Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center

 

 

Men’s Softball League – General Rules

 

 

Revised October 2017

 

 

Changes from most recent version are noted in red italics.

 

 

 

 

 

ASA rules in effect with the exception of the following league rules.

 

 

 

 

 

1. Time – Games will be 60 minutes or 7 innings.   A new inning will not be started if there is less than 1 minute on the clock. Home team is listed second. Official game time will be kept and enforced by the umpire.  Forfeit time is 5 minutes after scheduled starting time.  Any team that willfully forfeits prior to the end of the game will result in a forfeiture of their next game as well.  The time limit is not in effect for the semi-finals and championship game.

 

 

2. Regular Season Number of players/Pick up rules –
• Every team must start with a minimum of 7 roster players.
• Each team may pick up a maximum of 2 3 players in total. (7=3, 8=2, 9=1)
• If a team has 7 of its own and can only find 1 pickup it can will use a catcher supplied by the opposing team, but it will count as an out in the lineup. 
• A team must have 9 8 players minimum to start a game, otherwise the game will be ruled a forfeit.  A forfeit will result in a 7 – 0 loss. 
• You may not add a pick-up player once the game has started (exception: injury).  A team may finish a game with eight players.  If a player leaves early or is ejected, the batter is counted as an out.  If a player is injured he can be replaced by a pickup player (not an out) to bring the team up to a maximum of nine players.
• Pickups may be picked from either division but will be restricted to positions 1B, 2B, C, P, RF and they must bat last. Pickups may NOT hit Home-runs; they will be counted as an out.
• Only registered JCC players may play in the league.  

 

 

GAMES MAY NOT BE RESCHEDULED DUE TO ANTICIPATED LACK OF ATTENDANCE.  FORFEITURE RULES WILL APPLY.

 

 

3. Late players – Late players arriving after 3 complete innings, are ineligible to play in that game.  Late players arriving before 3 complete innings are inserted immediately into the last spot in the batting order.

 

 

4. Line-up – Line-ups must be submitted to scorekeeper site director by game time. 

 

 

5. Re-Entry – Unlimited defensive re-entry rules in effect.  Players may re-enter on defense for one another at any time, but batting order remains the same.

 

 

6. Injury – In the event of injury or emergency, a team may finish with a minimum of 8 players.  If a team falls below 8 players, they will forfeit that game, regardless of the current score.  An eligible pick-up player may be added during the game in case of injury to bring the roster back to 9.  In the event a player is injured during a game and cannot continue to play, his position in the lineup may be skipped without an out.

 

 

7. Count – Batter begins at-bat with a 1 ball, 1 strike count.  A foul ball with 2 strikes is an out.

 

 

8. Permanent runners – 2 permanent runners will be allowed per game, but must be announced to the umpire prior to the start of the game. The following was moved from rule 9. Any player may be used as a substitute runner, but if that player is due up while still on base, he will be removed from the base and take his turn at bat. The out will be on the base. The runner must enter prior to next pitch thrown.

 

 

9. Courtesy runners - Courtesy runners will be allowed only for injury. Unlike the permanent runner rule in which any player may run, a courtesy runner must be the last batted out or the next available based on batted out sequence.

 

 

 

 

 

10.  Intentional walks – No pitches required

 

 

11. Sliding – On close plays, runners must slide into bases or make an attempt to get out of the way or they will be declared automatically out.  Flagrant attempts to injure another player will be subject to ejection from the game (by umpires) and the league without a refund (subject to discretion of league commissioner).  Fielders cannot block base without the ball.  No fake tags.

 

 

12. Run rule – 20 run rule is in effect after 4 innings and 15 after 5, for all games including the playoffs and Championship Games.

 

 

 

 

 

13. Flip Flop Rule: In an inning when the run rule is exceeded and the home team is losing, the home team will stay up to bat and bat as a visiting team. If, after 3 outs, they were not able to reduce the run difference, the game will be over.  If they are able to reduce the run differences, the visiting team will come up to bat and continue the game as normal.  The flip/flop rule will reinstate itself any time this situation occurs. This rule will not apply in any post season games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. Home-run Rule:  Home Run Rule is 2/1-up. After hitting 2 home runs, you cannot have more than 1 home run greater than your opponent. All additional over the fence Home Runs are outs. The 1-up rule applies throughout the entire game, including extra innings. The Home team may go 1-up to win the game. In the event a fielder makes contact with the ball prior to the ball landing in the out of play area beyond the home run fence, an error shall be scored with a four base award and will not count toward the home run total. Whether the batted ball is scored as an error or a home run shall be solely in the judgment of the umpire. To be declared a home run or a 4-base error, the ball must make contact with the out of play area beyond the fence.  If it was going over anyway and the player tips it and it still goes out, that is NOT an error.
15. Strike Zone Mats- We will be using strike zone mats. In accordance with ASA standards, it will be 26” long. Any ball hitting the plate or mat will be called a strike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16. Ties – In case of a tie, regulation innings will be played until time has expired.  If time has expired 1 extra inning will be played.  Each player will receive only 1 pitch and the last out from the previous inning will start the inning on second base.   If the game is still tied, a tie will be recorded in the won-loss record of each team.  Playoff games shall continue until a winner is determined.

 

 

 

 

 

17. Uniforms – All players should wear their official JCC or otherwise approved team shirt.  No metal spikes. Rubber cleats are recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

18. Trades – Trades between teams may occur only before the first game of the season with the approval of the league commissioner, captains and players involved.  Rosters are frozen after this point.

 

 

19. Team formation and Rosters – All teams will have a minimum of 12 players and maximum of 18 20 players.  New players (players having not played the previous season) and without a team, will be placed on a team by the league administrator.  Teams may add new players who properly register through the 5th game of the season when roster will become final. Once you reach 12, you may add 4 additional players to the roster at no cost.  It is up to the team manager how to distribute the savings, but the 12 will be charged the full amount.  These individuals must be named at the beginning of the season and I will need full contact details for these individuals.  A player must play in at least 3 games in order to be eligible for the playoffs.  If a team wins by forfeit, every player on the roster is credited with a game played. Registrations for the required minimum must be met prior to the start of the second week of the season or the team will not be eligible to play until that minimum is met and all games will be forfeited until the team becomes eligible.
20. Divisions-For the Fall there will be 4 divisions and Spring Seasons there will be 2 divisions based on record (unless otherwise decided by the league commission).  The summer season will have 1 division unless the number of teams expands and a second division is warranted. Each two division season, 2 teams from each division will swap divisions.  This will be determined as follows:

                    The bottom 2 teams of division a will move to division b.

                    The top team plus the champion of division b will move to division a.  If that happens to be the same team, the team with the second best regular season record will be moved.

    (Exception to this rule will apply if redistribution needs to be made to even out divisions or if B team voluntarily opts not to move up.)

     

 

 

 

 

 

21. ILLEGAL PLAYERS:  All legal players will be listed on the website roster.  Any game that has an illegal player participating will be forfeited. This forfeit could be determined at any time for regular season games.  For a playoff game, the protest must be made during the game to result in a forfeit. A valid protest made after the game will result in the violating team being charged with a loss, either eliminating them from the playoffs or preventing a continuation in the loser’s bracket after a first loss.   A violation of this rule may result in a manager suspension for up to 3 games and/or revocation of duties as a manager. Players must have ID present (or in car). In the event a roster is questioned and ID verification is required, this will take place at the end of the game and a violation will result in a forfeit. Personal verification of identity can be made by league commissioner.

 

 

22. Ejections – Any player ejected from a game must leave the softball field and the premises.  Failure to leave premises will result in team forfeit and ejection from the league.  1st ejection – remainder of game and next game.  2nd ejection – suspension from league, including playoffs, without a refund.

 

 

23. Verbal Abuse or Physical Abuse - Excessive verbal or physical abuse of any official including umpires, opposing players, scorekeepers or league officials, will be subject to a warning the first time, and could result in an ejection at the umpires discretion.

 

 

24. Inclement weather – In case of inclement weather a complete game will be 4 innings.  After these requirements are met, any additional inning must be completed or score will revert back to the last complete inning.

 

 

25. Protests – Any protest must be declared to the umpires and the league commissioner at the field at the time in question.  All protests must be put in writing and given to league commissioner within 24 hours.  After consultation with the umpires, a final decision will be reached prior to the next game.  Protests involving umpire’s judgment will not be considered at any point during the season.  All protests and disputes involving ejections will be brought before the Adult League sub-committee for a decision.

 

 

26. Standings – Current league standings will be posted www.leaguelineup.com/levisjcc.

 

 

27. Playoffs – The playoffs will consist of a double elimination playoff tournament.  In case of ties, head to head records will determine finish.  If tiebreaker is still not determined, runs allowed during the regular season will be used as the tiebreaker.  If tiebreaker is still not determined, coin toss will determine finish.  Home team is highest seeded team.  Teams will be seeded according to their final regular season standings and these seeds will apply throughout the entire playoffs.  No reseeding will take place between rounds.  Run rule is in effect. NO PICKUP PLAYERS ALLOWED DURING THE PLAYOFFS.  (Playoff format is subject to change based on schedule changes during the season due to weather or other unexpected circumstances.)

 

 

28. Illegal Bats – All bats must be sanctioned by ASA, NSA, or USSSA and must be made after Jan 1 2013. Senior bats are not permitted, nor are the Miken Ultra II.

 

 

29. Pitch Height – Legal pitches must arc at no lower than six feet and no higher than 10 feet.
1. Pitching Net Rules:
   1. 1. a batted ball that hits the screen on strikes one and/or two, is a dead ball. We do not play with an extra foul, therefore, if a third strike hits the screen, the batter is out. Treated as a foul ball. 
      
      2. a thrown ball that hits the screen is a live ball  

 

 

30. Safety Bag – Batter must use safety bag at first when overrunning a base hit. Defense can appeal if runner does not use safety bag.
31. MANAGER RULE:  Any manager that misses more than 2 consecutive meetings or fails to have team representation in seasons where their team is playing will forfeit their position as manager. 

 

 

 

32. Rain outs – In the event of a rain out, managers will be notified by text message and will be responsible for notifying their team. For any questions, call (561) 852-3231.  But call your manager first!

 

 

Rain outs will be made up on the first available date following the rainout and may result in a double header.

 

 

 

 

 

ASA Rules