HENDERSON SPORTS GROUP

1608 Carlisle Corner Court

Henderson, NV. 89052

Phone # 702-683-7700

Fax 702-837-9527

E Mail: arthur@hendersonsoftball.com

Web Site: http://www.hendersonsoftball.com/

 

 

6/04/08 - Revised 6/04/08 – Effective 6/09/2008

 

 

SOFTBALL RULES OF PLAY – SEASON III 2008

 

THIS LEAGUE WAS FORMED FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL OF ITS’ PARTICIPANTS!

 

            THERE WILL BE NO DRINKING OF ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED DURING ANY GAMES.  ANY PLAYER THAT IS CAUGHT DRINKING WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE LEAGUE AND THAT TEAM WILL FORFEIT THAT NIGHT’S GAMES.  ANY PLAYER THAT IS INTOXICATED WILL ALSO BE DROPPED FROM LEAGUE PLAY.  THIS RULE COMES FROM THE HENDERSON PARKS DEPT.

 

 

  1. All commissioners will vote on any rule changes and new player distribution to teams.

 

  1. Each season will begin by having a Draft.  Prior to the draft, all managers will provide a list of needed positions to the commissioners.

 

  1. Any player assigned to a team after the draft from the waiting list may play the balance of the season with that team, but must re-enter the draft the following season.  Players who opt not to re-enter the league through the draft are ineligible for the waiting list and cannot participate in the league without going through the draft.

 

  1. If any team plays a non-roster player, the game will be forfeited. This rule will be STRICTLY ENFORCED.

 

  1. Each team must have a driver’s license on file for each player by opening day of each season.

 

  1. For the Over 40 and Over 50 Leagues each team will play 2 games of a maximum of seven (7) innings each week.

 

  1. TIME LIMITS: All games must be at least 5 innings of play.  After 5 innings have been played and 50 minutes have passed the game will be considered complete.  No new innings will start after 50 minutes of play unless 5 innings have not been played.  EARLY GAMES WILL START AT 6:30 PM.

a.      a.      For the Over 55 League each team will play 1 seven inning game a week.  There will be no extra innings.

b.      b.      On a windy night, the Manager’s can pull the back mat and the umpire will call balls and strikes without the mat (Both managers’ must agree).

c.       c.       Seven innings will constitute a game. However, if the game is called because of weather conditions, 4 or more innings shall constitute a complete game.

d.      d.      If after regulation time or seven innings and the score is tied the game will be called a tie and each team will receive 1 point in the standings. No extra innings of play will be allowed.

e.       e.       To keep the games flowing, teams may score a maximum of 5 runs per inning. Each inning ends when a team gets three outs or scores 5 runs. The exception to this rule is the final inning of each game, where the inning will not end until a team accrues 3 outs.  The umpire will announce the final inning at its beginning.

 

8.            After each day of play scores will be reported by email to the web administrator, John Russ, at scores@hendersonsoftball.com.  Alternately, scores can be phoned in at (702)-556-8880. The manager of the home team of the second game of each doubleheader is responsible for reporting scores. All standings will than be posted on our website hendersonsoftball.com.

 

9.      All teams will carry a roster of at least 12 to 14 players for the season.

 

10.    All players that are present to play must be in the line-up to bat.  All players in the line-up must bat.  If a player can only play the field and not bat when his time comes to bat it will be an out, except in the event of his injury. Players can request to strictly bat as a DH and not play the field.  Otherwise, managers are instructed to allocate playing time in the field to all players.  Players who show up for the game must be in either both games or neither.

a.   If any player on a team cannot make a game he must call his manager and advise him. If the player does not call the manager 2 times during the season he will be dropped from the league (No dues will be returned).

b.      Any player that drops out of the league and is not hurt may or may not be able return to the team he played for previously.  Any player that is out because he was injured may rejoin the team he was on.

c.   All starting players may re-enter a game at any time.

11.    ALL PLAYERS MUST WEAR TEAM SHIRTS IN ORDER TO PLAY.  (NO EXCEPTIONS)

 

12.    A team must field a minimum of 8 players.  If a team fields fewer than 9 players they may ask the opposing manager to borrow 1 or 2 players, or pick a league member from the stands to fill in.  If the other manager agrees this player may play any position the manager wants, but they cannot bat.  The manager from the team loaning the extra player(s) must agree to loan players; this is only a courtesy to the team that is short.  The team that is short will play with 9 or 10 players.  These players will not bat; they will only play the field.  When a 9th player arrives late he may enter the game at once.  He will bat in the missing players spot.  If fewer than 8 players are present the game will be forfeited but the team can still play by picking up players from the other team or players from the sidelines.  The game will still count as a loss in the league standings.

 

13.        Bases and Base Running:  There will be a double base at 1st base, one in fair and the other in foul territory.  It will be placed one base width from the base line.  This is to prevent collisions.  The runner must touch the base in foul territory whenever there is a play at 1st base.  On a base hit where there is no play at 1st base the runner can touch either base.  The fielder must ALWAYS touch the fair base to be given an out.  On a play at first the runner must only touch the outside base, if he touches the inside base he will be called out.

a.   A player can slide into 2nd and 3rd base or dive back to base, including 1st, to avoid contact.  The player can also give himself up. All plays at home plate are force outs once the runner crosses the Commit Line.  If the runner crosses back over the Commit Line it is an automatic out, no tag is necessary and the ball remains in play.  The runner cannot slide into 1st or home.

b.   A 2ND HOME PLATE will run parallel to the regular home plate.  It will be placed half the distance between the fence and the Home Plate on the Home Plate Side of the Home Line.  Any runner going home must touch the 2nd home plate before the catcher gets the ball and touches the regular home plate.  There will be no sliding across the line.  If the runner slides into or across the Home Plate Line, he will be called out.  Note:  If the runner should touch the fair home plate he will also be called out.  At any base, if a runner runs into the fielder by not sliding the umpire will call him out.

c.   Base runners may not leave their base until the batter hits the ball or the ball passes home plate. If they leave before they will be called out.

d.   Tagging up on a fly ball is allowed. On an overthrow, the runner must earn the base he is going to. The ball is live unless it goes out of play, in this case the runner will advance only one base.

14. COURTESY RUNNERS:

a.   For the Over 50 and Over 55 leagues there will be free substitution at any time, but the substitute runner must start at the batters first stop on base. These leagues may have as many courtesy runners as needed.

b.   In the over 40 leagues unlimited base runners will be allowed with the stipulation that no player may pinch-run more than once in an inning.  Any player caught pinch-running more than once in an inning shall be called out by the umpire once the first pitch to the next batter has been thrown.  A player caught pinch-running a second time in a doubleheader shall be ejected for the remainder of the evening.

c.   In all leagues:  No substitution can be made once the umpire has called for a pitch or the pitcher makes the first pitch to next batter.  If the runner is on base and it is his turn to bat he will be called out.

 

15.    Batters will start with a 1 and 1 count.  A batter is allowed one foul tip on the third strike the second foul on the third strike will be called an out.

 

16.    We have an extended home plate.  All balls must hit either the regular home plate or the extended home plate in order to be called a strike, and all balls that do not hit either plate will be called a ball.

 

PLAYER SAFETY

 

League rules are tailored for safety and to prevent injuries.  We use a double first base; the left half is for the fielders’ foot, and the right half for the base runner. Also, there is a second home plate placed half the distance between the back fence and home plate that base runners use to score. All plays at home are force outs, and there are no collisions.  On the base paths, runners must make every effort to avoid collisions, or will be called out.

 

17.        This league is for the enjoyment of all players and there is no place for players who put the safety of another player or players at risk.  If a manager feels that opposing players’ actions are jeopardizing the safety of his players he must approach the opposing team’s manager and together they will discuss it with the umpire.  At the umpire's discretion, the offending player(s) will be issued a warning that their action(s) are unsafe.  If a warning has been issued, again, at the umpire's discretion, any subsequent unsafe act shall be ruled a dead ball out and the player(s) may be subject to ejection from the game.  Any attending commissioner, not involved in that game, will be the final appeal.

18.        ONLY THE NEXT BATTER TO HIT WILL BE OUTSIDE OF THE DUGOUT:  If any other players are outside the dugout the umpire will provide only one warning.  After one warning the team will forfeit the game.

 

19.    HOME RUNS OVER THE FENCE:  A One-up rule applies.  This rule does not apply to inside the park home runs.  Subsequent balls hit over the fence will count as a double.  Runners on base at the time of any subsequent hit over the fence will advance two (2) bases.

a.       Both teams are responsible for retrieval of all foul balls and any balls hit over the fence.

c.   On Home Runs hit over fence the batter must only touch first base (does not have to circle bases).  All runners on base must advance to the next base.

 

20.    All games will finish by 11:15 PM.  If the lights go out the team that is ahead and has finished a full inning will be the winner.

 

21.        The game will be modified slow pitch 4 to10 foot arc from the point of release by the pitcher.  However, the batter can swing at any pitch even though the umpire would call the pitch a ball.  Pitchers will have a choice of 2 mounds to pitch from, and can pitch from between the two.  All pitching must be done with one continuous motion.

 

22.        Intentional walks are allowed.

 

23.        A fielder may use any glove he wants to play the field.

 

24.    If the batter steps out of the batter’s box when hitting the umpire will call him out.

 

25.        Both team managers must keep a scorebook. The home team’s book will be considered the official record of play.  Player’s last names must be used in the scorebook. If there is any disagreement concerning the score, the home book is official unless the league commissioner’s determines otherwise.

 

26.    Any player that is ejected from a game by either the umpire or a commissioner will sit out the next week played. If a player is ejected in the 1st game of a doubleheader he will sit out the rest of that game, the 2nd game and both games the following week.  If the ejection is during the 2nd game he will sit out the rest of that game and both games the next week.  Any player who is ejected twice in one season will sit out the balance of the season. No monies will be returned to the player.

27.    MAKE-UP GAMES:   If a game is not able to be played for any reason, the commissioners will try and make up the games at a later date if possible. All managers involved will be told when the games will be made up. In the event time does not permit a make up game each team involved will be given 1 point for a win and 1 point for a tie.

 

28.        Please Note: No matter how the season ends all games must be played. If a team has won their spot and has remaining games to play they must be played.

PLAYOFFS- in most cases every team will compete in the playoffs, and are seeded by the regular season records.  Each league has a separate playoff tournament at the conclusion of the regular season. In the Over 50 and Over 55 Leagues, there is one playoff.  In the Over 40 league, there are two divisions and there are two playoff tournaments, one for each division.

STANDINGS: order will be determined first by TOTAL WINS.  If there is a tie on wins, then by TOTAL POINTS and finally, if tied, it will be decided by TOTAL RUNS SCORED.

The 6-team tournaments will be played as follows:

a.       The 1st and 2nd seeds will receive first round byes.  The 4th place team will play the 5th place team and 3rd place will play the 6th place team in the first round.

b.      The winner of 4 versus 5 will play the #1 seed and the winner of 3 versus 6 will play the #2 seed in second round.

c.       The winners will play for the Championship.

The 5 team tournaments will be played as follows:

a.       The 1st and 2nd seeds will receive first round byes.  The 4th place team will play the 5th place team in a play in game.

b.      The winner of 4 versus 5 will play the #1 seed and the 3rd seed will play the #2 seed in second round.

c.       The winners will play for the Championship.

The 4 team tournaments will be played as follows:

a.       The 1st and 4th place seeds will receive a first round bye.  The 2nd place team will play the 3rd place team in the first round.

b.      The 1st and 4th place seeds will play each other in the second round.

c.       The winners of the first and second rounds will play each other for the Championship.

The last place team, in SEASON STANDINGS NOT TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS, in the AL will move to the NL and first place team in the NL will move to the AL each season.

· MOST IMPORTANTLY:  PLEASE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THIS LEAGUE IS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL PLAYERS.

 

Arthur Werner

For the Commissioners

Henderson Sports Group