SOUTHERN ADIRONDACK YOUTH LEAGUE

SOFTBALL RULES

These are the softball rules for 8U, 10U, and 12U.

Please remember the goal of any coach should be the interest of their players, the league and lastly winning. Encourage good sportsmanship to all players and spectators. Umpires word is final and should be respected.

GENERAL RULES FOR ALL LEVELS

·         AGE GOES BY January 1st for each age group.

·         There will be a time limit of 1 hour 45 minutes per game

·         Each team has to play every team once to get their record for playoffs.

·         Each team must have at least 8 players to play a game.

·         You are only allowed to play on one team. You can borrow players to get 8 girls to play a game but not just to improve your team.

·         Have umps there, prepared and knowing rules and ready at game time. Prefer no kids or coaches to be the umps.

·         When it is the last inning the home team must make sure to let the opposing team know it is the last inning and there is unlimited runs before the inning starts

·         The defensive team can have 10 players on the field. The 10th player (rover) must start in the outfield and can change when batter makes contact.

·         2 hour game limit for all age groups, unless coaches agree upon another time frame before the game starts.

·         Make sure fields are lined and raked and ready to play on at game time

·         A full game is 6 innings.

·         Kids age 12 can play modified softball and be allowed to play on the youth league team but are not able to play JV and or Varsity.

·         If a game is called due to weather or darkness and 4 full innings have been played (or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead) will constitute as a complete game.

·         If thunder is heard or lightning is seen the game will stop, and not be able to start back up until 30 minutes after seeing the last lightning bolt or hearing the last sound of thunder.

·         All batters must have a helmet with a face mask.

·         The pitcher position must have a fielding face mask on or a helmet with a face mask on.

·         5 Run Rule – If a team scores 5 runs in one inning then the inning will be over. The last inning is unlimited runs.

·         Batter needs to be out of box for a play at home or runner will be called out.

·         Home field coach needs to go over field rules as far as dead ball, etc. with the visiting coach and umpire.

·         No blocking a base .

RULES FOR 8U

·         No Officials. Coaches will act as officials.

·         Coaches will pitch to their players

·         Size 11 softball

·         Entire team will bat

·         There will be one line between 1st and 2nd base, one between 2nd and 3rd , and one between 3rd and home. If player is advancing to a base and is not past the line when the ball is back to pitcher (coach is not pitcher player in the pitcher position is) runner needs to go back to previous base.

·         Each batter if needed will have 7 pitches, after the 7 th pitch and the batter does not hit the ball, the batter will be out. If there is a foul ball on the 7th pitch the batter stays in the batter’s box until she gets a hit or strikes out

·         No bunting. It is not considered a bunt unless the batter squares their body and moves their hand to the end of the bat.

·         2 coaches from the defensive team are allowed in the outfield to help and umpire on-base calls.

·         A defensive infield player making an attempt to throw the ball back to the player in the pitcher circle (not coach), the play will be stopped. (example: if the ball is hit into the outfield when the outfielder throws the ball toward the pitcher it is not an attempt. They must throw to an infield cutoff player.)

·         Players can take as many bases as possible until ball is attempted to be thrown to pitcher.

·         On an overthrow the base runner must be past the line (that’s between bases) to be able to advance, if they are not past the line they will stay at the previous base.

·         Players need to play in their positions until ball is hit

·         There needs to be a parent/coach behind the plate at all times to throw the ball back and move the game along.

·         Girls are allowed to slide but is not mandatory

RULES FOR 10U

·         Umpires needed

·         No drop 3rd strike

·         No in-field fly

·         Size 11 softball

·         35 feet pitching distance from front of pitching rubber to the tip on the back of home plate

·         There is no pitching limit

·         The pitcher is allowed 3 consecutive walks, and or hit batters or a combo of both after the 3rd walked/hit batter the offensive coach will come in to pitch. The coach will pitch 7 pitches if needed. After that batter the pitcher will pitch again, every time the pitcher walks a batter the coach will come back in, to pitch to the next batter. This rotation of pitcher and coach will continue until the inning is over. The next inning the pitcher will need to walk 3 consecutive batters before the rotation of pitcher and coach starts again.

·         Batting out of order is an out

·         A pitcher can re-enter at anytime

·         Pitchers are allowed to hit 4 batters an inning before being taken out. (Pitcher can re-enter the next inning). If the pitcher has hit 6 batters in one game pitcher is done pitching in that game.

·         Batting and substitutions of players is the coaches decision

·         Bunting is allowed

·         Stealing is allowed as soon as the ball passes home plate of 2nd and 3rd base only.

·         Not allowed to steal home on a wild pitch or past ball. If it is an overthrow to a base that is still a “live ball” and player can advance home. Any play made to a base with the offense and defense, the runner MUST slide. If the runner does not slide to avoid contact she will be called out .

·         Runner must slide feet first. No head first sliding

·         Runner is able to dive back to a base

·         A runner can only take 1 base on an overthrow on a dead ball

·         Only way a runner on 3rd can advance home is by a hit or walk

·         If a base runner leaves to early they first get a “team warning” if it happens again it will be an out.

·         Ball returned to pitcher from infield player position play is stopped. Ball from outfield thrown all over off target play will continue

·         Any ball thrown by pitcher attempted to home plate is considered a pitch

·         Both feet must start on the rubber to be a legal pitch

·         If you play with 8 players the 9th player position in the batting order will be an out.

RULES FOR 12U

·         Umpires needed

·         Size 12 softball

·         40 feet pitching distance from front of pitching rubber to the tip on the back of home plate

·         There is no pitching limit

·         A pitcher can re-enter at anytime

·         Any ball thrown by pitcher attempted to home plate is considered a pitch

·         Both feet must start on the rubber to be a legal pitch

·         Pitchers are allowed to hit 4 batters an inning before being taken out. (Pitcher can re-enter the next inning). If the pitcher has hit 5 batters in one game pitcher is done pitching in that game.

·         Batting out of order is an out Batting and substitutions of players is the coaches decision

·         Bunting is allowed

·         Any play made to a base with the offense and defense, the runner MUST slide. If the runner does not slide to avoid contact she will be called out

·         Runner must slide feet first. No head first sliding

·         Runner is able to dive back to a base

·         Base runners can lead when the pitcher releases the ball on a pitch.

·         If a base runner leaves to early they first get a “team warning” if happens again it will be an out.

·         Base runners can steal when the pitcher releases the ball on a pitch. They are able to steal 2nd, 3rd and home.

·         Player is able to steal 2nd, 3rd and home at any time.

·         On an overthrow base runners can advance as far as possible

·         In-field fly rule is in effect

·         Drop 3rd strike is in effect, unless 1st base is occupied. If there are 2 outs drop 3rd strike is in effect no matter how many bases are occupied. Catcher can block plate only if they have possession of ball

·         If player is walked and 2nd base is unoccupied player may continue to second base as long as player does not stop or hesitate at first base and it is a continuation of their at bat

·         S.A.L. will not regulate how many proactive/games are made by players on both modified and youth league. This will be determined by the youth league and or team coach.

·         If you play with 8 players the 9th player position in the batting order will be an out.

PLAYOFFS

·         Each team has to play every team once to get their record for playoffs. Coaches keep track of their team record and are responsible to call their record in to location hosting playoffs by date given.

·         No borrowing of kids to make a full team in playoffs. If you cannot field a team it is a forfeit for that game.

·         Your playoff record goes off of the number of games you played against ALL other teams in your age bracket. You will go off the outcome of the first game you play them.

·         If a game gets canceled during the season for any reason other than weather or a school event it will be a loss for the team that canceled the game.

·         If not all games against every team are able to be played your record will go off the first 10 games you are able to play.

·         Every team will keep track of their own record. Every game you play, keep tract of the date, team you played, location of game and score and have it available to turn in for playoff records.

·         If the game is going to end in a tie (meaning the 1 hour 45 minute time limit or 6 full innings have been played) at the 10U and 12U age level the game will go to sudden death. You will start a runner at second base. This runner will be the last batter out the inning before. Both teams get a chance to score runs.