Austin Sports and Social Club :: Co-Ed Softball, Football, Kickball, Soccer,and Volleyball

AUSTIN SSC SOFTBALL RULES

ROSTER:
There are no maximum number of players allowed on your roster. Players will not be allowed to participate without signing the Austin SSC roster/waiver form. Players may be added after the registration deadline only if the league has their t-shirt in inventory. New shirts cannot be ordered. Otherwise, the only way to add a new player to your roster after the registration deadline is by first dropping another player. Teams have up until the third week of the season to do so. After that, rosters are frozen. The additional player must obtain the t-shirt from the dropped player in order to play. If a team wishes to add a player only after the registration deadline, this can only be done if the league has the t-shirts in stock.

WAIVERS:
In order to participate in the league, each participant must sign the team waiver. Waivers will be e-mailed to all team captains, which need to be printed out, and turned in no later then the first night of play. Players not present the first week of play will still be required to sign a waiver with our staff before participating. An Austin SSC staff member will keep your team waiver at the field, or a new one can be printed out. Players who sign up as individuals, sign the waiver online when they register.

PLAYER RESTRICTIONS:
All Austin SSC participants must be at least 21 years old before the season starts.

Players that have participated in Division 1 sports must be 2 years removed from Division 1 participation if they wish to play in a similar Austin SSC sport.

Austin SSC will have the right to request ID from any player. Any player in the super social league who is determined a social player by the Austin SSC will have their league fee credited towards a future season. If more than one player fits in the category, the Austin SSC has the option to move the team to the social division.

Players may only play for one team and be on one roster, regardless of if multiple divisions are offered. One can play, for example, softball on Tuesday's & softball on Thursday's, but not for two teams in the same day or night. Any player that break this rule will cause both of their teams to forfeit games played on that day.

SPORTSMANSHIP:
We are all adults, and the Austin SSC expects all participants to act like it. Unsportsmanlike behavior may result in that player or team being suspended from participating in all Austin SSC sports. Being ejected from a game carriers a minimum one game suspension.

GAME UNIFORMS:
Austin SSC t-shirts are your team's uniforms. All players must wear their current Austin SSC uniform (past season's uniforms are not permitted) to participate and any player not wearing his/her uniform will be will be sidelined for that game. If this sidelined player will cause the team to forfeit, he/she will be allowed to play in the game provided he/she is on the original roster. Missing or swapped uniform players' names will be taken and if they are not on your roster, a loss will be assessed for that game.

UNIFORM ALTERATIONS:
Names on uniforms, numbers, cut-off sleeves, corporate logos, etc, are permitted, as long as they do not cover any logos originally printed on the shirts.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON THE FIELD:
Maximum # of 10 players (at least 4 women) in the field. Minimum number of players in the field/your starting line up is 8 (6 men/2 women). There is no maximum # of women allowed on the field/in your line-up. No more than 6 men are allowed on the field at on time.

GAME EQUIPMENT:
Austin SSC will provide all bases and playable balls for each game. Bats and gloves are not supplied. All Austin SSC bats must bear either the approved ASA 2000 certification mark or the ASA 2004 certification mark and must not be listed on the ASA non-approved list. If the bat has been manufactured before 2000, it will be left to the sole discretion of the umpire whether the bat may be used in the Austin SSC. You can find the complete non-approved ASA bats list at www.softball.org/about/certified_equipment.asp. Catchers are recommended to wear a mask at all times (not league provided). Teams may bring personal softballs for practice between games. Note: time between games is limited and may not allow for practice time.

Any players using an illegal bat will be called out. The illegal bat will be removed from the game. If a batted ball has occurred, then all runners will return to their original base.

No metal cleats! Any player wearing metal spikes will have to remove them immediately. If that player is caught wearing spikes a second time, they will be removed from the game.

FORFEITS:
If a team does not have the minimum number of players by game time, they must still start the game. If the minimum number of players do not show up by the completion of the start of the first 1/2 of the 1st inning the game will be considered a forfeit and fines will be assessed. (See Forfeit Extension.) The team will be charged a $50 fine. This fine will go towards your opponent's bar tab for the next week. Teams that receive a forfeit fine must use it the following week or lose it. A $50 voucher can be obtained from the league director and we ask that teams tip the bartender from this tab. If forfeit notice is given to the AustinSSC by 4pm the preceding day, your team will not be assessed a forfeit fine.

FORFEIT EXTENSION:
If the home team does not have minimum number of players (8- 6 men /2 women) to start the game, then the visiting team will become the home team and take the field. If the original home team does not have the minimum number of players at the bottom of the inning then a forfeit will be assessed.

FORFEIT FINES:
All fines must be paid before your next scheduled game by either cash or check. If payment is not received by the end of this next scheduled game, your team will be assessed a loss for this game. Teams will not be allowed to play any proceeding games until the fine is paid in full. Teams that have any forfeit fines from the last regular season game will not be allowed back into the Austin SSC for any sport until these fines are paid in full.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:
The Austin SSC will have the option of shortening the regular season and/or the play-off schedule (and the # of teams that make the play-offs) if inclement weather dictates such action. Make-up games may be scheduled on days other than the regularly scheduled days of the week. Neither refunds nor pro-rated refunds will be given if the season is shortened due to inclement weather or by actions taken by Travis County Parks.

BEVERAGES AT FIELDS:
No visible alcoholic beverages are permitted. Any alcohol must be in a plastic cup. This also includes carrying a 12 pack or case of beer uncovered to the field. Everything must be in a cooler or backpack at all times. No glass is ever permitted in the park. Beverages may be consumed in the dugout, common area, and coaches boxes, but not on the field of play itself. You are also responsible for removing all trash before leaving your fields. Austin SSC and it's members have the responsibility to leave all Travis County Park venues in clean trash-free condition.

LEAGUE POLICY:
Teams will continue to participate in their prior year's league (social or super social) unless moved by the Austin SSC. Super social teams may move up to social, and social teams with a 0-6 or 1-5 record may move down to the super social league. Last year's super social champion will automatically move up to the social league along with the teams that finish in the top 10% of the playoff seeding. This format will help balance out the caliber of teams in both leagues.

POINTS AWARDED:
Win – 2 points...Tie – 1 point....Loss – 0 points. Regular season games will not go into extra innings unless time permits.

SOFTBALL GAME RULES

START OF GAME:
The home team will take the field first and use the first base dugouts. Both teams are encouraged to keep score books, however the official score is kept by the umpire. He will announce the score every half inning. You must turn in your teams line-up card to the umpire prior to the game starting.

GAME CLOCK:
The umpire's clock is the game clock and they will inform both teams when the game has started. There is no minimum # of innings for a complete game if the time limit has been satisfied. There is no warm-up pitch between innings and have your team hustle on and off the field. After your game is completed, please clear all benches ASAP. No new innings will start after 45 minutes. The last inning will always be completed.

THE COUNT:
Players will have a one-ball/one strike count on them when they come up to bat. The player is out after a third strike, including two fouls with two strikes. Note: If a fly ball is caught in playable foul territory, the ball remains live and runners may tag-up.

LINE-UP CARDS:
Line-up cards must be provided by the teams. You can use the ones from Academy or just a piece of paper. Cards must be filled out at the beginning of the game with the players' first name/last initial. Completed line-up cards must be handed to the umpire when the ground rules are given. The umpire's card will be the official card. All changes to your line-up must be reported to the umpire and opposing team.

FIELDING TEAM:
Starting players may move freely from one field position to another at any time during the game. The batting order must stay the same despite any changes in field position. Positions can be changed during your half inning in the field, however new players may not substitute in unless the team is short fielders or due to an injury.

BATTING ORDER:
There is no maximum number of players allowed in your starting line-up. If a team starts with six or more guys and only three girls, then no automatic out will be enforced. If they have only two girls (or 5 guys and 3 girls), then an automatic out will happen at the #9 spot in the batting order. But, you must keep a "2 men to 1 woman" batting ratio at all times throughout your line up. If a team has less than enough women to accommodate this, then the women will bat twice in the order to obtain the 2 to 1 ratio. Teams must designate which women will bat twice on their line-up card. Only those women will be allowed to bat twice or the batting out of order rule will be enforced. (See below)

There are no substitutions in the line-up. Any player stepping onto the field must be in the line-up.

All late arriving players may be inserted at any time. Late arrivals must be inserted into the bottom of the batting order, or as close to the bottom to ensure gender rules apply. The fielding team may place late arriving players in the field as they arrive. Make the umpire and opposing team aware of these additions.

BATTING OUT OF ORDER:
If the error is discovered while the incorrect batter is hitting, then the correct batter will assume the ball/strike count of the incorrect batter. If the incorrect batter reaches base safely and the error is discovered, the correct batter will be called out. All runners will return to their original bag and the incorrect batter will return to the bench. The opposing team must make the umpire aware of "batting out of order" before a pitch is thrown to the next batter. If it is not, then the incorrect batter will stay on base.

WALKED BATTERS:
Any walks to a male batter with a female batter next in the line-up behind him will result in a one base award, if there are runners on base. If the bases are empty, the male runner will proceed to 2nd base. The woman will then bat unless there are two outs. With two outs, she will have the option to walk or bat. If she chooses to bat, all runners stay at their current occupied base.

HOME RUNS:
There is no limit on the number that can be hit in the social division. A home run hit in super social will result in an automatic out.

BASE RUNNERS:

There is no leading off or stealing of bases. Doing so will result in the running being called out.

Every field has an extra first base bag, known as the "safety" base. This is the bag that the runners must touch if running through first base. The normal one is for the fielders.

Austin SSC is non-contact and all players must avoid unnecessary contact at all time. Runners must give themselves up, get out of the way or slide. A runner making contact with a fielder that is blocking the base/in the base path does not constitute necessary contact.

Players will be ejected if they do not follow the above rule. If the contact was considered unsportsmanlike, that player will be suspended. If the umpire considers a slide to be unsportsmanlike, that player will be suspended.

HEAD FIRST SLIDE:
Runners may not engage in a "head first" slide when approaching any base on the field. If a runner's momentum has caused them to overrun a base, they may "dive back" in a head first manner to regain possession of that base. You may not slide into first base, period.

INJURED RUNNER:
Injured players may receive a pinch runner once they reach first base. If the injury occurs after the runner reaches a bag safely, the pinch runner can be used. The last player out will become the pinch runner, regardless of gender, if a male player is injured. If a female player is injured, the last female out becomes the pinch runner.

OUTFIELDERS:
There must be 4 outfielders in the grass at all times, assuming 10 players are on the field. If an outfielder comes onto the infield dirt before contact is made, all runners will be called safe.

SUSPENSIONS/EJECTIONS:
Ejection-Removed from the current game and will be eligible to play in the following weeks game.

1. Any unnecessary contact deemed unsportsmanlike by the Austin SSC staff or umpire.

2. Players throwing bats after hitting the ball will be warned once by the umpire or Austin SSC staff. The batter will be called out for a second offense and will be ejected for a third offense.

3. The umpire/Austin SSC staff will have the right to sit any player(s) for an inning if necessary for their unsportsmanlike conduct. This will include arguing with the umpire, Austin SSC staff, or unnecessary comments to the opposing team, etc.
(See # 4 under suspension ) If this conduct persists by any player(s).

Suspension-Removed from current game and will not be eligible to play in the following week's game. If that player is caught playing the following week, the team will forfeit. The forfeit fine will also be assessed.

1. If illegal contact is considered unsportsmanlike, that player will be suspended from the game.

2. If the umpire considers a slide to be unsportsmanlike, that player will be suspended from the game.

3. Any player(s) or team(s) that is involved in a fight will be suspended from the current season and possibly from all Austin SSC sports for life. Any teams that are involved in a fight will forfeit the game and potentially all remaining games that season.

4. If a player has been warned becasue of their unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing with the umpire, Austin SSC staff, or unnecessary comments to the opposing team, etc.) and their conduct persists, then players will be suspended.

SCORING:
9 runs maximum scoring allowed per inning. After the ninth run crosses the plate, play will stop regardless of the # of outs (Exception: in the last inning). The Mercy Rule will be put into effect if, after completing five innings, one team is ahead by 10 runs or more.

PLAY-OFFS:
Play-offs will begin immediately after the regular season ends and all make up games have been played. The # of teams in each division to make the play-off will be determined by the Austin SSC. If the season has been shorten because of inclement weather, the number of teams making the play-offs may be reduced at the discretion of the Austin SSC.

PLAY-OFF TIE BREAKER:
If the time limit has expired and the game is tied, a tiebreaker inning(s) will occur. All players will clear the field and the home team will take the field with the visiting team at bat. The batting order will continue from the previous inning. A runner, (player to make the last out in the previous inning) will be placed on second base. The batter will now have 3 balls and 2 strikes count on them (foul is an out). After 3 outs, the home team will start their inning with the same format. The tiebreaker will continue until a complete inning has resulted in one team scoring more runs than the other. Home team will always have the last opportunity to win the game.

*Any rules not mentioned follow those of the ASA (www.softball.org).

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Questions about the league?
Email austinssc@gmail.com