teams that have more women than men can alter this format. The male order and female order must always remain the same, although the order when mixed may change depending on the male/female ratio. A team must use their full roster for batting (i.e. players cannot only play defense), and all the players must bat before a player of the same gender can bat for the second time (this may change the male/female order). If a team only has two women present, the batting order will be 2 men, woman A, 2 men, woman B, 2 men, woman A etc. The spot where woman C should have been will NOT be an automatic out.
– If a hit ball strikes the pitcher it is not a pitch or a swing it is a dead ball.
– For every at bat, the basemen are required to stand beyond their bases (the rover must play in the outfield).
– Leading is not allowed. The runner is called out if he/she leaves the bag before the bat makes contact with the ball. Example: If the batter misses the ball, and the runner has left the bag, the runner is out.
– If a base coach makes a clearly 'wrong' call because they didn't see the play or know the rules, the two captains will quickly agree on the call (please, no other players are to get involved!). REMEMBER THIS LEAGUE IS FOR FUN, PLAYERS MAKE MISTAKES AND SO WILL THE BASE COACHES. A 'BAD' CALL IS ONLY GOING TO BE UPSETTING, IF YOU LET IT UPSET YOU. If you are a player who cannot remain calm or just walk away from a 'bad' call without arguing or getting upset - you are playing in the wrong league!
* A “force play” is when a runner is forced to advance to the next base because another batter/runner behind him/her must run toward his/her occupied base. Example: Runner on first and second, ball hit into play: the runners on first and second MUST run to second and third base because they are forced by the batter/runner. A force play exists at first, second and third. Example #2: Runner on second, first base unoccupied, ball hit into play: the runner on second does not have to advance to third. There is no force play on that runner but there is a force play at first base on the batter/runner.
o A force play requires only that the defense touch the base ahead of the forced runner (with the ball in the defence player’s possession) for an out to be recorded. Runners not forced to run, must be tagged with the ball in order to be out.
– When running from 3rd base towards home plate the runner is to keep outside the baseline and is considered safe if he/she passes the home base line before the catcher has the ball while touching home plate. If a base runner touches the home plate while attempting to score it is an automatic out. To record an out, the catcher must touch home plate (no tagging), with possession of the ball, before the runner passes the line.
– A commitment line needs to be traced in the sand 1/2 way between 3rd base and home plate. Once a runner passes this line they must proceed to home plate and a there is a “force play” at the plate (there are no exceptions to this rule). Therefore, they are out if the catcher with the ball, touches home plate before the runner crosses the home line.
– If a fly-ball is caught, all runners are forced to return to the bases they occupied. A force play exists from the time that the ball is caught to the time that the runner returns to his/her respective base. A player that has touched his/her occupied base AFTER THE BALL HAS BEEN CAUGHT, may advance to the next base with no force play in effect.
– Infield Fly Rule: If there are runners on first and second, or first, second and third with less than two outs, there is an infield fly possibility. If there is a pop fly in the infield where the individual is expected to catch the ball with "ordinary effort" and it is dropped, only the batter will be out; as a result there is no "force play". Runners on base do not have to tag up if they want to run towards the next base.
–Pinch runners to be used only when players are injured. Wherever possible, women if available should run for women and men for men.
–No beer on the field.
– Team captains must bring a copy of the rules with them to every game and show their copy to the opposing captain. If a captain fails to produce a copy of the rules it results in his/her team not being eligible to gain fair play points for that game. All players including subs must be aware of these rules.
- All ASA standard softball rules are enforced
- Captains must email scores in by 17:00 the day following their games. If this is not done, a tie or loss will be recorded. No exceptions.
- A pitcher's mask and a catcher's mask is required
- It is the teams' responsibility to bring their own gloves and bats to all games as well as any extra softballs. Teams must also bring their bases, both captains will need to bring them to every game so that the extras can be used in case the city fails to set up the park.
- Arrive 15 minutes early so that you can start your games on time. Games are seven innings in length with a time limit of 1.5 hours. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 15 minutes after the official start time.
- We play rain or shine. Games that are forced to be cut short due to dangerous playing conditions will end with the final score being the score at the end of the previous completed inning. No new inning can start within 5 minutes of the scheduled end time of your game. Please be courteous to the teams waiting to play.
- During playoffs, if the game is tied after the completion of 7 innings, or the expired time, teams will utilize the following format. The visiting team will start the inning by placing the last out from the previous inning on 2nd base, with 2 outs. Once 3 outs have been reached, the home team will then place their last out from the previous inning on 2nd base (also with 2 outs) and proceed to bat until 3 outs is reached. Teams will take turns doing this until the score is settled upon the completion of a full inning.
- Teams are comprised of nine (10) players (1 rover). A team can play with a minimum of 7 people.
- Sliding is permitted in this league. Pls keep safety in mind.
- The rover may play anywhere on the field with the exception of the catcher's position.
- Every batter is allowed 3 strikes (or 4 balls) Bunting is not allowed.
- The batting order must always stay the same. A team must use their full roster for batting (i.e. players cannot only play defence), and all players must bat before a player can bat for the second time order).
- When a woman is at bat, the basemen are required to stand beyond their bases (including the rover) in the mixed league only. This rule does not apply on Sundays.
- A team can only score a maximum of six (6) runs in one inning. EXCEPTION: A team has no run limit in the final inning of the game.
- No lead-offs - the runner is called out if they leave the bag before the bat makes contact with the ball. Example. If the batter misses the ball, and the runner has left the bag, the runner is out.
- When running from 3rd base towards home plate the runner is to keep outside the baseline and is considered safe if (s)he passes the home base line before the catcher has the ball while touching home plate. If a base runner touches the home plate while attempting to score it is an automatic out. To record an out, the catcher must touch home plate (no tagging), with possession of the ball, before the runner passes the line.
- REMEMBER THIS LEAGUE IS FOR FUN even if it's got an ump.
- A commitment line needs to be traced in the sand 1/2 way between 3rd base and home plate. Once a runner passes this line they must proceed to home plate (there are no exceptions to this rule). Therefore, they are out if the catcher with the ball, touches home plate before the runner crosses the home line.
- Infield Fly Rule: If there are runners on first and second, or first, second and third with less than two outs, there is an infield fly possibility. If there is a pop fly in the infield where the individual is expected to catch the ball with "ordinary effort" and it is dropped, only the batter will be out; as a result there is no "force play". Runners on base do not have to tag up if they want to run towards the next base.
9x9 - Mixed Division with 6 innings
‐6 innings
– Arrive 15 minutes early so that you can start your games on time. Games are 6 innings in length with a time limit of 55 minutes. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 15 minutes after the official start time. (A default will be recorded as a 1-0 loss)
-3 pitches by your teammate
-3 points max per inning
-no warm ups at the start or between innings.
-when girls are at bat, a minimum distance (equal to the fence when it's fenced or at the imaginary fence line) will be set for outfielders to stand at, including rovers unless they are women. In this case they may stand in their typical rover position.