Denville PAL Girls’ Softball

Senior Division Rules

 

 

  1. The Senior Division will follow the current Babe Ruth rule book.
  2. The following are exceptions or clarifications to the Babe Ruth Rules:
    • Legal games shall be six innings in length. All rules in the Babe Ruth rule book pertaining to length of the game should be modified by one less inning to reflect the shorter game.
    • If the top of the fourth inning has been completed and the visiting team is losing by 10 or more runs, the game is over. If the bottom of the fourth inning has been completed and the home team is losing by 10 or more runs, the game is over.
    • The game will start with the available players as long as each team has a minimum of 8 players. If a team has 7 players, they will be allowed to add 1 or 2 players to the lineup from another team to enable the game to continue.  Those players may not play the pitcher or catcher position.  They must bat at the bottom of the order.
    • Games that start at 6:00 PM can not begin a new inning after 8:00 PM if there is another game scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM. Games that start at 8:00 PM can not start a new inning after 10:00 PM.
    • The umpire will have the final decision on calling games due to rain or darkness. Field #3 lights may be turned on to complete a game.
    • Each girl on the roster must play a minimum of three innings in the field.
    • Each pitcher is limited to pitching four innings per game.
    • Each team will follow a permanent batting order that must include all players in attendance, including those not playing defense in a given inning. Players arriving after the start of the game must be placed at the bottom of the order.
    • 10 defensive players may be used in the field.  If 10 players are used, four outfielders must start each play in the outfield grass.  Outfielders must remain in the outfield grass until the pitch is released.
    • The strike zone for this division runs vertically from the batter’s knees to her armpits and runs horizontally from 3” off the outside edge of the plate to 3” off the inside edge of the plate. This strike zone should be communicated to the umpire prior to the start of each game.
    • The distance from the back of home plate to the pitchers mound is 40 feet. The distance between base paths shall be 60 feet.
    • Steeling is permitted.  The player may lead once the ball reaches the plate.  If a runner leaves the base early, the runner is out.
    • There is no infield fly rule.
    • There is no dropped third strike rule.
    • The inning is over when three outs are recorded or after 10 players bat, which ever comes first. When the tenth batter comes up to bat, all players and coaches must be informed by the scorekeeper or coach of the team at bat. The tenth batter will be the third out regardless of how many outs there are. The tenth batter will bat as normal.  They can walk, strikeout, or hit.  Defensively, the 10th batter will be treated as if there are two outs.
    • A 12 inch softball will be used for game play.
    • Bunting is permitted.
    • Once the ball is secured in the pitchers circle, the runners must decide whether to continue to the base they were headed or to stop and return.
    • If a batter is hit by a ball and is in the batter’s box when hit, and the pitch is not called a strike, the batter will be awarded first base. The umpire will use judgment to determine if the batter made an effort to get out of the way.
    • If the batter hits or misses and throws the bat, the umpire will issue a warning to the batter and the coach. If the bat is thrown a second time by the same batter, the batter will be called out.
    • On a non-force out at second, third, or home plate the runner has the option of sliding or going into the base standing up. The runner may not interfere with the fielder making the play. If the umpire feels there is interference, the runner shall be called out.
    • Pitchers are limited to five warm-up pitches. If the catcher does not have her equipment on, an alternate should be ready to warm up the pitcher. If another player is used to warm-up the pitcher, that player must wear a catcher’s mask.
    • Obscene language or abusive behavior by coaches, players, or fans will not be tolerated.
      • Coaches or players ejected from the game and may be subject to suspension or termination. They will leave the field area if ejected by the umpire.
      • Fans will be ejected from the field after one warning from the umpire. Game play will be suspended until the offending fan is removed.
    • If less than 24 hours notice is given when a team does not have enough players to make a minimum team, the offending team shall forfeit the game.
    • If a game needs to be rescheduled, the home team must contact the rescheduler within 48 hours or forfeit the game. To help simplify communications to the parents of your players, the schedules will be posted on our league website. Please email corrections and updates to Tony Baldassari at tonyb4@optonline.net.
    • An umpire will be provided for each game. If the umpire does not show up by 6:45, a parent, spectator, or coach will be used.
  3. Playoffs
    • A championship tournament will be held at the end of the season.
    • All teams in the division will participate in the tournament.
    • Playoff seeding will be based on a point system; 3 points for a win, 2 points for a tie, 1 point for a loss, and 0 points for a game not played. Forfeits will be considered a game not played for the forfeiting team and a win for the opposing team.
    • The winning team must email game results to Tony Baldassari at tonyb4@optonline.net within 24 hours of the game. Results will be posted on the league website. Failure to email results may impact playoff seeding. Results should be emailed with the following information:
      • Division
      • Date of Game
      • Coach reporting results
      • Winning team name & score and losing team name & score

To make our program fun and competitive, the rules will be modified if needed. Our main objective is to have Denville’s PAL Girl’s Softball program rules track the rules of our licensing organization and have our players subject to the same standards of play as their peers throughout New Jersey and the rest of the country.