Balls
The home team shall provide a new game ball and a game ball that has only been used in one game. Only the league issued ball shall be used as the new ball. Co-ed teams must provide two balls of each size.
Uniforms
All teams must wear jerseys that match, or are very similar, with non-duplicated numbers on the back. If one or two players forget their shirts there is no penalty but the opposing scorekeeper must be given their names in place of their number. Of course in the event of cold or rainy weather players may wear a coat or sweatshirt, and do not have to have their uniform shirt on the outside of the coat.
Metal spikes are prohibited.
Catchers’ and pitchers’ masks are strongly recommended.
Any legal A.S.A. approved bat is OK to use in all ASA leagues.
Any legal USSSA approved bat may be used is all USSSA games.
Bringing beer and liquor is prohibited at all fields.
A team can be removed from the league, with no refund of fees, on the first verified infraction of this rule. We can lose the rights to use a field with only one incident, so we have to be strict about this rule. No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the dugout.
Score keeping
The home team is the official book, and must use an official score book. The visiting team should also keep score, and the score keepers should confer frequently to verify the score.
Game results
The home team is responsible for reporting the game results to the complex office. In the case of double headers, where both teams are home team for one game, the scorekeepers need to determine who is going to turn in the game score report card. It should be signed by both teams if possible.
Rainouts
There are no rain outs at the complex.
Games and fields
Games will begin at 6:30, 7:40, 8:50, and 10:00 at Hood View Park, and at 6:00 and 7:15 at non complex fields. There is a one hour and five minute time limit on each game. The umpire will be the official timer. No new inning will start after one hour, or if it can not be completed within regulation time. Games may end in a tie, which will give each team one point in the standings.
There will be no infield practice allowed, and no warm up pitches after the first inning unless there is a new pitcher.
No fences are to be used for hitting against.
Practice fields are very limited. We have no fields available during the week. We have some fields for practice at CCC on the weekends. You may reserve two weeks in advance. Call or email the office and leave your request. Field reservations begin April 1st. Practice times are 9, 11, 1, 3, and 5 on Saturdays and Sundays.
No show umpires
If both teams agree, the game may be played with a substitute umpire. The game will count if played, and the home team shall call the office and report that the umpire did not show and that the game was or was not played. If it is at all possible, play the game, because make-ups are hard to schedule. If you use a substitute umpire, please call the office and give me his name and address so we can pay him or her for umpiring.
Any physical abuse to an umpire, by a player, will result in at least a two game suspension and possible removal from the league.
Coaches are responsible for their fans behavior.
Each team may bat your roster, or use substitutes as per the rulebook. If you bat your roster, any ten players, (5 men, 5 women in co-ed) may play defense. This defense may change each inning. If for any reason a player cannot fill their position in the batting order, and there is no eligible substitute, it will be an out. A.S.A. rules apply for co-ed defensive positions.
Each team must have at least eight rostered players to start and finish a game. Players may be added to the bottom of the batting order any time during the game.
Co-Ed Batting Option 1
Co-ed teams may bat nine players. If the ninth batter is a man, there is an out recorded between the two men batters. If it is a women batter there is no penalty. If there are more than ten batters, then the number of men and women batters must be even.
Co-Ed Batting Option 2
You still have to have a minimum of 4 men and 4 women to play the game. This option allows you to play all your players that show up without having to have some sit out as subs, and without having to take an out. You will put your players into the scorebook as follows.
- Female 1
- Female 2
- Female 3
- Female 4
- Female 5
- Etc.
- Male 1
- Male 2
- Male 3
- Male 4
- Male 5
- Male 6
- Male 7
- Etc.
If you are going to bat a woman first, Female 1 bats, followed by Male 1, followed by Female 2, and so on. At the end of the inning note who the last batters were and continue the rotation the next inning. In the example above with a women batting first, Male 6 will bat his first time after Female 1 bats her second time. Instead of remembering which player of the opposite sex that you follow, you will have to remember which player of the same sex you follow. When they are up to bat, you are in the hole. I know this will take some getting used to by your score keepers, but it does get everyone into the game.
Courtesy runners will be allowed for one player of each sex per game. The courtesy runner must be the most previous batter, of the same sex, not currently on base.
Roster changes must be submitted to the league office in writing prior to using the new player. You may fax them in,and then mail the original. They must have the signature of the player, and it must be legible.
The league uses the following home run rules on the fields that have fences. Over the fence home runs are all progressive, which means that if you are in league that has a one home run limit, you can only have one more home run than your opponent. You cannot hit a second home run until your opponent has hit one. Mens E, Mens Masters and Coed E, F, & G have a one home run limit. Mens ASA D level and Coed D have a two home run limit. Mens Upper division has a three home run limit. Any home run over the limit will be an out.
If you can not field a team for a game, you must call the office and let me know. If you give me plenty of lead-time, I will try to reschedule the game. However, there is no guarantee that this will happen, and if it can’t be rescheduled, for any reason, then it will be listed as a forfeit. Day of the game cancellations will not be rescheduled. Remember, the other teams in the league, just like you, signed up to PLAY ball, not win by forfeit.
ASA and USSSA now start every batter with one and one count for all levels of play. Our league will give each batter one free third strike foul ball. The second foul ball on a third strike will be an out.
Tri City Softball does not use the stealing rule, and does not allow stealing in any league.
We do not use a mercy rule for league play. However, if the visiting team is ahead by ten runs or more going into the 5th, 6th, or 7th inning, then the visiting team will remain in the field and the home team will bat again, in effect flip flopping the home and away teams.
Coed teams will use the encroachment line at all levels of play. When a woman is at bat, out fielders must be on or behind the 200 ft. line until the ball is hit. The penalty for encroachment is a one base advance for all runners and the batter.
CASUAL PROFANITY RULE:
The Casual Profanity Rule pertains to expletives and verbal unsportsmanlike language not directed at an umpire or opposing players or coaches. This is most likely uttered by a player out of frustration. This type of behavior is penalized by an out being charged against the offending team as follows:
1. If the offending team is at bat, the next batter will be declared out.
2. If the act is committed by the batter, who was not out on the play, she will be called out.
3. If the act is committed by the defensive team, the first person to bat in the next inning will be declared out.
The outs will be treated as a delayed dead ball situation. A game may be ended by a casual profanity out. Profanity directed at others, especially umpires will result in ejection and/or game forfeiture.