1) Minimum age for team eligibility or to serve as an umpire shall be 18, unless the team captain determines that a rostered player between the ages of 14 to 17 possesses the skill set necessary to insure said player’s safety while participating in any game.
2) Each team member must be a member of the sponsoring Palmyra area church or a church affiliated therewith in the Berks/Lebanon/Lancaster/Dauphin/Schuylkill county areas unless otherwise approved by the League Commissioner. However, in order to promote inviting and retaining individuals as members of the sponsoring Palmyra area church, each team may roster non-church members but no more than two (2) such individuals may be on the field and/or in the batting rotation at the same time.
3) Teams shall be open to male and female
players. Furthermore, in order to promote the co-ed nature of this league each
team must comply with the following:
a) A female player must play four (4)
complete innings, when available, however, this provision cannot be satisfied
by having a female player as the extra hitter;
b) A valid female player must be on the
roster at time of initial submission;
c) If a female player attends a game and is
eligible for play, a team may not play without a female in the line up for the
required innings.
d) In the event a team cannot field a female
player, as required by this rule, the game will proceed, however, the team with
no female player available must field no more than nine (9) players during the
innings in which a female player normally would have played, and must have an
open slot in the batting order which when due to bat will become an automatic
out.
i) With 8 players (all male): Opposing team
supplies a non-defensive catcher.
ii) With 9 players (all male): Opposing team
does not supply catcher during the 4 innings the phantom girl rule is
used. When the rule is not used, the
opposing team will supply a non- defensive catcher
e) The minimum innings during which a female
player is required must be completed during the first seven (7) innings of
play;
f) If a team intends to play its female
player in the latter half of the game and the game is called after five (5)
innings because of darkness or weather (Rule 17) or a 15-run margin (Rule 12),
and the leading team has not otherwise complied with the other provisions of
this Rule, the game shall not be considered complete until enough innings have
been played so as to satisfy the other provisions of this Rule; and
g) In the event a team violates this rule it
will forfeit the game.
4) Balls and strikes to be determined by use
of mat. Balls pitched with proper arc which hit mat or any part of the plate
are strikes, otherwise pitch is a ball (including illegal pitches -- too high
or not enough arc).
5) A batter will start with a one (1) ball / one (1) strike count. In the event that a batter accumulates two (2) strike, they will be afforded one (1) courtesy foul ball. After the courtesy foul ball has been awarded, the next foul ball shall result in batter being out.
6) Pitches shall have an arc range of six (6) to twelve (12)
feet.
7) A team must have a minimum of eight (8) players to field a team, otherwise the shorthanded team will forfeit the game. If a team consists of eight (8) or nine (9) players, the opposing team shall supply a non-defensive catcher while at bat and the shorthanded team will be responsible for "covering" home plate for defensive throws.
8) If a team has eleven (11) or more players
attending a game, "Extra Hitter(s)" may be
included in the batting rotation to allow up to
thirteen (13) players.
9) A Designated Hitter (DH) may be placed in
the line up, hitting in place of one of the fielders. Use of the DH shall be used with discretion
and for reasons of health and safety. If
a fielder will need a DH the team captain should advise the opposing team
captain at the beginning of the game. Once a DH is used for a given fielder, a
DH must be used for that batter for the remainder of the game.
10) If necessary, a courtesy runner may be
substituted for the batter after the batter has reached a base on his/her own once
he/she has hit the ball or has been walked. The courtesy runner must be the last
batter out. Use of the courtesy runner shall be used with discretion and for
reasons of health and safety. If a batter will need a courtesy runner the team
captain or other assigned individual should advise the opposing team captain or other assigned individual at the beginning of the game or
as soon as the need becomes apparent. Once a courtesy runner is used for a
given batter, a courtesy runner must be used for that batter for the remainder
of the game.
11) Games will be for seven (7) innings, unless:
a) At the end of five (5) innings there is a fifteen (15) run
difference between the scores of the teams, in which case the games shall
be complete, or
b) At the end of seven (7) innings the score is tied,
in which case the game shall continue one (1) full inning at a time until the tie
is broken.
12) A plate and field umpire will be supplied by each team during their at bat.
Coaches shall ensure that players serving as umpire are knowledgeable of
applicable rules and capable of unbiased application of same. Every effort should
be made so that a field umpire is not also serving as a base coach so that the
umpire’s attention is not otherwise distracted. The field umpire is primarily
responsible for calls at first and second base and the plate umpire, as well as
calling balls and strikes, is primarily responsible for calls at third base and home
plate. Calls made by one umpire may be judiciously appealed to the other umpire
by the team captain or pitcher.
13) There shall be no intentional offensive or
defensive contact while players are attempting to advance to the next base. (i.e. the advancing runner shall not attempt to slide or run
into the defending baseman so as to "take-out" the defending player
or prohibit his throw to another base.)
14) Runners may not begin to advance until
contact is made with the ball by the batter.
15) There will be allowed free substitution of
players as long as it is not done for the purpose of strategically rearranging
the batting order. However, once a player is removed from the game the game
must progress through that team's complete batting order and not less than one
complete inning must pass, before that player can re-enter the game. Prior to a
substitution or position change the team captain or other assigned individual
must communicate that change to the opposing team. Substitutions due to injury
may be made at any time.
16) Games may be stopped because of darkness,
rain or other inclement weather, as agreed between the team captains or as is
reasonable, and in such event shall require a completion of the game, from the
point at which it was stopped, unless the said game has progressed through five
(5) complete innings, in which case the game shall be deemed complete. Every effort should be made,
while giving the safety of players first priority, to stopping a game after a
complete inning or such point in an inning where the team second to bat has
scored more runs than the other team. Otherwise, the score shall be that which
existed at the end of the last complete inning.
17) Home team is responsible for supplying one (1) new ball plus one (1) good
second ball as well as a good female ball. Official game balls shall be supplied by
the League.
18) When a female player comes to bat the
female ball will be used in place of the normal game ball.
19) An overthrow to any base, which goes out
of play, shall allow the base runner(s) to advance to the base he/she was
approaching, and had committed to, as well as the base immediately following
that base, no matter whether the throw was from the infield or outfield.
20) "Catch & Carry" rule - any
ball caught in the field of play and carried out-of-play must be brought back
into the field of play by the player who carried it out-of-play before being
thrown to another player, otherwise the ball is dead and the runners may not
advance but will be awarded the base they were approaching.
21) Field Rules:
a)
i) A ball hit over the fence is a home run.
ii) A ball that hits above the fence off of
the foul pole is a home run.
iii) A ball that rolls under the fence is a
ground-rule double.
iv) A ball that lands in the farmer's field on
the fly is a home run.
v) A ball that rolls untouched into the
farmer’s field where there is no fence is a ground-rule double.
b) Community Bible field:
i) Any ball landing in the tall left field
grass or beyond on the fly is a Home Run.
ii) Any ball bouncing or rolling into the
tall left field grass shall be a ground-rule double.
iii) Any ball bouncing or rolling onto the road
through the short center field grass shall be a ground-rule triple.
c) Mt Wilson field:
i) Any ball landing over the fence on the fly
is a Home Run.
ii) Any ball bouncing over the fence the fly
is a grand rule double.
iii) Any ball touching the trees in foul
territory is a dead ball.
d) Zion EC field:
i) Any ball landing on or over the road in right
field on the fly is a Home Run.
ii) Any ball bouncing or rolling onto
the road in right field untouched is a ground-rule double, if the ball is touched it is
all you can get.”
iii) Right field needs to be protected from balls going into the house during the game or batting practice. If you have players that can hit it that far, please have someone from your team protect the house.
e) Campbelltown:
i) Any ball hitting on the fly any houses in
the outfield is a Home Run.
ii) Any ball hitting on the fly the parking
lot in leftfield is a Home Run.
iii) Any ball touching the trees in foul
territory is a dead ball.
22) Any particulars regarding a field may be
agreed to between the team captains prior to the game.
23) Home team is to offer prayer before each
game.
24) Each team must supply their own
scorekeeper. In the event a team is unable to supply their own scorekeeper the
score of the scorekeeper present shall be the official score for the game. Any
discrepancies between the score keepers or any questions to or apparent
discrepancies of the single scorekeeper present shall be communicated through
the team captain who shall promptly discuss same with the opposing team
captain.
25) A coach, preferably the winning team, must
update the score after the game through the website
(www.palmyrapa.com/softball).
26) In the event of inclement weather during
the day of a game the team captains shall contact each other no later than 5:30
PM on game day if the game is to be rescheduled. Each team captain is then
responsible for contacting his team. If no such agreement is made the teams
should report to the game field as scheduled, and unless agreed at game time
any team not showing for the game will forfeit. The team captains in
conjunction with the Webmaster shall coordinate a date and field to play any
rescheduled game. Tournament games can only be rescheduled by the League
Commission who shall in such case reschedule all games on a given playoff day.
27) Games shall begin at 6:30 PM. Home team to
have field and batting warm-up from 6:00 PM to 6:15 PM. Visiting team to have
field and batting warm-up from 6:15 PM to 6:30 PM. Batting and fielding
practice may be combined with both teams on the field at the discretion of the team
captains.
28) Each team should ensure that it has
reasonable first aid supplies in the event of injury.
29) Team attire shall be commensurate with the
church-oriented nature of the league. In addition, metal spiked shoes are not
allowed.
30) Only Pure Singlewall
bats are permitted for use. Multi-walled,
multi-piece, composite, Titanium and ceramic bats shall not be used during
practices, scrimmages or regulation games.
31) Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be
condoned. Such conduct shall be controlled by the team captain. Furthermore,
all fields shall be alcohol, tobacco and drug free. If any player is concerned
about the conduct of the other team, or the presence of alcohol, tobacco or
drugs at the field by players or spectators, he or she shall report same to his
or her team captain who shall advise the opposing team captain. If the conduct
or presence of prohibited substances continues the challenging team captain
shall again notify the opposing team captain and the offending opposing team
member or spectator shall be benched or removed from the field, as appropriate.
32) In order to be eligible to participate in
tournament play a player must have played in at least 30% of the scheduled
season games, rounded to the nearest whole number, whether
such games were played or not. A player is deemed to have "played" in a game if they
were in the batting order for at least three (3) complete innings or in the
batting order and removed because of injury. Teams should have their score sheets
and/or other evidence of eligibility available at all tournament games in the
event a challenge is made to the eligibility of a given player.
33) In the event any rule is waived by
agreement of the team captains before the game commences it is waived for both
teams for the duration of the game. Any such waiver must be made prior to the
game commencing; otherwise published league rules shall apply.
34) Any game which is not completed; whether
called because of darkness or weather and is not replayed or completed, or is
not completed because of scheduling problems; shall be ruled a
"no-game" and shall not effect the number of games won or lost by
each team so involved.
35) Preliminary Rosters and Liability
Insurance Statements (from church insurer) must be timely submitted to the
designated league coordinator or any team not complying with same shall be
ineligible for play and shall forfeit any scheduled games until submitted.
36) Otherwise, games are to be governed by the
rules of fair play, and in the event the matter cannot be resolved by the
published league rules or the rules of fair play USA
Softball rules shall apply.
37) Intentional walks are permitted, the
batter does not need to be pitched to.
38) A foul tip caught by the catcher must
reach a height of more than that of the height of the batter to constitute an
out.
39) If a home run is hit, the
runners may touch the next base and walk off the field without touching the
following bases.
40) The amount of teams that make the tournament will be
determined at the Pre-Season League Meeting. Tournament shall be by double
elimination and utilizing standard seeded brackets to the extent possible.