Rules

RULES
DORVAL OLD PROS SOFTBALL LEAGUE
(May 2019)

 

PLAYER BEHAVIOR

1. The league expects players to be looking for sportsmanship, fair play and fun when they join the league.

2. A zero-tolerance policy applies to any verbal or physical abuse of umpires and fellow players.

3. Any player that intentionally tries to bypass or obstruct the proper application of the present set of rules is displaying unsportsmanlike behavior.

4. A player can be thrown out of a game by an umpire for unsportsmanlike behavior. The case will be submitted to the executive committee for review. The player could be suspended and even expelled from the league with no reimbursement.

 

GENERAL RULES

5. Normal Softball rules apply except as noted below.

6. Teams can score a maximum of 5 runs per inning except for the last inning, which is open (unlimited runs).

7. Games are limited to a maximum of 9 innings. No inning can start after 1h45min.

 

TEAM RULES

8. A team loses by default after a 10 minutes delay following original scheduled time if a min. of 6 players is not present.

9. Teams can field up to a max. of 11 players at one time.

10. No player shall be forced to sit out for two straight innings.

11. Each team will choose its own captain. The team captain is responsible for the equipment, line-up and discipline, as well of informing the league of game results.

12. Only the captain can discuss game situations with the umpire.

13. Players must inform their captain of foreseen absence.

14. Replacement players are allowed as long as they are provided by the spare coordinator. Max players allowed if a spare is used will be 9. (RULE CHANGED)

15. A team using replacement players can't have more players than the other team.

16. A team can use a maximum of 3 spares on their team and cannot have more than 10 players on the field.

17. The decision to use replacement players will be left to the captains when a team has less than (11) players, or that both teams are equal in number of players.

18. Steel cleats are not permitted.

19. Wearing of jeans on the playing field is prohibited. Players should wear the shirt supplied by the league.

 

PITCHING RULES

20. Pitching will be lob ball without wind-up.

21. The pitcher must have one foot on the pitcher's plate before the delivery.

22. When a step is taken, it must be forward towards home plate and simultaneously with the release of the ball. A step backward is not allowed.

23. The pitch must be released with moderate speed. To insure a proper slow pitch, allowed arm travel is a pendulum movement with the palm of the pitching hand facing forward all the way through, with no twisting of the arm or wrist behind the back.

24. The ball must be delivered with a perceptible arc and a maximum height of 10 feet above the ground.

25. No play whatsoever can result from an illegal pitch.

26. . A protective pitcher's cage will be supplied for each team. Each team pitcher must use it. The cage must be behind a part of the pitchers mound and on the pitcher’s glove side. A hit ball that touches the cage is a dead ball (no pitch). 

 

HITTING RULES

27. The infield fly rule will be applied.

28. No bunting allowed.

29. The 4 balls and 3 strikes rule will be applied.

30. Two foul balls after second strike, batter is out.

31. If the batter receives 4 balls on 4 pitches, the batter will be awarded 2 bases. All other base runners will advance (1 or 2 bases) to liberate 2nd base.

32. Hitting team must declare 5th run to the fielding team.

33. Ball hitting safety nets is considered in play.

34. Ball hitting light standards inside park is in play.

35. Ball hitting light standards inside park and rebounding over the fence is an out.

36. Ball rolling through opening in centre field fence (between the houses and the tennis courts) is a fair ball and playable. A fair ball rolling out through opening in left field is a ground rule double. A fair ball landing between the two fences in right field is a ground rule double. Ball rolling out through opening in centre field (towards the street) is a ground rule triple.

37. Ball hit into hedges is automatically declared a ground rule double.

38. A fair ball hit over any net is an out.

 

RUNNING RULES

39. Runner must stay on base until the pitch has crossed home plate.

40. No base stealing.

41. If the runner is hit by a batted ball that is in play, he is out.

42. Home plate is always a force play situation. The catcher must not touch the runner. Home plate belongs to the catcher and the white line to the runner. Once the runner has crossed the white line midway between 3rd base and home plate he is forced to go to home plate

43. There can be scoring from third base on a caught fly ball.

44. Substitute runner must be the last man out, and can only be used from first base, unless injury happens during the play on another base.

45. Batter may use a substitute runner from home plate only during the regular season, not the playoffs. (RULE CHANGED: Substitute runner never allowed from home plate)

 

COMPETITION RULES

46. In the regular season and playoffs, a win equals two (2) points and a tie equals one (l) point.

47. The final regular season ranking will be determined by regular season points. (Tie-breakers: 1. regular season record between the teams that are tied, 2. runs for/against differential in the regular season record between the teams that are tied, 3. runs for/against differential for the entire season).

48. The final regular season ranking determines home field advantage for the playoff round robin.

49. Playoffs are structured as follows: A) a round robin which generates a playoff ranking (Tie-breakers: 1. outcome of the playoff game between the tied teams, 2. runs for/against differential in the playoff, 3. regular season ranking), B) A playoff finals week in which teams meet in order of their playoff ranking: #6 vs. #5; #4 vs. #3; #2 vs. #1 (Championship game).

50. In order to play in a playoff game a player and/or spare must have played a minimum of 3 regular season games (RULE ADDED)

51. The home team is responsible for putting away the bats and pitcher’s cage (unless agreed upon before the game).

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