MAJORS SOFTBALL RULES

General:

• Except for the following, all other rules will follow the IGHSAU Rules.   

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Eligibility:

• Girls graduating from the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

• 8th grade girls may play both high school and NWIGS. Once a player pitches 7 innings for high school team (Freshman, JV, or Varsity) they will no longer be able to pitch for NWIGS.

NOTE: The purpose of this rule is to remove the tough fast ball pitcher in 8th grade and provide her with high school challenges thus not intimidating mediocre 7th graders.  A superior outfielder or 3rd base person, for example, would have a hard time dominating the game like a superior 8th grade pitcher. We recommend that if a girl plays Varsity, that she not play in the NWIGSL.  Final decision will be left to each town's league representative.

 

Field/ Ball:

• Pitching distance 40 feet.  Bases 60 feet.  12 inch ball with raised seams-team may provide their own ball to the umpire

 

Game:

• Games will be 7 innings – no new inning starts after 90 minutes.  

• No infield will be taken on the field.  Infield can only be taken in foul territory or in the outfield.

• The game will consist of 7 innings and must finish with a complete inning.  However if a tie after 7 innings and time permits the following tie breaker rule will be used, last batter the inning before will start on 2nd base with 0 out, until one team is ahead after a completed inning or time expires.

• A team line-up and batting order will be exchanged between teams before the game starts.  Have line up card ready to exchange.

• Only 5 runs allowed per inning.

• The game is concluded if one team is ahead by 12 or more runs at the end of 3 or 4 innings or 10 runs after 5 innings.   

• The umpire is empowered to suspend a game at any time because of weather or other causes.  The umpires will wait a minimum of 20 minutes to see if conditions improve enough to play.  A suspended game resumes at the exact point where it was suspended.

• The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time because of darkness, weather, or other causes which put the players or fans in peril.  A game called by an umpire shall be regulation if 4 innings or more have been completed or if the team second at bat has scored more runs in 3 innings than the first team at bat has scored in 4 innings. Batting:

• Bunting is allowed.

• A coach has the option of batting any numbers of Batters from 9 up to the entire roster (if less than 9 must take an out for those spots)  

• If a batter throws a bat, the umpire will warn the batters.  Throwing the bat a second time will result in the batter being called out and the ball declared dead.

• Batter CAN run on a dropped third strike.

 

Base Running:

• Stealing is allowed.

• The base runner may leave the base after the ball leaves the pitchers hand.

• The base runner must avoid contact if played on at a base.  Sliding is the preferred method to avoid contact, if there is no play, no need to slide.

• A fielder may only block the base if they have possession of the ball.

• In field fly rule DOES apply.

• Only two base coaches are allowed on the field at one time.

• All players must remain in the dugout except the on deck batter.

• COURTESY Runner may used for Pitcher/Catcher  (must use the last out in the order (who is not Pitcher or Catcher)

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Obstruction by the Defense: 

Watch for fielders standing on the base or in the way of a base runner.  At the end of the play you will award bases.  The runner will get the base or bases they were going to get to if they had not been obstructed.  Fielders can only be in the way of a base runner if they have the ball.

 

Pitching:

• The umpire may call an illegal pitch in extreme rule infractions. 

• In most cases, the coach will first be asked to help the pitcher correct the infraction.

• Have slides available in each town for umps.

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Warm up pitches:

7 warm up pitches are allowed when a pitcher enters the game for the first time.  5 warm up pitches between innings.

 

Protective Gear:

• All batters, base runners, and players in the on deck circle MUST wear a helmet with face guard and chin straps.

• All catchers must wear complete protective gear.

• Players warming up pitchers must wear a face mask.   No metal cleats are allowed.

 

Players and Substitutions:

• A team shall consist of 9 players.

• A game may be played with 7 players and will be forfeited with less than seven.  If a team plays with less than 9 players, an automatic out will be recorded at the time of the batting rotation where the missing player(s) would bat.

• Players reentering must bat in the same batting order they started the game in.   

• During the regular season and tournament a team may borrow players from the younger age group.  Coaches must play the players on the roster before playing borrowed players.  You may only pull up girls from the team below you i.e. minor 1 up to major 1.  No cross over of players i.e. 1 mini, 2 minor, 3 major.  In the vent you do not have equal numbers of teams at each level, the girls from the lower levels shall be split equally between the older teams.  These girls should be on the roster for that team.  Once a girl is on the roster for a team, she must play only for that team.  A minor cannot play for 2 different major teams.

• Pitchers can only pitch for one team -minis, minors, or majors-throughout the season and tournament.

• Roster on rain out-if your team has more than one team, the team may pull up from respective team number (example:  Minor 1 team may pull up from Mini 1 team).

• Must play in the field and at bat in order to call it an inning 

• When a ball is pitched and rolls or bounces and then hits the batter the batter does not take their base. 

• If a player gets injured, it will not result in an automatic out in their next at bat.  If the injury occurs on the bases, the runner shall be replaced by the player making the last out before the injury if a sub is not available.  If injured player misses her next turn at bat, she may not reenter the game.  

 

Umpires:

• Umpire will have official time.

• All players must be in as established position-umpires discretion.  

• Umpire must meet with both coaches prior to the start of the game.

• One certified umpire will be provided behind batting plate.  The host team shall notify the visiting team if no certified umpire is available.  Both teams have the option of playing the game with a non-certified umpire.  If accepted, the game can not be protested due to the umpire.  If non-certified is not accepted, coaches must reschedule.  If not rescheduled, BOTH teams will record a loss.

• If a fair ball hits an umpire on the field the ball is live and players need to keep playing.

• Complaints pertaining to umpires shall be forwarded in writing to the league president and post marked within 24 hours of the game.

• The League is encouraging the batters to attempt to hit the ball thus we are in favor of a liberal strike zone. This includes the edges of the plate.

 

Tournaments:

• Tournaments should be two days. I have had a lot of complaints about hot weather and playing it all in one day. This is dangerous for the kids to be playing in the heat. Pool play the first day tournament the second day. Minis you will need to get a hold of the teams that are in the tournament to figure out their records to seed accordingly. 

• If you have 8th graders playing for you they MUST play 3 to 4 of those games and they cannot be a varsity player.

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Softball Director

Jenny Peters

712-253-5473

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