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More Info
This event has completed. This information has been preserved for archival purposes.
Join the next event in this series!
More InfoThese are the most common and/or most unique rules being used for this event. Please see "Official Rulebook" for exhaustive list of playing rules. When in conflict, rules written here shall supercede those in the official rulebook.
As a player, you are responsible for knowing all official rules of the game. By participating in the event, you are agreeing that you are aware of all rules associated with the league and the sport, and agree to abide by them at all times.
This event is intended to be FUN first. We welcome players of ALL SKILL LEVELS to our fields, and therefore set rules that ensure the safety and enjoyment of our skilled players and our novices equally.
Be supportive of one another. Fighting, excessive verbal abuse, and poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated. Event organizers reserve the rights to dismiss any player from the event without refund.
Length: All games will run 50 Minutes, finish the inning, unless there is a run rule.
Run Rules: Games will be declared over by "run rule" if the winning team is ahead by 15 runs at the conclusion of the 3rd inning, 12 runs at the conclusion of the 4th inning, or 10 runs at the conclusion of the 5th inning or later.
Extra Innings: Games tied at the conclusion of the time limit will NOT go into extra innings. In playoffs we will have the last completed at bat on 2nd and continue the inning.
Home/Away: Coin flip will happen before each game.
Umpires: Excessive arguing and/or abusive language will never be tolerated. Umpires may issue warnings and dismiss players from a game if they are found to be abusive. Event officials reserve the right to ban players from the event with no refund if abusive behavior continues.
Pitching: All pitchers will be required to use either a provided safety net or helmet safety protectors. Shin guards are highly recommended, but not required. A pitcher is allowed and encouraged to use both. A protective mask that does not provide any protection beyond the face will be deemed insufficient and require the pitcher to use the safety net.
Unsafe Throws: Outfielders are not allowed to complete force out throws to first base. Any throw from outfield to first base for the intention of a force out will be ruled a dead ball and the runner will be awarded 2nd base. Infielders brought into the outfield grass through defensive actions are allowed to complete the throw for a force out at first base.
Hitting Middle: It's not illegal, but it is dangerous and some of our novice players may not be able to control it. But for those of you that can - don't be a jerk. If you feel the other team is hitting middle a lot, don't take revenge and escalate... it's not that kind of event.
Pitching Screens: These screens are intended for safety, not to create an extra defensive player on the field. Screen must be positioned no more than three feet ahead of the pitching rubber. One of the pitching screen support legs must be lined up within the width of the pitching rubber and cannot be set to the side of the rubber. There's no multiple swapping between screen and helmet during an inning.
Pitcher Defense: If the screen is on the field, the pitcher must use it for partial protection whether or not they are also wearing safety gear. After pitching the ball, the pitcher must obtain at least partial cover behind the net and must have a portion of their torso behind the screen when the ball is struck by the batter. Once the ball is struck by the batter, the pitcher is allowed to move from behind the screen to attempt to field the ball if they can do so safely. A pitcher may field a slow moving ground ball in front of the screen if they can get to it before it hits the screen. If the ball contacts any portion of the screen, it is immediately ruled a foul ball. If the umpire sees the pitcher extending away from the net prior to the ball being struck, they may call "no pitch" and issue a warning to the pitcher to get at least partial cover behind the screen. Subsequent violations may result in automatic balls, subject to umpire discretion. Net must be set on the glove side of the pitcher.
Injury Exceptions: In the cases of injury, some rules may be bent to avoid placing players in harm's way. Coaches facing a situation that they believe requires an adjustment must discuss with the opposing coach a recommended solution. Opposing coach must approve the solution, and such approval should not be unreasonably withheld.
Injured Player / Can Not Continue: If a player is significantly injured in the course of play and cannot continue, they shall be removed from the lineup. When their batting position comes up, it shall be skipped and not counted as an automatic out. Player is unable to return to play for that game and, at a minimum, the game following. Exceptions for this rule may be made for extended breaks between games (i.e. a player injured Saturday night can play their first game Sunday if they can safely do so).
Metal Cleats: Metal cleats are prohibited. Please use soft or hard rubber cleats, or turf shoes only.
Equipment (Bats): Any USSSA 240/220-certified bat may be used in this event, provided it has the certification stamp and is not on any currently active banned lists. Bats must be in good condition, and not modified in any substantial way (i.e. shaved). Compression equipment will be onsite to test bats to ensure bats do not exceed safety standards. We reserve the right to test and disqualify any bat that doesn't pass the standard. We will hold the DQ-ed bat until the end of the tournament and it is the player's responsibility to retrieve it.
Equipment (Balls): Coaches will supply balls for this event. Each team is responsible for providing the opponent with 1 12" ball for male batters and 1 11" ball for female batters. WSL Balls will be used
Legal Rosters: All teams have been drafted with a near-even number of women on their team, and rules are set based on this expectation. Should injuries or missing players create a roster imbalance, the tourney director shall be consulted on an appropriate course of balancing to allow teams to continue play.
Defense: A minimum of 1 female players must be on the defense at all times. If only one female is present on the field, she may not play catcher.
Walks: If a male batter is walked with a female batter coming up to bat, the male batter is awarded second base and, with 2 outs, the female batter is given the option to choose an automatic walk or to hit as normal. The decision to walk is up to the sole discretion of the batter and coaches shall not force a walk on any player who wishes to hit.
Pitch Count: All batters start with a count of 1 ball and 1 strike. For extra innings or games quickened due to weather/scheduling issues, all batters start with a full count. There are no courtesy fouls.
Home Runs: Home runs are limited in this event. Each team is allotted THREE home runs without penalty. All home runs hit over the fence that are higher than the allotted total of home runs are automatically counted as an "out". Women home runs are unlimited and do not count towards team totals.
Pinch Runners: Unlimited runners may be used each inning, providing the runners match the gender of the batter they are replacing. A player may be used as a pinch runner only once per inning, and may not run for another player after having already run once before. If a player bats twice in the same inning, the same pinch runner may be used in both at bats. No player who wants to run should be forced to receive a runner. Runners have the right to reject a coaches' suggestion for a runner.
Pitching: Pitching will follow WSL pitching standards and regulations, unless specified here. There are no pump fakes in this event. A ball batted into a pitcher's screen will be ruled as a dead ball, foul ball. Pitcher must maintain contact with the rubber until the ball is released.
Minimum Innings on Defense: During Pool Play, each rostered player must complete a minimum of three defensive innings in the field. During the final tournament, the minimum innings played requirement is reduced to two.
First Team to Bat: During pool play, this is determined by a double coin flip with the umpire ahead of the game. During the winner's bracket portion of tourney play, the higher seed has the option of selecting home or away. Matches in the bottom bracket will be determined by coin flip.
5 Man: The 5th infielder must have their feet in the clay. The remaining 3 outfielders may be no closer than 10 feet from the clay. If you start an inning in a 5 man set up you must continue that setup for the remainder of the inning.
These are guidelines and rules for the event that all coaches must acknowledge and follow. Please review all rules carefully.
Show Empathy for Your Players and Your Opponents
We are all adults who are playing a kid's game. None of us are going pro, and all of us paid the same amount of money to play the game. Make sure every player on your squad feels like they are included and have an opportunity to develop their game, and be understanding of your fellow coach when they're dealing with no shows and unexpected injuries.
The First Person to Discuss Problems With: The Opposing Coach
If you have issues that are difficult to overcome, your opposing coach is the first person you discuss those with. Whatever the two coaches on the field agree to ultimately trumps many of the rules found here. When odd situations come up - do what it takes to play the game, and do so by discussing terms with your opposing coach that make both teams feel like the game will be fair.
Do Not Let Your Players Speak for Your Team
All decisions for your team come down to you and you alone. You should not invite other players to participate in rule discussions, or allow them to participate in debates over rule disagreements. As coaches, we will at times disagree and may even sometimes get testy with one another, but it is important that we keep these discussions to the back of the house and do not allow rule issues to spill over to the general players. Keep it fun for everyone and don't let the inmates run the asylum!
Win on the field, not in the rulebook.
Rules are made to be enforced, but in our game - things happen. Players get hurt, or they disappear, or they are late, etc. Please always be flexible in dealing with unusual situations. It is much more important to complete a game than it is to take a cheap, easy, rule-forced win. You don't need to put your team at a disadvantage, but at least allow the game to be interesting.
Players
All players bat, and all players rotate in the field. Even your studs should see the bench from time to time, so make sure to deploy a proper rotation so all players are seeing time on defense.
Pool Play versus Tournament Play
All coaches will lock in during the tournaments, and the expectation is certainly that the best players will play more innings. With that in mind, spend extra time emphasizing play time for your weaker players during pool play / regular season play. If they get their innings when the games are lesser in intensity, they will be happy to yield time to the strong players during more clutch situations.
Do Not Stop a Player From Participating When They Want to Participate
If someone has joined this league to get exercise, they probably do not want to have a pinch runner even if there is a faster player available. If a woman is learning how to swing, she should get more swings to practice rather than taking an automatic walk just because it is a free base. Give your players the opportunity to play and don't take bats out of hands or runners off the base unnecessarily.
Lead by Example
If you come into the dugout with an intense drive to win the game at all costs, your players will follow you. If you come into the dugout singing songs and handing out shots, your players will follow you. Somewhere in the middle of those two is the right mix for League Joe, so remember that your players are following your lead. Remember to have fun and play for the love of the game!
Substitute players are allowed for a team ONLY when the total number of rostered players is less than 10. If you are expecting less than 10, you may use the League Joe alternates list to select a player of equal or lesser value to the average of all players missing from your roster. It is your responsibility to inform the opposing coach who your sub is and who they are replacing. When using a sub of appropriate value from the League Joe alternates list, you may play and bat them anywhere in the lineup you feel comfortable.
Emergency Substitutions
Occasionally, emergencies dictate non-LJ approved subs need to be used or a player of equivalent value is not available. In these case, the substitute players must bat at the bottom of the order and play "less-essential" positions in the field (catcher, right field, 2nd base - in that order)
Playing with 9 Players
If you only have 9 players, the opposing team will loan you a ball returner behind the plate to throw the ball back to the pitcher. If Ball Returner is in the batting lineup, Ball Returner will rotate out when their turn in the lineup comes up. Pitcher should attempt to cover home plate for any plays to home.
The official rules for the sport, which may or may not be from a sanctioning body.
