INTERCITY SENIOR CO-ED SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES

May, 2021

The following rules were implemented by the Intercity Coed Softball League Committee (ICSLC) with the intention of protecting the participants, promoting fair play and equitable competition, and preserving the recreational spirit of the league.

This set of regulations will not restate general baseball/softball rules, which govern adult softball. Furthermore, this set of regulations will not restate general slo-pitch softball rules which govern senior softball, unless stated otherwise. The ICSLC has applied its own adaptations, which are listed here.

Major Rule Changes for 2021

Refer to official rule paragraphs for completeness.

NOTE: At Duarte, the umpires will be putting the bases into the locked facility after the last game, but the players in the field for the last inning must help out by pulling the bases out of the ground and carrying them to the place where they're kept.

1.12b Bats used by men aged 70-plus may be composite or any other construction designated for softball by bat manufacturers.

1.12d Bats may be kept in a bat warmer in the open display area.

1.17 Use of protective masks are mandatory for catchers; also, for pitchers except when a pitcher’s net or screen is used.

1.19 Play-off Schedule: A Semi-Finals game will be played between the #2 and #3 best teams, followed by a Finals Championship game against the #1 team.

3.2e Designated Hitters. At the beginning of each game, team managers shall be allowed to select up to two designated hitters in 2021 on a trial basis.

3.2d Line-up Sheet Requirements expanded.

3.8 Co-ed Line Rule clarified.

3.11 Infielder/Outfielder limitations defined, including co-ed line restrictions.

4.12b Additional clarification regarding commitment line.

4.15 For safety, runners at first base and third base shall be allowed to step off the base until the ball is hit.

5.7 A pitcher’s net or screen shall be allowed between two consenting team managers on a trial basis for 2021.

1.1 All players must be 50 years of age or older.

1.2 Games will begin at 9:00 A.M. A second game on the same field will begin at the completion of the first one, or if before 10:30 when both managers are ready. In the case where only one game is scheduled, the start time will be 9:45 A.M. A 10-minute grace period will be allowed in the first game of the day.

1.3 Paid umpires will be used, with the cost divided equally between the two teams.

1.4 Rules cannot be changed at or before game time. No changes in rules can be made except by the ICSLC.

1.5 The ICSLC will appoint a League Coordinator (aka “Commissioner”), who will have discretionary authority to resolve issues regarding interpretation of the rules, official protests, or other game conflicts. The Coordinator is not authorized to make changes or additions to the rules without the concurrence of the ICSLC, other than as may be needed for clarification.

1.6 Games will be 7 innings, however no new inning will begin more than 1 hour and 20 minutes after the start of play. If a game is tied after 7 innings, extra innings will be played, within the time limit.

1.7 A 4 run mercy rule for each half inning will apply, ending the half inning when that number of runs is scored. This will not apply in the final inning where there is no limit, except in the case of a team that is ahead by 15 or more, in which case the 4 run limit will apply to that team.

1.7b Additionally, a flip-flop may only be implemented if the manager from each team agrees to it.

1.8 No mercy rule to end the game will be used, all games will end by completing 7 innings or by the time limit.

1.9 All players on a team will wear shirts with numbers on the back. The managers will exchange lineup cards, which include players’ names and numbers in batting order, prior to the start of each game.

1.10 Only the manager of a team is allowed to discuss rule interpretations with the umpire.

1.11 Players are required to wear shoes with plastic or hard rubber cleats to prevent slipping. Metal cleats are not allowed.

1.12 Bats used by men between 50 and 69 must be entirely of single wall aluminum alloy (one piece) with no separate handle and barrel. No composite bats are allowed for men in this age group.

1.12b Bats used by men aged 70-plus may be composite or any other construction designated for softball by bat manufacturers. However, these bats must be marked the same as women’s composite bats (ref. 1.12f).

1.12c Men who are over 70 will be noted as such on the roster and lineup card.

1.12d Umpires must inspect bats before the start of each game to determine if they are within the standard of the league. Bats must be displayed openly near the on-deck area throughout the game, not in the dugout. However, bats may be kept in a bat warmer in the open area, but must be removed for umpire inspection.

1.12e Use of an illegal bat will result in the batter being ejected and all base runners returning to their previous base. A second violation in a game will result in forfeiting the game. Managers must take responsibility for assuring their team’s compliance with the rule, and are subject to being suspended for a game if there are multiple violations in a season.

1.12f These bat restrictions do not apply to women players, who are allowed to use any bat intended by the manufacturer for softball. Composite bats used by women shall be clearly marked with pink or red tape or paint or a pink or red ribbon. Similar markings shall be used for men 70-plus who use composite bats. No other bats shall have these markings.

1.13 The home team will provide game balls. The official ball is the Worth Super Gold Dot Classic, or other ball that meets the league standard of low compression (325 pounds or less), CR 0.40, and optic green color.

1.14 To speed up games, after the first inning pitchers will only be allowed 4 warm-up pitches each inning, unless there is a change of pitchers, and play will start when those are completed.

1.15 Players moving between teams – During the season players may not change teams other than in rare and exceptional circumstances. Between seasons such changes require the agreement of the original team, based upon the rosters at the end of the previous season.

1.16 To avoid forfeits, a team with less than the minimum 9 players, or less than 2 women, can use a borrowed player but only up to the minimum required numbers, and a borrowed player can only play RF or C, and bat at the end of the order. If this is done the other manager must be told before the game.

1.17 Use of protective masks are mandatory for catchers. They are also mandatory for pitchers unless a pitcher’s net or screen is used.

1.18 Catchers making a putout at home may step on any part of the plate or mat.

1.19 A league schedule shall be published showing week-by-week matchups, start times and field designations for the half-season or entire season. The home team shall be assigned to the third base side dugout.

1.20 Play-offs: In the playoffs, the team with best over-all record for the entire season will sit out while #2 and #3 best teams play in a one-off semi-championship. The winner of that game will play the #1 team in a one-off for the Championship Finals.

2.1 A strike zone mat will extend from the rear of home plate, making the total dimensions of home plate plus the mat 21 inches wide and 35 inches long.

2.2 A 6 foot no return line will extend from the third base line into foul territory, at the half way point (30 feet) from home plate, and similar half way lines will be drawn between 1st and 2nd, and 2nd and 3rd.

2.3 A scoring line will extend 6 feet, starting from the outside rear corner of the right handed batters box and extending into foul territory, running parallel to the first base line.

2.4 First base will be a double size base, with the half to be used by the fielder in the normal position, and the other half extending into foul territory, to be used by base runners going from home to first. Whether or not a double base is available, it will be supplemented or replaced by a 3 foot line extending from first base into foul territory.

2.5 A line 3 feet wide across the front of the pitcher’s box will mark the bottom of the zone through which hard hit balls are automatic outs (rule 5.6). The pitcher is allowed to pitch from up to 4 feet behind the pitching rubber.

2.6 Small red cones or other markings will be placed on the left and right field lines to identify the co-ed line. They will be at 120 feet, which is twice the distance from home plate to 1st or 3rd.

3.1 A team must have a minimum of 9 players.

3.2 Teams will provide rosters to the league commissioner before the first league game. Managers will be required to submit their rosters, including verified ages of their players by doing ID checks. Men and women players can be added at any time, up until the final five games of the regular season. Players may not be added for the playoffs or championship game.

3.2b Players must have played in at least five games during the regular season to be eligible to play in the playoffs or a championship game.

3.2c A roster may have an unlimited number of players.

3.2d Team managers shall supply lineup sheets in triplicate. Prior to each game, one copy will be given to the opposing team; one copy to the umpire; and the manager will keep one copy. This will be used to track player activity to ensure that players have played in at least five games to be eligible to play in the playoffs. The exchanged rosters shall designate batting order, female players, 70-plus males, designated hitters and players needing pinch runners.

3.2e At the beginning of each game, team managers shall be allowed to select up to two designated hitters, age 65-plus, who will not be required to play defense [trial basis for 2021]. This will generally be players whose defensive skill have declined due to age. This rule doesn’t not apply to players who are injured and should not be playing at all.

3.3 Defensively, a team will consist of from 9 to 11 players, of which at least 3 must be women. In a case where a team has only 2 women players available for a game, that team will use 10 in the field, rather than 11, including the 2 women.

3.4 For games where one team has less than the minimum of two women, or less than the minimum of 9 players, the game will still be played as a practice game, evening up the teams as necessary, although the result will be a forfeit for the league standings. There is an option to avoid the forfeit using a borrowed player under certain conditions (ref. 1.16.)

3.5 When games are forfeited for any reason, the teams and the umpire are expected to play the game anyway, since it is still an official part of the Inter-City Softball League program.

3.6 If both teams have less than two women and the borrowed player option is not used, the game is canceled for the purpose of the league standings. The game will still be played as a practice game, but the result will not be counted in the league standings. Games that are canceled, or rained out, may be rescheduled at the discretion of the League Coordinator.

3.7 Women players must appear in the batting order as follows – at least one within the first four batters in the order, at least one within the second four, and the rest of the women (if there are more than two women) anywhere at the option of the team. The same batting order must be followed throughout the game.

3.8 In the outfield only one player, who must be female, can be positioned inside the “co-ed” line when a woman is batting (ref. 2.6). After the ball is hit, all players are allowed to move anywhere on the field.

3.9 Excepting designated hitters, all players in the lineup for a game must play at least two full innings in the field defensively (not a combination of partial innings). Free substitution is allowed defensively.

3.10 Players arriving late for a game may, at the option of the team’s manager, be added to the lineup, but must be placed at the end of the batting order, and their name must be in the batting order at the start of the game.

3.11 No more than 4 players, other than the pitcher and catcher, can be positioned in the infield area. The remaining players must be positioned in the outfield area. An infielder, however, may be positioned in the outfield area and still execute plays to first base from that position (subject to 3.8 restrictions). If the batter is female, all players are allowed to move anywhere on the field after the ball is hit.

3.12 When a player leaves the game, due either to injury, ejection, or leaving early, that place in the batting order will be an out the next time it comes up, then is just skipped over after that.

4.1 Base runners are responsible for avoiding collisions with defensive players. When approaching home plate, runners must run to the scoring line and avoid home plate completely – failure to do so will result in the runner being called out.

4.1b When running to first base, runners must use the base extension or line, subject to being called out, but are allowed to run to the right of the extension if it is for the purpose of avoiding contact with the fielder.

4.1c When running to 2nd or 3rd base, runners are allowed to run past the base, and as far from the base as is necessary to avoid contact with the fielder.

4.1d Runners returning to a base, after starting toward the next base, can run past the base just as they do when coming to the base from the preceding one.

4.2 Base runners will not be called out for running to the side of and/or past, rather than to a base, as long as no attempt is made in the direction of the next base. Runners who have run past 2nd or 3rd base must return and touch (or retouch) the base before continuing to the next base. This does not apply at 1st base.

4.2b Base runners running past a base must run to the side opposite from the direction from which a thrown ball will come, to avoid interfering with the throw, with the exception of when the runner is clearly making an attempt to avoid a fielder who has moved to that side.

4.3 Base runners that collide with a fielder will be called out, at the discretion of the umpire, and in cases of severe collisions are subject to ejection from the game. If contact by a base runner interferes with a fielder’s opportunity to attempt a throw to another base, the runner at that other base will also be called out.

4.4 Vocal intimidation by base runners is not allowed, subject to being called out.

4.5 A runner cannot leave the base until the ball is hit or the ball crosses the plate, subject to being called out.

4.6 Stealing bases is not allowed.

4.7 Sliding is not allowed.

4.8 No tagging or other physical contact with runners is allowed by fielders. All plays at bases and home plate are treated as force outs, so the fielder touches the base instead of tagging the runner. An attempt to tag a runner is considered interference by the fielder, so the runner is automatically safe.

4.9 Pinch runners may be used after a batter reaches base, but only for players unable to run for themselves. Teams will specify on the lineups exchanged before the game those players that are unable to run for themselves (not to exceed 5 players). This is to encourage all teams to allow more players to do base running. Any player can only be a pinch runner once per inning. Each team is allowed two pinch runners per inning, but this number of runners per inning can be extended by mutual agreement between the managers in the meeting with the umpire before the game.

4.10 A commitment line will exist half way between 1st and 2nd, between 2nd and 3rd and between 3rd and home, and once passed by a runner, the runner may not return to the preceding base, with the exception of rule 4.11.

4.11 A runner may pass a commitment line and return to the previous base if a fly ball is caught by an outfielder.

4.12 If a runner is called out for passing a commitment line and returning to the previous base, the play does not end if there are also other runners, unless that was the third out.

4.12b Additionally, if a runner rounds a base and makes an attempt to advance to the next base but does not cross the commitment line, he/she must return to the previous base ahead of the defense's play to that base. If the runner rounds a base and then elects to proceed to the next base and crosses the commitment line, Rule 4.10 applies.

4.13 Batters running to first base cannot be thrown out at first by an outfielder or rover, or by a relay from an outfielder or rover through an infielder (ref. 3.11).

4.14 When there is no play at a base, fielders must allow runners access to continue, otherwise it is interference.

4.15 For safety, runners at first base and third base can step off the base towards foul territory to avoid line drive balls to these corners. Once the ball is in play, the runner must touch the base before attempting to advance.

5.1 A strike is a pitch which, in the judgment of the umpire, travels at least 6 feet but no more than 12 feet above the ground, and lands on home plate or the home plate extension, or a pitch swung at and missed, or a foul ball.

5.2 After there are two strikes on a batter, one additional foul ball is allowed; a second foul ball is a third strike.

5.3 An intentional walk can be awarded to a batter at any time, by being announced by the pitcher.

5.4 A male batter receiving a walk on four pitches (no strikes), or an intentional walk, will be awarded two bases, if the following batter is a woman.

5.5 Bunting is not allowed. (Note: This does not apply to swinging bunts.)

5.6 No Screen: When there is no pitcher’s net or screen, balls hit in the direction of the pitcher, which in the judgment of the umpire are hit hard enough and close enough to the pitcher to be a potential hazard, are automatic outs. The pitcher’s box is scribed by a chalk line 3 feet (nominally) in width. When the pitcher moves outside of this box to field a hit ball, he or she is treated as a regular infielder.

5.7 Pitcher’s Screen: The integration of composite and other high-performance bats into senior coed softball for men 70-plus, with the wide range of skill levels, introduces new risks due to the potential higher velocity of hit balls. Therefore, for 2021 on a trial basis a pitching net or screen shall be allowed between two competing teams if either manager desires it. If only one teams elects to use the screen, that is permissible. Any pitcher using a screen shall be exempt from wearing an impact-protective face mask.

5.7b Dimensions of the net shall be 3 to 4 feet in width and 6-1/2 to 7 feet in height.

5.7c Placement of the net shall be either (1) centered with the pitcher’s box and positioned half the distance (nominally) between the official pitcher’s plate for senior coed softball and home plate; or (2) positioned directly in front of the pitcher’s plate and offset a maximum of 12 inches left or right to allow the pitcher to pitch around one side or the other. The net must always remain within the chalk lines of the pitcher’s box. Either way, the protected region is the area behind the net. Any part of the pitcher’s body outside of the net is treated as a regular infielder.

5.7d The ball shall be pitched over the top of the net and not around either side.

5.7e When a hit ball impacts any part or the net or its structure, an automatic out shall be called. Swinging bunts or soft hits that are fielded before they hit the screen shall be played as a live ball. (Regular bunts are not allowed.)

5.7f If the pitched ball hits any part of the screen structure, that pitch shall be a ball.

5.7g The net is considered part of the field. If a thrown ball in play impacts any part of the net structure, it shall be considered a live ball