RULES
4/3/2008
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COURTESY PLAYERS
A. Regular season games and tournaments require a team to have at least six (6) of its roster players present and playing in order to avoid a forfeit. If a team is short of players, courtesy players will be added in order to field a team of 10 players.
B. Courtesy players will be drawn randomly. For playing purposes, first priority goes to regular SUBSTITUTE players and second priority goes to PICKUP players from another team’s roster. The following guidelines will be used to insure that no team gains an excessive advantage as a result of drawing players.
i. The ranking member of the board will be in charge of the drawing and placement of courtesy players.
ii. The placement of substitute players and pickup players should result in approximately equal numbers of #1 players on each team.
iii. Each team should have at least 4 non - #1 players in its lineup.
Substitute players can play any position and bat any place in the lineup. Pickup players can play any position, but must bat last in the lineup.
Once chosen, substitute players must play the entire game. If a roster player shows up after the substitute has been assigned to a team, that team must play with 11 players batting and 10 in the field.
Pickup players are not guaranteed playing time. If, after the game starts, a roster player shows up, he will replace the pickup player in the lineup, batting last in the order, effective at the start of the next inning.
Pickup players cannot hit for more than a single. Runners on base when the pickup player bats cannot advance more than 1 base. This restriction does not apply to substitute players.
If a substitute player participates in the first game, he may play in the second game as a pickup player,.
ROSTER RULES
C. Players will not be allowed to start league play if dues are not paid. The team manager is responsible securing payment from his players and forwarding the payment to the BASS treasurer.
D. All team members present for a game must be included in the batting order.
E. If both teams have 11 or more roster players present, the teams must use 11 players on defense.
F. Free substitution is allowed in the field at any time.
G. All roster players present must play a minimum of 3 innings in the field.
GAME PARAMETERS
H. A regulation game shall be 7 innings unless shortened by the time limit imposed in part B.
I. 50 minutes after the start of the game, the umpire will announce to both managers that the next inning will be the game’s last inning.
J. Starting time for the first game will be 5:30 pm. The scheduled starting time for the second game will be 6:30 pm. If the length of daylight hours allows, game times may be pushed back.
K. In regulation play, batters will start with a 0-ball, 0-strike count.
L. If extra innings are required, the player who made the last out of the team’s previous at-bat will begin the extra inning as a base runner on second base.
M. If the batter starts with a 0-0 count, and fouls off a 2-strike pitch, he is ‘out’.
N. A scoring limit of 5 runs applies to every inning except the last inning.
O. The ‘one-up’ home run rule will be in effect. An out-of-the-park hit that would result in a team having 2 home runs more than its opponent will be limited to a double.
P. On a ball caught in foul territory with less than 2 outs, regardless of the count on the batter, a runner may tag and advance at his own risk.
Q. Four (4) outfielders must remain behind the "senior line" until the ball is hit. In the event of a violation of this rule, the umpire will have the option of allowing the play to stand or awarding the batter first base and advancing all runners one base.
BASE RUNNING
R. After hitting the ball, a batter/base runner going to first base must step on the outside (red) base if a play is being made at that base. If no play is being made at first base, the runner can touch either base. A violation will result in the runner being called out by the umpire.
S. Players attempting to score must run across the home plate line or step on the alternate home plate. Any runner who touches the regular home plate will be called ‘out’.
T. It is the base runner’s responsibility to avoid the relay throw on an attempted double play. If the relay throw hits the runner, interference may be called.
U. Base runners cannot leave a base until the ball reaches home plate. A runner who leaves early will be called ‘out’. If the batter gets a hit on the play, he can advance to first base only. Other runners advance only if forced.
V. A base runner shall avoid all unnecessary contact with a defensive player. Blatantly unnecessary contact (as determined by the umpire) will result in the runner being called ‘out’. The ball is dead, and runners must return to their bases.
W. A "line of no return" between third base and home plate is marked along the third base line, 40 feet away from 3rd base. Once a runner passes this line he must continue to the home plate line and cannot return to third base.
X. All plays at home plate will be force-outs (no tags allowed). In order for the runner to be called ‘out’ at home, the defensive player must have possession of the ball and be touching any part of home plate before the base runner crosses the home plate line or touches the alternate home plate.
Y. If a base runner passes another base runner, the passed runner is ‘out’.
Z. COURTESY RUNNERS
i. Each team is allowed only one courtesy runner for a base runner per inning. An exception to this limit can be made in the event of an injury.
ii. Batters that are unable to run and require a courtesy runner must be stipulated to the umpire prior to the start of the game. Runners necessitated due to injury during the game are excepted from this rule.
iii. The courtesy runner for a batter must be the player who made the team’s last out.
iv. Courtesy runners for a batter must start from the line designated for that purpose and cannot leave until the ball is hit.
v. If the courtesy runner for a batter is on base when it is his turn to bat, another player can replace him.
vi. If the courtesy runner for a base runner is on base when it is his turn to bat, he becomes an illegal runner and is ‘out’. However, he does not forfeit his at-bat.
vii.
PITCHING
AA. To be called a strike, a pitch must
i. Hit the plate or attached mat, and
ii. Have an arc that is between a minimum height of 6 feet and a maximum height of 12 feet.
BB. A pitch that bounces back towards the pitcher after striking the front edge of the plate will be called a ‘ball’.
CC. The pitcher may pitch from an area up to 6 feet directly behind the pitching rubber.
MISCELLANEOUS
DD. MAKEUP GAMES: If a league game is rained out, or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the game will not be made up.
EE. UNIFORM CODE: Players are expected to wear the team jersey of their sponsor in all scheduled games.
FF. PRE-GAME BATTING PRACTICE: Players should be limited to seven swings in pre-game batting practice on field 2 (East).
GG. DOGS brought to the park should be kept on a leash.
HH. PLAYER SUSPENSION: Players are expected to conduct themselves at all times in accordance with the highest standards of courtesy, integrity and sportsmanship. Players who are ejected from a game or violate these standards of conduct at anytime are subject to suspension for a number of games determined by the BASS board to be appropriate for the situation. Repeat offenses or egregious behavior can result in a player being banned from participation BASS sponsored events.
II. ELIGIBLE PLAYERS: Men must be at least 50 years of age by December 31 of the calendar year. Women must be at least 40 years of age by December 31 of the calendar year.
SITUATIONS NOT COVERED BY BASS RULES
All situations not covered by the rules listed above will be governed by ASA rules for senior softball.