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San Antonio SSC Softball Rules

San Antonio SSC Softball Rules (July 2012 Revision)

ROSTER:
There is no maximum number of players allowed on your roster. Players will not be allowed to participate without signing the San Antonio SSC roster/waiver form. Players may be added after the registration deadline only if the league has their t-shirt in inventory. New shirts cannot be ordered. Otherwise, the only way to add a new player to your roster after the registration deadline is by first dropping another player. Teams have up until the third week of the season to do so. After that, rosters are frozen. The additional player must obtain the t-shirt from the dropped player in order to play. If a team wishes to add a player after the registration deadline, this can only be done if the league has the t-shirts in stock.

WAIVERS:
In order to participate in the league, each player must sign the team waiver. Waivers can be downloaded by clicking here. Captains need to print, have all players sign, and turn in the first night of play. Players not present the first week of play will still be required to sign a waiver with our staff before participating. An San Antonio SSC staff member will keep your team waiver at the field, or a new one can be printed out. Players who sign up as individuals, agree to the waiver electronically when they register.

PLAYER RESTRICTIONS:
All San Antonio SSC participants must be at least 21 years old before the season starts.

Players must be 2 years removed from Division 1 collegiate or professional level participation if they wish to play in a similar San Antonio SSC sport.

San Antonio SSC will have the right to request ID from any player. Any player in the super social league who is determined a social player by the San Antonio SSC will have their league fee credited towards a future season. If more than one player on a team is determined to be a social player, the San Antonio SSC has the option to move that team to the social division.

Players may only play for one team and be on one roster in any given night, regardless of if multiple divisions are offered. One can play, for example, softball on Tuesdays & softball on Thursdays, but not for two teams in the same day or night. Any player that violates this rule will cause both of their teams to forfeit games played on that day.

DYNASTY RULE:
Everyone loves a little competition, but one team dominating a league season after season can spoil the fun for everybody.

If a team retaining more than 6 players has won 3 championships in consecutive seasons for which they have been registered, the SSC will have the option to, in its discretion, request that team to form 2 or more separate teams to promote parity in the league or withdraw their registration. That team will then have the opportunity to form 2 separate teams with each subsequent roster approved by the SSC.

GAME UNIFORMS:
San Antonio SSC t-shirts are your team’s uniforms. All players must wear their current San Antonio SSC uniform (past season’s uniforms are not permitted) to participate and any player not wearing his/her uniform will be sidelined for that game.

UNIFORM ALTERATIONS:
Names on uniforms, numbers, cut-off sleeves, corporate logos, etc., are permitted, as long as they do not cover any logos originally printed on the shirts.

SPORTSMANSHIP:
We are all adults, and the San Antonio SSC expects all participants to act like it. Unsportsmanlike behavior may result in that player being ejected from the game. An ejection may result in further suspension from participation in current and / or future SSC sports. Ejected players are required to leave the premises immediately. Refusal to leave the premises may result in a team forfeit and/or increased length of suspension.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON THE FIELD:
The maximum number of players on the field is 10. The minimum number of players on the field is 8. The maximum number of males on the field is 6. There is no maximum number of females on the field.

GAME EQUIPMENT:
San Antonio SSC will provide all bases and playable balls for each game. Bats and gloves are not supplied.

All bats should have either the approved ASA 2000 certification mark or the ASA 2004 certification mark and must not be listed on the ASA non-approved list. If the bat has been manufactured before 2000, certification marks have been worn or faded, or the bat has the 2013 ASA certification mark, it will be left to the sole discretion of the umpire whether the bat may be used in the San Antonio SSC. You can find the complete non-approved ASA bats list at www.softball.org/about/certified_equipment.asp.

Any players using an illegal bat will be called out. The illegal bat will be removed from the game. If a batted ball has occurred, then all runners will return to their original base.

Catchers are recommended to wear a mask at all times (not league provided). Teams may bring personal softballs for practice between games.

Metal cleats are not permitted. Any player wearing metal spikes will have to remove them immediately or they cannot play

FORFEITS:
If a team is short the minimum number of players by game time, the game will start as scheduled with that team automatically becoming the visitor and batting first. If the minimum number of players does not show up upon completion of the first 1/2 of the first inning, the game will be considered a forfeit.

If a team is short the minimum number of players by game time, the game will be considered a forfeit. If the forfeiting team does not have enough players to play an officiated exhibition game, a $50 forfeit fine will be assessed. This $50 fine will go towards your opponent’s bar tab for the following week. Provided the fine is paid on time, the bar tab voucher can be obtained from the league director the following week. Teams that receive a forfeit fine must use it the following week or lose it. If there are enough players of the forfeiting team that are able to play, and an officiated game is played, no forfeit fine will be assessed.

FORFEIT FINES:
All fines must be paid before your next scheduled game by either cash or check (made payable to the San Antonio SSC). If payment is not received by the end of this next scheduled game, your team will be assessed a loss for this game. Teams will not be allowed to play any proceeding games until the fine is paid in full. Teams that have any fines from the last regular season game will not be allowed back into the San Antonio SSC for any sport until these fines are paid in full.

If notice is given to the San Antonio SSC via email (info@sanantoniossc.com) by 5pm on the preceding day, your team will not be assessed a forfeit fine. This will allow the opposing coach to inform his team of the impending forfeit.

The minimum number of players to play an officiated exhibition game is as follows. Thus any amount less than this would incur the forfeit fine: 6.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:
In the event of inclement weather, the San Antonio SSC will make every attempt to reschedule all games. In the event of multiple cancellations, the SSC reserves the option to shorten the regular season and/or the play-off schedule. Make-up games may be scheduled on days other than the regularly scheduled days of the week. Neither refunds nor pro-rated refunds will be given if the season is shortened due to inclement weather or by actions taken by San Antonio Parks.

BEVERAGES AT FIELDS:
Alcholic beverages ARE allowed at Rusty Lyons but NOT at Tony Martinez Fields. The following is the Alcohol Policy for Tony Martinez Field: Any alcohol must be in an opaque plastic cup. This also includes carrying a 12-pack or case of beer uncovered to the field. Everything must be in a cooler or backpack at all times. Beverages may be consumed in the dugout, common area, and coach’s boxes, but not on the field of play itself. All players are responsible for removing all trash from team areas and the parking lot before leaving the park.

All San Antonio SSC participants, officials, and staff share the responsibility to leave all San Antonio Park venues in a clean, trash-free condition.

DIVISION PREFERENCE:
Whenever possible, San Antonio SSC will separate sports into divisions based on playing experience. In the event multiple divisions are not possible, all players will be placed into a single division.

Teams will continue to participate in their prior season’s league (social or super social) unless moved by the San Antonio SSC. Super social teams may move up to social, and social teams with a 0-6 or 1-5 record may move down to the super social league. Last year’s super social champion will automatically move up to the social league along with the teams that finish in the top 10%. This format will help balance out the caliber of teams in both leagues.

POINTS AWARDED:
Win – 2 points Tie – 1 point Loss – 0 points.

SOFTBALL GAME RULES

START OF GAME:
The home team will take the field first and use the first base dugout. The official score is kept by the umpire and is displayed on the manual scoreboard.

LINE-UP CARDS:
Completed line-up cards must be handed to the umpire before the game begins. Cards must be filled out with players first name & gender. The umpire’s card will be the official card) All changes to your line-up must be reported to the umpire.

GAME CLOCK:
The umpire’s clock is the game clock and he will inform both teams when the game has started. There is no minimum number of innings for a complete game if the time limit has been satisfied. Warm-up pitching between innings is not allowed, and teams should hustle on and off the field. No new innings will start after the umpire has declared time expired. After the game is completed, teams are required to clear the dugout for the next game.

FIELDING TEAM:
The maximum number of infielders is 6 (including the Pitcher and Catcher). Outfielders must stay in the grass until contact is made. If an outfielder comes onto the infield dirt before contact is made and is in any way involved in that play, all runners will be ruled safe.

Fielding positions can be changed between players on the field while on defense, however new players may not substitute in except for a pitching change, the team is short fielders, or due to an injury. The batting order must always stay the same despite any changes in field position.

THE COUNT:
Batters will start with a one-ball/one-strike count. With two strikes, the batter has one courtesy foul. The second foul with two strikes will be called strike three and the batter out. In 1-pitch format, the count will be 3-2 with no courtesy foul.

BATTING ORDER:
All players bat but no more than two males can bat in a row. Females can re-hit if necessary. (For example, a team has 9 guys and 4 girls. One girl would be designated in the line-up to bat twice to ensure proper ratios).

There are no substitutions in the batting line-up.

If a team plays with fewer than four females, they must play short and will receive an automatic out when that position is reached in the batting order.

If a team began the game short the minimum number of females resulting in an out in that batting spot has a female show up after the game has started, that team may insert that female into the designated spot in the lineup at any time and will no longer have to take an automatic out.

All late arriving players may be inserted at any time. Late arrivals must be inserted into the bottom of the batting order, or as close to the bottom to ensure gender rules apply.

BATTING OUT OF ORDER:
If the error is discovered while the incorrect batter is hitting, then the correct batter will assume the ball/strike count of the incorrect batter. If the error is discovered after the incorrect batter has safely reached base, the incorrect batter will be called out, and all runners will return to their original base. The opposing team must make the umpire aware of batting out of order before a pitch is thrown to the next batter. If it is not, then the incorrect batter will stay on base.

WALKED BATTERS:
Less than two outs, All walks are one base awards.

Two outs  If there are two outs and a male batter is walked with a female batter up next, the male runner walks as normal (stops at first). The female batter will then have the option to walk or bat.

HOME RUNS:
There will be a 1 home run rule limit for both divisions. Every home run after 1 will be ruled an out.

BASE RUNNERS:
There is no leading off or stealing of bases. Doing so will result in the runner being called out.

Every field has an extra first base bag, known as the “safety” base located outside the baseline. This is the bag that the runners must touch if running through first base. The inside bag is for the fielders.

All San Antonio SSC sports are non-contact, and all players must avoid unnecessary contact at all times. Runners must give themselves up, get out of the way, or slide. Interference on the part of the runner or the fielder shall be at the sole discretion of the umpire.

If the contact was considered unsportsmanlike, that player will be ejected.

HEAD FIRST SLIDE:
Runners may not engage in a head first slide when approaching any base on the field. If a runner’s momentum has caused them to overrun a base, they may “dive back” in a head first manner to regain possession of that base.

INJURED RUNNER:
Only injured players may receive a pinch runner once they have safely reached base. If a male player is injured, the last player out will become the pinch runner, regardless of gender. If a female player is injured, the last female out becomes the pinch runner.

SCORING:
The maximum number of runs allowed per inning is nine.  After the ninth run crosses the plate, play will stop regardless of the number of outs.  The only exception to the nine-run rule will be in the final inning with the scoring team behind.

The run rule will be put into effect and the game called if one team is ahead by 12 runs or more upon completion of the fifth inning (4 ½ if the home team is ahead).

Regular season games can end in ties. There are no extra innings during the regular season once time has been called.

PLAYOFFS:
Playoffs will begin the week after the regular season ends and all make up games have been played. The number of teams in each division to make the playoff will be determined by the San Antonio SSC. Depending on the season, multiple nights may combine into one playoff.

If extra innings are required in a playoff game, both teams will have the opportunity to bat. The player who was AT BAT the previous inning when the third out was recorded will start at 2nd base with no outs. The batter will start with a 3-2 count with no courtesy foul (1-pitch format). This extra-inning format will continue for all extra innings until a winning team is established.

*Any rules not mentioned follow ASA rules governing Slow Pitch (www.softball.org)

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