Avon Parks & Recreation Department ADULT CO-ED SOFTBALL RULES Summer 2021

General: 1. All games will be played at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 3701 Veteran’s Memorial Parkway.

2. All managers, coaches, captains, and players are presumed to know all of the rules and regulations of the league. Failure to know and understand the rules and regulations will not be an excuse for failure to comply with them.

3. No alcoholic beverages are permitted on park property including parking lot, dugouts and benches. (ORD. 21-75: Using, drinking or consuming alcoholic beverages).

4. If a team needs to forfeit they must notify the Parks & Recreation Dept. 48 hours prior to the game. Failure to do so will result in that team being responsible for umpire fees for BOTH teams ($60).

5. FEES: League registration fees for the 2021 season are $250. Each team will be responsible for umpire fees of $30/game to be paid to the umpire before the start of the game. Roster fees $5 for Avon residents/$10 for Non-Residents. Team fees and roster fees can be paid online or in-person. Team Roster Form is provided online.

Rosters & Eligibility: 1. A team roster may have a maximum of twenty (20) players. All teams must include four (4) Avon residents. Players must be at least 18 years old.

2. An accurate team roster and fees must be turned into the Parks & Recreation Dept. by the Monday after the third (3rd) Sunday game.

3. Each player is required to carry personal identification which must be provided upon the request of game officials or recreation staff. Roster checks will be conducted at random. Players that have not paid roster fees will NOT be permitted to play.

4. Roster changes during the season are not permitted unless due to uncontrollable circumstances (major injury, pregnancy, etc.). Proof of circumstance must be provided to the Director.

5. A player may only be a member of one team in the league.

Player Conduct: 1. Players will conduct themselves at all times according to the rules of the game. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated before, during or after a game and will result in ejection from the contest and/or indefinite suspension.

2. Any physical contact with or verbal threats toward an official, player or supervisor will result in an automatic suspension from the league. A player receiving a suspension may not be replaced on the roster.

Game Rules:

1. You must have eight (8) players to begin or continue a game (4 males/4 females). You may play with a maximum of ten players. NOTE: At all times, the battery (pitcher/catcher), the infield, and the outfield each must be comprised of a number of females that equals or exceeds the number of males.

2. Games are six (6) innings or 1 ¼ hours. No inning may begin after 1 hour.

3. Batting order will be a continuous batting order but must alternate male/female or female/female. If the order at any time is male/male then the batter in between, which is to be a female will be considered an out. All players that play an inning in the field MUST bat.

4. Any walk to a male batter will allow the female next in the batting order the option of taking an automatic walk or batting for herself.

5. Batter comes to the plate with a zero strike and a zero ball count. The third strike rule is in effect – if a foul ball is hit after having two strikes, it is an out.

6. Wood, aluminum, or composite bats that are sanctioned by the ASA are allowed. Bats are limited to a +7 differential. No double or triple walled aluminum bats.

7. Outfielders may not crowd the infield – they must stay approximately 30 feet into the outfield grass until the ball is hit. The distance into the grass is at the umpire’s discretion. If an outfielder crowds the infield before the ball is hit, any out made on the play will not be counted. If the ball is hit the batter will be awarded first base.

8. Infield fly rule will be called.

9. Overthrows – one base on an overthrow.

10. No sliding. For safety reasons you may overrun all bases. Runner must turn right and come back to base. If the umpire decides the runner made an attempt to advance to the next base he/she may be tagged out.

11. No metal spikes.

12. Slaughter rule – If a teams is up by 15 runs after 4 complete innings or 10 runs after 5 completed innings, the game is over. If time is left and both teams want to continue the final inning for fun they may do so.

13. Homeruns – There is a homerun limit of 5 per team, per game. Any subsequent homeruns will be considered an out.

14. All rules are subject to change at the discretion of the League Coordinators.