Softball Information

Source League Website: https://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=portagegirlssoftball

Ages 7 and UP

I.        Field Dimensions- Refer to the Affiliated league that Ellet Baseball and Softball Association is currently playing for.

II.        Special League Rules

A.   Free Agents

i    A manager in Girls Leagues ages 7 and up may sign eight free agents on a form provided by the Association on or after the first day of registration and prior to the first day of evaluations.

ii.  The completed free agent forms will be turned into the Secretary on a date specified each year to the managers.  Usually the 1^st day of registration with a late fee associated with it.

iii.  Teams electing to sign free agents shall lose one draft selection for each free agent signed.

iv.  Free agent slips will be used beginning in the first round of the draft and continuously until all are used as draft picks.

v.   Free agents shall fulfill all eligibility requirements, and may include only:

1.  New Players to the league

2.  Returning players to a league shall not be eligible to be signed as a free agent with another team

3.  If a team is disbanded the returning players will go into the draft and will not be eligible to be signed as free agents.

vi.    Any abuse of the free agent rule as determined by the Executive Board will result in suspension of the guilty party.

vii.    Any Team short of players after the final roster is complete can use a player from a younger roster of the same organization.  If there is no younger age roster team, teams may pick up a younger player or one of the same age not in the organization with the approval of the Ellet Baseball and Softball Association.

viii.  Any player changing associations without moving into that community shall obtain a release from the prior association before registration.

B.  High School Aged Players

i.    If a player is on a High School Softball team, After they are released from the High School Coach and they are age eligible they can play Summer Softball.

C. Wanting off a Team

i.    Any Player wanting off a team Must write a letter to the board detailing why.  If approved by the board the player will be put back into the draft and will not be eligible to be a free agent.

III.        Game Rules

1. No Smoking withing 30 yards of the entire field for all Managers, Coaches, Spectators and Umpires.
2. Any rules not covered by the associations rules and regulations shall revert to the League affiliated by Ellet Baseball and Softball Association.
3. All Managers, Coaches and players should conduct themselves in a sportsmanship like manner.
4. For Liability reasons, there is to be no food including seeds or gum on the bench or dugout.
5. The pitcher, first and third base players are required to wear a facemask while on the field at all times.

IV.        Ellet Girls League Tournaments

1. At the end of regular season play, all teams with players aged between 7 and 14 will play in a tournament with the format determined by their league commissioner and approved by the Board.  The Winner and Runner up teams will receive a trophy or medallions.  All Teams with players aged 5-8 not making it to the tournament will receive a participation trophy or medallion.

V.        Girls Coach Pitch Rules ( Ages 7-8)

PORTAGE GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION 2014 COACH-PITCH: RULES AND REGULATIONS ADDENDUM Last revision: 3/16/14

PREFACE: · This document shall govern gameplay for all officers, members, umpires, managers/coaches, and participants. · The following Rules and Regulations shall be enforced in addition to current “Portage Girls Softball Association Rules and Regulations” first, and then “OGSO Rules and Regulations.”

I. General Coach-Pitch Rules

A. Coach-Pitch League(s):

1. Shall be divided into two divisions: Coach-Pitch 1 (CP1) and Coach-Pitch 2 (CP2).

2. CP1 shall be a league designed for girls that are 5 & 6 years old (but not less than 4) and CP2 shall be designed for 7 & 8 year old girls. A local charter shall have up to two 7-year-olds on a CP1 roster.

3. Team(s) with any number of 8-year-olds or 3 or more 7-year-olds must be rostered as CP2.

B. Playing Field:

1. Bases shall be set at 60 feet, with a halfway mark at 30 feet between first & second, second & third, and third & home plate.

2. Batter’s boxes shall be 3′ x 7′ – there shall also be a catcher’s line one foot behind the batter’s box for safety purposes.

3. Pitcher’s circle shall have a radius of 8′, with the center of the circle being 30′ from the point of home plate.

4. Infield arc shall have a radius of 12′ from the point of home plate and extend from foul line to foul line.

C. Uniforms and Equipment:

1. The ball shall be an 11 inch “softie”, which shall be purchased through Portage Girls Softball.

2. All players shall wear a jersey with a number on the back (6″ minimum height).

3. All defensive player’s shall wear a glove/mitt

4. The catcher must wear a chest protector, shin guards and a NOCSEA approved helmet and mask with throat protector.

5. Protective head gear is optional for infielders and outfielders.

6. All batters and base runners shall wear a helmet with face guard (both must be NOCSEA approved) and chinstrap.

D. Players and Substitutes:

1. Up to 10 players shall field defensively (1 pitcher, 1 catcher, 4 infielders and 4 outfielders). Note: A game may start with as few as 8 players per team.

2. Positioning: Until the ball has been hit, the pitcher shall take her position within the pitching circle, the catcher shall take her position behind home plate, the four infielders shall take their positions in the typical defensive positions behind the imaginary 30′ line, and the four outfielders shall take their positions beyond the infield (imaginary baselines between first & second, and second & third). Penalty: One warning per team, second offense will be ruled an obstruction. The team at bat will have the option of taking the results of the play or awarding the batter first base.

3. Both teams shall use a continuous batting order, batting the entire team with free substitution for defensive positions.

II. Coach-Pitch Game Rules

A. Game(s) shall be 6 innings, with a two-hour time limit – regardless of the score.

1. Regular season games may end in a tie.

2. Tournament game(s) shall not end in a tie. The game will continue until the winner is decided (see max run rule).

B. The 5 runs max per inning rule shall be in effect, regardless of the inning.

C. Drop third strike and infield fly rules shall not be in effect.

D. Two defensive coaches may be on the playing field, situated behind the outfielders.

E. The ball shall be considered dead when the pitcher has control of the ball while standing inside the pitcher’s circle. A play shall be declared dead if the ball is thrown to the Coach-Pitcher. Note: Does not apply until the batter runner has reached first base or has been retired.

F. If a batted ball is fielded before reaching the arc in front of home plate, NO PITCH will be called.

G. If a batted ball is popped up and caught within the foul area, the batter is out, the ball is dead, and the runners must return to their positions before the ball was hit.

H. Coach-Pitcher:

1. Shall pitch underhand, starting with at least one foot within the circle.

2. Shall pitch only to his/her team. The Coach-Pitcher may instruct the batter between pitches, but can’t tell the batter when to swing, nor may he/she act as a base coach after the ball is hit. Penalty: Warning on the first violation, Removal as the Coach-Pitcher on the second violation.

3. Shall only accept the ball when it is dead (from the catcher after a pitch that was not hit fair or from the pitcher after all other play has stopped)

4. If the Coach-Pitcher intentionally interferes with a batted ball, the batter shall be out and the ball is dead. If unintentionally, the ball is dead, the batter shall be awarded first base. All other runners only advance if forced.

I. Batter:

1. Shall get a maximum of five pitches to hit the ball into fair territory or she shall be declared out. There are no walks (base on balls), nor strikeouts.

2. Shall not take any practice swings until the Coach-Pitcher has possession of the ball and the catcher is in position. Penalty: A “pitch” will be declared.

3. Shall not throw her bat. Penalty: First violation – warning (one per girl), second violation – batter will be called “Out”, dead ball.

J. Base runners

1. Base stealing is not allowed. Runners may leave their base only after the pitched ball is hit. Penalty: “No pitch” is declared and runner is called “Out”.

2. Any base runner that is beyond the halfway mark while advancing to the next base when the ball is declared dead shall be awarded the next base. If not beyond the halfway mark, the runner shall be returned to the base they were advancing from unless they are forced to advance.

K. On a ball hit in the infield

1. The batter-runner shall only be entitled to attempt to advance to first base (no additional advancement is permitted, even on an overthrow).

2. All other base runners may advance no more than one base from the time of the pitch, with liability of being put out.

3. In the context of this rule, “Infield” shall be defined as the area between home plate, first base, second base, and third base.

L. On a ball hit beyond the baselines

1. Runner(s) shall be entitled to attempt to advance to any base with liability of being put out, until the ball is declared dead.

2. A ball can be hit in the air or it can roll beyond the baseline.

M. If the ball goes out of play, then the play will be ruled dead. The batter-runner and all other runner(s) shall be awarded bases based on their position related to the halfway marks.