Adult Softball Rules

Spring 2008

The Town of Clay Recreation Department reserves the right to amend or rescind rules or decisions that it feels is adverse to Town of Clay polices:

There is no Medical Insurance carried by the Town of Clay for Program Participants!

1.  Results of all coed games, all women's games and all men's games not attended by the Scorekeeper must be called to the Clay Recreation Office at 652-3800 by noon the following day.  Failure to report a win can result in a forfeiture of the win.  League standings will be placed on the Town of Clay web site.

2.  For games at Clay North appearing on the official schedule, teams and umpires will be notified if there is a rainout by the Scorekeeper.  For all other games, (rain-out games for women's games and Monday/Friday coed games), the ISUA (Umpires) will determine the playability of the fields at Clay Central Park and Clay South Park up to 5:00 PM.  The ISUA will notify the League Director up to 5:00 PM.  To the conditions of the fields.  If the Umpires determine the fields unplayable anytime prior to 5:00 PM.  The league will cancel the games and team managers will be called.  If the fields are deemed playable at 5:00 PM the teams will be required to come to the fields.  If after 5:00 PM conditions deteriorate and the games are cancelled at the scheduled start time each team will pay the assigned umpires a $12.50 show up fee.  However, if a team does not have the minimum number of players the game will be declared a forfeit and that team will be responsible for a $25.00 show up fee to be divided between the umpires.  The other team will be declared the winner and not responsible for any show up fee.  Once a game is cancelled prior to 5:00 PM it may not be played.  However, if the game is not canceled prior to 5:00 PM and the conditions deteriorate so the game can not be played on their assigned field at game time the umpires may elect to move the fields on the grass.  If the game is moved the umpires will receive their normal game fees and the results will count in league standings.

3.  Independent Softball Umpires Association umpires will be used at a fee of $25.00 per game.  Two umpires will be used per game.  Should one umpire show up for the game, the game is to be played with one umpire; that umpire will be paid $18.75 per team.  In the event a game is canceled after the umpires and teams arrive; but before the game is official; the umpires will receive half fee.

4.  Grace period will be 10-minutes from scheduled game time for first game only!  Play must start when there are nine active players present after game time.  In this situation, players declared inactive at game time will not be allowed to participate in that game.  Umpires will strictly enforce this rule.  If the game is forfeited, the team forfeiting is required to pay both umpires full fee at that time.  Should the forfeiting team not pay the umpire at the game they must pay $50.00 to the Town of Clay Recreation Department before their next scheduled game.

5.  A team can play with a minimum of nine players.  If a tenth (10th) player comes after the line ups are turned in, then that player must bat in the tenth sport in the batting order.

6.  Protests: A protested game can result when there is a difference of opinion on the field between the protesting team and the umpire regarding the application or interpretation of either official playing rules or specially adopted ground rules.  A  judgment call (out/safe, fair/foul, catch/no catch) is not a pretest situation.  a) Protests will be based on misinterpretation or application of the playing rules.  A $25.00 Protest Bond must accompany the written protest and received within two business days.  This bond is non-refundable should the protest be lost or returned if the protest is upheld.  b) The intention to protest the manager or captain of the protesting team must make a ruling known to the umpire and the opponent, immediately and before the next pitch or playing action takes place.  This is to enable all concerned parties to take notice of the exact conditions prevailing on the field at at the time of the protest.  The umpire on the field and the Town of Clay Scorekeeper at Clay North Park must acknowledge all protests.  c) A protest regarding ineligible players must be made before the teams or umpires leave the field of play.  All players must carry a picture ID.  In the event a protest for an ineligible player, the player will be deemed "ineligible" if they do not have a picture ID.

7.  No games can be postponed except due to unplayable conditions. The League Director will reschedule all cancellations and make up games.  Games played at Clay Central Park and Clay South Park will be reschedules to their next scheduled meeting with a start time of 6:00 PM.  Games played at Clay North Park.  Games will be rescheduled to a Saturday or Sunday. 

8.  Home team is responsible for a home plate and bases.

9.  The official ball for the Town of Clay Softball Leagues is the Dudley 44 core and 400 compression for Men's & Coed Leagues and the Dudley 44 core and 500 compression for Women's Leagues.  The home team is to furnish a new ball, the visiting team a good quality used ball.  The umpire will decide as to the quality of the used ball.  In the case of a lost ball, the home team will provide a good quality used ball and will receive both balls at the end of the game.

10.  Playoffs:
     a) Ties for 1st place will be broken by a game between the tied teams.  All other ties will be decided by: 
          1.  Record between tied teams.
          2.  Run differential in tied team's games.
          3.  Flip of a coin.
     b) In case of a three-way tie for first place, the above tiebreakers will be used to decide the bye.
     c) Each league will have it's own playoff.  Winner of each league playoff will be playoff champion.
     d) Home teams will always be the highest ranked team.  There will be no protest allowed in playoff games.  Umpire's decision will be final.
     e) Men's league only.  Players must play in 4 league games to be eligible for playoffs.

11.  Awards will be distributed as follows:
     a) 1st place-1st place sponsor award and 13 individual awards.
     b) Playoff Champion-playoff championship sponsor trophy or 13 individual awards.

12.  Roster limit on the number of players is twenty (20).  Deadline for the addition of players is July 3rd, 2008.  Additions after this date must be for hardship reasons and approved by the League Director.

13.  All additions and deletions to the roster can only be made in person at the Clay Recreation Department office, Clay Town Hall, 4401 Route 31, Clay.  Office hours are from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.  A faxed or emailed roster with team name and division and date of addition or deletion can now be accepted.  FAX must state 'Recreation Department' to insure they get to the proper office and the number is: (315) 622-7259.  Email must be a Word document format and the address is: recreation@townofclay.org. You may request we send you an attachment of a roster form that you may save as a word document for your use.  Any person affiliated with the team can do this.  All additions must include name, address, and phone number.  An 'ORIGINAL' signed waiver form must, however be mailed.  A person is eligible to play only after their name and information is added to the roster.  No exception to this procedure will be allowed. Minimum age for players is 18 years old.  Players 17 years of age may play if they are out of High School.

14.  No player who has played in one game with a team will be permitted to join another team without that player first writing a release from the first team and giving it to the League Director.  Then the manager of the second team can properly add the player to the roster.  Any player active on two teams in the league, without being properly released, will be subject to possible expulsion from the league.  A player on two rosters will officially be on the team that players played for first.  

15.  A player cannot play on more than one team in the Town of Clay Men's, Coed or Women's League.

16.  Use of an ineligible player will result in all games, in which that player participated, to be forfeited and that team may be expelled from league.  Any team may question eligibility of players.  A team found to be using an ineligible player in the playoffs would forfeit all their awards for both the regular season and the playoffs.  Also that team will be barred from further participation in Clay Recreation Leagues.

17.  Individuals who have been compensated to play their individual sport are not eligible to participate in the Town of Clay Adult League.  Any current college athlete will be ineligible to participate in the Town of Clay Adult League.

18.  Mangers, coaches and players will not be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages during the pre-game warm ups or the game itself on or in the vicinity of the field.  Violators will receive a minimum 3 game suspensions.

19.  A player ejected from a game or reported for abuse after a game, but not suspended, will be on probationary status.  A second violation will result in a permanent suspension for the remainder of the season.

20.  The League fees are: Men's-$350.00 per team, Women's and Coed-$250.00 per team.  These fees do not include any returnable forfeits at the fields.

Playing Rules:

The Amateur Softball Association Rules of 2008 will be used except where league rules or a board decision prevails:

1.  The strike zone includes home plate.  The three (3) balls, 2-strike rule will be in effect.

2.  Pitching height regulation-from ground six fee minimum and twelve fee maximum.  Pitching distance from home plate-fifty feet.

3.  Base path lengths: Men/Coed-65 feet; Women-60 feet.

4.  If a team is ahead by twelve (12) or more runs anytime after five (5) innings, [4 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead], the game is over.  If the visitors are ahead, the inning must be completed.  This rule will be in force during playoff games also.

5.  There is no uniform rule.

6.  Foul Ball Rule:  The second foul ball after the first strike is an automatic out, and in play.

7.  The Re-entry Rule will be in effect for all leagues.  The penalty for violation of this rule will be amended as follows:
     a) The opposing team has the option of letting the violator continue or expel the violator from the game and return the players 'the violator' replaced back to the game.  The violator will not be allowed to re-enter any time for the remainder of the game.
     b) The DH position in the line-up will not be included in the Re-entry Rule.

8.  ASA rules regarding approved bats will be in effect for all leagues.  Lists of all ASA approved and banned bats can be found at www.asasoftball.com.  Any player using a bat not allowed in the Town of Clay pay that has been altered to look like a legal bat will be subject to a lifetime suspension from all Town of Clay Leagues.

9.  Batters may loosen up in the on deck circle with one-piece unofficial bats, but no slip-on bat weights (donut) are allowed.

10.  Coed rules require a minimum of five (5) females to play in the field and bat at all times when a team is playing with ten (10) players [12 using the AH].  When only nine (9) players are available, a minimum of four (4) females will be required to play in the field and bat at all times.  Men must bat opposite handed to the way they would normally bat in men's softball play.  If the opposition desires, they will have the option of requiring any male to bat front he side of their request at any point in the game.

11.  Defensive positioning in coed play will be left up to the discretion of the defensive team.

12.  The batting order for coed play does not have to alternate sexes.

13.  If a team loses or drops a player from it's batting order and does not replace him/her in the line-up that spot in the batting order will be dropped and will not be an automatic out in subsequent at bats.  If a batter is removed during an at bat without a substitute replacement, then that uncompleted at bat will be an out.

14.  No metal cleats can be worn in Men's, Women's or Coed play.

15.  Runners must attempt to avoid unnecessary contact on all plays.

16.  Additional Hitter Rules:
     a) A team may insert an additional hitter in it's line-up.  This must be done before the game starts, or the privilege of using an AH is not available for the rest of the game.  The batting order must remain constant, however any ten )1) of the eleven (11) players [twelve (12) in coed], can take a defensive position throughout the game.  The AH may be dropped at any time during the game and the team can play with ten (10) players.

     b) In the Coed leagues, when the AH is used a male and female AH must be used.

17.  Designated Hitter Rule:
     a) A team that uses a designated hitter for a particular game will have ten (10) batters in it's line up [eleven (11) or twelve (12) coed if an additional hitter is used], and ten (10) fielders in the fields.  Only the DH will bat in place of one of the fielders called the designated fielder.
     b) The DH and DF must be designated in the starting line up, or the privilege of using a DH and DF is not available to that team for the rest of the game.  The DH and DF must be of the same sex.
     c) The DH may bat any place in the line up, but the DF must be listed last in the line up, designated by the abbreviation for that player's position, followed by 'DF'.  The DH may not take the field while that player is a DH, and the DF may not bat while that player is in a DF.  If a DH or DF is removed from the game, that player cannot re-enter.
     d) The DH and DF may be replaced at any time, but only by each other or a new player in the game.  If one player replaces both the DH and DF, that player shall occupy the position in the batting order previously occupied by the DH.  If the DH replaces the DF, that player's position in the batting order shall remain unchanged.  If the DF replaces the DH, that player shall assume the DH's position in the batting order.  In all of the above situations, the privilege of using a DH and DF will not be available to that team for the rest of the game.  A new player can replace only the DH or only the DF and thus the privilege is continued.
     e) The DH and DF can only substitute for each other and no one else.

18.  The 2-up-homerun rule will be in effect for all men's leagues in 2008.  This rule states: 'You can not be more than two homeruns hit over the fence ahead of the team you are playing at anytime'.  Any homerun hit after you are two ahead of the team you are playing will be ruled as an out.  This does not apply to homeruns not hit over the fence.

19.  A courtesy runner will be permitted for one player only.  This player must be designated and reported to the umpire and your opponent before the game starts.

20.  Teams will be required to give their opponent a copy of the game roster each game.