Men’s Softball League Rules

PURPOSE:
  • To enjoy softball and the company & fellowship of other men in a more casual atmosphere.
  • To engage in competition while also exercising self-control and showing respect for fellow teammates, the opposing team, umpires, and any others in positions of authority at all times. See I Cor. 9:24 & 25.
VISITING TEAM DUTIES:
  • Pick up warm-up balls, a new game ball, bats, bases, cones, and the rubber strike mat at least 20 minutes prior to the game.  Captains are aware of the location of the equipment and can assign someone to this task.
  • Set cones at the homerun line. Cone placement will be determined by marked locations in the outfield.
  • Return ALL equipment after the last game, paying special attention to ensure that all marked church equipment is accounted for.
HOME TEAM DUTIES:
  • Gather teams 5 minutes prior to game time for player introductions, opening prayer & bat check.
  • Provide an official scorekeeper and provide official final score to commissioner (Mike Arzie) via email (mike.arzie@swbible.org) after each game.

League and Ground Rules

LEGAL TEAMS:
  • 8 players from the official rosters (including friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc., of roster players) must be available to begin play at the published game time, or the team with less than 8 players will forfeit the game.  For the purpose of run differential calculations, the official score of a forfeited game will be 10-0.
  • In order for a player to be considered on the official roster, confirmation of the player added to the roster must come from the league commissioners (Mike Arzie).
  • Up to 10 players can play defensively at a time.
  • Players 15 or younger must play in the outfield or at Catcher.
  • Only players with completed Southwest Bible Church Athletic waivers may play in games.
  • Exception players 15 or younger may not be put on the official rosters but may play nights they are needed to help a team field a total of 8, 9 or 10 players. In other words, once 10 players from a men’s roster are available, exception players become spectators. When playing the field, they must play outfield or as a catcher that simply returns the ball back to the pitcher. They may not make plays in the infield. We recommend such players wear helmets during batting and running the bases.
PITCHING:
  • Defense pitches and fields the pitching position. Count begins with one ball and one strike for each batter.
LEGAL PITCHES & STRIKES:
  • A legal pitch must peak its arc between 6’ and 12’.
  • The umpire will declare a pitch illegal PRIOR to the pitch reaching home plate.  If the batter does not swing at the pitch, an automatic ball is called.  If the batter chooses to swing at the pitch, the ball is in play.
  • A strike will be called when ANY part of the ball lands on the back triangle of home plate or the rubber strike mat.
  • NO intentional walks.  Pitchers must attempt to pitch hittable pitches to the batters.
UMPIRES:
  • The batting team will supply an umpire.
  • This umpire will call strikes and will make calls on the bases.
  • Umpires are expected to be the authority on calls on the base paths. 
RUN LIMITS:
  • No run limits in any inning.  However, a game will be declared complete if a team is ahead by 10 or more runs after 5 or 6 innings.  If there is still time remaining, the teams may continue to play, but the official outcome will not be changed.
HOME RUN LIMIT:
  • No more than 7 home runs per game per team. Once a team has reached 7 home runs any home run is considered an out. Home run is defined as leaving the field – not an “inside the park” home run.
TIME LIMITS:
  • On days with double headers, no inning of the first game may start after 7:10.  Game is complete when the last inning that began before 7:05 is complete.  When approaching the time limit, the captains will confer, agree upon, and declare the start of the last inning.
  • In the event of a tie score at the end of the time limit or if too dark to safely continue play, a tie will be declared so that the 2nd game may begin.
BATS:
  • Several church bats will be available for use by all players.
  • Personal bats may also be used.  If a player decides to share a personal bat with only his team, keep it behind the backstop on your team’s side.  Any bats kept inside the backstop may be used by any player from either team.  If you want to keep your bat for your personal use only, put it away after each use.
  • Personal bats must be official SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL bats.  No fast-pitch softball or baseball bats allowed.
  • All bats need to be ASA certified and any personal bats checked at the start of the game.
BUNTING:
  • No bunting or “half swings” is allowed.  Batter will immediately be declared out (dead ball).
STEALING:
  • “You shall not steal.”  Exodus 20:15
  • No base stealing or leading off is allowed.  Runners must remain in contact with the base until the ball passes over home plate or is hit. A runner leaving the base early will be declared out (dead ball).
STANDINGS:
  • Standings will be counted in wins and losses only. A forfeit is considered a (10-0) loss.
  • In the event of a tie in the final standings, the first tie-breaker will be head-to-head competition between the teams that are tied.  The second tie-breaker will be run differential in the head-to-head games between the teams that are tied.  The third tie-breaker will be a coin flip.
  • There will be no playoff structure. The final standings will place each team in a 1st thru 6th place finish for the season.
GENERAL GROUND RULES:
  • Cones will be distributed around the outfield to create a “Home Run” line.  Any balls that fly over this line on the fly will automatically be a home run, even if caught by the outfielder.
  • If the ball is touched before it rolls beyond the Home Run line or out of play, the ball is live.  This would allow a batter to run around the bases and obtain a Home Run.
  • Balls that roll or bounce beyond the Home Run line without being touched, or fair balls that roll out of play without being touched are ground rule triples.
  • Out of play areas include:
    • Area to the east of the imaginary extension of the Home bench (3rd base side).
    • Area north of the fence (and its imaginary extension) beyond the right field line.
  • When a ball is overthrown into an out of play area, runners advance at least one full base but not two, based on their location at the time the ball entered the out of play area.  For example, if a runner is between 2nd & 3rd base when the ball goes out of play, the runner advances home.  If a runner is standing on a base when the ball goes out of play, the runner advances to the next base.
  • Runners need to remain in foul territory as they return to 1st base after a successful base hit.  Runners entering the field of play who make a deliberate move toward 2nd base may be tagged out.
  • There are two 1st bases, one for the runner from home to first. The other for all other 1st base use.
  • Because of the casual tone of our league and the desire for player safety, there will be no fake tags (deking). This is a form of obstruction. When it occurs, warn both teams. Subsequent offenses result in an ejection.