TORRINGTON PARKS AND
RECREATION DEPARTMENT
MEN'S AND
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL RULES - 2008
1. The Leagues are governed by the Official ASA Slow Pitch
Softball Rule Book and all rules within the rule
Book is
superseded by any rule outlined within this text.
2. A team
may start the game with 9 players. The line-up will include ten players and the
vacant position will not be counted as
an out when it is due up in the batting order. If that position in the
line-up comes up and the tenth player has not shown up, the spot will be
skipped. When the tenth player shows up
he/she must be inserted into the line-up immediately.
3. A team
may finish a game with as few players as possible. If the line-up goes below 9
players each vacant
Spot in
the line-up will be an out. If the line-up goes from 10 to 9 players because of
an injury, the spot in the line-up will be skipped.
4. ELIGIBILITY RULE - All players to play in the league
must have full time employment in Torrington or
Reside in
the City of Torrington or live in the Town of Harwinton. They may also own real Estate property in
Assessed
value of $l, 000.00 (vehicles or motor vehicles registered in Torrington are
not considered eligible.
Up to 3
players that live in Litchfield County may play on a team. An extra Fee of $25
per player must be paid
To the
Parks and Recreation Office in order for the out of town players to be added to
a roster and play in the
League.
The
Torrington Parks and Recreation Office will enforce all eligibility rules in
2008. Any fraudulent
Information
given on a submitted roster and/or violations of the eligibility rules at any
time will result in
Expulsion
from the league. Make sure your players are eligible and legally qualify to
play in Torrington. DO
NOT RISK
EXPULSION. Any illegal
players will result in the expulsion of the manager and player for
The season and the next season. All games that the illegal player, played
in will be forfeited. The Park
And
Recreation Sports Committee reserves the right to issue the final decision on
any player's eligibility.
5. Rosters
will be frozen after June 13, 2008.
6. Each
team is allowed to carry 20 players and a playing manager. Rosters must have a
minimum of 14
Players on the roster to be accepted.
7. Men’s
League play should start April 28, 2008 and Women’s League May 5, 2008(Subject
to change).
8. Games that
must be postponed because of rain will be posted on the Recreation Department’s
city website (www.torringtonct.org)
or you can call the Recreation Department’s Hotline at 489-2270 after 3pm. The
umpire will make all decisions about games after 4:30pm.
9. No alcoholic beverages on city owned or leased property. No smoking or motorcycles on field.
Motorcycles must be parked in parking lot.
10. Teams
may use 2 Extra Hitters – Both extra hitters are considered position players
and can move between defensive positions and the EH spots. Batting order stays
the same when extra hitter becomes a defensive player and they switch. If any
extra hitter leaves the game and cannot be replaced by a player that has not
played in the game that spot in the lineup becomes an out, unless the player is
injured. Teams may bat 12 or 11 batters in their lineup, only if it is
designated so at the beginning of the game. Once the game starts teams may not
add an extra hitter or hitters to their line-up.
11. All
protests except ineligible players will be handled by the umpire on the field
at the game regular season and playoffs. A $25.00 fee, returnable only if
protest is upheld, must accompany ineligible player protest. Protest must be
filed at the Parks and Recreation Department Office within two working days.
12. All
Torrington Park and Recreation officials and umpires are considered to be
retained from the time
They leave
home until they return home following a game.
Physical and verbal abuse at any time will not be tolerated. Fines and suspensions will be leveled
against the individual(s) or team(s) involved.
13. A
10-minute grace period is allowed for the 6:00pm games only on Monday thru
Friday.
14. Only
rubber spike shoes will be allowed; no metal at all - NO EXCEPTIONS.
15. The
city is not responsible for any injuries of players or game officials.
16. A player ejected from a game may have to
appear before the Commission’s Sports Committee if the Commission’s Sports
Committee deems necessary. Fines will be set according to incident;
suspensions may carry into the following seasons. If the player does not have to appear before the Commissions
Sports
Committee
the fines are as follows: $20.00 and a two game suspension for the first time:
$30.00 and a ten game suspension for second time, which will carry into the
following season. The umpire will report all ejections. Fines must be paid before
reinstatement. Any player ejected from
a game must leave the playing field and if misconduct continues, officials may
order the player from the complex or his/her team risks forfeiture of the game
and/or expulsion from the league.
17.
Umpires and managers will be responsible for conduct of players during the
softball game. If player or
Players
are found to be acting in unsportsmanlike manner; manager will be given 1 (one)
verbal warning by
Umpire. Second offense in ball game will result in
ejection of player or players plus fines as stated in rule#12.
If umpire
can not determined which player on the bench said something, the manager will
be ejected.
18. A player
who violates his/her suspension will be suspended for a minimum of 5
games. The game that the player played
in will be forfeited. Second infraction will result in individuals' suspension
for entire season.
19. There
will be no contact with an umpire. Any participant that makes contact with an
umpire will have a
Hearing
with the Sports Committee about the incident before fines will be imposed.
20. Balls
and scorebooks will be supplied by the Parks and Recreation Department. Teams
must use the balls given to them by the department. They must be picked up at
the Parks and Recreation Office. Any team unable to produce a new, clean ball
to the umpire at the beginning of the game will be fined $10.00, which must be
paid at the office before the next game, or the game will be forfeited. Each
game will start with two new balls. The
second is to be inserted in the middle of the fourth inning.
21.
Courtesy Runner - If a team needs a courtesy runner it will be stated before
the start of the game. Only one player can have a runner per game.
The runner will be the last player out.
If an injury occurs during the game and a team has only ten (10)
players, then a second player can have a runner. If a team is using the Extra Hitter then the injured player must
leave the game. His/her spot will not
be an automatic out since their will still be 10 batters.
22. When a
defensive player has the ball the runner remains on his feet and crashes into
the defensive player. The ball is dead
and runner is out. Each other runner
must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference.
If the act is determined to be flagrant, the offender shall be ejected. An errant throw drawing the defense into the
path of the runner and contact is made the runner is not out.
23. Each
team will supply a scorekeeper. Scorekeeper will meet with the umpire between
innings to agree
On the
score. The Umpire is responsible for reporting the scores of all games.
24. Appeal
Play - Once the ball has been returned to the infield and time has been called,
any fielder,
Including
the pitcher and catcher, with or without possession of the ball, may make a
verbal appeal on a
Runner
missing a base or leaving a base too soon.
The plate umpire should then make a decision on the
Play. Base
runners cannot leave their bases during the period, as the ball remains dead
until the next pitch.
25.
Re-Entry Rule - Any player may be substituted or replaced and re-entered once,
provided players occupy the same batting positions whenever in the lineup.
Players may not re-enter a second time.
The starting player and their substitute may not be in the line- up at
the same time.
26. After
4 1/2 innings of play, a team leading by 15 runs will be declared the
winner. The home team, if
Losing, will always have a chance to bat.
27. SPEED
UP RULE - Pitcher will be allowed three (3) warm-up pitches only, no matter
when he/she enters
The game.
28. The
Pitcher has 10 seconds to pitch the ball.
If pitcher is not ready to pitch within 10 seconds batter will be
awarded a ball every 10 seconds until pitcher is ready. If batter is not ready within 10 seconds
pitcher will be awarded a strike every 10 seconds until batter is ready.
29. Any
team having two forfeits will NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR
PLAYOFFS.
30. Full
payment must accompany the roster. An incomplete
roster is unacceptable. Address,
phone and place of employment must be listed for each player. The team's choice of division must be on the
roster.
31. ONCE THE SCHEDULE IS COMPLETED FOR THE SEASON, INCLUDING
MAKE-UPS AND WHEN THE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE IS DONE, THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES TO THE
SCHEDULES!
32. No
batting practice near home plate.
33. Roster
changes must be made IN PERSON at the Parks and Recreation Office. No roster changes by
Phone, fax
or email will be accepted. There will be
a waiting period pending a review of any new players added to team rosters
after teams have been placed in divisions. A player add-on form will be
required to be submitted. Until the new player is approved, the player is not
allowed to play in any league games.
34. If the
first game of the day is canceled all following games that day will be
canceled.
35. If a
team comes in 1st place in the regular season, the next season the team will
move up a division. In some cases other teams may also move up.
36. JEWELRY RULE
No jewelry will be allowed. Jewelry must be
removed; taping will not be allowed with the exception of medical alert IDs.
IF THE RULE IS
BROKEN THE FOLLOWING WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES: The first player
in the game that is found to have jewelry on will be allowed to take it off.
That will be the only warning given to either team. Next player in the game from
either team that is found to have jewelry on will be ejected from the game.
If another
player from the same team is found to have jewelry on the game is over and that
team will forfeit the game. Neither of these violations will result in fines or
suspensions.
37. During
the Playoffs the top seeded team will be the home team. During the second round
and championship series the top seeded team will be the home team for the 1st
and if needed the 3rd games and will be the away team for the 2nd
game.
38. All
fields will be using a double first base.
39. Little
League bats are prohibited.
40. A
player can play on only one team in the league.
41. Bats
that are not approved by the ASA will not be allowed to be used in a game.
The
approved Bat list can be found in the news and notes section on www.torringtonsoftball.com.
Illegal bats:
The Park
and Recreation Department and its designated representatives reserves the right
to
Confiscate
any alleged illegal bat. This bat will be sent out to be tested. If this bat is
found to be illegal
That
player will be banned from softball for one year. The Game that bat was used in
will be forfeited. If that
Player is
found to be using an illegal bat a second time he/she will be banned from the
league with no
Reinstatement.
This is an extreme safety issue. The Park and Recreation department will not
tolerate
Illegal
use of any softball equipment.
Men’s League Rules:
1. The ball, when pitched, must be delivered with a
perceptible arc and reach a height of at least 6 feet from the ground while not
exceeding a maximum height of 12 feet from the ground.
2. Batters will start with a 0 - 0 count. A Foul on
the third strike and the batter is out.
3. Men must be 16 years of age or older to
participate.
4. Walk Off Home Runs - All home runs hit over the
fence will be a walk off home run. Players will need to touch first base only.
5. Home Run Limit Rule - A team will be allowed to hit 5 home runs in a game.
Any home runs after 5 will result in an out.
6. The top six teams in each division will make the
playoffs or teams with an 8-8 record or better. The first round of the
playoffs will be a single elimination format. First and second place
teams will get a bye in the first round. The second round of the playoffs will
be best of three. First place team will play the winner of the fourth place and
fifth place game and the second place team will play the winner of third place
and sixth place game. The winners will play each other in a best of three championship
series.
Women’s League Rules:
1. Women have to be 14 years of age or older.
2. Each team will play 14 regular season games.
3. Modified Pitch - There will be no third strike foul
out rule.
4. All women catcher’s masks must have a throat
protector.
5. The top six teams
in each division will make the playoffs. The first and second round of
the playoffs will be a single elimination tournament format. First and second
place teams will get a bye in the first round. First place team will play the winner
of the fourth place and fifth place game and the second place team will play
the winner of third place and sixth place game. The winners will play each
other in a best of three championship series.
A pitcher cannot have their
hand, or elbows go above the shoulder during the windup, otherwise this will be
considered an illegal pitch. Also the hips and shoulders should remain
square to the plate during delivery of the ball. The ball cannot be delivered
in an arc that exceeds 10 feet in height.
Ground rules for Joe
Ruwet Field:
Any ball that lands on a
fly on the blacktop in left field shall be considered a home run. Any ball that
bounces from the grass to the blacktop shall be considered a ground rule
double.