Girls Ages 8 to 9 are welcomed to participate in our softball program

Post season play may consist of the selection of two All-Star teams and a three game series.  We reserve the right to change the nature of post season play or eliminate it all together if deemed necessary.  No additional uniforms will be required for post season play.  We will not likely participate with other leagues in post-season games

GOSPEL PROJECTS GIRLS SOFTBALL MINOR LEAGUE
RULES AND GUIDELINES

AGES 8-9

1.                  The pitchers “mound” shall be a circle with a diameter of five feet (5’), the center of which shall be thirty-five feet (35’) from the point of home plate.  This circle shall follow the normal contour of the infield.  The Pitching machine shall sit 45 feet from home plate with a circle with a diameter of five feet (5’) in which the pitcher coach shall stand. The Pitching machine settings will be as follows:  March-April- 32 m.p.h.; May- 34 m.p.h.

 2.                  The baselines shall be 50 feet (50’).

3.                  The on-deck batter must be behind the batter which is batting, and wearing a batting helmet.

4.                  Bunting is not permitted.

5.                  The bat shall be a standard youth softball bat.

6.                  The bat shall be one piece of solid round hardwood, one piece of hollow metal (aluminum or magnesium), molded plastic on a metal base (inner), or nylon and wood combination.  Maximum barrel width: 2 ¼”.  The bat shall be not less than twenty-six inches (26”) nor more than thirty-two inches (32”) in length.  Exception: 26” and 27” baseball or Tee Ball bats may be used.  Only officially approved softball bats are legal.

7.                  Helmets must be worn by batters, base runners, and deck runners at all times.

8.                  Starting line-ups consist of nine or ten (9 or 10) defensive players, and entire team for offensive line-up.  If nine players cannot be fielded within 15 minutes of official starting time, a forfeit results, however, an unofficial game will be played.

*EXAMPLE:  If team “A” has 14 players and team “B” has 12 players, then team “A” has an option to bat only 12 players.  This does not affect the required number of innings each player must play.

9.                  Each player must play on defense at least 3 complete innings and bat at least once.  If a player is benched for discipline reasons, this must be reported to the scorekeeper and a note made on the score sheet.

10.              Substitutions must be made at the beginning of each half-inning. (Injuries are an exception).

11.              The infield fly rule is not in effect.

12.              Base stealing is not permitted.  A base runner must be in contact with her base at the time the ball is hit by the batter.

13.              Once a pitched ball has been hit by a batter, for a play to stop, the ball must be thrown to the coach in the pitcher’s circle by a player from the infield position only. (Play stops even of the coach doesn’t catch the ball).  A ball thrown to the pitcher-coach from an out-fielder must not be touched by the pitcher-coach.

14.              Batters will be allowed only five (5) pitches unless the last pitch is fouled.  The batter will receive another pitch.  There is no limit on third strike fouls.

15.              A batter is out after three strikes or five pitches.  No batter can advance to first on a walk.  Balls pitched, which in the umpires judgement are not in the strike zone, shall not count as pitches if the batter does not attempt to hit the ball.

16.              A runner can tag and advance on a fly ball whether in fair or foul territory if caught.

17.              The offensive team coach in the pitching circle must make an effort to get out of the line of play.

18.              The batter shall be called out for slinging the bat after one warning and runners returned to their bases.

19.              A team on defense shall be allowed no more than three time-outs per inning.  Exception:  Injury to a player or other emergency.

20.              The team on offense shall be allowed 6 runs or 3 outs whichever comes first.  Exception:  All runs scoring after the 6^th run on the same play will count.  The most possible runs in one inning is nine (9).

21.              There is no time limit; six innings or until a tie is broken.  The park officials do reserve the right to limit games to five innings if back to back games are being played.

22.              Players, managers, coaches, or any other participants may be removed from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct after the team has been warned one (1) time.

23.              Managers or coaches are not allowed to smoke, dip, or chew tobacco on the field at any time.  Profane or filthy language is not permitted at Gospel Projects Park.  Penalty:  One Warning; next offense expulsion from game and park!

24.              A regulation game consists of 6 innings.  A game shall be called after 4 innings if a team is ahead by more than nineteen (19) runs.  Ten (10) runs after five innings if home team is ahead.

25.              A protest which involves an umpire’s judgement shall not be accepted.  Only the team manager or the acting manager shall be entitled to file a protest.  The only legal protest shall be one which involves a violation of playing rules or the use of an ineligible player.  This protest must be filed with the commissioner or league president within 24 hours of the games completion.

26.              Any improper action on the part of the pitcher-coach during the time that the ball is in play will result in the ball being declared dead immediately and the batters returning to the base they occupied prior to the pitch (The pitch shall stand as a strike).  The pitcher-coach may not coach, assist, or give signals to any base runner.  The pitcher-coach may verbally assist a player at bat, but shall not delay the game to do so.

27.              A line shall be marked in white chalk half-way between 1^st and 2^nd, between 2^nd and 3^rd, and between 3^rd and home plate.  If a runner has not crossed that line by the time the ball reaches the pitcher’s circle, she must return to the base she last occupied after the ball is dead.  If she continues and is put out, the out shall stand.  If she continues and is safe, she still must return to the last base she officially occupied.

28.              If the scorekeeper or the umpire recognizes that a batter is batting out of order, it will be their responsibility to stop play and have the right batter come to bat.  If there is a count on the batter, the correct batter will assume that count.  If the officials fail to catch the error in the batting order and the opposing manager catches it and informs the umpire before the first pitch to the next batter, then the illegal batter shall be called out and the runners (if any) shall return to the base they occupied when the illegal batter came to bat.  The scorekeeper shall then call the proper batter to the plate.  If no one recognizes the presence of an illegal batter until after the first pitch to the next batter has been thrown, the play shall stand and the batting order straightened out at that point.