2001 PA DISTRICT 27

Junior/Senior Softball League Local Rules

1.0 GENERAL:

1.1 The purpose of the league is to teach young women how to play baseball in a competitive, yet controlled program. While each league participating in interleague play has its own goals, objectives, and methods of operation, we share a commitment to teach our players about the game of softball and about good sportsmanship.

1.2 As charter members of Little League Baseball, Inc., interleague teams will play in conformance to the rules established by Little League Baseball and published in "Official Regulations and Playing Rules", unless changes or modifications are specified as exceptions in this document.

1.3 Interleague play at the senior level will consist of two divisions: Juniors and Seniors. The Junior division teams will consist of players who are league age 13 or 14. The Senior division teams will consist of players who are league age 14, 15, or 16.

1.4 All team rosters will contain at least 12 players.

1.5 Each league is expected to balance the talent of its respective teams in each division. The deliberate "loading" of a team with "all-star" caliber players at the expense of other teams is strictly forbidden.

1.6 Each league is required to abide by an open enrollment policy. The cutting of players based upon a lack of playing ability is not permitted.

1.7 The team manager is responsible for the conduct of his coaches, players, and players' parents. Any misconduct by a manager, coach, player, or parent should be brought to the attention of the league commissioners who will be responsible for disciplining any individual(s) who display(s) unsportsmanship-like behavior. Disciplinary action can include verbal and written warnings, suspensions (ranging from one game to the entire season), and/or forfeiture of one, or more games.

1.8 In the event that a player is disqualified from play by way of action taken by an umpire in ejecting that player for unsportsman-like conduct, such player will be ineligible to play the balance of the game from which she was ejected, and she also will be ineligible to play in the next game at which she is in attendance. During this one-game automatic suspension, the ineligible player is required to be present, and in uniform, but may not participate as a player or as a base coach.

1.9 The home team manager is responsible for the cancellation of any game due to inclement weather. He/She is responsible for contacting the opposing manager and the umpire(s) at least one hour prior to the scheduled start of the game. He/She is also responsible for rescheduling the game with the opposing manager, for obtaining a field through his/her League Director, and for rescheduling umpires.

1.10 Batters may not step out of the batters box without getting “time” from the umpire. One warning per inning will be given and all other occurrences will result in an automatic strike.

1.11 The team at bat may use two adult base coaches in both the Junior and Senior leagues. This rule modification will be suspended during Tournament play.

2.0 PREGAME ACTIVITIES:

2.1 The visiting team shall be provided a minimum of 15 minutes of infield practice immediately prior to the game, if time permits, prior to the game. Priority is to be given to the visitors, the home team should make whatever arrangements necessary to warm up in advance of the visiting team or forego warmups if time is not available. Remember that the visiting team members are your guests.

2.2 The home team is responsible for supplying a sufficient number of playable "Senior Little League", or equivalent, softballs for the game.

2.3 The opposing managers and umpires are required to meet immediately prior to the start of the game to discuss ground rules. At this time, the opposing manager should be made aware of any players in attendance that will not play due to illness, injury, or for disciplinary reasons. The opposing manager should be made aware of any replacement players who will be playing in the game. At this pre-game conference, each manager should be prepared to exchange pitching logs, if requested.

2.4 The official starting time should be established at the pre-game conference.

3.0 SUBSTITUTION AND PLAYING TIME:

3.1 Each player is required to play a minimum of six consecutive outs in the field, and have at least one at-bat in each game. [EXCEPTION: A player who does not play the minimum amount of time as set forth in this rule due to the termination of a game by the ten-run mercy rule, or due to the termination for any other reason of a game that is nonetheless declared a "complete game", must start the next game she is in attendance. This exception applies to games which are terminated early due to darkness, weather, and similar, unanticipated conditions, but does not apply to the situation in which a home-team player does not get her required at-bat because she is due to bat in the bottom of the last inning and her team is ahead. It is the home-team manager's duty to assume such a possibility, and should therefore insure each player an at-bat within six innings.] The manager must make every attempt to play each player in attendance the minimum amount of time in each game; however, teams with rosters in excess of 13 players are exempt from the mandatory-playing requirement beyond the 13th player.

3.2 Re-entry (of starters) for any player is permissible provided the player being substituted for has played at least six consecutive outs in the field and batted once. The player re-entering the game may play any defensive position and return to any place in the batting order as long as a minimum of 8 players have batted since her last at-bat.

3.3 If a team does not have a sufficient number of players to play a game, replacement players may be used. In the Senior division, replacement players shall be obtained from the Junior division if possible (14 year-olds only), otherwise 14 or 15 year olds from another Senior division team may be used. In the Juniors, replacement players shall be obtained from another team in the league's Junior division.

3.4 A replacement player may not enter a game until all of the team's rostered players in attendance at the game have played at least six consecutive outs defensively and batted at least once. Should it become necessary for a replacement player to play as a starter, her position in the batting order shall be behind all regularly rostered players in attendance. Any replacement player called up to play in a game must play at least six consecutive outs defensively and bat at least once, however, this requirement notwithstanding, no replacement player shall play in favor of a regularly rostered player in attendance. Replacement players are not permitted to pitch and there is a limit of three replacement players for a game.

3.5 A team must have 8 players to start. A team will forfeit a game at any point in the game at which it cannot field a minimum of 7 players.

4.0 SPORTSMANSHIP:

4.1 A base runner is required to avoid a collision when a play is made on her at a base. This means that she can either slide into the base or sidestep a tag without going outside of the baseline. If a base runner causes a collision, she shall be called "out". If the collision is an attempt to injure another player, she is subject to ejection from the game. In any case, the ball becomes dead at the moment of contact and all runners shall return to the last base touched. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the player causing the collision prevents the defensive team from completing a double play, the base runner approaching the base where the next out could have been made shall also be called "out".

4.2 Fake tags (obstruction) on a base runner, or any action by a defensive player which causes a base runner to slide unnecessarily are prohibited. For any such action the umpire shall award each base runner an extra base at the completion of the play. Any repeated actions of this or a similar nature shall result in the ejection of the player, or players.

4.3 The use of profanity or the taunting of members of the opposing team are prohibited. Any player who uses profanity or taunts an opponent shall be ejected from the game. Repeated offenses can result in additional suspensions.

5.0 REGULATION GAME:

5.1 The optional ten run mercy rule after 5 (41/2) innings is in effect for all games. The manager of the team that is behind by ten or more runs and has batted in as many innings as the team ahead may elect to end the game and accept a loss.

6.0 ACCEPTABLE HOME LEAGUE RULES:

6.1 Home league rules are intended to make minor accommodations to the Official Regulations and Playing Rules of Little League Baseball and must never change the spirit of the game.

6.2 These home league rules are acceptable:

6.2a Five Run Rule: When the team at bat legally scores a fifth run in an inning, that inning shall be declared complete as if three outs had been registered. EXCEPTION: this rule is not in effect for the seventh and all succeeding innings.

6.2b Six Run Rule: When the team at bat legally scores a sixth run in an inning, that inning shall be declared complete as if three outs had been registered. EXCEPTION: this rule is not in effect for the seventh and all succeeding innings.

6.2c A time limit for the game may be imposed by the home team. Any game which remains tied after the agreed to time limit has expired will play one additional complete inning. Should the game remain tied at the end of the extra inning, the score shall be recorded as a tie.