G E N E R A L
1.
These by-laws were approved by consensus in March 2002.
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 Roger Daniels (DSC), the
day after the game so that the league standings can be maintained all
season.
5.
All coaches must
submit the $ 50.00 registration fee to Roger Daniels (DSC) by May 15,
2002. The funds will be used to
purchase trophies and fields for the tournament. DO NOT BE LATE!!!
6.
Please make check
payable to Roger Daniels, 400 Nestle Way, Breinigsville, PA. 18031
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 bats are now legal.
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
6:30 p.m. Both teams must share time available for batting practice prior to
6:30 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.
If a game is to be rescheduled, it is the responsibility of
the home field’s coach to arrange the time and field for the make up game.
19.
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.
20.
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
21.
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.
22.
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
23.
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.
24.
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.
25.
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
26.
Required slow pitch will have a minimum arc of five (5) feet
and a maximum arc of twelve (12) 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.
27.
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.
28.
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.
29.
Measuring the field for set up will be as follows: Pitcher
mound 45 feet from home plate – Bases 60 feet from home plate.
30.
Pitching range: Minimum 5 feet – Maximum 12 feet.
31.
Pitches below batter’s knees are considered a “NO PITCH” rule,
unless batter has made the attempted to swing at pitch.
32.
Pitches under 5 feet that hit the home plate or rubber mat,
are considered a “NO PITCH” rule.
R U N N I N G
33.
No leaving the base before the ball is hit. Each team will
receive one warning for leaving the base, on the second offense the runner will
be called “Out”.
34.
Same-gender pinch running is allowed for any reason. The pinch runner will be the last
same-gender to have made an out.
