Leavenworth Parks and Recreation Department

LEAVENWORTH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT GIRLS BOBBY SOX SOFTBALL RULES

1. Girls who are 13-15 years old as of August 1st of the current year will be placed in the Bobby Sox League. ASA Softball rules shall be followed with the exception of the following local rules enforced by the City of Leavenworth Parks and Community Activities Department.

2. Coaches are required to play each participant consecutively for two (2) innings in a defensive position, six (6) outs. The only exception to this rule is if the player a) has been a discipline problem at practice or games, b) has irregular attendance to practice and games, c) does not show up on time for a regularly scheduled game. If case (a) or (b) occurs, the Recreation Program Supervisor must be notified twenty-four (24) hours before disciplinary action has been taken.

3. Base distance is 60 feet. Pitchers distance is 40 feet.

4. A team shall consist of 9 players. All outfielders must be in the grass portion of the outfield when the ball is pitched. The minimum number of players allowed to start and continue is seven (7) players.

5. There will be a one (1) hour and thirty (30) minute time limit or seven (7) innings, whichever comes first, will constitute a regulation game. The ten (10) run rule after five (5) innings or fifteen (15) run rule after four (4) innings will be in effect.

6. If after the end of seven (7) innings with the score tied, play is continued until one team scores more runs than the other in an equal number of innings. If after the home team scores the winning run before the third (3) out in any extra inning, the game shall be ended.

6. NO STEEL CLEATS OR SPIKES ALLOWED!

7. All catchers must wear catchers helmet, mask, chest protector, and shin guards!

8. Batter helmets must be worn at all times by batters, base runners, and on-deck batters.

9. There shall be three (3) pitches between innings or when a pitcher relieves another pitcher, not more than one (1) minute in length.

10. Third strike rule is in effect.

11. All players present for a game will be put into a consecutive batting order.

12. Base runners are allowed to advance with liability to be put out when the ball leaves the pitcher's hand on her delivery.

13. The Head Coach of each team is the only person who may approach the umpire. All discussion between umpires and head coaches shall be conducted in an adult and calm manner by both the umpire and the Head Coach. Failure to comply will result in ejection from the game.

14. The official game ball shall be a 12-inch optic-yellow red stitch Dixie Fast-pitch softball.

15. Games will be cancelled and rescheduled due to inclement weather only. Games will not be rescheduled due to other activity conflicts by players or coaches. Rainouts: Rain out games will be rescheduled at the end of the regular season schedule. Also, if a game is rescheduled and is then rained out a second time, it may not be rescheduled.

17. A pitcher shall not pitch more than ten (10) innings between Monday through Sunday night except that in a tie game at the end of seven (7) innings the starting pitcher may pitch the eighth (8th) inning. No player may pitch more than seven (7) innings in one (1) game except as noted above. If a pitcher does not have to pitch the bottom half of an inning she is NOT charged for that inning. NOTE: The extra inning rule does not apply to a pitcher who was removed from the mound earlier in the same game. Once a starting pitcher is removed from the mound in a game she will be allowed only seven (7) innings in which to pitch in that game.

18. Once a player is removed from pitcher, she may not return to that position unless that player has not exceeded the seven (7) inning maximum for that game. Also, a pitcher removed from the mound shall be allowed to return to the mound one (1) time in the same game as long as the above is true.

19. NO BULLDOGGING!! When there is a play at a base, if there is contact between the runner and the fielder that is initiated by the runner, that runner will be called out. If, in the judgment of the umpire the contact is excessive or flagrant, the runner will be thrown out of the game.

20. If a coach or player is ejected from a game for any reason, they may not participate in the next played game as a player, coach, or spectator.

21. Three (3) outs or eight runs being scored will constitute the end of that half of the inning. All runs in conjunction with the eighth run will count.

22. If a game is called, it is a regulation game if four (4) innings have been completed.

23. Parents will not be required to provide a birth certificate(s) for their child/players except in the event there is game protest. At that time, if the coach or parent of the team/child in question is unable to provide a certified birth certificate of the player(s) in question within 1 day /24hrs from the time the protest has been issued, that team will be forced to forfeit the game being protested. In addition, in the event of a tournament, the Final Tournament Roster will require that a birth date be listed for each player.

24. All rules and regulations will exclusively be interpreted by the Recreation Supervisor.