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Social Softball Rules and Regulations 



The Columbus Ski Club Social Softball League is a private league. The following rules and regulations supersede the NSA rules and the CRPD “General Rules for Softball” observed by the City of Columbus.

    A. Player Participation:
        1.  It is required to allow all players to play at least four full regular season games. Unexcused absence or unexcused tardiness can be counted as a full game, if deemed necessary (keep in mind this is a social league). A full regular season game is defined as: playing the entire game in the field and batting the entire game. A player who bats the entire game but who only plays in the field for half of a game has not played one of their four full games.
         2. When a player does not play a full game, all players are entitled to play at least 3 consecutive innings in the field. Substitutions must occur at the top of the fourth inning.
         3. Players arriving within less than ten (10) minutes prior to the scheduled start or after the game has started are played at the discretion of the coach. (Keep in mind this is a social league.)
         4. Coaches who fail to play participants their three consecutive innings will be replaced. Exceptions include:
             1. games called due to a lack of time,
            2.  games called due to run rule,
            3.  games called due to weather or darkness.
    B. Player Conduct:
         1. All participants will conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner.
         2. Coaches or their designee are the only people permitted to question an umpire’s decision or call. Arguing balls and strikes with the umpire can result in an ejection from the game.
         3. An umpire’s decision or call will only be overruled by filing an official protest with the City of Columbus (only can be done through the Softball Committee). The Softball Committee will not change the call or ruling made by the umpire.
          4. If an umpire is not performing satisfactorily, report it to the softball chairperson. The chairperson will contact the City of Columbus; coaches and players are not permitted to report umpires to the City.
          5. If in the judgment of a coach, a player is physically unable to safely play the game, he/she may be removed or not inserted into the game. (This rule supersedes rules A-1, A-2, A-3, and A-4.)
          6. Players and coaches are expected to treat each other with respect and be courteous at all times.
           7. Any player or coach, who is ejected from a game, will be suspended for the next game they attend. All coaches must report ejections to the softball league commissioner, chairperson, or assistant chairperson immediately.
           8. If the Softball Committee writes up a player for his/her unsportsmanlike conduct in 2 consecutive years, that player will not be permitted to play social softball the following year.  
           9. Unsportsmanlike conduct may be considered as any of the following:
             a. Ejection from the game;
             b. Throwing equipment;
             c. Arguing with umpires;
             d. Abusive language;
             e. Any other action that may be deemed as inappropriate behavior by the Rules Committee.
         10. The Rules Committee will review the above actions within 48 hours after an incident. Any player or coach may report any misconduct to the Rules Committee.
         11.  Penalties may be verbal or written warnings, probation, suspension from games, season suspensions, or dismissal from The Club. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
     C. Coaches and NPA’s:
         1. All coaches will become knowledgeable of the CRPD league rules and The Club’s rules. Please keep these rules with you during all games.
         2. Coaches and/or NPA’s are required to notify all players in regard to scheduled practices and games.
         3. Coaches should schedule practices prior to regular season play and work with team members in regards to skills of softball, rules, regulations, and sportsmanship.
         4. Coaches are required to attend the pre-season ratings clinic and all other coaches meetings as scheduled by the softball committee.
         5. Coaches will keep in mind that this is a social league. Intentionally trying to hurt someone, sliding improperly, demeaning another player, arguing with umpires, team members or opponents will not be tolerated by The Club.
         6.  NPA’s will be responsible for keeping an accurate scorebook and reporting scores and attendance. If a team does not have a NPA, this responsibility falls to the Coach.
    D. Play of the Game:
         1. ”Cone” Rule: Outfielders must remain behind the painted lines (90 feet from each base tab or a total of 160 feet from home plate) until the ball is hit. Outfielders may not run to cover a base on the initial play, but may play the ball and back up the infielders once the ball is hit.
         2. Infielder Defensive Positions: Infielders are not permitted to be in or inside the base line or past the back of the infield (i.e. on the grass) until the ball is hit, with the following exception: For male batters, all infielders except the shortstop are permitted to take three (3) normal-sized walking steps into the grass, for safety reasons.
         3. Walks: Intentional walks are strictly prohibited. This is a social league!!!!!
         4. Sliding: It is the greater responsibility of the runner to avoid a collision; intent has nothing to do with it. The collision rule does not apply when the base runner is sliding. If you’re going to slide, either do it right or don’t do it. When a player avoids a fielder who is illegally blocking the base, the runner will be declared safe, even though he/she may not have reached base. The softball chairperson has the right to suspend a player for the entire season if the intent was deemed to injure another player.
        5. Home Runs/Doubles:
            Diamonds 1,2,3,4:
                Over the fence on a fly = automatic double
                Over the fence on a bounce = automatic double, unless aided
                Over the fence aided on a fly or bounce = automatic triple
            Diamonds 5,6,7,8:
                In the woods on a fly = automatic double
                Untouched and in the woods on a roll or bounce = automatic double
                In the woods purposely touched or aided = all you can get
         6. Poaching: Playing a ball hit to someone else or intentionally taking a throw that was thrown to another player (POACHING) will not be tolerated. Let everyone play his or her position and learn the game. The only exception being that it is the coach's prerogative whether the catcher or pitcher covers home plate. Players not following this rule will be warned on the first occurrence and suspended 2 games on a subsequent violation. In the case of an obvious poach, replay the last pitch. Moving a fielder out of position prior to a new batter so that they have
        little or no chance of being involved in a play, is a violation of the poaching rule. For ex., if a decent hitting left handed hitter is up to bat, moving the Right Fielder all the way against the foul line and/or all the way up against the poaching line, so that the Right Center Fielder can have free reign in right field is a violation of the poaching rule. The Right Center Fielder can move closer to the Right Fielder to backup him/her in the event of a misplayed ball, but they can’t overtake the Right Fielder’s position. POACHERS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND ARE TO BE REPORTED TO THE LEAGUE COMMISSIONER.
        7. Batting 12: Teams will be required to use designated hitters (bat 6 men and 6 women) during social softball games if both teams have enough players five minutes prior to the start of the game, regardless of whether the other team will bat ten or twelve batters. This is a social league. If you have twelve players during the regular season, you bat twelve batters. During the end-of-season tournament, all teams have the option to bat ten or twelve batters in each game, at the coach’s prerogative. If both teams cannot bat twelve, a coach that can bat twelve has that option. The coach will decide to bat ten or twelve hitters prior to the start of the game and cannot change the number of hitters used during the game. For additional clarification on 6 and 6 rosters, refer to section E on “Lack of Sufficient Players”. Each player on the team still must play three consecutive innings in the field and substitutions will be made in the top of the fourth inning. The only exceptions to three consecutive innings in the field are injuries and games that do not last past five innings.
        8. Positions: Teams are not allowed to switch positions for a player more than once per inning (For example: a player is moved from right field to left field and the left fielder is moved to right field. Both players must finish the inning in their new positions). The only exception is pitcher.
        9. Understanding the need to develop pitchers; If a coach wants to put in a player to pitch during a game who does not have a pitcher rating, the coach can substitute back in the team's rated pitcher at any time. This is allowed one time per game. The purpose of this is to allow some players to try pitching, so we can develop pitchers. Both players must still play at least 3
        consecutive innings in the field. If the team is only batting 10 batters that game, the coach needs to make sure they carefully evaluate substitutions, so that if the rated pitcher must start pitching again, they don’t find themselves with an illegal batting order.
     10. Courtesy Runner: A courtesy runner will be allowed for a player injured during the game (not prior to the game) for the remainder of that game only, not for any successive games on the same day. The last of the same gender that made an out will be the courtesy runner.
      11.  Quick Pitching: Quick Pitching will not be tolerated. Players will be warned on the first occurrence, and suspended 2 games on subsequent violations.
      12.  Big Ball/Little Ball: Coaches are responsible for designating a third base coach each inning so the Big Ball/Little Ball can be switched between male and female batters. If the incorrect ball is pitched, the previous pitch must be repeated.
        13.  Benches: In case of a dispute, the home team will occupy the first base bench.
         14. Mercy Rule: CSC will not observe the CRPD mercy rule of 15 or more runs ahead after 3 innings. We will stay with the 10 or more runs ahead after 5 innings rule that has been observed in past years.
        15. Run Limit Rule: CSC will not observe the CRPD Recreational League Run limit rule.
     E. Lack of Sufficient Players:
        1. and 6 Rosters: Unless certain substitutions are pre-approved by the Softball Committee, the following rules are to be followed.
        2. If a team does not have a minimum of five women and five men the following rules apply:
             a. Teams with less than three women or men must have their substitutions verified by a softball committee member.
             b. Replacement players ratings will be equal to the highest and lowest ratings of the missing players. (This includes players who have dropped and the softball committee was unable to replace.)
             c. Replacement players must have a current rating, must be current CSC members and must have filled out and signed a softball application for the current year.
             d. Coaches must notify the opposing coach of any replacement players they are utilizing prior to the game, and the rating of the absent player, and the rating of the replacement player. When replacing more than one absent player with a replacement player, each player and their rating is reviewed on an individual basis, not in aggregate (i.e., if you are missing two non-pitchers both rated 3.0, you can replace each player with a 3.0 rated player or lower, not a 5.0 and 1.0 rated player).
             e. You cannot replace a player with a higher rated player, unless you have one of the following two exceptions:
                 1. You may replace a 1-rated player with a 1.5-rated player.
                 2. If you have no pitchers, you may pick up a player designated as a pitcher. The ratings must be no higher than 0.5 point above the rating of the missing pitcher and of the same gender, unless pre-approved by the softball committee.
        3. If a team falls below the required number of players during a game, the team may replace an injured player with a player of like rating. A team may not replace a player ejected from the game.
        4. If a team member arrives while a replacement is in the game, the coach may elect to play the replacement until the end of the full-inning. After that time, the replacement player must come out of the game and the regular player be inserted into the game.
         5. Ghost Woman: Several teams had a "Ghost Woman" on their roster when teams were announced on 04/08/16. The goal of the Softball Committee is to fill these open positions with players prior to the season starting. If for some reason, a few teams still have a Ghost Woman on their roster when the season starts, there will be special rules added to support these teams to address this situation.
    F. Roster Changes:
        1. If a player fails to show up for two (2) games without notifying the coach or coach’s designee at least 24 hours in advance, that person is considered to have dropped and must be replaced as soon as possible.
        2. If a player informs a coach that they will not be playing any longer, the coach must notify their commissioner/committee to request a replacement player as soon as possible.
        3. If a player quits on his/her team in the middle of the tournament due to a dispute with his/her coach or teammates over playing time or playing position, or for any other reason with the exception of illness, injury or work or family emergency, the Softball Committee can elect to make that player sit out the next season of softball. If during the tournament a player is unhappy with their playing time or position, they can discuss it with their league's commissioner, or the Softball Chairperson at that time, so that he may discuss it with the player and the coach. However, coaches are given latitude to coach the team as they deem best in the tournament.
    G. Regular Season Division Champions:
         1. The Columbus Ski Club Softball League has two leagues (Hoskins and Yaeger), and each league has two divisions.
             a. At the end of the regular season, if one team has the best win-loss-tie record versus the other teams in the division, that team is the regular season division champion.
             b. In the event that at the end of the regular season two teams have the same best win-loss-tie record in the division, the team that won the head-to-head game versus the other team is the regular season division champion.
             c. In the event that at the end of the regular season three or more teams have the same best win-loss-tie record in the division, the team with the best overall win-loss-tie record when taking into account both division and non-division games is the regular season division champion. If there is a tie between two or more teams with the same overall win-loss-tie record, then the team with the highest run differential (runs scored vs runs given up) in the division games is the division champion. If there is a tie between two or more teams with division game run differential, then the team with the highest run differential in all games (division and non-division) played is the division champion.
     H. Rules Committee:
         1. The Rules Committee will consist of Brian Blue, Bob Arnold, Tim Mahoney, Tricia Montgomery, Bob Robertson, Dave Sowers, and Beth Telander.
         2. All rules violations must be brought to the attention of the Rules Committee immediately.
         3. Commissioners have the right to make lone decisions to resolve unforeseen situations. This would include temporarily overriding a league rule, as long as it is in the best interest of the Softball Program. This document is also available on the Columbus Ski Club web site: www.columbusskiclub.org under the Social Softball menu.