Technical Guidelines Under 20 Coed Softball

Revised September 11/14

General Rules

 

• All games will proceed unless there is lightning or severe rain.
• Safety softballs (soft softballs) will be used for all games.
• The convening school will provide minor officials to score games at each diamond.
• All teams must provide their own gloves, bat(s), 4 batting helmets, and a catcher’s mask. All teams must have the same colour numbered jerseys and appropriate sporting attire. Each player must have a different number for identification purposes. No duplicate numbers are permitted.
• Catcher must wear all equipment specified under Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) rules; shin guards, chest protector, and a mask with throat protector.
• Helmet chinstraps are mandatory and must be worn as designated by the manufacturer.
• All participants must wear suitable pelvic area protection.

 

• Each game will be 7 innings or 40 minutes in duration, whichever comes first. Once an inning has begun, time will be given for the teams to finish that inning only. There can be ties theoretically.

 

• Rosters are a maximum of 15 players. Each team must field 10 players total, with 3 of those being female. There are only 10 players on the field at a given time.

 

• If a team cannot field 3 girls, they will have to forfeit the game, at a score of 7-0.
• Batting order and lineup sheets must be filled in prior to each game. No changes can be made to the batting order after game line-up is handed in. According to Slo-Pitch National rules, Section 7A, a player is officially in the game when his/her name has been entered on the official score sheet. After the line-up card and official score sheet have been recognized, any substitutions must be made through the plate umpire in order to be classified as being officially in the game. A substitute may take the place of a player whose name is already entered in the team’s batting order. The following rule governs the substitution of players:

  The Manager or team representative of the team making the substitution must immediately notify the plate umpire at the time a substitute enters the game. Failure to notify the umpire is a violation and it is an illegal substitution, and the player is immediately ejected from the game, and said player is not allowed to participate in any capacity.

  B. For purposes of the above rule, a player shall be considered as being in the game:
  i) as a batter, when he/she takes their place in the batter’s box;
  ii) as a fielder, when he/she takes the place of fielder substituted for;
  iii) as a runner, when the substitute takes the base of the runner he/she is substituting for;

  C. Any player may be substituted for at any time.

  Re-entry/Substitutions: The players in the starting line-up may be substituted for and may subsequently be re-entered once. A starting player, if re-entered, must occupy the same position in the batting order. The starting player and the substitute cannot be in the line-up at the same time.

 

• The 3 girls must bat in one of the first 10 batting positions, but in any order. Girls may bat all in a row, or separate, but all 3 must be within the first 10 batters.

 

• Each team will pitch to their own team. No coaches are allowed to pitch. If the ball hits the pitcher or the pitcher makes a play on it, the batter is automatically out. There is a three-pitch rule with a fourth pitch only if the third pitch is a foul ball.

 

• Runners may not leave the base until the ball makes contact with the bat. There is no infield fly rule, no lead offs, no stealing bases, no sliding, and no bunting. There is no tagging up on any base on fly outs to the outfield. Leaving early, or leadoffs will result in the runner being called out. Bunts will be called at the discretion of the umpire.

 

• A safety base will be used at first base. One half is for the first baseman to stand on, and the other half is for the base runner to step on when running to first base. If the runner touches the first baseman’s side of the base, the runner will be called out only if there is a play at first base.

 

• At home plate there will be a home plate line that runners must cross to score a run. The catcher on the opposing team must catch the ball and touch home plate to get the runner out. Reminder: If the base runner touches home plate they are called out. There will be a commitment line about 2/3 of the distance to home plate from third base. If the base runner crosses that line they must run home, and not back to third.

 

• A runner is limited to a 1 base advance on an overthrow. A ball thrown out of play results in all runners advancing one base, even it means that a run will score.

 

• Mercy rules – a team may score a maximum of 5 runs in an inning, except in the 7^th inning when teams may score an unlimited number of runs. If an inning (not the 7^th) is called as the last inning by the umpire, teams can score an unlimited number of runs in that final inning. If time runs out during the final inning, then the score will revert back to the end of the previous inning.

 

• All decisions made by officials are final, and any profanity or unsportsmanlike conduct toward anyone, including teammates, may result in a suspension or expulsion from the tournament.

 

• Any team that is late for their scheduled game time will have 15 minutes to report, and will play only the remaining time, or face a forfeit with a score of 7-0.

 

 

Playoffs

 

• Ties in each pool will be decided by:
  1. head to head
  2. lowest runs allowed
  3. most runs for

 

Team Responsibilities

 

(1)     All teams must complete the league eligibility sheet and fax or email it to the league convenor within the
specified time frame.

 

(2)     All players must wear the same colour numbered jerseys, each player with a different number. There is to be
no sharing of jerseys. Each player must have their own.

 

(3)     Batting order and lineup sheets must be filled in prior to each game. No changes can be made to the batting
order after game line-up is handed in.

 

(4)     Any team that is late for their scheduled game time will have 15 minutes to report, and will play only the
remaining time, or face a forfeit with a score of 7-0.

 

• Jewellery must be removed prior to the start of a game. This includes, but is not limited to any plastic or

metal items. If any jewellery is spotted by the umpire while player is at bat, the batter will be called out.

 

• Each team must have alternate colour numbered pinneys or jerseys in case of colour conflict. The Home

Team will change jerseys.

 

(7)  Only team members and team officials are permitted in the dugout.