The Bristol Indoor Softball League 2009 - 10

"Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing. "
Warren Spahn

Rules

Normal ASA softball rules apply, with the following exceptions:

• Preparation
  • Teams should consist of four male and four female players, and must contain at least 7 players. The batting lineup may include additional players up to a total of twelve (i.e. lineups of five male/five female or six male/six female are allowed) and any 8 may take the field at any time providing there are four of each sex. The batting order must alternate the sexes.
  • Teams may field two "ringers" in their lineup. These may be from a team not playing on the day or may be borrowed on the day from teams sitting out.
  • Teams may be required to provide an umpire and scorekeeper. The scorekeeper should take up a position behind home plate, and keep track of time and score using the scoresheets supplied by the participating teams. Umpires and scorekeepers must make every effort to ensure the game starts on time.
  • Before each game teams must fill out their batting lineup on the scoresheets supplied and give them to the scorekeepers.
  • League games are one hour long, consisting of two innings. Each team bats for twelve minutes at a time, rather than changing around after three outs.
  • Games must start on time. If the games fall behind schedule, this may result in the day's final game being curtailed. Therefore, each game must start no later than five minutes after the scheduled time. At this point, the clock should be started, and the team not ready to start will be deemed 'at-bat'.
• Playing Area and Equipment
  • Special indoor balls are to be used. These, along with bases and other equipment will be found in the indoor kit bag stored at the Main Hall Store. Please make sure none of these are removed from the gym, taking special care at the end of a game to return the ball.
  • The pitcher's rubber is 40ft from home plate. Bases are approximately 40ft apart.
  • The foul line runs in a straight line directly behind the apex of the plate. A fair ball is any ball which is first touched in fair territory, or which first touches the ceiling or a wall in fair territory. A ball which enters fair territory, then spins back over the foul line without being touched, or touching a wall, is foul.
• Gameplay
  • Its one pitch: a ball and batter walks, and strike and they are out.
  • A ball hitting the back wall on the full is a home run. All runners retire straight to the dugout, it is not necessary to run the bases.
  • Bunting is allowed!
  • An inning cannot end on a Base on Balls. If the last-called batter is walked the defensive team must continue until a pitch that is not a called ball.
• Scoring
  • The batter scores 5 points for a home run, else they score a point for each base reached on their hit. i.e. 1 point for reaching first, 2 for second, 3 for third and 4 for an inside home run. If the batter is put out at any stage during their at bat, they score no points, regardless of how far around the bases they have progressed.
  • In addition, one point is scored for each runner (other than the batter) that crosses home plate. (e.g A runner that stopped at second on the previous at bat, scoring two points, will score a further point if they cross the plate.)
  • If an out is made, one point is deducted from the batting team's score. Following a home run, the ball may still be caught off the back wall. The home run stands, but a point is deducted for the out.
  • Captains should check the arithmetic after the game. Game scores will not be changed by the Organizer later, even if arithmetical mistakes are spotted.
• Groundrules
  • The ball may be caught off the ceiling, any wall or wall-mounted fixture and the batter is out.
  • A hit which lodges in the hanging curtains is a ground rule single, and the batter and any runners are awarded one base.
  • The ball remains live if thrown into foul territory and must be retrieved by the fielding team before 'time' can be called. If a ball is deflected or thrown into a dead area, such as the hanging curtains, time is called and each runner is awarded the base they were going to, plus one base.