League Information and Rules

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2008     Montgomery County Senior Softball League    2008

 14 Trent Lane, East Norriton, PA 19401

www.mcssl.org – Telephone 267-738-6551

 

Magics – Marshals – Marvels – Maulers -- Mavericks – Minutemen –Mongrels – Mustangs

Marauders Travel Team

 

LEAGUE INFORMATION AND RULES

 

2008 MCSSL RULE CHANGES

 These are the rules changes that were made at either the managers meeting, the general meeting, or by the ASA.  All players should be aware of them.

 

1-   No intentional walks!

 

2-   Courtesy runners may run twice in a game. Only once per inning and the batter must ask for the runner after reaching the furthest base he can after hitting the ball. If a runner does not ask for a runner when reaching base he must complete running to all bases unless hurt in the process.

 

3-   Any ball off the bat caught by the catcher in the air is an out no matter how high or the count.

 

4-   A batter must be able to make it to first base on his own. No runners from home plate allowed.

 

5-   Both teams are responsible for the set-up and breakdown of the field for the first and last game.

 

 

GENERAL STATEMENTS

1. This league is for players whose skills may not have kept pace with their enjoyment of the game and some rules have been softened to protect them.

2. Amateur Softball Association (ASA) playing rules apply with modifications for our league, which are listed below under League Rules.

3. All teams will be registered with the ASA of PA.

4. All players play at their own risk.  League members, officers, and sponsors are not responsible for any injuries to players.

5. A team roster with a maximum number of 17 players will be provided to all players.

6. A league roster with emergency phone numbers is in possession of each team manager.

7. LIABILITY INSURANCE - is a requirement of Hatfield Township and the Montgomery County Senior Softball League.  We have purchased insurance through the ASA Adult Team Insurance Program (administered by Bollinger Insurance and underwritten by Markel Insurance Company), which provides a $2 million liability on an occurrence basis.  It covers lawsuits brought against you by participants, spectators, and others.  Protection is provided to the team, league, and sponsors from such lawsuits brought against you for bodily injury and property damage claims arising out of your team’s softball activities, including practices, games, and tournaments.  In addition to those exclusions usually found in the standard commercial general liability policy, there is no coverage for hired/non-owned auto liability, or for the furnishing, serving, or selling of any alcoholic beverage or for any acts of intoxicated participants.  All members have signed the waiver of release of liability and indemnification agreement which is part of the League application form and is necessary for the company’s compliance and the League’s general requirements.

8. TRAVEL TEAM –

  1. Dates, times and locations of playing other teams outside the league will be passed along to you as soon as this information becomes available from our travel team manager, Gordy Detweiler.

  2. To register you must enter your name on the travel team sign-up boards which are available at our regularly scheduled games.  Players who participate in the away games will have first preference in playing in the travel team home games.

  3. On away games, we usually car pool from the old Burlington Coat Company car parking lot in the Five Points Plaza in Montgomeryville (Rtes. 309/202/463).

  4. When playing away games, the home team rules are in play.

 9. Alcohol – No alcoholic beverages are allowed per Township and League regulations.

10. Language – No abusive language or profanity is permitted.  Do not use language which will reflect negatively upon any player or spectator.

 

PLAYER QUALIFICATIONS

1.       Players’ dues towards the league/team expenses are $60.00 per year.

2.       There will be no refunds if a player leaves the League/team for whatever reason except that an applicant, deemed  by his manager, during training, as unfit to play shall be refunded his fee.

3.       A financial statement of the league is available, upon request, from our League Treasurer.

4.       All members must turn in their signed and completed application and dues before participating in any practice or game.

5.       A player must be 60 years old in the current calendar year.  Exceptions must be voted on by the League Officers.

6.       Players must be able to run bases, field, throw and bat.

7.       Team managers have the final say regarding the assessment of playing capabilities.

 

FIELD AND EQUIPMENT

1. Our field is the Hatfield Township School Road Park softball field located on School Road off of Orvilla Road, between 309 and 463 adjacent to the Twin Woods Golf Course.

2. Emergency number – dial 911 and give above location.

    Hatfield Township Municipal Building----------------------215-855-0900

    Hatfield Township Police Department----------------------215-362-1355

3. INCLEMENT WEATHER

    a. Games will be cancelled due to bad weather or field conditions.  Players call the weather hotline after 7am – 215-953-9700 listen for the cue and dial League Number 52145.

4. BASES – There are two first base bags and two home plates to help avoid collisions.

    a. First Base – fielder:  White bag in fair territory.

        First base – runner:  Orange bag in foul territory, adjacent to white bag,

    b. Home plate - batter: Extended wooden home plate positioned so the front edge matches the front edge of the field home plate.

        Home Plate - runner:  regular sized rubber plate positioned 8 ft. to the 3rd base side of home plate on a line with the 1st base foul line.

     c. The distance between bases shall be 65 feet (from point of home plate to the farthest edge of 1st and 3rd bases.

     d. The distance from the point of home plate to the farthest point of 2nd base shall be 91’11”. 

     e. Commitment Line – Half way between third base and runner’s home plate.  Once past this line, runner must continue to home plate or be called out.  

5. LOCK BOXES

     a. Managers and assistant managers will be given keys to lock boxes 1 & 2 and the combination to the field light box located in the 1st base dugout.                                                                                                                                 

     b. Home team of the first game (9am) has 1st base dugout and is responsible for opening the field boxes and laying out the field – bases, boundary cones and pitching and commitment rubbers.

     c. It is the responsibility of the home team of the last game (12 noon start) to replace the league and field equipment in their respective boxes.

LEAGUE BOX – ON LEFT - 2 LOCKS                           FIELD BOX – ON RIGHT - 1 LOCK            

Bats – in carrying case                                   Bases – (4 - 3 white, 1 orange)

Balls – in bucket                                             Base supports (4)

Home plates (2) 1 wood: 1 rubber                   Chalk liner

Pitcher’s Rubber                                              Hammer

3rd base commitment line                                Trowel

Scoreboard

Bat racks (2)

Foul line cones (12)

Medicine chest

Catchers mask

Defibrillator in case

6. Metal cleats are prohibited.

7. Softballs – Provided by the league. (Dudley WS12-Y-RF Core.44 Comp.375, red stitched, yellow synthetic).  One new ball per game will be supplied by the home team.  Spare ball will be the best from the previous game.  Managers will receive the season supply of balls before the beginning of the season.

8. Bats - by vote of League officers, only League supplied bats can be used.  No outside or personal bats permitted.

 

GAME RULES

1. Game Time Allotment: Each game is allotted 90 minutes which is usually enough time to complete 7 innings.  Additional innings can be played, but if the game runs over the 90 minute allocation, and interferes with the time slot for a succeeding game, the  game shall revert to the last full inning and be scored a tie.  No inning shall start 15 minutes prior to the next time slot.

2. Forfeits:  Game will be forfeited if a team is unable to field 9 players.  Players may be borrowed from other teams, to avoid forfeit, but must be taken first from excess players of the scheduled opponent.  If players from the scheduled opponent refuse to transfer, available players can be selected.  If both teams need players, they will be selected alternatively from the pool of volunteers, with a coin flip determining the first pick.  Players assigned or picked in the above ways will bat last in the line-up.

3. Team players: Maximum field players (defense) are twelve.  Fielders shall be assigned positions by their respective managers.  Managers will shift players, if more than 12 are available, so that each available player gets to play defense during each game.

4.  Runs per inning:  Maximum of 5 runs per inning for each team, except for the last inning of the game where each team can score an unlimited number.

5.  Mercy Rule:  If one team is leading by 15 runs after 4-1/2 or 5 innings, the losing team has the option of calling the game.

6.  Infield fly rule:  A fair fly ball ( not including a line drive) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when 1st & 2nd bases or 1st, 2nd and 3rd bases are occupied and before two are out, will be declared at the point of its highest arc, an infield fly by the umpire (on deck hitter). The batter is out.  Runners can advance at their own risk.

 

LEAGUE RULES

1. Everyone plays and bats in every game. All players are in the batting line-up. Defense has 12 players. Some players will be shuffled in and out of game on defense.

2. UMPIRING

  1. 1st base plays will be called by the 1st base coach.

  2. 2nd & 3rd base plays will be called by the 3rd base coach

  3. Foul balls will be called by the catcher.

  4. Balls, strikes, pitch arc (6 to 12 ft.), Infield flies (see Game Rules 6) and home plate plays will be called by the on deck batter.

  5. Points of contention will be discussed by the opposing managers with input by the base coaches and the on deck batter.  If a solution can not be agreed on by the managers within two minutes, a coin shall be tossed – heads; safe: tails; out. 

3. PITCHING

a.       A legal delivery shall be defined by ASA Rules which requires that the ball travel in an arc no less than 6 feet and no more than 12 feet in height.

b.      A ball that does not meet the ASA height requirements (too high or too low) will immediately be called illegal by the on deck batter.  The illegal pitch is a ball, if not swung at by the batter.

c.       A batter is permitted to swing at the illegal pitch, in which case, the pitch becomes legal.

d.      Legal pitches striking any portion of the home plate or home plate extension mat, on the fly, will be strikes.

e.       The distance between the pitchers mound and home plate shall be 50 feet (from the point of home plate to the nearest edge of the pitching rubber.

f.        There will be a maximum of two walks per half inning. After two walks only strikes will be called.

4. CATCHING

a.       A league catcher’s mask is available, but its use is not required.

b.      The catcher can make a force out at home by tagging only the home plate section, of the League      extended wooden home plate.  (Tagging the runner past the commitment line is not permitted.  Runner is safe if he steps on runners’ home plate.)

c.       The catcher is responsible for calling foul balls.

5. BATTING

a.       Bunting and chopping at the ball is not permitted. A dead ball situation will be called, the batter is out, and all runners must return to their original bases.

b.      Batters must be able to run to first base to start the game, but if a batter is injured during the game, and can bat but not run, a substitute runner is permitted.   

c.       The substitute runner must be in foul territory, in line with 3rd base.  If the runner interferes with the catcher the batter will be declared out. A dead ball situation will be called, and the runners may not advance.

d.      A batter, batting out of order is out.

e.       Batter is out if a foul ball or foul tip is hit, after two strikes.

f.        Pop foul to the catcher, before two strikes, must go 6 feet high.

6. BASE RUNNING

  1. Sliding into bases is prohibited - if runner slides, he is out. Defensive players may dive or slide to make an out.

  2. Base runners may run past the bag (without necessarily touching it, to avoid colliding with the fielder) in lieu of sliding, without liability of being called out. This includes running back to a base after making a turn.

  3. After running through the base safely the runner may return to that base without risk.  If, however, the runner makes an aggressive step or steps towards the next base, he may return to the base just vacated, or continue to the next base at the risk of being forced out, at either base.  Once the runner indicates which base he is heading for after the aggressive step or steps, he cannot change direction and can be forced out at the base to which he is advancing or retreating to.  If this force out is the third out of the inning the lead runner cannot score.

  4. Base runners must maintain contact with the bag until the batter swings or be declared out.

  5. A base runner coming home must tag the outside home plate or be declared out.

  6. The defensive player has the right to the base on force plays.

  7. The runner must make every attempt to avoid contact with the defensive player or be declared out. 

  8. Errant throws, drawing a defensive player into the path of the runner, is not interference. A base runner will not be called out if he/she is forced to take evasive steps to avoid contact with a fielder, and in doing so does not tag 1st, 2nd or 3rd base, while running by.

  9. If there is a play at first base, the runner must tag the outside (orange bag) for safety reasons.  If the runner tags the inside bag, he/she is automatically out.  If there is no play at first base, the runner may tag either bag.  The fielder, on an overthrow, can tag the orange bag for a force-out, to avoid collision.

  10. Tagging of the base runners will be allowed between all bases, except at home plate after runner has passed the commitment line.

  11. Courtesy runner may be used at any time, at the discretion of the runner.  Courtesy runner on base when his batting slot comes up is out.  He takes his turn at bat.  Courtesy runner may be used only once per inning, and only three times per game.

  1. A player hurt in the game and who is able bat, but not run, may use a courtesy runner from home plate. The substitute runner must start in foul territory in line with 3rd base.  If the substitute runner interferes with the catcher the batter will be declared out.

  2. Commitment line:  A line halfway between 3rd base and home plate (30 ft.)  Once a runner crosses this line he must continue towards home.  If the runner re-crosses the line he will be declared out.

 

Montgomery County Senior Softball League

www.mcssl.org