G E N E R A L

1.                    These by-laws were approved by consensus on March 10, 2001.

2.                    The Lehigh Valley Co-Ed Recreational Softball League will play softball in accordance with the Official Softball Playing Rules of the Amateur Softball Association of America.  Each team coach is responsible for obtaining a copy of the rules for the current year and having them available at every game so that if problems or questions arising during the game they can be resolved immediately by the coaches.  League by-laws override any conflicting ASA rules.

3.                    This is a recreational league whose purpose is to have fun.  Fighting and arguing calls will not be tolerated.  Any other actions detracting from this purpose will not be tolerated either.

4.                    Any team not following League by-laws and ASA rules can be subject to ejection from the league.  If a complaint is received about a team, the team will receive a warning.  Any team, which consistently does not follow the rules, will be ejected from the league.  A team can be ejected from the league by a majority vote of all other team coaches.

O R G A N I Z A T I O N

5.             The coach of the winning team is responsible for calling/emailing in the game score to Damon Lichtenwalner (PPI), the day after the game so that the league standings can be maintained all season. 

6.             All coaches must submit the $ 85.00 registration fee to Cindy Bubenko (PPI) by June 1, 2000.  The funds will be used to purchase trophies, fields, insurance, etc. for the tournament.  DO NOT BE LATE!!!

7.                    Home team supplies bases, foul line markers, home plate mat, and the game ball, which must be a new, restricted flight, DUDLEY SB12LRF.  For home teams that do not have their own field the team “owning” the field will supply the equipment, if necessary, but the game ball.  It is the home team’s responsibility to repair major damage to a field prior to game time, but both teams shall share general field prep equally.

E L I G I B L I L I T Y

8.                    Team members are employees and immediate family members, to include spouse, siblings, children (within reason), girlfriend/boyfriend, and close friends (within reason).  Coaches MUST distribute copies of the league by-laws to all team members prior to the start of the season.  The players MUST also READ them.

9.             To be eligible to play in the league tournament or post-season playoffs, a team cannot forfeit 4 games in the regular season.  A team that forfeits 4 regular season games will not be entitled to a refund of any kind.

S A F E T Y

10.           Metal spikes are prohibited.

11.           Double-hulled and otherwise enhanced bats are prohibited.

12.           Pitchers must drop back to the rubber or beyond after releasing the pitch.

13.           FIGHTING IS PROHIBITED. Any player involved in a fight will be ejected from the current game and suspended for:

·         one game for the first offense

·         remainder of the season and the tournament for the second offense

·         permanently banned from the league for the third offense.

14.           No collisions are allowed on the base paths.  Fielders are not allowed to block bases or base paths.  Fielders not actively fielding a ball must yield the base to the runner upon request.  Runners approaching bases where the fielder is actively fielding a ball should give up or slide as safely as possible.  Sliding which in anyway endangers a fielder will not be tolerated & will result in ejection from the game.

15.           First Basemen must not place their feet on top of the base.  First Basemen must keep their feet on the inside edge of the bag.  First Basemen cannot cross the firstbase-line unless the ball has crossed the line, or is obviously destined for over the line.

G A M E S

16.           All games will start no later than 6:15 p.m. Both teams must share time available for batting practice prior to 6:15 p.m.

17.                 Games postponement due to weather must be decided by the coaches involved prior to 3:00 p.m. of the game day.  If the weather or field conditions are questionable, both teams must report to the field and a decision to play will be made at that time.

18.                 Players arriving after the game starts cannot begin to play until the next top of the inning, and will be added to the bottom of the batting order.  If short, there are 3 options are:

·         play short, until additional players arrive (if shy a women, see next by-law)

·         accept a opposing team players, at coaches discretion

·         forfeit the game.

19.                 EACH TEAM MUST FIELD THREE (3) WOMEN.  If in the event that a team only has two (2) women, they may:

·         play the game, but, can only have nine (9) players on the field (see next by-law for batting line-up)

·         forfeit the game

20.                 Batting line-ups can be either 10-person fixed or a straight batting order in which everybody present is on the order:

·         In a 10-person fixed line-up, free same gender substitution is allowed.

·         In a full team (straight) line-up, no more than 7 men can bat in a row

If only two women (2) women are playing, three (3) options are available:

·         one women bats twice in the line-up

·         two women alternate in the third spot

·         the batting team can take an automatic out in the third spot.

21.                 Any team consistently not playing three (3) women may be subject to suspension or ejection from the league.  If a team forfeits, coaches can choose to scrimmage.

U M P I R I N G

22.                 Umpires are responsible to make ALL calls.  First base coach calls plays at first base and second base.  Third base coach calls plays at third base and second.  A person supplied by the batting team will umpire and call balls, strikes, fouls and home plate from behind the batter.

23.                 A ball and strike will be determined by using a regulation size mat, which will be placed behind home plate. If the ball hits the mat or home plate it is a strike; if the ball does not hit the mat or home plate, it is a ball.  A ball that hits the black angled edge of the home plate is a strike.  The mat must be regulation size, but can be made of variety of materials.  A close call will go to the batter, but will be determined by the umpire.

24.                 There will be no arguing any calls; we must remember this is a fun league and that a close call must go the to batter or runner.

P I T C H I N G

 

25.                 Required slow pitch will have a minimum arc of five (5) feet and a maximum arc of ten (10) feet (height above ground).  If a pitch does not meet the above height restrictions, the umpire will state  “NO PITCH” and call a BALL.  If the batter swings anyway, it’s a live ball, whether it is a strike, foul or fair.

26.                 There are no foul-outs.  Each inning is limited to two (2) walks per pitcher.  After the second walk, the umpire will call only strikes, unless the pitcher is replaced.  If the pitcher is replaced, the new pitcher will then again be allowed to have two (2) walks that inning.

27.                 If a pitcher chooses to intentionally walk a batter, the pitcher can inform the batter to proceed to the base.  The pitcher is not required to pitch to the batter.

R U N N I N G

28.                 No leaving the base before the ball is hit.  If a runner does leave, the play is dead.

29.                 Same-gender pinch running is allowed for any reason.  The pinch runner will be the last same-gender to have made an out.