LEAGUE RULES

April 22, 2018

(All ASA rules apply unless otherwise noted.)

GAMES: All games are 7 innings. Doubleheaders are played each Sunday with a game one start time of 5:00PM. Forfeit time for game one is 5:15PM and 5:30PM for game two. Any teams involved in forfeits will have their runs against totals adjusted at the completion of the regular season. An average of the team's runs against will be added to the team's total runs against for each forfeited game they were involved in.

BATS: The only legal bats are the A Superior Bat Company (promaplebats.com) models SB41, SB43, SB56, SB61, SB71, and SB74. Each team must make their bats available for inspection by the umpire if requested. Any other model, brand, or a bat that is altered in any way will fall under the Illegal Bat Disciplinary Rule.

SPIKES/CLEATS: Shoes with round metal spikes are illegal. Shoes with detachable cleats that screw on are not permitted. The only type of metal allowed on a shoe are plastic cleats with a metal tip that screw into the shoe itself. Please refer to ASA Rule 3, Section 6, Paragraph G.

BALLS: Each team will be given 8 softballs prior to the start of the season. The teams will then supply 1 softball per week during the regular season and the playoffs.

PITCHING: 6 foot to 12 foot arc.

BATTING: Each batter starts with a 1/1 count, with the allowance of one foul after a second strike is established.

RUNNERS: Base runners may leave the bag when the ball crosses the plate.

COURTESY RUNNERS: Each team is allowed three courtesy runners per game. Anyone on the active roster can be used as a courtesy runner as long as it does not interfere with their next at bat.

EXTRA HITTER: Each team can use up to two extra hitters (EH) who may also be interchangeable with fielding positions. No designated hitter (DH) rule is in effect.

SLIDING/BLOCKING: A) The base runner must slide or surrender when approaching any base when the defensive player has the ball and is attempting to apply a tag. The base runner may not, under any circumstances, run through or barrel over the defensive player when he has possession of the ball. The base runner may run through the bag as long as no contact with the defensive player is made and he does not have possession of the ball. If the base runner violates this rule it will result in an automatic out. B) The defensive player may not block or stand in front of any base with or without possession of the ball and must stradle, stand/crouch over top of the base, or be positioned to the side of the base when applying a tag. If the defensive player violates this rule the base runner will be rewarded the base. This rule is enforced at the discretion of the umpire.

POSITIONAL PLAYERS: Each team will field 10 positional players and all pitchers must bat. A team may start with no less than 9 players and tenth can be inserted into the lineup at any time. AN OUT WILL BE RECORDED FOR THE 10th PLAYER UNTIL THEY ARRIVE.

RUN RULE: A 12-run rule is in effect after the completion of 5 innings (4 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead) or any time after the fifth inning that a team goes ahead by 12 runs. A 20-run rule is in effect if a team is ahead by twenty runs after the completion of 4 innings. There is no run rule in the playoffs.

SUSPENDED GAMES: Any games suspended due to weather or any umpire discretion before the completion of 4 innings will be replayed. Any games suspended after the completion of 4 innings will resume where the game was halted.

LEAGUE DISCIPLINARY RULES

The WHISL disciplinary actions have no connection to ASA bylaws and are governed by the league commissioner in conjunction with a board of player representatives.

Any teams that are dismissed for violation of league rules will not be entitled to any refund or reimbursement of fees paid to the WHISL.

ILLEGAL BATS: (Illegal Bat Disciplinary Rule) Any proof that an illegal bat or altered bat has been used warrants an immediate dismissal from the league of both the player that used the bat and his entire team. THIS ISSUE IS FINALIZED AND DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER ALONE.

PLAYER EJECTION: Any player ejected for any reason during a game warrants a one game suspension for the team's next scheduled game. If the same player is ejected a second time during the same season that player will serve a two game suspension for the team's next two scheduled games. If the same player is ejected a third time during the same season that player will immediately be suspended indefinitely and a board of player representatives will meet to decide the player's status, which may include dismissal from the league.

FIGHTING: Any fighting, brawling, or excessive detrimental behavior will warrant an immediate ejection and indefinite suspension for all players involved. A board of player representatives will meet to decide the player(s) or team(s) status, which may include dismissal from the league.

ILLEGAL PLAYERS: Any teams that use non-roster players during the regular season or playoffs will warrant a forfeit of all games where an illegal player was used. The team will also forfeit all remaining games for the season. A board of player representatives will decide the team's status for future seasons.


LEAGUE PLAYOFF FORMAT
8-TEAM LEAGUE: ALL TEAMS will qualify for the playoffs.

TIE-BREAKERS: If two or more (three, four, etc.) teams are tied after regular season play, the team(s) qualifying for the playoffs will be determined by:
1) Head-to-Head Record (**Cumulative Win-Loss Record in the games played between the tied teams.)
2) Run Differential in games played between the tied teams
3) Lowest Runs Against in games played between the tied teams
4) Lowest Runs Against in games played against the remaining teams in the league (**Does not include games played between the tied teams.)

ROSTERS: All players participating in the playoffs must be on the team's roster submitted to the league and could be subject to an ID check by either the umpire, commissioner, or opposing manager. If no proof of ID is given to identify the person as a roster player he will not be permitted to play.  The roster shall consist of 22 players.  Rosters will be due to the League Commissioner by Sunday 05/27/2018.  It is the responsibility of the Team Captain to check the roster once it is uploaded to the League Website.  Any errors must be reported to the League Commissioner as soon as possible.  To be eligible for the playoffs, a player must appear in 4 games during the regular season.

PLAYOFF RUN RULE: There is no run rule during the playoffs.

QUARTERFINAL UMPIRES: Each team will be responsible to pay $20.00 per game for the quarterfinals. There will be one umpire per game.

SEMI-FINAL UMPIRES: The league will cover the cost of the umpires for the semi-finals.  There will be two umpires per game.

CHAMPIONSHIP UMPIRES: The league will cover the cost of the umpires for the championship series. There will be two umpires per game.

ROUNDS: All playoff rounds (QF, SF, and CH) are best-of-three series starting at 4:00PM. Game one forfeit time is 4:30PM and game two forfeit time is 5:00PM.

FIELDS: Highest seeds in descending order have the option of which field to play on throughout all rounds of the playoffs.

QUARTERFINALS:

#1 SEED vs #8 SEED, #2 SEED vs #7 SEED, #3 SEED vs #6 SEED, #4 SEED vs #5 SEED

SEMIFINALS:

HIGHEST SEED vs LOWEST SEED, SECOND HIGHEST SEED vs SECOND LOWEST SEED.

CHAMPIONSHIP: SEMIFINAL WINNERS

PRIZES:
RUNNER-UP: $500.00 and Trophy
CHAMPION: $1000.00 and League Championship Trophy
KENN KUCINSKI MEMORIAL MVP AWARD will also be presented to the MVP of the WHISL Championship Series.

 **UPDATED FOR 2018 WHISL SEASON