How We Play 16" Softball
Some more about how we get our ball on!
1. A standard full team in the field consists of 6 guys and 4 girls at a time. 10 players maximum in the field, including the catcher. There are no rules on who must play which positions. If you have less than 6 guys and/or 4 girls, you are allowed to play with up to this many of each gender on the field.
2. All active players will be put into the batting order. If you will be playing in the field even for 1 inning, you must bat. If you bat, you do not have to field. You can change fielding positions at anytime, but once the game starts, the batting order may not be altered. Teams will send up players to bat as every other gender. To keep your lineup going like this and so every player bats an equal amount with no plug and play batter insertions, set it up with multiple lists, going through them until each person has batted. Then go back through the lists and make tally marks after they go again. This makes sure you keep the order consistent and everyone bats equally.
3. When the play is dead and runners have stopped advancing, fielders will get the ball to the pitcher. At this time the play will be over and runners must stay on their base. We don’t allow you to sneakily take bases during this time, so don’t try that. Also, the play may be determined dead by the ump even before the ball is given to the pitcher. Umps will not verbally call out “time” after every play, but in a situation where he/she determined it was dead and then runners try to advance, they will be sent back.
4. Male players may not wear a glove in the field, including batting gloves. Females can wear gloves. No metal spikes allowed!
5. All players start with a 1-1 count. A foul is a strike. You get 1 courtesy foul with 2 strikes, then the next foul you’re out.
7. A good softball pitch has a height of the batter until twice the height of the batter and LANDS ON home plate or the strike mat. Pitches outside these guidelines are balls. And don’t try to get walked. That’s lame. Hitting is way more fun! The pitchers are not professionals, so swing at a decent pitch.
11. The pitcher and fielders must stay behind the pitcher’s mound until the ball has been hit. Also, with this infield going out pretty far, outfielders are allowed to start up to 15 feet into the dirt before the ball is hit. Once the ball is hit, both infielders and outfielders may move in towards the batter to make a play. If the fielding team does either of these things incorrectly, the batter may be given first base.
12.5. Intentional walks aren’t allowed! It’s ridiculous. Just don’t do it. If any player is walked with 2 outs, the team may then choose to send up either the next male or female player in their batting order to bat.
13. Full games are 6 innings. If there’s a really big lead by one team and we’re running behind on the schedule because lots of scoring takes up time, your ump may decide to deduct 1 inning from your game. Your ump will always announce if there will be 1 less inning played with at least 1 full inning remaining. Ties are allowed if no time remains, but we do have a way to try and break the tie with 1 extra inning if there’s time for it. If 2 teams tie, then both teams win which is the best right!? There’s always playoffs redemption!
SAFETY IS IMPORTANT: VERY IMPORTANT RULE!
16. There is a STRICT NO CONTACT RULE in effect that BOTH teams must be aware of. Runners must do everything they can to avoid contact, but fielders also must be aware of where they are positioned in relation to the runners and do everything in their power to avoid contact as well. FIELDERS, DO NOT BLOCK THE BASES. If you block the base or impede the runner from getting to the base, interference may be called and the runner called safe. If you take your last few steps while running home to go around a baseman that’s blocking the base so you don’t plow em over, we’ll likely call you safe. The ump will make the call as to who’s at fault with the contact and make the appropriate call as to whether it is safe or out. Situations that arise from contact may warrant a playing being ejected from the game at the ump’s discretion. It is the umpire’s judgment call as to what the call will be. Just remember that this is a fun league and we’re here to just have fun, so avoid contact AT ALL COSTS.
17. Your team forfeits if by 10 minutes after scheduled game start time, you do not have at least 7 players, including at least 2 of each gender. We always want to play games rather than forfeit cuz that’s just more fun, so the ump may decide to give a team a little additional time to get enough players so we can play an official game. The score of a forfeit game will be 10-0. Tell your team as soon as you know if you can’t make a game!
Those are the rules! Just remember to play fair, have fun, and be safe.
Forfeits
First Offense: 10-0 loss of game and warning issued.
Second Offense: 10-0 loss of second game and S3 reserves the right to remove team from the league or playoffs with no refund for games not played.
Third Offense: Automatic removal from the league with no refund for games not played.
The reason for the harshness of this is because we want all teams to be able to play. If your team is a no-show, then the other team also doesn’t get to play, and that’s not cool. So just get subs or at least let us know if you’re not going to make it!
If you know in advance that your team will be forfeiting a match, you are required to email us at teams@s3leagues.com so we can let your opponent know that you won’t be showing up or try to get others to attend in your time slot for us to do a pick up game!