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CPRD Adult Softball Rules 2023 This league will follow USA Softball rules unless otherwise stated in the CPRD rules below Playing Field • Base distance – 70Ft & Pitching Rubber – 50Ft • Offense on the field: batter, “on-deck” hitter, 1st & 3rd base coaches, and base runners • All other players must remain in the dugout • Questions for the official scorekeeper must go to the umpire Equipment • Each team must provide 2 game balls per game • Balls: 12-inch 44/375 core/compression (optic yellow/white) • Legal bats: USA or ASA certified stamped to be legal for league play • Similar color shirt for each player with a number on the back (required) • Only rubber or molded plastic soled cleats are permitted (no metal spikes) The Game • 7 innings or expiration of the time limit (60 minutes) • If time has not expired prior to the 3rd out being recorded, then a new inning will be played; even if time expires prior to the first batter reaching the plate to start the next half inning • Games tied after 7 innings will play a maximum of 2 extra innings o Extra inning rules: ▪ The game will become 1-pitch. Each team will get 3 outs during their turn to bat, unless home team should score one more run than the visiting team • If weather, a lighting failure or any other unforeseen reason caused a stoppage of play, 4 full innings will constitute a complete game; unless the home team is winning after 3.5 innings have been played • Rescheduled games may be rescheduled to any day of the week at CPRD discretion • Games that are stopped prior to the required number of innings will start over when rescheduled o Exception: End of Season tournament games – play stoppage prior to the required number of innings will be considered a suspended game and will resume from the stopping point when rescheduled Mercy rules • 10 runs after 5 innings • 12 runs after 4 innings • 15 runs after 3 innings The Count • Each batter will start with a 1-1 count. (3 balls for a walk & 2 strikes for an out) • One two-strike foul is allowed Batting • Teams may bat all rostered players that are present at game time, with any 10 playing the field at any one time. ---PAGE BREAK--- • If late players show up after the game has started, they can be added to the bottom of the lineup • Team members are not required to take the field to bat • All fielders playing in the game MUST bat • When making substitutions, the batting order must always remain the same • Re-entry rule: Any starter or substitute may be re-entered once. Players must occupy the same batting position whenever they are in the line-up • Each team gets one courtesy runner each half inning • Courtesy runners are any player not on base when it is their turn to bat, if this happens then their spot in the lineup will be recorded as an out • If a team has used their runner and a runner cannot continue then it is an out Homeruns • 3 allowed per team per game; each one after is recorded as an out • Teams will not run out homeruns • If the ball touches a defensive player and then goes over the fence then the bases clear (4 base award - error) Base Stealing • Base stealing is not permitted Pitching/Fielding • Pitches must have a visible arc & must be between 6-10ft from the ground (umpire judgement) • Pitching screens are mandatory & must cover part of the rubber (2-4Ft in front of it) • Pitcher is not required to be behind it, but if they are hit with the ball, it is considered a live ball • If a pitcher is injured the umpire will call time and runners are awarded the base they were heading toward • The 1st contact of the screen in the at bat is a foul ball; the 2nd is a dead ball out • If the batter has no foul balls left, any screen contact is an out • If a thrown ball hits the screen it will be live unless the umpire calls it dead prior to contact • Contact is defined as: the ball touches any part of the screen from flight or from the ground • The screen may not be moved once the ball is in play (penalty: runners awarded the base they were heading toward) • Teams may play 10 players in the field (6IF & 4OF) o Each team’s 10th fielder is a rover that can ONLY lineup in the grass in the outfield Eligibility • Must be 18 or older prior to April 1st • Players may only participate with 1 team per league Rosters • Must be turned in at the Manager’s meeting along with team waivers (Wednesday, September 13th) ---PAGE BREAK--- • 20 players maximum per team – players may be added to the roster until 5PM on the day of the team’s 3rd game • Players are only legal if they are on the roster sheet and have submitted a waiver form • Players may not change teams once they are officially on a team roster in the league Lineup Cards • Must contain: Player’s first name, last name, and uniform number • Uniform numbers must be whole and of 2 digits or less Protest • No game protests allowed • Scorekeepers will have a copy of CPRD rules and the USA softball rulebook • If a team manager feels there has been a misinterpretation of the rules they can request a stoppage of play to have the rule reviewed by the umpire and a CPRD staff member Protest of a Legal Player • If a player’s eligibility is questioned they must produce a legal photo ID • The opposing team manager is responsible for questioning a player’s eligibility • Illegal player protests must be brought to the umpire while the illegal substitute is illegally in the game • Player eligibility must be protested and brought to the umpire prior to that player receiving a pitch; if their eligibility is not questioned after their first pitch then they are legal for that game • Any players confirmed to be an illegal substitute will be considered an illegal player and will be disqualified from the remainder of that game General Rules Number of Players • Teams must have at least 8 players to start the game (If one team cannot they forfeit; If both teams cannot then it will be a double forfeit) Grace Period • A 10-minute period that is part of the game time is allowed ONLY for the 1st game of the night • This period is considered as part of the game time • Play will begin as soon as both teams have 8 players present Forfeits • Forfeits will be recorded as a score of 7-0 End of Season Tournament • The end of season tournament for this league will feature all teams and will be double elimination. ---PAGE BREAK--- • Championship game will be “winner take all” • The prize for the tournament winner will be league championship t-shirts • The tie breakers for seeding in the event of a tie in the standings are: 1. Head to head record 2. Fewest runs allowed 3. Most runs scored 4. Run differential 5. Coin flip Safety rules • Players may receive 1 warning for bat slinging, the next time is an out, the next is an ejection (ejection rules apply: current game plus the next game) • When there is a play at a base: base runners must make every attempt to slide o At the umpire’s discretion, if they do not they may be called out • Umpire’s discretion: if a runner does not slide or makes intentional contact to dislodge the ball or contact the field the player is subject to an ejection Conduct • Player ejections result in the current game plus one additional game (must be served the next game) • If a player gets ejected twice in the season they will be suspended for the remainder of the season • When ejected the player must leave the park immediately; failure to comply will result in additional game suspension and could result in their team forfeiting the current game • If an ejected player returns to the park that same day they will be suspended indefinitely from CPRD programs • Arguing with umpires over calls is not allowed and umpires are not required to issue warnings • If an umpire tells a player to return to the dugout or stop arguing over a call and they refuse they are subject to being ejected • Profanity of any type or for any reason is subject to ejection • Any participant who touches an umpire, another player, spectator, or staff in anger or threatens bodily harm will be banned from all CPRD programs indefinitely and are subject to all penalties under the law • Participants observed consuming alcohol on CPRD property will be asked to leave • Any participants found to be under the influence of intoxicants will be removed and law enforcement will be called. The violator will be suspended from any CPRD programs for 1 calendar year • Team managers are responsible for their team’s conduct. Failure to do so could result in the team forfeiting the game and or expulsion from the league Smoking and Smoke-less tobacco products and Vaping • Per Cartersville city ordinances, smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco products and vaping are prohibited within any Cartersville city park