TRINITY SOFTBALL LEAGUE

RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. All players must be attending your church with the exception of up to 3 players that may play that are being introduced into the church.

 2. All churches must get permission from coordinator or commissioner before combining 2 churches together to make a team.

 3. Concerning age eligibility, a player in the men’s league must be at least 15 years old to play in that game; age 12 for the women’s league.  Every player under 18 must have a parent/guardian slip filled out and signed by same and the Pastor of the team they are playing for.  A medical liability release waiver to Trinity A/G must be included. This same slip must be given to the Commissioner or Coordinator before they can play in any games.

 4. DRESS CODE: Modest clothing must be worn. Shorts should not be higher than 4-5 inches above the knees (standing up). Shirts must cover your entire torso and belly.

 5. There will be NO metal/steel nor rubber over metal/steel cleats allowed at any time.

 6. Any unsportsmanlike conduct (in the umpires, commissioners or coordinators judgment) will result in an immediate ejection from the game and also carry an additional one (1) game suspension to be served immediately for the next game to be played.  Unsportsmanlike conduct also includes profanity/swearing or improper gestures.

 7. All games will conform to A.S.A. rules that are not otherwise covered by league rules.

 8. Game time is forfeit time. There is a five (5) minute grace allowed at the discretion of the umpire/commissioner if an 8^th player is near by and the game can be played as scheduled.

 9. Teams must have 8 players to start a game otherwise it will be forfeited, if both teams cannot field 8 players, then both teams will receive a forfeit for that game.

10. Two (2) forfeits in one season will result in teams being removed from the remainder of the season with NO refund.

11. Cancellation of games must be made to the Commissioner or Coordinator at least (1) week in advance and must be for a church-wide function. Make-ups will take place within a week of scheduled games, mostly on Fridays/Saturdays - same game times.

12. If your game is rained out, it will be made up on the Friday (or Saturday if deemed necessary by the commissioner) at the same scheduled game time and same week. No exceptions or favor can be granted, the team that cannot play will forfeit that game.

13. No team rosters will be used, however, it is up to each team to exercise integrity concerning their team’s roster.  If a church has more than one team and is short of players for a game, the coach must field his entire roster from that team before using any players from his other church team in order to avoid a forfeit.  The maximum number of players he may use from his other church team is 4 in order to get his lineup to 10 players for that game.  Once he introduces 4, he may not introduce any further players if one of the original 4 must leave the game.  Any coach that uses this rule with the intent to stack his team against an opponent violates the integrity of this rule and the fellowship of this league.

14. A ten (10) run per inning rule will be used, except in the seventh (7) inning if a team is behind by more than ten (10) runs they can TIE the game only

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15. The runs ahead rule is fifteen (15) runs ahead after five (5) innings.

16. NO infield or batting practices on game days on the infields. NO hitting or throwing against the fences.

17. Courtesy runners may be used one (1) time per inning and must be the last out made or if used in the first (1) inning the last scheduled batter in the lineup when there are no outs. An additional courtesy runner in same inning may be used if ok’d by the opposing team coach.  If a player is injured while running the bases and must sit out due to the injury, a courtesy runner may be used at no penalty to the injured team, using the last out or a substitute player from the bench.

18. Second team listed on the schedule is the HOME team and is official scorer.

19. One (1) hour fifteen (15) minute time limits for all games, except the championship game in the season ending tournament. Game time starts when prayer ends. (See #29)

20. The seeding for the season ending tourney will be based on how your team placed in the final standings. If a tie exists then the tiebreakers are as follows: 1. Heads up competition. 2. Most runs scored against heads up competition. 3. Fewest runs allowed against heads up competition. 4. Most runs scored during regular season. 5. Coin flip.

21. Double Base: Orange base is for Batter-Runner only. Once the runner has passed first base they are no longer the BR, then they must use the White base only.  A BR may be called out by the umpire if the orange base is not used on a “run through the bag” play at first base in order to avoid injuries. 

22. Home Plate/Mat: Women may touch either the plate or the mat at all times safely.  Runners may score and Defense may make outs, if mat is in place.

Men must touch the actual plate - used for scoring or making outs.

23. Substitutions (non-injury): You may use any of your team’s ten (10) players on defense.  The batting order must remain sacred and be substituted properly.  Courtesy runner is NOT a substitute. A Pinch Runner IS a substitute and can only come in that batting order spot that they are running for. If you sub a PR and later on want them to either run again or bat, then they can only do so for that same batting order spot they came in for the first time. (BOTTOM LINE HERE: substitute player can only RE-enter one time into batting lineup).

**Injured players that are leaving the entire game may be replaced at anytime by any player not currently in the lineup.

24. Mat/Plate will be used for the entire strike zone.

25. Pitching distance:    Women 46 feet.     Men 50 feet.

26. BATS - For this league, a bat is considered legal that has an ASA certification stamp on the bat.  We acknowledge that ASA is now making some bats illegal that have a 2000 & 2004 ASA certification.  For clarity purposes, all bats with the ASA certified markings are considered a legal bat for Trinity Softball League play.

Illegal Bat:  If you come to bat with a bat that’s on the Illegal Bat list and it is discovered by either the commissioner, the umpire or the defensive team, you are automatically out that time at bat. However, if you actually hit the ball, either fair or foul, you are out and (at the umpire's descretion) ejected from that game. If runners advance as the result of a fair hit ball then they must return to the base they started when that turn at bat took place.

The ILLEGAL BAT will be kept by umpire until game is over.

Illegal bat discovered = an out.

Illegal bat discovered after contact with the ball is made = an out and at the umpire's descretion the violating player may be ejected from that game only.

27. Protests are resolved immediately on the field by the combination of either both the umpire and commissioner, umpire and coordinator or 2 umpires if the other umpire is still there from the other field or just that game umpire if none of the above options are there. 

ONLY THE TEAM’S COACH may approach the umpire to raise a protest and this must be accomplished in an orderly manner.  Any other player approaching the umpire in protest will be ejected from the game at the umpire’s discretion.

28. Official Game (for weather or darkness) is 5 innings or 4 ½ innings if the Home team is ahead, otherwise the game will be replayed in its entirety.

29. Timers will be used.  Timers start when prayer ends. If the timer sounds before the 3rd out is made by the home team, the home team will be allowed to complete the inning and possibly win the game.  If the home team is already winning, the game is over when the timer sounds.  If there is anytime left (minutes or seconds) after the 3rd out is made by the home team, then another inning left in the game will be played.

30. EXTRA INNINGS:  All batters come to bat with a one (1) ball, one (1) strike count.

31.  PLAYOFFS – A player used in the playoffs must have played in at least two (2) regular season games for that team in order to be eligible for the playoff games.  No stacking your team to win the playoffs.