VILLAGE OF PLEASANT PRAIRIE

LAKEVIEW RECPLEX
Park and Recreation Department

2009
Adult Softball Rules
and Regulations
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Player and Team Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

General Pleasant Prairie Softball Rules . . . 2

General Game Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Men's and Women's Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Coed Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
(i)
PLAYER AND TEAM CONDUCT
Officials, team managers, and players are respectfully requested to do their full share in
maintaining proper conduct on the field
field. The use of any intoxicant on Village property will
subject the offender to suspension and possible arrest. The use of profane language is
expressly forbidden, and game officials are instructed to order any player from the game
who violates this rule, and to report the name of the offender to the Park and Recreation
Department for proper action. Any player ejected from the game by an umpire may be
suspended for the next two scheduled games in that league
league. Suspension requires a write
write-
up from umpire and a review by the Park and Recreation Department. Sports Department
has the right to shorten or extend the suspension based on the incident involved.
A player put out of a game for unsportsmanlike conduct (foul language, demonstration
over a decision, etc.) will miss the next two games that are played. For a second offense
off this
thi nature,
t the
th Park
P k and d Recreation
R ti Department
D t t will
ill contact
t t the
th player
l and
d th
the
manager about appropriate disciplinary action.
Threatening an umpire verbally or physically, before, during, or after the game will result in
a 30 day suspension from participating in all Park and Recreation Department sponsored
activities.
Players put out of a game for pushing or shoving an umpire or an opposing team member
will be suspended from the league and may lose their privileges to utilize Prairie Springs
Park. Each incident will be reviewed by the Park and Recreation Department and
appropriate suspensions will be issued per incident.

Note: The Park and Recreation Department has authority to suspend offending
participants from its recreation activities for any part of a season, for the entire season, or
for life, depending on the type of misconduct and the circumstances involved in the
incident.

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GENERAL PLEASANT PRAIRIE SOFTBALL RULES
All rosters are frozen for the entire season after the second game is
played.
Managers or Assistant Managers must have a copy of their official team
roster on them at every game and a copy of the rules.
In case of rain,
rain managers only should call the Park and Recreation Department
to find out if games are to be played. (Umpires should phone in.) Please do
not call the Park and Recreation Department until 4:00 pm or check the
website www.recplexonline.com . The umpire will determine if the fields are fit
to p
playy after 5:30 p
pm on the day y of scheduled ggame.
Managers or captains may discuss play situations with the umpire, but not on
ball or strike or safe and out calls. This is the judgment of the umpire.
Managers, captains, or players, mouthing off on such calls shall be removed
from the game. On rule interpretation, if you feel the umpire is wrong, notify
the umpire you are protesting and get on with the game.
All protests involving rule interpretation, if valid, will be replayed at the end of
the season, if the game has a bearing on first place. The protested game will
start from the point of the protest.
Each team must have a score book and keep the results of both teams. First
and last names should be in the score book in case of a player protest.
Umpires reporting teams with no score books will have their next game
forfeited if they fail to have a score book at that time.

2
Only team personnel shall be allowed on the players bench. Failure to abide by this rule
when warned by the umpire will result in forfeiture of the game.

On any fly ball within the infield that is not covered by the infield fly rule, if in the judgment
of the umpire the fielder intentionally drops the ball, the batter is out and the base runner
cannot be forced out.

Any player who (in the judgment of the umpire that has jurisdiction over that play) throws
throws,
blocks, or does any other unsportsmanlike act that is hazardous to the opponent, shall be
immediately ejected from the ball game. The Park and Recreation Department will notify
him/her of the suspension from all activities by letter.

A base runner shall have the right to the base line except when a fielder
f is fielding
f a batted
ball or has possession of the ball. Otherwise, the base runner has the right to advance
unobstructed from one base to another. Whenever (in the judgment of the umpire) he/she
is prevented from doing so, the umpire should award him/her the base. In the calling of
the plays, the umpire will have to decide whether it was an honest attempt to reach the
b
base or whether
h h iit was an unsportsmanlike lik act. All b
base runners must avoidid collision
lli i at
any base.

When a defensive player has the ball and is waiting for the runner and the runner remains
on his/her feet and deliberately, with great force, crashes into the defensive player, the
runner is to be declared out, the ball is dead and all runners must return to the last base
touched at the time of the collision. If the act is determined to be flagrant, the offender
shall be ejected.

When more than one game is scheduled,

scheduled there will be no infield practice
practice. One game will
follow the other as soon as ground rules are explained by the umpires.

3
There is a rule in our softball leagues that there shall be no smoking by the
players or anyone connected with the ball game on the field by the player’s
bench during the time the game is in progress. If you must smoke, you will
need to step outside the playing area.
No metal cleats can be worn.
If someone starts bleeding during the game (i.e., bloody nose, cut hand, etc.)
that person needs to come out of the game until the bleeding has been stopped
or is
i b
bandaged
d d properly.
l

4
GENERAL GAME RULES
A team consists of 10 players and no game will be considered an official game with less than
9 players. If a team has 9 players and it is the scheduled starting time of the game, the
game must start.

Optional Grace Period: If Team A agrees to give Team B the optional grace period of 5
minutes, Team B must have 9 players ready to play before the clock reaches the 55 minute
mark. HOWEVER, Team A can decline the Optional Grace Period and take the forfeit if they
so choose. Game time will be 55 minutes if Grace Period is awarded.

A team may not have a player under the age of 18 on its roster.

Two strikes are out whether the ball is caught or not. Three balls advance the batter instead
of the usual four. Any second strike that is a foul, batter is out.*See each league for special
strike
t ik rule
l when
h titime lilimitit iis b
being
i applied.
li d
Before delivering the ball to the batter, the pitcher shall take his pitching position. His arms must come to a
rest, holding the ball in one or both hands in front of the body of the pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s
plate. He must deliver the first time his pitching arm passes his hip. Pivot foot must stay in contact with
the plate until the ball has left his hand
hand, with no restriction on position or movement of free foot
foot. Except
Except, if
a step is taken, the step can only be forward or backward. After the pitcher releases the pitched ball, there
are no restrictions on his movements.
55 feet pitching distance - Men
50-55 feet pitching distance - Coed
50 feet p
pitchingg distance – Women

BATS- must be on 2 of 3 approved lists. (NSA, USSSA and ASA)

5
The ball must be delivered at a moderate speed underhand (below the hip) with a
perceptible arc (from the time it leaves the pitcher’s hand) of at least six feet and not
more than 12 feet above the ground, before the ball reaches home plate. Speed
and height are left entirely to the judgment of the umpire.

The umpire shall warn the pitcher if the pitch is delivered as a fast pitch. If they repeat
such a fast pitch after the warning, the pitcher shall be removed from the mound. (That
player can play any other position.)

Illegal pitch. In each case, an illegal pitch shall be declared a ball in favor of the batter
by the umpire. The ball shall be dead until put in play again at the pitcher’s box.
however, if the batter strikes at any illegal pitch, it shall be a strike and there shall be no
penalty for such illegal pitch and the ball shall remain in play if hit by the batsman.

If a pitcher desires to walk a batter intentionally, he may do so by notifying the plate

umpire who shall award the batter first base. When three balls are declared by an
umpire on a batter, the ball is dead.

Under no condition is a runner permitted to steal a base. He may leave his base when a
pitched ball has reached or passed home plate. The runner is allowed one courtesy step
after the ball passes home plate.

A base runner shall be declared out and the ball immediately dead if he leaves his/her
base while the pitcher has the ball in pitching position or before a legally delivered ball
has reached or passed home plate.

Any game stopped

A t d because
b off time
ti lilimitit no matter
tt what
h t iinning,
i shall
h ll constitute
tit t a llegall
ball game.
It’s an automatic disqualification if the bat is thrown.

6
Batter is out if he/she bunts or chops the ball downward. (Ball is dead.)
Strike zone is the space over home plate which is between the batter’s shoulders
and the topp of his/her knees when the batter assumes his/her natural stance.
A game called by the umpire shall be regulation if five or more complete innings
have been played, or if the team second at bat has scored more runs in four or
more innings than the other team has scored in five or more innings. The umpire
is empowered to call a game at any time because of darkness, rain, fire, panic, or
other
th causes which hi h place
l th
the patrons
t or players
l iin peril.
il
Any game stopped because of time limit no matter what inning, shall constitute a
legal ball game.
All games are seven innings and/or time limit.
Extra innings will be played if the game is tied after the bottom of the seventh
inning. The team to first win an inning in extra innings will be declared the winning
team.
Re-entry rule: a player is allowed to come back into a game as long as he/she
maintains
i t i same positioniti iin th
the b
batting
tti order
d ththey started
t t d iin.

Courtesy Runners
Players
y who are hurt should not pplay.
y If a p
player
y requests
q a courtesyy runner due to
an injury during a game, they are allowed only two opportunities to do so. If a
player chooses to play injured, then they need to play all facets of the game -
offensive, defensive, base running, etc.

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Men's Rules
Minimum to start game: 9 players
Maximum players on the field: 10
Maximum batting: 11
(with one designated as extra hitter)

Pitching distance: 55 feet

Base distance: 65 feet
7 inning games
Time limit per game (minimum): 60 minutes or 7 innings whichever comes first. At the 50 minute mark, a 2-2
count will apply at the new inning or 2 balls and 1 strike.

Slaughter rule: 20 runs after 3 innings 15 runs after 4 innings and 10 after 5.
4 Homeruns plus one rule on First Banking Center Field Only. ( All Mens.)
Mat only ( Classic) Plate and Mat strike zone

Women's Rules
Minimum to start game: 9 players
Maximum players on the field: 10
Maximum batting: 11
(with one designated as extra hitter)

Pitching distance: 50 feet

Base distance: 65 feet
7 inning games
Time limit per game (minimum): 60 minutes or 7 innings whichever comes first. At the 50 minute mark, a 2-2
countt will
ill apply
l att the
th new inning
i i or 2 balls
b ll and
d 1 strike.
t ik

Slaughter rule: 20 runs after 3 innings 15 runs after 4 innings and 10 after 5 innings.
Mat and Plate are the strike zone

8
Coed Rules

Minimum to start game: 9 players

Must have 5 women or more to start game
Maximum players on the field: 10 (5 women - 5 men)

2 women infield - 2 men infield/2 women outfield - 2 men outfield

1 male or female catcher and/or 1 male or female pitcher

Note: You can have more females playing than males. You can have 12
hitters in your line-up as long as there are 6 male and 6 female.

If a male
l draws
d a walk,
lk the
th female
f l has
h the
th option
ti tot either
ith walk
lk or bat….
b t att anytime.
ti

Pitching distance: 50’ Option for Ladies 55’ Men

Base distance: 65 feet
7 inning
gggames

Time limit per game (minimum): 60 minutes or 7 innings whichever comes first. At the 50
minute mark, a 2-2 count will apply at the new inning or 2 balls and 1 strike.

Slaughter rule: 20 runs after 3 innings,

innings 15 runs after 4 innings,
innings 10 runs after 5

Plate and mat will be the strike zone

2 warm-up pitches between innings

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Notes:
 LakeView RecPlex
9900 Terwall Terrace
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158

LakeView RecPlex.: (262) 947-0437

LakeView RecPlex Fax: (262) 947-8204
Web: www.recplexonline.com
Weather Hotline: 947-3624