WOODSIDE RECREATION SUMMER CO-ED SOFTBALL -2006 RULES

1. Teams. Teams will field 10 defensive players. Teams may play with a minimum of 7 players before a forfeit is declared. Teams may play with a minimum of 3 women before a forfeit is declared. Forfeit time is 15 minutes after game is scheduled to begin (usually 6:00 p.m.). Players participating must be on a current roster on file with the Softball Commissioner. If a non-roster player participates in a game, the team for which the player participated forfeits the game.

2. Game length. Games will be eight innings. If tied at end of eighth, continue to play until one team is ahead at the end of an inning. However, no inning shall begin more than 1 hour, and fifteen minutes following the beginning of the game, and games may end in ties. Beginning with the 6th inning, whenever one team has a lead of fifteen (15) runs or more at the end of the inning, or after the end of the top half of the inning if the home team is the team ahead, the umpire shall declare the team with the lead the winner of the game. By agreement between the managers, the teams may complete more innings, but the winner of the game for purposes of League record shall be the team declared to be the winner by the umpire.

3. Field position. There will be four natural outfielders (no short fielders). Outfielders must play behind the outfield line until the ball is hit, and infielders must be on the infield dirt until the ball is hit. The defensive pitcher must remain within the prescribed mound area (circle around the mound) until the ball is pitched; this means that both feet must be inside or on the circle. There must be at least 4 women playing defense in each inning. One woman must play either pitcher or catcher. In addition, there must be at least one woman at one of the other 4 infield positions. There must be at least 2 women outfielders. However, if only 3 women are present for a team, the number of outfielders is reduced to three, of whom two must be women; the other woman must play an infielder position other than pitcher or catcher.

4. Substitutions. Free substitution is allowed on defense. Players may not play more than 3 innings at any one position during the 1st through 6th inning only. Pinch runners are allowed at any time after a batter reaches base safely; the substitute runner shall be the person of the same gender who made the immediately previous out.

5. Batting order. All team members who play defense must bat, and all players who bat must play defense. A two-male, one-female or male-female batting order must be followed. Players who arrive after the beginning of the game will bat at the end of the order. The initial order must be followed throughout the game.

6. Pitching. 3 balls are pitched by the offensive team. If the batter fails to hit a fair ball on the 3 pitches, the batter is out. The batter is also out if the batted ball strikes the offensive pitcher. Pitches to men shall be made from the regular mound; pitches to women may be made from a closer point. One person may be designated by a team at the beginning of the game to play as an offensive pitcher only, and that person may pitch but play neither defense nor bat.

7. Bunting. Only women may bunt.

8. Hitting. The first fair ball hit over the outfield fence by a player will be a home run. Any fair ball subsequently hit by that same player over the outfield fence in that game shall be an out. A pitched ball cannot be hit after it has struck the ground. Batter may step on home plate to hit pitched ball.

9. Base running. No leads are allowed; runner must remain on base until the ball is hit. No sliding, whether feet or head first; runner is automatically out. Runner must avoid contact when reaching a base.

10. First base. There will be 2 first bases - one for defense on the line, and one for offense outside the foul line marked in a different color. If a runner from home to first touches the defensive base running to first base or runs into the first baseman, the runner is out; this rule applies even though there may be no play at first base. To get the batter out at first, defensive team must tag the white first base. There are no tags outs along first base line anymore.

11. Second and Third base. There will be a double bag at second and third. On force plays, the runner must go to the orange bag and defensive player must make the play at the white base. On tag out plays, runner must go to orange base, and defensive player must tag the runner. Runner is out if they do not attempt to run to the orange base. Runner can use white base if there is no play at the base they are going to. On plays where the player is coming back to the base, the white base is in play.

12. Home plate. All plays at home plate are force plays. No tags of runners coming to home plate after the halfway point down the third base line count as an out. At halfway down the line as marked, runners from third to home must veer to the right from the baseline and touch the offensive base marked behind home plate. If the runner reaches that marked base before home plate is tagged with the ball, a run is scored. If a runner from third to home touches the defensive home plate, the runner is out whether there is a play at home or not. When a runner from third to home goes beyond the halfway point down the baseline from third base, a force is in order at home plate whether or not the runner later retreats to third base.

13. 10-run rule. A team's turn at bat in an inning shall end when either three (3) putouts have been made against it or when the team has scored ten (10) runs, whichever occurs first. This rule shall not apply to the team's last at-bat in a game or if the team is behind by fifteen (15) runs or more even after scoring the ten (10) runs.

14. Ground rules for McCovey Field. All trees and bushes and nets are live. Any ball caught on the fly after striking a tree or a net is an out. A ball is determined to be fair or foul by where the ball is actually caught or lands on the ground.

15. Equipment and Uniforms. Balls will be limited flight, Incredi-ball type softballs. No metal spikes are allowed. Each player on team must wear a shirt that is basically color-matched to other players on the team.

16. Umpires. At least one umpire will be used at each game. Arguing with an umpire will result in an ejection.

NO ARGUING PLEASE. PROFANITY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
ABUSE OF THESE RULES ARE GROUNDS FOR EXPULSION
FROM THE LEAGUE.
NO BOTTLES, CANS, OR CUPS ON THE FIELD (INCLUDING COACHES BOXES) AT ANY TIME.
PLEASE RESPECT THE GROUNDS AND PICK UP ALL TRASH
AFTER EACH GAME. PLEASE RECYCLE.
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN CHILDREN AND BE CAREFUL OF OTHERS'.
PLEASE KEEP THE GATES TO THE DUGOUT AREAS CLOSED.
MOST OF ALL, LET'S HAVE FUN