BASS

                          RULES

                         (April, 2010)        

1. COURTESY PLAYERS

1. Regular season games and tournaments require a team to have at least six (6) of its roster players present and playing in order to avoid a forfeit.  If a team is short of players, courtesy players will be added in order to field a team of 10 or 11 players.

2. Courtesy players will be drawn randomly.   For playing purposes, first priority goes to regular SUBSTITUTE players (players who have paid their dues but have not been assigned to a roster), second priority goes to PICKUP players from teams that are not playing that day, and third priority goes to PICKUP players from another team’s roster.   The following guidelines will be used to insure that no team gains an excessive advantage as a result of drawing players.

                                                    i.     A member of the board will be in charge of the drawing and placement of courtesy players.  The board member should not be playing in the game for which the drawing is taking place.  There will be separate drawings in the following order:  (1) Pitchers (if needed), (2) substitute players, (3) players on teams that are not playing that day, (4) pickup players.

                                                  ii.     All of the drawings will be conducted in the same manner.  The procedure will be:  

         a.  The highest number working smaller (i.e., 10,9,8 etc.) will go to the home team.  If there are two simultaneous games to be played, then the highest number will go to field #1, and the second highest number will go to field #2. (i.e., 10 to the home team on field #1, 9 to the home    team on field #2, etc.)

          b.   The lowest number working larger (i.e., 1,2,3 etc.) will go to the visiting team.  If there are two simultaneous games to be played, then the lowest number will go to the visiting team on field #1 and the   second lowest will go to the visiting team on field #2.  (i.e., 1  goes to      field #1 and 2 goes to field #2 and so on.)

C.    Substitute players can play any position and bat any place in the lineup.  Pickup players can play any position, but must bat last in the lineup.  If more than one pickup player is chosen, they will be inserted into the bottom of the lineup in the order that they were picked.

D.    Once chosen, substitute players must play the entire game.  If a roster player shows up after the substitute has been assigned to a team, that team must play with 11 players batting and 10 in the field.

E.     Pickup players are not guaranteed playing time.  If, after the game starts, a roster player shows up, he will replace the last pickup player in the lineup, batting last in the order, effective at the start of the next inning.

F.     Substitute players are guaranteed playing time on any day that they are present.

G.    Pickup players cannot hit for more than a single.  Runners on base when the pickup player bats cannot advance more than 1 base.  This restriction does not apply to substitute players. 

H.     If a substitute player participates in the first game, he may play in the second game as a pickup player.

2. ROSTER RULES

1. Players will not be allowed to start league play if dues are not paid.  The team manager is responsible securing payment from his players and forwarding the payment to the BASS treasurer.

2. All team members present for a game must be included in the batting order.

3. If both teams have 11 or more roster players present, the teams must use 11 players on defense. 

4. If one team has 11 or more roster players present and the opposing team has fewer than 11, the opposing team is required to add pickup and/or substitute players to also field an 11-man team.  This requirement does not apply if insufficient numbers of pickup players are available and the teams will then play with 10 players on defense.

5. Free substitution is allowed in the field at any time.

6. All roster players present must play a minimum of 3 innings in the field.

3. GAME PARAMETERS

1. A regulation game shall be 7 innings unless shortened by the time limit imposed in part B.

2. 50 minutes after the start of the game (45 minutes on days with limited daylight), the umpire will announce to both managers that the next inning will be the game’s last inning.  In the event of encroaching darkness, the umpire has the authority to declare the start of the last inning prior to the 50-minute time expiring. 

3. Starting time for the first game will be 5:30 pm.  The scheduled starting time for the second game will be 6:30 pm.  If the length of daylight hours allows, game times may be pushed back.

4. In regulation play, batters will start with a 0-ball, 0-strike count.

5. If extra innings are required, the player who batted last in the previous at-bat will begin the extra inning as a base runner on second base.

6. In the event of a tie at the end of regulation play, only one extra inning will be played.

7. If the batter starts fouls off a 2-strike pitch, he is ‘out’. 

8. A scoring limit of 5 runs applies to every inning except the last inning.

9. The ‘one-up’ home run rule will be in effect.  An out-of-the-park hit that would result in a team having 2 home runs more than its opponent will be limited to a double.

10. On a ball caught in foul territory with less than 2 outs, regardless of the count on the batter, a runner may tag and advance at his own risk.

4. BASE RUNNING

1. After hitting the ball, a batter/base runner going to first base must step on the outside (red) base if a play is being made at that base.  If no play is being made at first base, the runner can touch either base.   A violation will result in the runner being called out by the umpire.

2. Players attempting to score must run across the home plate line or step on the alternate home plate.  Any runner who touches the regular home plate will be called ‘out’.

3. It is the base runner’s responsibility to avoid the relay throw on an attempted double play.  If the relay throw hits the runner, interference may be called.

4.  Base runners cannot leave a base until the ball reaches home plate.  A runner who leaves early will be called ‘out’ and the ball is dead.

5. A base runner shall avoid all unnecessary contact with a defensive player.  Blatantly unnecessary contact (as determined by the umpire) will result in the runner being called ‘out’.  The ball is dead, and runners must return to their bases.

6. A “line of no return” between third base and home plate is marked along the third base line, 40 feet away from 3^rd base.  Once a runner passes this line he must continue to the home plate line and cannot return to third base.

7. All plays at home plate will be force-outs (no tags allowed).  In order for the runner to be called ‘out’ at home, the defensive player must have possession of the ball and be touching any part of home plate (black or white) before the base runner crosses the home plate line or touches the alternate home plate.

8. If a base runner passes another base runner, the passed runner is ‘out’.

9. Substitute and Courtesy Runners

A courtesy runner is a replacement runner for the batter.  A substitute runner is a replacement for a base runner.

                                                    i.     Each team is allowed only two substitute runners per inning.  An exception to this limit can be made in the event of an injury.  A given player can be a substitute runner only once per inning.  A pickup player is not allowed to be a substitute runner.

                                                  ii.     Batters that are unable to run and require a courtesy runner must be stipulated to the umpire prior to the start of the game.  Runners necessitated due to injury during the game are excepted from this rule.

                                                iii.     The courtesy runner for a batter must be the player who made the team’s last out.

                                                iv.     Courtesy runners for a batter must start from the line designated for that purpose and cannot leave until the ball is hit.

                                                  v.     If the courtesy runner for a batter is on base when it is his turn to bat, another player can replace him.

                                                vi.     If the substitute runner for a base runner is on base when it is his turn to bat, he becomes an illegal runner and is ‘out’.   However, he does not forfeit his at-bat.

                                              vii.     Protesting the illegal substitution of a courtesy runner or substitute runner must be done as an appeal play.  The appeal must be made to the umpire after the first pitch thrown after the substitution and before the second pitch.   If the appeal is upheld, the runner is out.   If the appeal is upheld and the pitched ball was hit, other runners return to their original bases and the batter returns to his at-bat and starts with a fresh count.

5. PITCHING

1. To be called a strike, a pitch must

                                                    i.     Hit the plate or attached mat, and

                                                  ii.     Have an arc that is between a minimum height of 6 feet and a maximum height of 12 feet.

2. A pitch that bounces back towards the pitcher after striking the front edge of the plate will be called a ‘ball’.

3. The pitcher may pitch from an area up to 6 feet directly behind the pitching rubber.

6. MISCELLANEOUS

1. MAKEUP GAMES:  If a league game is rained out, or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the game will not be made up.

2. UNIFORM CODE:  Players are expected to wear the team jersey of their sponsor in all scheduled games.

3. PRE-GAME BATTING PRACTICE:  Players should be limited to seven swings in pre-game batting practice on field 2 (East).

4. DOGS brought to the park should be kept on a leash.

5. PLAYER SUSPENSION:  Players are expected to conduct themselves at all times in accordance with the highest standards of courtesy, integrity and sportsmanship.  Players who are ejected from a game or violate these standards of conduct at anytime are subject to suspension for a number of games determined by the BASS board to be appropriate for the situation.  Repeat offenses or egregious behavior can result in a player being banned from participation BASS sponsored events.

6. ELIGIBLE PLAYERS:  Men must be at least 50 years of age by December 31 of the calendar year.  Women must be at least 40 years of age by December 31 of the calendar year.

7. SITUATIONS NOT COVERED BY BASS RULES

All situations not covered by the rules listed above will be governed by Senior Softball USA (SSUSA) rules.