Collegedale Adult Softball Rules - 2011

COLLEGEDALE SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Adult Softball Rules and Policies

Revised July 4, 2011


General Purpose

To bring the community closer together through the means of a common interest in Christian sportsmanship, fellowship and athletic competition.

Governing Authority

The Collegedale Recreation Board (CRB), sponsor of the leagues, shall have the authority to act in cases of emergency on any question arising as to the successful conduct of the leagues, and on questions not covered herein.

The CRB is the governing board for this league. CRB decisions will be final.

League Commissioner

The CRB has designated Missy Weddle as league commissioner. Her job will be to oversee the day-to-day operation of the league, clarify local rules and policies and process formal protests.

Team Requirement

  1. The Adult Softball program is open to persons, churches and businesses of the Greater Collegedale Area.
  2. Once a player has been officially entered on a team's game lineup, he/she becomes an official member of that team and may not be removed from the team roster.
  3. Players may play for only one team. (See #2 above)
  4. The manager of the team will submit an official team roster, using the online tool provided by the Commission, and containing at least 11 players, to league officials by 5pm on the day of the mandatory manager's meeting. Managers will have until 5pm of the day of the third game to submit changes to the roster.
  5. The official team roster shall have no more than 20 names on the roster.
  6. Managers will be allowed to have up to 14 names on each game line-up and will be able to substitute players in positions on the field. All players on the line-up will bat.
  7. A team may field up to 10 players. At least seven (7) players are required for a game. Exception: For the first game of the night, only six (6) players are required.
  8. A player must be 18 years old by the start of the season to play. However, an Adult League Father/Son and Mother/Daughter rule has been established. A 16-17 year-old child may play, however the 16-17 year-old must be the son or daughter of one of the adult players on the team. Exceptions must be brought in cases of legal guardianship to the Commissioner Committee for approval. If the parent is not present for a particular game, the 16-17 year old may not play in that game.
  9. Teams must not forfeit more than three (3) games to maintain membership in the league. After the third forfeit, the offending team will be asked to leave. Please respect other teams by showing up with your players BEFORE game time and being ready to play AT game time.
  10. Players must participate in a minimum of three (3) games in order to be eligible for tournament play.

Facilities

The consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited by the City of Chattanooga on the park grounds. Anyone caught will be subject to arrest.

Please respect the family nature of our league.  No smoking or tobacco products will be permitted near our fields. This rule applies to spectators as well as all league participants

Teams must pick up trash from dugout. The field monitor will be responsible to see that this is done.

Schedule

  1. Teams will play a schedule of 12 games. Regular season games will be scheduled for Monday and Tuesday nights when possible.
  2. The league website, www.cdalesoftball.com, will be the schedule of record. Any questions about the schedule should be checked against what is listed on the website.
  3. The team listed second on the schedule is the home team, e.g., visitor vs. home / visitor at home.
  4. Rained out games will be played in the order the games are rained out. Thursday nights will be used to make up rain-outs.
  5. During inclement weather, a decision will be made between 5:00-5:30 p.m. as to whether to cancel that evening's scheduled games. A softball information phone number has been established. Please call 423.954.2010 after 5:30 p.m. to learn of rain-outs or other pertinent information. Note: If an outdated message is on the machine, you can conclude that the games will be played.

Managing and Coaching

  1. Managers are to advise their players of all rules and policies.
  2. The conduct of the managers will have a great deal to do with the success of the program. Managers, or anyone else, are not to use profanity or show disrespect for the officials calling a game. Managers are responsible for the sportsmanship or lack of sportsmanship of the players on their team.
  3. There shall be no agreement between managers of teams in conflict with any article in these rules. Managers will be expected to enforce all rules. When managers make an agreement to disregard or disallow a rule or policy, the penalty will be a double forfeit, with both teams given a loss in the standings. There is no statute of limitation on filing a protest; the matter need only be brought to the attention of league officials; the infraction can be protested by teams other than those playing in the actual game.
  4. The home team manager will be the monitor for each game. Duties will include seeing that the areas in and around the dugouts are cleaned up and arranging for prayer at the beginning of each game.

Umpires, Scorekeepers and Rules

  1. ASA Rules will govern play with the exceptions herein.
  2. Whenever possible, ASA certified umpires and scorekeepers will supervise and officiate all games.
  3. Scorekeepers will be hired by the league and their book will be the official score book.
  4. If umpires fail to show up for scheduled games, team managers may decide to play without an official umpire. They are to select and agree on a temporary umpire immediately. If a scheduled umpire shows up, he is to resume control of the game.
  5. If a scorekeeper fails to show up for a scheduled game, the scorekeeper for the home team will be designated as the official scorer. The visiting team's scorekeeper will be required to compare score books with the home team. The home plate umpire will keep a running tally of the runs scored in each half inning. The home plate umpire will check with the home team's scorekeeper at the end of each half inning to verify and confirm the total number of runs scored. Managers will need to clear up any discrepancies before the first pitch of the next half inning. Following the first pitch of the next half inning no change in the score will be allowed.
  6. A designee from the City of Chattanooga will have full authority as to the condition of the field in case the games have not been called off by Summer Softball personnel. Their decision will be final. If the first game is called, all other games thereafter are automatically postponed. Please keep off diamonds if games are called.
  7. After a game is started, conditions of weather and fields shall be decided by the umpires and their decision shall be final. If the game is halted for rain or any other condition by umpires, teams shall not leave the park for a period of 15 minutes, unless an umpire calls the game sooner and notifies both managers of his decision. Umpires shall make a definite decision as to whether the game will continue or be called. In the event either team leaves and is not ready to resume play at the termination of the 15 minutes, the umpires shall forfeit the game to the team not at fault. Games shall not be permitted in a drizzle that, in the opinion of the umpires, will affect the lights or player safety.
  8. In the event of injury to a player, the umpire will allow only such time as deemed necessary for the safe removal of the player. This time will be added to the time limit of the game and umpire must immediately inform each manager of the new time limit.
  9. Short Handed Rule Modification: A team does not have to take the automatic out should a player leave the game due to sickness, injury or to meet their work appointment. However, should a player leave the game for other reasons, the short-handed rule as explained in the official rulebook will be enforced.
  10. Courtesy Runner: A player who is injured during the game, but wishes to continue playing, may ask the scorer to make a notation of the injury. Only players listed as injured in the score book will be able to request a courtesy runner. Players may not start a game with a status of 'injured'.
  11. A "no crash" rule will be in effect at all bases, including home plate.
    1. Defensive players are responsible for staying clear of base runners.
    2. If a base runner leaves the base path or goes out of his way to initiate contact with a defensive player, an automatic out will result.
    3. Defensive players are not to stand in or otherwise occupy space between the base runner and the next base. Defensive players may not block a base-runner from “turning” a base.
    4. Base runners may still slide if they wish to avoid a tag, but it WILL NOT be required.
    5. Exception: This rule does not apply once a base runner attempts to return to a previously reached base.
  12. All jewelry MUST be removed before a player becomes eligible.
  13. Pitchers must pitch from the rubber in accordance with NSA rules. We have requested that the fields be setup so that men will pitch from a distance of 53' and women will pitch from a distance of 50'. At no time shall a pitcher pitch from 'in front' of the rubber.

Equipment

  1. No metal spikes will be allowed. Tennis shoes or rubber-molded cleats are permitted. Players are not allowed to play barefoot. Infraction of the rule makes the player ineligible.
  2. Leg, ankle, wrist and other personal braces must be covered with a suitable padding. No bare metal should be exposed.
  3. Each team will supply their own bats and other softball equipment. Teams are discouraged from sharing bats, gloves, etc.
  4. The men will use a 12-inch softball and the women an 11-inch softball. Balls will be supplied by the league.

Play of Game

  1. Home team will occupy the first base bench; visiting team, the third base bench. Only players, one scorer, manager and coaches will be allowed in bench area. Umpires will enforce this rule.
  2. Players stay on your benches, not behind the backstop. If you are the on-deck batter, be there and ready to go.
  3. Keep bats together by your team's bench.
  4. There is no statute of limitation for ineligible or illegal players. This need only be brought to the attention of the league officials. A team will forfeit all games where ineligible or illegal players have played. Teams other than those playing in the actual game can bring the matter to the attention of summer softball personnel.
  5. Ineligible player - an ineligible player is one who is listed on the team roster but is in violation of the rules and therefore should not be playing in the game.
  6. Illegal player - an illegal player is a player who is not listed on the team roster but is playing in a game.
  7. Teams have the option of making their batting order/line-up as specified by the NSA Rule Book and use substitutes as outlined above OR they may list all players (up to the specified 14) that show up for a game in the batting order with use of these players defensively being left up to the discretion of the manager. The manager must declare which option they will use before the start of the game. No changes in order will be made to line up after a game has started. If a new player comes late, that player will be added to the end of the line up.
  8. Home run limits will be in accordance with the NSA one-up rule. Any over-the-fence home run over the limit will be declared a dead-ball out by the umpire. The home run limit for men's leagues is one (1). There is no limit to the home runs hit in the Women's League.
  9. Each batter will begin with a 0-0 count, no balls or strikes.
  10. In order to speed the rate of play, the third strike (foul or otherwise) will result in a dead-ball out.
  11. Base runners do not need to advance before heading to the dugout after an over-the-fence homerun. We will be following the NSA's suggestions to "Hit & Sit."
  12. Team managers are the only individuals authorized to appeal an umpire's decision. Managers are to direct their appeal to the umpire making the call. Managers are not to appeal to the other umpire.

Length of Games

  1. The time limit for a game is 7 innings or one hour, whichever comes first. If time expires during an incomplete inning, the inning will be completed unless home team has the lead and visitors have completed their at-bat. If a preceding game prevents the next scheduled game from starting at the listed time, the official time for the following game will begin 5 minutes after the conclusion of the preceding game.
  2. Tied games after the seventh inning or time limit, will be played out.
  3. A game will be terminated if a team is ahead by 15 runs after five innings. If a team decides to forfeit a game after three innings, the score will stand and the forfeiting team will not have the forfeit charged against their season total for tournament eligibility.
  4. Game time is forfeit time (6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, and 8:30 pm).

Protest

  1. Managers protesting umpires' interpretation of a rule must notify the umpire immediately (before the next legal or illegal pitch) at the time of the incident and it will be announced to both of the managers immediately by the umpire that the game is being played under protest. (Exception: Player eligibility) In case of a game-ending call, the protest must be made before the umpires leave the field. All facts and protests will be recorded by the umpire at that time. The protesting manager must notify the commission within 48 hours in writing, stating complete facts, citing rules to cover protest and including the $25 protest fee. No protest concerning an umpire's judgment will be considered.
  2. A protest committee will be designated by the Commission. There will be no appeal of their decision.
  3. Protests during all tournament games will be decided before the next legal pitch. No team will forfeit a victory after a game is completed. Protest fee for a tournament game is $25 paid immediately upon protest. Exception: Player eligibility.
  4. Protest fee will be returned if protest by manager is correct.

Penalties

  1. The CRB and authorities thereunder have the authority to suspend any player or manager for any action detrimental to the success and welfare of the league. Players or coaches losing their tempers or going out of their way to unnecessarily cause injury to other players are hereby warned that such action will not be tolerated.
  2. Any player or manager ejected from a game because of fighting, profanity, arguing with an official or any unsportsmanlike conduct may not return to the game and will automatically receive an additional one game suspension; this will be the next played game, regardless of whether or not it is a tournament game, unless the action calls for a more severe penalty. The penalty for violating a game suspension is forfeit. A second violation within the current season will result in player or manager being suspended indefinitely or such other penalty deemed necessary. This rule applies also to post-season games.
  3. A player ejected from a game for reasons dealing with a rule violation (i.e. ejected for using an altered bat) will not be subject to the automatic one game suspension. Final authority as to the interpretation of an incident rests with the league Commissioner Committee.
  4. Any player or manager that strikes an official will automatically be suspended from the league. The same will also be suspended for the next year's season.
  5. The umpire will notify the league Commissioner Committee of ejections.

Tournament

  1. Men - At the end of the regular season, the league will be split into three divisions, West, Central and East. A double-elimination tournament will be held for each division with winners being announced in all. In the winner's bracket, the team seeded highest will be home team. During loser's bracket games, the home-team shall be decided by a coin toss. Exception: During the first championship game, the undefeated team will be home team.
  2. Women - A double-elimination tournament will be held with the team seeded highest designated as home team.
  3. Home-Run Rule – During the tournament, a one-up rule will apply. Teams will start with a one (1) home-run limit. When a team has reached their home-run limit, any following home-runs will result in a dead-ball out. However, a team's limit will be increased by one home-run when the opposing team reaches their limit. (Once the limit is reached, teams may continue to count home-runs as long as their totals are within one of each other.)
  4. Time Limit Adjustment - No time limit for tournament games. All games will be played to seven innings unless stopped short by the 15 run rule.

Tournament Seed

Tournament divisions will be determined as follows, the top six (6) teams from A League will form the West Division. The bottom six (6) teams from B League will form the East Division. The remaining six (6) teams will form the Central Division.  A team's seed in the tournament will be determined by the team's overall win-loss record. However, when ties exist, the following criteria will be used to determine a team's seed:

  1. Win - loss record in head to head competition.
  2. Runs scored in head to head competition.
  3. Runs scored for and against, during the regular season.
  4. Coin toss or draw.

Note: The central division will be seeded differently as the teams will come from two different leagues. A formula has been devised, taking into account the number of runs scored, victories over all and games against teams in the same tournament division, to sort or rank the teams in the middle division. A copy of it can be provided upon request.

Awards

  • Awards will be given to the first place teams after the tournament.

League Information and Contact Info

  • Current softball information and rain-out information can be obtained by calling the League Information Hot-line (423.954.2010) or by visiting the web site at www.cdalesoftball.com.