DILLSBURG AREA CHURCH SOFTBALL LEAGUE
2006 Rules and Regulations (Updated 5-1-05)
A.S.A. rules will apply with the following additions:
Players must attend the church that they play for at least 2 Sundays a month in order to be eligible to play.
Softball is meant to be outreach. If a potential softball player does not attend your church and wants to be a part of your team, he will be given three weeks from the time he first makes his intentions known until the above rule will be enforced.
There can be exceptions to the above guidelines. However, every player who does not meet the above criteria must be approved each year by the coaches and listed with the league officers before he will be eligible to play. Exceptions should be made if they are based on the spirit of outreach mentioned above. The vote requires 3/4 approval – one vote per church (not one vote per team).
Players must be at least 14 years of age or who will turn 14 during the season.
No obscene language, alcohol use, or tobacco use will be permitted on the grounds where the games are being played.
Each batter will begin with a 1-1 count.
Acceptable bats for use in all league games shall be limited to single wall aluminum or wooden bats. Coaches should inspect their own bats before the game begins and remove questionable bats. Unless there is evidence of willful intent the player using an illegal bat should be allowed to continue the game. Other ASA rules governing use of illegal bat would be applicable. Bats that are prohibited for use at any time:
Multi-wall bats to include double wall, triple wall, etc.
Sleeved bats
Shell bats
Composite bats
Hybrids and/or Multi-piece e.g. composite handle, aluminum barrel.
A mat will be used to determine strikes. If the ball comes in contact with home plate and the mat it is considered a strike. The count will begin at 1 ball and 1 strike.
A DH may be used in place of a fielder. An EP may be used to allow additional team members to play. Both a DH and an EP may be used if players are available.
All re-entry players must play the field first. Re-entry is limited to one time per player/per game. Exception: Injured players may be replaced by anyone on the bench.
A foul ball on the third strike will be considered an out.
The in-field fly rule applies with less then two outs with runners at first and second or bases loaded.
On close plays, the runner must slide or avoid contact with the defensive player. Anyone purposely making contact with a fielder will be ejected for the night or tournament.
A 10 run lead after 5 complete innings will be considered the end of a game. Also, 4 innings will be a complete game in case of rain or darkness.
Rule disagreements during games will be handled by the coaches only.
The Rules committee has the right to modify or create new rules as deemed necessary by a majority vote of its committee members.
The umpires have the right to eject anyone from a game who does not follow the above rules. Anyone who has been ejected from a game will not be eligible to play in any other games for the remainder of the day and must get approval from one of the league’s officer’s before he will be eligible to play again.
Three women are required in the line-up both defensively and offensively at all times. At the start of the game, If only two women are present, the team must play with 9 defensively and take an out in the 10th position in the batting order. If only one woman is present at the start of the game, the team must play with 8 in the field and take an out in both the 9th and 10th positions in the batting order. If no women (or fewer than 8 players) are present, it is a forfeit (the first game should begin by 6:10, the second game should start 10 minutes after the first game is over). If a female arrives after the start of the game she may be inserted in the 9th or 10th position and immediately take the field. This rule goes into affect immediately if a woman is injured or has to leave early causing a team to drop below the minimum number of women required - 3. The only adjustment is that the team will take an out in the spot vacated by the woman (not necessarily the 10th position in the order). Women may not bat consecutively in the batting order (unless it is impossible to keep from doing so - for example if a team is playing with 7 women!)
Tie-breakers:
a. In case of a two way tie: head-to-head competition, record against teams in the division of the team you are tied with, run differential against teams in the division of the team you are tied with, fewest runs allowed against teams in the division of the team you are tied with, flip a coin.
b. In the case of a three (or more) way tie: Record within the division, run differential against teams within the division, fewest runs allowed against teams within the division, flip a coin.
Ground Rules for the various fields:
New Cumberland’s Field:
1. Center field trees are approx. 300 feet. Flies in the trees are a home run; anything else is all you can get.
2. Out of play on the right field line - follow the fence down to the end by first base then draw a diagonal line to the closest corner of the pavilion.
3. Out of play on the left field line - follow the fence down to the end by third base, then draw a diagonal line to the corner of the high weeds.
Grantham’s field:
Out of play down the left field line is defined as follows: From the corner of the backstop to the front corner of the benches. Along the benches in a straight line to a point at the edge of the parking lot. Follow the edge of the parking the back to the flowerbed, to a point at the top of the bank.
Out of play down the right field line is defined as follows: From the corner of the backstop to the front corner of the benches. Along the benches in a straight line, then turn 90 degrees and go straight back to the bottom of the bank. Follow the bottom of the bank all the way down to the edge of the property.
Any batted ball, which lands in fair territory, then travels out of play before being touched is a ground rule double.
Any batted ball, which on the fly either hits an evergreen tree along the outfield or lands beyond the tree line, is a homerun. (This will be the base umpires judgment call.)
Any ball, which rolls beyond the tree line is still in play, unless it rolls down the bank in left field in which case a homerun will be rewarded.
Any ball which rolls under the rock in right field is out of play and is ruled a ground rule double.
After games teams should rake out area around each base, and the batters boxes.
King’s Kids Camp:
1. Over the fence on a fly or into the trees on the fly is an automatic home run (this includes the mini black fence).
2. If the ball rolls or bounces into the field or trees, untouched it is an automatic double.
3. If the ball is touched and then bounces or rolls into the field or trees it's all you can get.
4. Out of play on first base side is an imaginary line from corner of backstop to volley ball court railroad tie and then from the volley ball court straight out to the field/trees, parallel to the 1st base line.
5. Out of play on the 3rd base side is imaginary line from corner of backstop to the bench and then extended the whole way down parallel to the 3rd base line.
