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INNISFIL WOMEN’S 3 PITCH LEAGUE
RULES
Revised April 2015
LINE UP
A full field shall consist of 9 players as follows:
1)
4)
Catcher
3rd Base
2)
5)
1st Base
Short Stop
3)
6)
2nd Base
Four Fielders
Note: A minimum of 7 players on a team is required to avoid a default game.
Fielders must remain on the grass until the ball has been hit.
GENERAL RULES:
(1)
BASE DISTANCE: The bases shall be 60 feet apart, providing the diamond
Conditions will allow it.
(2)
PITCHING DISTANCE: The distance from the pitching rubber to home plate
shall be a minimum of 40 feet, for safety reasons. There will be a pitcher’s circle
that will be 4 feet in diameter and the pitcher must remain within that circle while
Pitching.
(3)
GAME DURATION: All regular games will consist of 7-inning duration. Five
(5) full innings must be played to constitute a full game. If the home team is
winning prior to their bat of the open inning by 5 runs the game will be complete,
and the home team will not bat in that inning. If the Umpire should call the game
after the 5th inning, the game shall be deemed complete and the score will revert
to the last completed inning. A five (5) run limit per inning will apply in all
games, including playoffs, except for the 7th inning, which will be completely
open. The last batter must finish the play (running home) before the inning is
called to allow for any possible home runs. Each game will have a time limit
which will be that no new inning will be played after 1 hour and 15 minutes.
(4)
PITCHERS: Each team will supply their own pitcher when their team is at bat.
This person may be anyone in the batting order. The pitcher is not to field the
ball, and will only take possession of the ball when play has stopped in the infield
and the umpire has called “time”. In a case where the pitcher has been hit by the
batted ball or has been forced to catch a line drive to avoid being injured, a dead
ball will be called and play will resume at the count before the pitch was made. If
a pitcher intentionally catches the batted ball, the batter will be out.
(5)
BATTING: Each batter will be given a maximum of 3 pitches from her own
pitcher, after which she will be “out” if the ball has not been hit onto the playing
field. Batting helmet will be available, it is then the batters choice to wear them or
not. Batters will be allowed to step anywhere in the batter’s box (3ft to the left, 3ft
to the right, and 3ft in front including the plate while batting)
(6)
BUNTING: NO intentional bunting is allowed and a batter will be called out.
A full swing must be made.
(7)
BALL IN PLAY: A hit ball will be deemed to be “in play” and runners may
continue until the ball is thrown into the infield and is in possession of an
infielder, at which time the ball is “out of play” and the umpire calls “time”, then
the ball may be thrown back to the batting team’s pitcher.
(8)
GROUND RULES: the ground rules for each diamond are to be established by
the umpire and the captains/Co-Captains prior to each game and must remain
consistent throughout the season.
(9)
STEALING AND LEAD-OFFS: No stealing or lead-offs are allowed. The ball
must be hit before the runner leaves the bag.
(10)
SLIDING: No sliding is permitted.
(11)
OVERTHROWS: All overthrows by either an outfielder or an infielder where
the ball goes out of play will result in an automatic one base given to the runner.
(12)
NO RETURN LINE: A “no-return” line will be set out approximately 20 feet
from the home plate on the 3rd base line. After a runner has crossed this line, they
will be forced to continue running to home without being able to return to 3rd
base.
(13)
HOME PLATE: A line will be drawn extending from home plate across to the
screen. A runner must cross this line before the catcher catches the ball or they
will be declared out. If the runner touches home plate. She will be called out. The
catcher must be on home plate with the ball and may not tag the runner. The
catcher may choose to wear a mask, which the league shall supply.
(14)
IN-FIELD FLY: No in-field fly rule will be in effect.
(15)
FOUL TIP: A foul tip must be over the catcher’s head and be caught for an out.
(16)
THROWN BAT: Batter is out if they throw the bat.
(17)
JEWELERY: Exposed jewelry such as wristwatches, bracelets, any type of
earrings, chains, or any other item judged dangerous by the umpire, may not be
worn during the game except medical alert bracelets or medical alert necklaces. If
a player is requested by the umpire to remove jewelry and they refuse, the player
will be removed from the game and ruled ineligible
(18)
1st BASE RULE: If only running to 1st base, the player must touch the orange
part of the bag and turn to the right. She can overrun the base once they have
made contact with it. If the runner is attempting to continue onto 2nd base, she is
to step on the white part of the bag. The 1st baseperson can only step on the white
part of the bag in an attempt to get the runner out.
(19)
COURTESY RUNNER: A player can only obtain a courtesy runner after batting
the ball and making it to 1st base. At this time, they must decide whether they
want a courtesy runner or will be continuing on their own to home plate. Only the
runner is permitted to request a courtesy runner. The only other time a player may
get a courtesy runner during play, other than at 1st base, would be in the case of a
serious injury. When the injured player comes up in the batting order and cannot
run to 1st base, she has two options. (1) The injured player can remove herself
from the game and her name will be crossed off the batting order, (she will not be
considered an out). (2) The injured player can take an out whenever her name
comes up in the batting order until she is ready to play again or decides to remove
herself from the game completely and permanently. (She will no longer be an
automatic out) The pitcher will be exempt from being a courtesy runner, if she is
called upon as being the last out. This will result in utilizing the 2nd last out as the
next available courtesy runner.
(20)
MISSED GAMES: If a player misses three games without communication to the
captain, they will be dropped from the team/league without refund and will be
replaced by someone on the waiting list, maintained by the President. If a player
communicates with the captain, but continues to miss several games and the
captain feels that their team is at a disadvantage, that team will get a replacement
player from the waiting list as a regular player.
(21)
TEAM SHIRTS: All team members must wear their team shirt to all games and
at all times while they are playing. The shirts must be kept in a presentable
manner, not ripped or torn in anyway. Team captains will be supplied with an
extra shirt for any player who may forget or arrives without their shirt. If a player
does not have a shirt to play in, they will not be able to play in that game.
(22)
REPLACMENT PLAYER: A replacement player, from the waiting list
maintained by the President, can be given to any team who loses or terminates a
player, at anytime throughout the season based on existing rules. It is mandatory
that each team is to maintain a full roaster throughout the whole season provided
there are people on the waiting list. The Captain must notify the Executive that a
replacement player is required. This replacement player must still qualify as in
rule #29, by playing 50% of their remaining season games in order to play in the
year end Tournament.
(23)
LEAGUE BALLS: The league will use brightly hued colored balls for all games,
as long as it is cost effective.
(24)
IN THE EVENT OF A TIE: for first or second place at end of regular season,
we will go Head to Head to break the tie ie: In the games that the 2 teams have
played together against each other, we will count the wins and losses. If there is
still a tie, the tie will be broken by difference in total runs. If there is still a tie, the
total runs will be counted and the team with the most runs in the games played
against each other will be first. If there is still a tie, there will be a coin toss.
(25)
UNCARDED UMPS: They will be allowed when carded umps are unavailable.
(26)
EVALUATION OF NEW PLAYERS: Any new players to the league for the
upcoming season will be evaluated by means of the registration form. At
registration an executive member and captain from last season will go over the
rating system with the new member and between them decide what rating they
will start with for the upcoming season.
(27)
DIAMOND SET-UP: To conduct an in-service yearly for captains and cocaptains to show them how the bases are placed and stored properly.
(28)
YEAR END TOURNAMENT: The year end Tournament will be played as a
round robin, following OASA and our rules and will be strictly a draft pick of the
ten teams.
(29)
YEAR END TOURNAMENT PLAYER REQUIREMENTS: Each player is
required to play 50% of the regular season in order to play in the year end
Tournament, with the exception of extenuating personal circumstances at the
discretion of the captain and the current Executive.
(30)
PLAYER LEAVING THE GAME: If a player leaves the game before the game
is finished, (on her own accord) her name will stay on the batting order and she
will be considered an automatic out.
(31)
BATS: Bats as per described in Appendix A will be permitted for use.
(32)
FORFEITURE REPLACEMENT PLAYER: If a team is in a position of
forfeiture during a regular season game the captain can request a replacement
player of an equal or lesser rating of the missing players from another team. The
requesting team can only field a maximum of 7 players. The replacement players
must be noted on the score sheet and sent to the executive following the game.
Any home runs hit by a replacement player during the game will not count
towards their year-end total.
Appendix A