Diamond Girls Softball Association (DGSA) has created an Addendum to the USSSA - Fastpitch Softball Rules to support our learning league, allowing coaches and players to develop their skills and knowledge of fastpitch softball. USSSA rules will be used where not specified on this document.
These variations are intended to help newer players focus on the basics and fundamentals of softball, are are specific to our League. Coaches, players, parents, and umpires should familiarize themselves with the variations added to the USSSA Fastpitch Softball Rules.
Development and Learning First
DGSA is a learning league. When in doubt, choose what is in the best interest of the organization.
As a learning league, we do not contest games or umpire judgement calls when aligned with our rules. Umpires should never be addressed, approached, or followed off the field for any reason by a player, spectator, fan, or coach. When an umpire is not present for a league scored game, the game should be called by someone that both head coaches agree will be impartial and fair. Coaches should agree upon the final score before leaving the ballfield for the evening.
When a coach needs assistance understanding the call that an umpire has made, the head coach should respectfully ask for a timeout. The coach can ask the umpire who made the call for help to understand the rule, and/or seek clarification and from umpire or the other coach during the game. Both coaches should work together, using the Addendum, to resolve and discrepancies.
League Requirements
All players must wear a full conforming DGSA uniform during game play, unless previous league authorization has been granted.
Players should wear the current season jersey for games.
When there are duplicate jersey numbers or when rosters are contested, a roster check will be performed.
If it is determined that there are unauthorized players in a game, the unauthorized player will be removed from the game along with the Head Coach.
Defensive face masks are recommended for all infielders to reduce the risk of concussions and injuries. Batting helmets with face guard are required for all players. Helmets should have a chin-strap if they are not a compression helmets. All players must wear their batting helmet when outside the dugout; in the hole, on deck, batting, and running bases.
Pitchers and catchers are required to wear face masks during practices, warm-ups, and games.
If a specialty player does not conform to league rules, they will not be able to continue playing in the game in those positions.
Coaches, players, and fans will exhibit good sportsmanship at all times. Violation results in a warning, the second violation will result in an ejection from the game.
Players, parents, and coaches may not taunt an opponent.
Derogatory comments and offensive behavior is not allowed.
Profanity is strictly prohibited.
The umpire’s rulings are final and non-contestable.
Balls and strikes will not be argued. If the strike zone is unclear, the catcher can ask the umpire where it is missing.
Pitchers, batters, and catchers should adjust their approach with support from their coaches.
Parents are spectators and should never engage or question players, coaches, or umpires during the game.
Obtaining explanation of an umpire's call will take place between innings with both Head Coaches present.
Umpires will not engage in mid-inning or post-game confrontation. Violation results in a warning, the second violation will result in an ejection from the game or sitting the following game.
Home team is in the 3rd base dugout, as listed on the schedule. The home team provides the game ball and takes the field first.
Game Length
Events scheduled at City of Peoria softball fields have prompt start/end times. Permits for field times begin at 5:45 pm and 7:15 pm, unless otherwise communicated.
Game - play times are as follows:
T-ball & 8u: 60-70 minutes, finish the inning.
10u and above: 80 minutes, then finishing the inning.
Warm-Ups
On game days, coaches should ask players to arrive at least 30 minutes or more prior to the start of the game. This allows players time to stretch and warm-up, and allows coaches to create their fielding and batting line-ups. Players that are running late, or cannot make the game start time should communicate with their coach so that pick up players can be requested, or forfeited games can be communicated to the other team and umpires.
As a courtesy, the city of Peoria grants our league access to the facilities earlier than their start time, only after field maintenance crews make the fields available. Teams should not jump fences or remove city locks to access fields prior to being allowed onto city premises. We suggest using open grass fields and other areas to warm-up when fields are not available. Coaches should not contact the city to open the park early or to extend the lights for practices or unauthorized games.
Start Times
Scored games are scheduled to begin promptly at 5:45pm and 7:15pm, except for Opening Day.
If an umpire is not present within 5 minutes of game time, both teams should agree on someone to officiate the game. This person will stand behind the pitcher to call the scored game.
If an umpire arrives late, they take over the remainder of the game for timekeeping and officiating from behind the plate. The game duration does not start over.
End Times
Games are played until the official stopwatch indicates game - play time has passed. Continuation of game should not interfere with another game’s progress or start time. No new inning will start after game time has expired.
If an umpire leaves early (before the play time has passed) the game continues until the official game time has passed.
If there is less than 5 minutes on the clock and the away team cannot overtake the home team's score, both coaches can agree to end the game instead of starting a new inning.
One coach cannot make this decision for both teams, if this occurs it will be considered a forfeit for that coach's team.
SCORING
Run Rules
Each team alternates offense and defense in an inning. The inning ends after each team has 3 outs (except T-ball), or:
T-ball: all batters in the lineup will bat in their assigned line-up order. There are no outs.
8u: batting through the line-up once per inning or 3 outs, whichever comes first.
10u: up to 5 runs plus continuation, with a maximum of 8 runs.
12u and above: up to 7 runs plus continuation, with a maximum of 10 runs.
Continuation of runs
When the inning run rule is in effect and the final scoring runner is still on base, there can be a continuation of runs allowed to score in an inning. Runners can continue to score after the run rule while the ball is live. The play is over when one of the following events has occurred:
The lead runner stops moving forward and the pitcher has control of the ball in the circle.
The play is called "dead" by the umpire.
The maximum number of runs has occurred.
Sportsmanship Run-Ahead Rule
During regular season games, when a team has more than a 15 run lead in a game the run-ahead rule can be applied. In lieu of ending the game early, the coach in the lead should reorganize their fielding positions to allow other players game time in different positions, including replacing the pitcher with a different player interested in developing their pitching skills.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. Every time you play with class.
Scorekeeping: (Except T-ball and 8u)
Both teams should designate a scorekeeper for the game. This person will be given the line-up for both teams before the game starts. At minimum, they will be responsible for tracking outs and runs scored each inning.
At the 80-minute game time mark, the teams finish the inning as follows:
If the Home team is ahead and at bat, the game has ended.
If the Home team is behind and at bat with the opportunity to overtake the score, the home team finishes their at-bat.
If the Away team is behind and at bat, with the ability to overtake the score, the away team finishes their at-bat. If the Away team has overtaken the lead, the Home team has last at-bats.
If the Home team is still ahead at the end of the Away team's final at-bat, the game has ended.
Final scores are determined after the game is called.
Scores do not revert back to the previous inning unless the field lights turn off or there is inclement weather resulting in the closure of the park/field by the city.
Reporting Scores
Scores are determined after the final inning is finished and the game- play time has ended. The league recommends a courtesy score exchange every half an inning between scorekeepers to avoid scoring issues. Both teams' scorekeepers should verify final scores at the end of the game. Once confirmed, scores should be reported by both teams at the end of each game in TeamSnap.
Regular season games can result in a win, loss, tie, or forfeit.
Forfeiting will result in a 1:0 score.
Forfeiting occurs when a coach calls the end of a game early or when they do not have 8 of their own players to start a game.
Playoffs (Quarter/Semi/Finals) require a game winner to advance to the next bracket. If there is a tie at the end of any of these games, the international tie breaker rule will apply, and the overtime inning will begin with a runner on second base.
This runner will be the last batted out.
This will continue until there is a winner.
Team Rosters
Roster Assignment
All registered players will be designated to a specific team. Players in 10u and above will be drafted by the coaches; T-ball and 8u will be randomly assigned. All players must be registered and insured to play in the League's current season or use league-reserved fields.
Game Rosters
A scored game requires 8 registered players from their own team. When a team has only 8 players on their line-up card, and no pick-up players are available, there is not an automatic out for a 9th batter.
If a player arrives late to the game, they are added to the bottom of the batting line-up after their arrival. Both coaches and the umpire should be informed that there is an additional player who will be added in the 9th spot.
If there are additional players that arrive late, they will be added in the 10th spot and so on, with the same notification.
If there are 9 or more players, and a player cannot continue the game (injured or leaves early), the batting line-up order does not change and there will be an automatic out assigned to that player.
If a player is injured during the current game and is removed from their turn at-bat during an inning, they cannot re-enter the game. If they are injured, and able to safely recover prior to skipping their turn at-bat, they will be allowed to continue playing the game.
T-ball, 8u, and 10u: Can field 9 positions and an additional player, Rover, in the outfield.
12u and above: Can field up to 9 positions, no Rover.
Pick-Up Players
During regular season games, when a team can roster less than nine (9) players a pick-up player can be requested. Coaches should reach out to other coaches to see if they have an available pick-up player. Players are encouraged to pick up games as needed for league games to continue. No coach should discourage or hold it against a player for picking-up with another team in our league.
Pick-up players cannot play as a pitcher or catcher for the pick-up team.
If scheduled at the same time for their own game, they cannot cancel playing for their own team to pick up for another team.
All pick-up players must be eligible for the division they are being asked to pick up for.
Pick-up players can wear their own team jersey or wear a plain colored shirt for the pick-up game.
Pick-up players are added to the batting and fielding line-up for the entirety of the game they are helping with.
Teams will not be forced to take an out for rostering less than nine (9) players.
Substitutions
All players must be fit to play, “not injured at the start of the game”. A substitute runner is permitted for three (3) types of players in the following scenarios:
When there are 2 outs, a substitute runner can be brought in for pitchers and/or catchers to prepare for the next half of the inning. The substitute runner does not take the original runners place in the batting line-up and can only enter the game after the batter has safely made it to or past first base.
When a batter is injured during their current at-bat, a substitute runner can be brought in after they have safely made it to or past first base.
Substitute runners should be the last batted out. When a substitute runner is needed, the head coach should request a time-out to notify the umpire and the opposing coach of the substitution and promptly switch.
If a player is injured during the game, but can safely take their next turn at bat, they can continue with the option to have a sub replace them after safely making it to first base. The substituted player would be the last batted out.
If a team has 9 or more players in the lineup and there is an injured player who cannot continue, they will receive and auto-out for the remainder of that player’s at bats.
If a team has less than 9 players in the lineup and there is an injured player who cannot continue, there will not be a penalty. The player is crossed off the lineup without an auto- out.
Batting
Batting Line Up
Players bat in a continuous batting order, which cannot be rearranged throughout the game. At the start of each inning, the batting order continues from the last player to bat in the previous inning. Coaches can appeal to the umpire if they believe a batter is batting out of turn.
If a mistake is made, and no appeal takes place during the at-bat, the game will continue as normal.
If the mistake was appealed during the at-bat, the batter is out.
Batting Line-Ups are exchanged between teams at the beginning of the game and should include every player present for the game at that time.
If a player is running late, they should be added to the end of the line-up, only after they arrive, and the other team has been notified.
If a player needs to leave early (or is injured and cannot safely continue when it is their turn to bat), it is an automatic out each time it is their turn to bat.
If an injured player returns to the game after they have received an automatic out, they will return to their same batting order.
Batters will not throw bats and will be warned by the umpire once for the violation. This warning will be a team warning, and the next violation will result in the acting batter being declared out.
Base Running
Dropped third strike
If the catcher fails to catch the ball on a third strike, and first base is open, or there are two outs, then the batter becomes a runner.
Stealing bases
There are no lead offs. All base runners must wait until the pitcher has released the ball before they leave their base.
If the pitcher starts her wind up and the runner is off base, they will be called out.
If a runner attempts to steal a base and the pitcher enters the pitching circle, the runner is committed to continue to the next base or immediately return to the previous base.
If the runner stops or does not commit to go one way or the other, she is out. The only exception is if the pitcher tries to make a play on her.
On a passed ball at home plate, players can advance and third can steal home. When a runner is stealing home, the batter should move safely out of the way of the play for safety reasons. (8u does not steal home.)
Sliding
Whenever a tag play is evident, a runner should slide or seek to avoid contact with the fielder / or catcher. Malicious contact shall supersede all obstruction penalties.
Pitching circle violation
The play is dead when the pitcher is in the circle with the ball. If the batter is walked to first and the player turns to go to second, she is committed to continue to second or immediately return to first base. If the runner stops or does not commit to go one way or the other, she is out. The only exception is if the pitcher tries to make a play on her.
Fielding
Obstruction
When a fielder, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner, it is considered obstruction. The obstructed runner is awarded at least one base beyond their position on base when the obstruction occurs.
- If any preceding runner is forced to advance by the awarding of a base or bases to an obstructed runner, the umpire shall award this preceding runner the necessary base or bases.
Infield fly rule
If first base and second base are occupied with runners, or all three bases are occupied, and the batter hits an infield fly ball, the batter is automatically out.
Pitchers: Pitchers can be replaced in the circle at any time but may not come back to the circle in the same inning unless they stay in the field at another position.
- If they return to the circle in the same inning, they are not allowed a second warmup period.
A pitcher will be asked to leave the circle after they strike 5 players that are walked due to the strike (Hit by Pitch). A dead ball strike does not count.
Coach Conferences
Coaches are allowed two (2) time outs per inning. This time out will be a 30 second time out.
Pitching Circle Visit Rule
The Head Coach shall be permitted to visit any one pitcher TWICE IN AN INNING, but, on the second visit to the pitching circle, the pitcher must be removed. The manager shall meet the pitcher either in the pitching circle, or at the baseline and no other player, except the catcher, shall join in the meeting.
Water Visit
Coaches may call a game time out to provide water to players. In the event a pitcher needs this time out, there will not be a mound visit conversation. This rule will not be used to avoid pitching circle visit situations. Umpire will deem if the water time out needs to be counted as a pitching circle visit.
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