Players on the Field - Maximum of 10 fielders, minimum of 8. There is a maximum of 7 males in the field at one time and a minimum of 3 females. If you only have 2 females, you take an out each time the missing woman would have batted. If a team only has 8 fielders, the opponent will supply a non-defensive catcher. A team must supply their own catcher if they have 9 or more players.

Team make-up: Any number of players on the roster. You must have at least three women on the field at all times. If you have less than three women, you take an out every time a missing woman’s spot in the batter order comes around. This is a fun recreational league. Teams may recruit players from other teams to play for them as subs in a game as long as they have a minimum of 8 original team players, (at least one woman) and they field no more than 10 players, then it will not be a forfeit. Only players on the team roster are allowed to play in the playoffs. Players can only be on ONE roster when playoffs begin.

Batting Order –There must be at least 3 females in the batting order (see below for penalty). Everyone on your team gets to bat, even if they are not in the game yet. You may not bat more than three men in a row unless all three female spots have been filled and all other females have batted.

Penalty for Missing women - All 3 women's spots must appear in the order from the start, an out will be accessed each time that a "missing women" comes to bat (even in the first inning).

Late arrivals - All new arrivals are added to the end of the lineup. Exception: if a team is playing with less than 3 women, then the late arriving woman is inserted into any spot occupied by "a missing woman". All late arrivals are added in the order that they arrive.

Players leaving early - A player who cannot bat (injury, or has left the premises) in their designated spot is not penalized. That spot in the order is simply skipped. However, if a woman cannot bat, causing the team to be left with less than 3 women, it is an out each time the spot comes to bat. A forfeit will be declared if a team is left with less than 8 players.

Substitutions – New players are added to the end of the lineup. Batting order always remains the same, changes in field position are irrelevant. Everyone gets to bat.

NO THROWING THE BAT - Intentionally throwing the bat in anger, frustration or for any reason will result in your ejection from the game.

STRIKE MAT: A “strike mat” will be used to determine balls and strikes. If the softball touches any part of the mat on a legal pitch (6’-12’ arc), it will be considered a strike. Pitches touching any part of the plate will NOT be considered a strike. **IMPORANT DISTINCTION** The strike mat is only used for calling balls and strikes. The strike mat is not home plate. Therefore, when a runner is trying to score, he or she must touch home plate in order to score. If he/she touches the strike mat and not home plate, and then is tagged, the runner will be called out.

Pitch Count - To keep the game moving, the count starts at 1-1.

No Stealing or Leading! - This is a recreational fun league and it is not allowed. Ever.

Start & End of Games - Captains meet with the umpire 5 minutes before designated start time (see schedule) and each captain pays the umpire $20 cash for their team. The umpire collects $40 cash per game.
Play will start on time! There will be No Grace Period as games are timed. After 65 minutes from the game’s start time, the inning currently being played will be the last completed inning. If one team has less than 8 players (one must be a woman) at game time, they are automatically the away team, and start batting (including any necessary missing women spots). If that team still has less than 8 players after batting - a forfeit is awarded. If both teams do not have 8 players at game time, it is a double forfeit. Line-ups are given to opponent at start of game; captains notify other team when additions to line-up are made.

Walking a Male (with female to follow) - When a male reaches first base on a base on balls and a female spot follows in the batting order, the man will AUTOMATICALLY get 2nd base. The woman MUST bat because your team already got two bases.

Courtesy Runners - If a player needs a courtesy runner, they must tell the umpire before batting, it is then announced to the fielders. Once a batter asks for a runner, it is automatic for the rest of the game, but should be asked for and announced to the fielders. The replacement runner is the last person to have made an out - a man for a man, and a woman for a woman. If a runner is visibly injured while running the umpire may use discretion in allowing a courtesy runner.

Legal game - 4 1/2 (if home team is ahead) to 7 innings, time and weather permitting. Ties will stand if game is called. If inning cannot be completed due to darkness or weather, score reverts back to last completed inning (unless in bottom of inning and home team is now ahead).

12 Run Mercy Rule - If a team is ahead by 12 or more runs (after a completed inning) after the 5th inning, the game will be called. EXCEPTION - playoffs. Then, a team will be given the opportunity to finish the full game. If regular season and the other two teams are not there yet, you can continue as a scrimmage until the next game's teams have arrived.

10 run inning – If a team scores 10 runs in one inning, they stop batting and take the field, no matter how many outs there are. Let’s keep the game moving and keep it fun for everyone. If there is time enough before the next game to keep going past 10 runs in the last inning and still time for the home team to get their last at bat if necessary, then you can keep playing. EXCEPTION - the 7th inning of a game in the playoffs. Then, a team will be given the opportunity to finish the full game regardless of score.

Fouling out - 2 foul balls AFTER receiving 2 strikes is an automatic out.

No Bunting - any full swing that is fair is OK.

Pitching – Pitches must have a 6 – 12’ arc before they reach the plate. Speed must be slow. Any kinds of spin and under hand release points are legal.

Sliding/Base Running - No take out slides (determining factor is intent, and if runner cannot reach base during slide) or plowing over fielders, this will result in automatic out and Ejection. We’re here to have fun, not get injured, and we all have to work the next day. Play nice!

No METAL Spikes - this is a recreational softball league, not a baseball league. Metal spikes are dangerous to field players and we want to avoid injuries. A player wearing metal spikes will be asked to leave the game and change his/her footwear to other shoes or that player will not be allowed to remain in the game.

PLAYOFFS- Players must play in at least three (3) games during the session in order to play in the playoffs. If teams are tied in the standings heading into playoffs, tiebreakers are as follows:
* the team with NO FORFEITS is ranked higher
* if neither had a forfeit, then head to head record
* if neither had forfeits and they tied each other or they didn't play each other, the team that allowed the least amount of runs is ranked higher
*if both had forfeits, the team that had less forfeits is ranked higher. If both had the same amount of forfeits, the team that allowed the least amount of runs is ranked higher

FORFEITS- If no one (or less than 8 players) from your team shows up at the field, and FSSG & the other team were not notified in advance, we’ll be very upset with you and may consider further punitive action against your team. If your team forfeits your team will forfeit two points in the standings as well. If your team forfeits three times in a season, you will be dropped from the league. It is in your best interest to ask for subs to help your team, before deciding to forfeit. Oh yeah, you also owe the ump the whole $40 if you forfeit day of game, since the other team is not paying for a game that does not take place. Don’t waste everyone’s time, pick up the phone and let us know you’re not coming! So, if you know in advance that you have to forfeit, alert Kathy Mahoney at fssg@hotmail.com or call 617-953-9488. Letting us know the day before the game is obviously best, but at least let us know by 3pm on game day so we can reach the other team of the forfeit.

Field Permit Rules -

* No alcohol allowed. If you are caught with alcohol we will lose our permit. Don't be the jerk that ruins the season for everyone. We have sponsor bars near the fields. Costellos at 725 Centre St in JP for Daisy field (parking behind bar), the Corib Pub behind the field at Billings Field in West Roxbury, and the Seapoint Bar on East 8th St in Southie for the M St field. (lots of parking in the bar's lot).

* The Parks Dept is very strict about trash, please pick up after yourself.

* Bring your own water, there is no fountain at the field

BATS: Legal bats must bear either the ASA approved 2000 certification mark or the ASA 2004 certification mark, and must not be listed on an ASA non-approved bat list. Umps have the illegal bat list in their gear bags if there is a discpute.

ILLEGAL BATS : there are some bats that are engineered to hit the ball harder and farther. Since this is a recreational league, not everyone playing infield is capable of reacting quickly enough for a ball coming off a superpowered bat. So, the following link lists the bats that are illegal for this FSSG softball league. This list is from the current ASA website. The ump will make the batter get another bat if the batter attempts to bat with these illegal bats. NO BASEBALL BATS ALLOWED.

The full list of illegal bats can be found at this link.http://www.asasoftball.com/about/certified_equipment.asp

In addition, all titanium and baseball bats are banned. FSSG reserves the right to modify and update this list at any time.

Specific Field Rules -

* at Daisy Field in JP, outfield: any ball hit on the ground to the left of the 1st pole or between the 1st and 2nd pole is a double. Any ball hit on teh ground between the 2nd and 3rd pole is a triple. If the ball hits obstacles in the outfield like the soccer goals or football metal thing, it is a live ball and you must play it. Any ball hit in the AIR into the trees in leftfield to the RIGHT of the first lightpole is a home run.

In Play - 3rd base side- from the fence to the end of the bleacher bench is in play, beyond that is dead ball out of play.

First base side, in play from the fence to the left of the first 2 poles. Anything hitting the light poles (except the 3rd pole) or going to the right of the poles is out of play. Only the 3rd light pole in right field is in play.

If a player catches a ball in play, the batter is out. If the player catches the ball in play, then carries the ball out of play, any runner on base gets to advance one base.

* at Memorial Field in Medford, any ball hit between the yellow foul pole and the first light pole in right field, on the ground or in the air, is an automatic double. It is an extremely short right field area full of obstacles. If a ball hits any part of a tree in the air, it is an automatic double. Balls that hit the light poles in the outfield are still in play. Please do NOT run into the street after a ball, let it go, it is a really busy intersection. Hitting the ball over the fence in left field is a home run.

*at M Street Field in Southie: Fair/Foul Territory - a fair ball must settle in fair territory between first and third bases or fall fair beyond 1st or 3rd on a fly ball. On an overthrow, the ball is a dead ball and all base runners are awarded one extra base if the ball: hits the wall that runs along the first base line, hits the fence that runs along the third base line, enters either bench area or leaves the playing field.
Home Run Rule – any fair ball that is hit over the fence in left or center field is ruled a home run. Any ball that strikes above the yellow line on the light pole in left field is also ruled a home run. **if we find that many teams are hitting the ball over the fence all night making home runs too easy and we lose a lot of softballs, we reserve the right to change this rule for future games with proper notification to captains.**
Ground Rule Double – any ball that leaves the playing area either through the fence in center field or on a bounce is ruled a ground rule double.

Sportsmanship and FUN! - Above all else, this league is for FUN! FSSG and its umpires will not hesitate to eject and/or expel players for inappropriate acts. If you can’t play nice or keep your temper in check, please join a competitive league and don’t play in ours. This is not life and death, IT'S JUST A GAME!!!
The Fun Sport & Social Group will not hesitate to remove players and/or teams without refund who cannot adhere to its policies and standards. FSSG reserves the right to change any rule at any time, for the betterment of the league.

If you have any questions, please contact the FSSG at fssg@hotmail.com or call Kathy at 617-953-9488. Thanks for playing with FSSG!

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