Sarasota Men’s Church Softball League Rules
1) Players must attend 2 church services a month. If their church does not have a team in
the league, they may play for the team of their choice.
2) Games will be postponed for revival services or funerals only. Any other
postponements will be at boards discretion.
3) The softball may be pitched with an unlimited arc, but must be at least six feet off the
ground. Strike zone is only the plate and mat, ball must cleanly hit either one (NO
imaginary lines). Also, illegal pitch must be called while the ball is in the air.
4) Any discussion with the umpire will be by the TEAM MANAGER ONLY. The umpire will
give one warning and then the player will be ejected from the ballpark and will not play the
following game.
5) Players must wear short sleeved shirts with a shoulder seam (no tank tops), shoes
without steel cleats, and be at least 14 years old to play, unless a team is short of eligible
players and the opposing team agrees.
6) Home team keeps official score or forfeits home team advantage. If play begins and
home team doesn’t have a scorekeeper and fails to inform visiting team that they can not
keep score, thus no score was kept, home team forfeits.
7) No swearing and no tobacco/alcohol products are allowed on the field or in the dugout
at any time.
8) Each team must have 6 players on the field by game time and 8 players by the start of
the 3rd inning or the game is a forfeit. You cannot use players from another team unless
you forfeit.
9) No inning will start after the 1 hour and 10 minute time limit, however, if an inning is
already in progress, the home team must complete the inning to get their fair at bats.
There is no time limit for the playoffs. The mercy rule will be as follows:20 runs after 3 1/2
innings, or 15 runs after 4 1/2 innings (this includes playoff games). Warm ups at umps
discretion.
10) Each manager will furnish a roster which will be turned in by the first game of the
season. To be eligible for playoffs, a player must have played 5 regular season games.
Each player may only play on one team.
11) Each manager must submit a line-up card to the umpire at the beginning of each
game listing all starting players, including any EH positions. Also, list any bench players
who will be substituted in. Any substitutions during the game must be communicated to
the umpire, who will note the substituted player on the original line-up card. Players can
still be added to the end of the line-up any time before batting through the order, or at any
point if a team has less than 10 players.
12) Team manager has the option to use the EH rule or free substitution, letting all
players bat. However, batting order must remain the same throughout the game. No
player may re-enter the game after being taken out of the lineup.
13) If a team has 9 or fewer players, you may use one or two women to fill the roster.
14) The league abides by the USSSA rules, unless stated differently in these rules.
15) The league will not allow any double-wall, multi-wall, composite bat, shell, or any bat
which exceeds the BPF rating of 1.20. This includes any bat which the umpire considers
unsafe for this league. (Exception – Worth EST is legal although it says “shell”). ILLEGAL
BAT IN DUGOUT IS A WARNING. ILLEGAL BAT ON THE FIELD IS AN EJECTION.
16) Each team is limited to 4 home runs over the fence per game, after that they will be
progressive (meaning home runs will count again on a one for one basis if both teams
reach 3 home runs during the game).Each home run after 4 will be AN OUT, until
progressive rule takes effect.
17) PLEASE NOTE: It is the responsibility of the runner to avoid collisions or interference
with fielders in the event of a close play at any base. Runners should slide during a close
play (especially at home plate). If a runner does not slide and, in the judgment of the
umpire, causes contact with a fielder that impedes his ability to make a play, the runner
will be called out. In the event of a forceful collision (especially with the catcher at home)
immediate ejection will result pending further disciplinary action by the commissioner.
18) Courtesy runner rule – Each team may use one or more courtesy runners to run
bases for a player who is injured or otherwise unable to run. The runner will be the player
who made the last out, unless that person is on deck, in which case it goes back to the
previous out and so forth. The courtesy runner takes the batter’s place after the
batter reaches 1st safely. The batter who uses the courtesy runner must run to first base
himself, and must run straight through the base; he may NOT turn towards 2nd base, or it
is an out. The only exception is in the case of a home run; if the batter hits a home run he
may walk around the bases and is credited with the run. Also, once a courtesy runner is
called, it is in effect for the remainder of the game.
19) If a game is called due to rain, or the lights go out the game is considered a complete
game after the 5th inning had been completed, or after 4 ½ innings if home team is
ahead. If home team is ahead at the bottom of any inning after 4 1/2, home team wins,
otherwise the final score defers to the score at the time of the last completed inning. If a
game must be called before completing 5th inning (4 ½ if home team is ahead), it is
considered a suspended game and play will resume from where it left off when the game
is resumed at a later date.
20) Only ONE on deck batter is allowed to stand outside the dugout!
21)In any situation where the ball is thrown out of the field of play by the defense all base
runners advance one base. This includes any attempt to throw out a courtesy runner; the
courtesy runner is also advanced one base.
RULES:
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