YMCA Adult Men’s & Women’s Softball League Rules

League Commissioner: Dan Smith Office:(607) 770-9622 x414 Cell:(607) 427-2996 Email: [email protected]

Reporting Game Scores

The HOME team “MUST” report the score to the coordinator via email within 24 hours: [email protected] or call 770-9622 ext.414 and leave message of the teams that played and their scores. This allows us to keep up to date standings for all leagues.

YMCA adult softball leagues is a partnership with the City of Binghamton to run high quality and fun programs for community members. The YMCA softball leagues will use these fields for play:

• First Ward Park – 84 Charles Street, Binghamton, NY 13905 • Schneider Park – 1062 Vestal Ave, Binghamton, NY 13905 • Valley Street Park – 9 Valley Street, Binghamton, NY 13905 (Women’s Only Field) • Veterans Field – 1905 Coleman Road, Binghamton, NY 13903 • River Park – 311 Main Street, Kirkwood, NY 13795 • Valley Park Field – (Men’s & Women’s Fields) Park is located on Francis Street between Route 17 and Crescent Drive in Kirkwood, NY 13795.

Park Conduct:

Captains must inform players of the following: 1. All rules and regulations of the YMCA adult sports. 2. The need for all players to respect the safety of others on and off the field. 3. The desire for good sportsmanship among all participants. 4. Obeying the standard rules that apply to all public parks and school district facilities: • Good field conduct including no profane language any place at the field. • Adherence to all parking regulations. • No littering will be tolerated. Teams should police the bench area upon leaving the game. • Remember - No alcoholic beverages or drugs on park or school property including parking lots. • Respect for speeding laws in the park neighborhood. • Consideration of neighbors who live next to the park. • Violations of the above rules may lead to player or team suspensions by the YMCA Sports Director.

Player Eligibility:

1. There is no residency requirement. 2. A player may play for only one team per league night. (Mon - Sun). Players may play or sub in multiple leagues. 3. If a player (sub) is listed on two rosters in the same league, the player becomes a member of the team for whom they play their first league game. 4. The minimum age is sixteen years. A player may start play on their sixteenth birthday. 5. All players must have registered online through ymcabroome.org website in order to participate.

Roster Rules:

1. The official roster is limited to 18 names. You may have subs that can be added and removed to your roster. 2. Teams can put up to 10 players in the field. (8 min) 3. Teams can put up to 12 players in the Order. (1 DH - + 1 Extra Hitter - EH) 4. All players must be on your roster and have registered online in order to participate. 5. The commissioner has the power to deny roster placement of individuals. 6. Players added to the roster who have not participated in at least three games during the regular season are ineligible for the playoffs and championship games.

Substitutions:

1. Any player in the starting lineup who is taken out, can return one (1) time. 2. The may be replaced on the mound once per inning. 3. All substitutions must be reported to an and the opposing team’s scorekeeper/captain. 4. A courtesy runner may be used once per inning provided the runner is the player who made the last batted out. 5. Any player who is injured while in the field will require normal substitution procedures. 6. An automatic out will be awarded if a player who is listed in the is unable to bat (assuming a substitute is not available). 7. If a player has been ejected, an automatic out will be awarded at the time of player's at bat. 7a. No substitutes are permitted for an ejected batter.

Defensive Positions:

1. Fielding Positions: Teams must FIELD at least eight (8) players and no more than ten (10). 2. Teams must have 8-10 players on the field:

3. All must remain in the infield and all must remain in the outfield (15 Ft from dirt) until the ball is hit. 4. The pitcher must have one foot in contact with the pitching rubber when the pitch is made. • There is no pump faking of any pitch during the inning. • 6-12 foot arc is allowed for men’s & women’s slow pitch leagues.

Batting Order:

1. The Batting Order is 11 Positions. (10 fielders + 1 Extra Hitter (EH)

2. Teams are allowed to use Designated Hitter (DH) in the line-up.

7. If a team's line-up is reduced for any reason other than injury, the team must take an out each time that position comes up in the batting order (if no legal subs are available).

Bunting:

An intentionally bunted ball is an automatic out.

Base Running:

1. Runners must stay within the baseline and fielders must stay out of the baseline. 2. If a runner has his or her foot off the base when the ball is pitched is immediately out. 3. Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline. 4. Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line shall be safe at the base to which they were running. 5. Leading off base and stealing are not allowed. A runner off of his/her base when the ball is pitched is out. 6. After a batted ball is caught, runners must tag their originating base before running to the next base. 7. Runners may ONLY overrun first base. 8. The opposing team may appeal to the umpire that the player missed a base and the player will be declared out. If that player scored on the play, that player's run will not count. If that is the third out of the inning, all other runs scored by players touching all bases in order will still count. 9. The Black Strike Zone mat is considered Home plate on a play at home. 10. Players can’t block the plate/mat (runner gets priority). 11. Each team is allowed one (1) courtesy runner per inning. Special Rule for Schneider Park (Hill & Woods) • Ball hit on the fly on the hill or woods is a home run. • Ball that bounces or rolls into the hill or woods is a ground rule double.

Equipment:

At the beginning of each season captains will be given: - New softballs - One (1) Scorebook All captains and/or teams should have the following: 1. ASA Stamped Softball Bat 2. The Banned Bat List – given out at the captains meeting. 3. A score book – given out at the captains meeting. 4. A roster of all players with names, addresses and phone numbers for emergency calls Spikes and Cleats: Players are asked to wear molded cleats or turfs, but metals cleats are allowed. - A player wearing metal cleats MUST SLIDE HEADFIRST AT ALL TIMES. If a player wearing metal cleats is caught sliding FEET FIRST. He or she can be called out. If a second offense happens that player will be ejected form the game.

Game Bases:

1. Bases will be put out by all field attendants prior to the start of the game. 2. If there is an issue please have the team captain contact the league commissioner (Dan Smith 607-427-2996).

Game time rule restrictions:

No game can start an inning after the next designated game time unless the home team is losing and has their last bat. (No time restrictions for any game if there isn’t a game proceeding that game.) Ex: Team “A” (home team) is playing Team “B” (away team) in the 6:00pm game at First Ward Park. It is the end of the 5th inning Team “A” is winning 2-1 and it is 7:30pm the game is over and Team “A” wins. Ex: Team “A” (home team) is playing Team “B” (away team) in the 6:00pm game at First Ward Park. It is the middle of the 6th inning and Team “A” is losing 4-3 and the time is 7:31pm then they allowed their finals last at bats and then the game is over.

Mercy Rule:

A mercy rule will end all games if a team is ahead by 10 runs after 4 1/2 (H) or 5 (A) innings.

Home Run Rule: Each team is allowed ten (10) over the fence home runs per game. Additional over the fence home runs are outs. Short-Handed Team Rules: The minimum number of players to start a contest is as follows:

1. To avoid forfeit: 8 players may start.

2. If the 9th player arrives they can be placed into the lineup immediately and the out is eliminated. 3. If a player must leave the game for any reason, and there is no legal substitute available, an out will be called whenever that vacant spot in the batting order comes up.

Regulations Games:

1. Regulation games last 7 full innings. 2. A game that is called off by the umpire for darkness or other safety reason after four (4) full innings of play shall be considered a regulation game. The game score at end of the last full inning shall determine the winner. 3. In the event of a tie score at the end of the 7th inning, all extra innings will go to a 1 pitch format. Ball = Walk / Strike = Strikeout.

Pre-Game Practice Time: Teams should honor the use of the field as follows: 1. The visiting team may use the field prior to the time saved for the home team. (15 mins before game time) 2. Fifteen minutes before starting time, the field is reserved for the home team. 3. Five minutes before starting time, the umpires and managers review ground rules. ** There is no practice time between night games, unless the diamond is vacant. **

Regular Season and Playoffs:

1. All teams will play (10) regular season game. 2. Some leagues may have teams playing double headers or having byes through the season. 3. The top 4 teams from each division will qualify for playoffs. a. Semi-finals - #1 seed vs. #4 seed & #2 seed vs. #3 seed b. 1 game championship. 4. All qualifying players must have played 3 regular season games in order to play in the playoffs and be on that teams roster

Protests: The commissioner will rule on protests involving roster, playoff and age eligibility. Regulations are as follows: 1. No protest will ever be permitted on the judgment of an umpire. 2. When protesting, a team must notify the Umpire and opposing team captain(s) before the next pitch. If it’s the last play of the game, then before the teams vacate the playing fields. 4. A protest must be filed with the commissioner, in writing, within 48 hours of the starting time of the contest. 5. A protest must be accompanied with a $25.00 protest fee. If the protest is validated or upheld, the fee will be returned.

Proof of PLAYOFF eligibility: 1. Captains are required to present proof of a player eligibility through the roster. 2. A scorebook will be used to show the three (3) games, dates and opponents. 3. If proof can’t be provided, the player must be removed or the game can be protested and won by the opposing captain. Protests will proceed as follows: i. Obtain statements from both managers/players and the involved umpires. ii. Arrange a protest meeting. (Commissioner, Y Sports Director and captains involved) iii. Upon hearing the protest, the decision of the commissioner is final.

Scorekeeping: 1. The home team is responsible for keeping the official scorebook 2. First and last names of players must be listed as in the case of a player protest, score books must clearly indicate complete names. 3. Scorekeepers should check the game score verbally every inning to be accurate.

League Standings and Tiebreakers: All schedules and standing can be found on the YMCA website at www.ymcabroome.org. 1. Tiebreakers: i. Overall Team Record ii. Head-To-Head iii. Run Differential 2. If there is still a tie, a coin toss will be performed by the commissioner.

Ejections: 1. If a player at any time is ejected from a game the following shall be enforced. - If a player has been ejected, an automatic out will be awarded at the time of player's at bat. 8a. No substitutes are permitted for an ejected batter. 2. Penalties for an ejection from a game: 1st offense: 1 game suspension. (must be the next game for that league) 2nd offense: 3 game suspension. (must be the next three games for that league and can continue into next season if the infraction happened late in the season). 3rd offense: Player will be suspended for one full year on the date of the incident.

Umpires:

1. A player will never threaten or touch an umpire in dispute during or after a game. - Aggressive behavior is grounds for immediate ejection, and disciplinary action(s) by the commissioner and local authorities.

Managing players: All Captains and managers: Should a written report be filed by an umpire concerning the game ejection or the un- sportsmanlike conduct of a player, the following procedure will take place: 1. The commissioner will take disciplinary action if necessary 2. Players disciplined by the commissioner may request a hearing/meeting, in writing, at any time within one month (30 Days) of the date of the notification e-mail. 3. Players suspended in the YMCA league are hereby advised that the policy of the Binghamton Diamond Association is to withdraw service to any other area league where a YMCA league suspended player may be participating. 4. Players requesting a hearing will be notified when the Hearing Committee will meet to conduct the hearing. 5. The commissioner will chair the hearing and also appoint another committee member for the Hearing Committee. 6. Attendance at the hearing will be as follows: a. The defendant and his witnesses plus any legal counsel desired. b. The involved umpires. c. The President and the Assignor of the Binghamton Diamond Association.

Players play at their your own risk: While we make every effort to make the league a safe and enjoyable experience. There remains an element of risk. When you play in this league, you acknowledge that risk. This relieves the Commissioner and the YMCA from any liability in connection with any softball games.

Restricted or Banned Players: The commissioner has the right to limit or ban players on any roster.

Termination of Teams: Team’s forfeiting three games can/will be expelled with no refund of their entry fee and will not qualify for any post season contests.

Insurance – Accident: There is no league-provided accident insurance players play at their own risk!

Insurance – Liability: There is no team liability insurance teams play at their own risk! Liability insurance is provided to protect the field owner. This coverage is necessary to obtain use of fields for the league games.