Revised March 30, 2021

1. All players must wear a full conforming uniform during game play, unless both coaches agree otherwise.
2. The official ball is the 11-inch, ASA certified ball with a 0.47 core.
3. All players must play both infield and outfield within the first three (3) innings of a game. If you have special circumstances, they must be approved by a softball commissioner. This rule only applies during regular season, and does not apply during tournament play.
4. All players must have equal playing time.
5. Players may not taunt an opponent. Derogatory comments are not allowed. Violation results in ejection from the game.
6. The umpire’s rulings are final and non-contestable. Coaches, players, and fans will exhibit good sportsmanship at all times. No arguing or poor sportsmanship from players, coaches, parent’s, or fan’s will be tolerated!  Any person violating this rule will be given one (1) warning, after that should the poor sportsmanship continue the individual coach, player, parent or fan, will be suspended from the current game and the next upcoming game. A suspended coach, player, parent or fan will be required to leave the entire park by the Officer of the Day.  Should they refuse to leave the game, it will become a forfeit and also result in a Ban from any remainder League activity for the calendar year. Profanity is strictly prohibited. Violation results in ejection from the game.
7. These rules cannot be changed or modified unless a majority vote is made by league directors.
8. All coaching staff must sign coach’s code of conduct and all parents must sign the parent’s code of conduct, both to be filed with the league prior to the first game or the game is forfeited.
9. ASA rules will be used where not specified on this document.

Batting

1. Coach pitch will be used for all girls. Each batter will get three (3) swinging strikes or five (5) pitches from the coach. The batter is not out if the third strike or the fifth pitch is a foul ball. The batter will continue to bat until the ball is hit into play or there is a swinging 3rd strike. There are no walks in this age division.
2. No bunting is allowed.
3. Pitching coach must have one (1) foot in contact with the pitching rubber when the pitch is delivered. The coaches’ pitch will be underhand in order to teach the batter how to hit this type of pitch. Arc of pitch may not be higher than the batters’ head. The pitching coach is not allowed to coach the batter or base runners after the pitch is delivered.
4. Distance from the front of the pitching rubber to the back point of home plate is 35 feet. The circle around the pitcher’s mound will be 16 feet in diameter.
5. The pitching coach must not interfere with the ball while it is in play. A batted ball that makes contact with the pitching coach is declared a dead ball and the batter will bat again with the same count as prior to the contact. Intentional interference by the pitching coach will result in the batter being declared out.
6. Each half inning will end when the offensive team has batted once through their entire lineup, including substitutions, or after three (3) outs, or the offensive team has scored five (5) runs. There is no continuation rule. In the event of a “last batter”, the last batter will hit the ball or strikeout.
7. 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.
8. All batters must wear a NOCSAE approved helmet with chin strap and face mask/guard.
9. All bats must be ASA approved (tee ball bats not allowed).

Base Running

1. Runners may advance one (1) base on fielding overthrows at 1st base. A chalk line will be placed halfway between 1st and 2nd base, 2nd and 3rd base, and 3rd base and home plate. The chalk line will determine which base the base runner will be awarded once a dead ball is called.
2. Coaches may not assist a runner, via any physical contact. Any violation will result in the runner being declared out.
3. Runners may not leave any base until the batter swings the bat.
4. Stealing of bases is not allowed in this age division.

Fielding

1. The defensive ream will consist of ten (10) players: six (6) infielders (1st base, 2nd base, shortstop, 3rd base, catcher, and pitcher’s helper) and four (4) outfielders.
2. Outfielders must start in the outfield grass prior to each swing.
3. No infielder, except pitcher’s helper, will be positioned closer to home plate than the pitching rubber prior to the release of the pitch.
4. Pitcher’s helper shall play no closer than the pitching rubber until the ball is hit into plat. The pitcher’s helper must wear either a batting helmet with a facemask or a face guard. The pitcher’s helper is also required to wear a heart guard, that is provided by the league to each team.
5. One (1) coach from the defensive team may be stationed in the outfield grass in order to provide defensive instruction.
6. Play has ended and the ball is dead once the lead runner has stopped forward progress, the ball is under control by the pitcher’s helper with both feet inside the pitcher’s circle, the ball is under control in front of the lead runner, or pitching coach has possession of the ball.

Game Length

1. Regulation game time is one hour and fifteen minutes (1:15) from the first pitch or six (6) innings, whichever comes first. No new inning will begin after the time limit has expired. New inning begins immediately following the third out of the previous innings. Tie games during regular season can be called in this division. If the game is tied at the completion of a full inning during tournament play, international tie break rules apply (the last batted out from the previous inning start on 2nd base with no outs and the batting order resumes where left off).  No time limit during tournament play, will play complete six (6) innings.
2. Game is complete if a team is leading by more than fifteen (15) runs after four (4) innings or ten (10) runs after five (5) innings.
3. The following will be used for rain out and delay of game. The game is a complete game at the completion of three and one-half (3.5) innings, if the home team is ahead, or four (4) innings if the visiting team is ahead. In the event a game is delayed by rain and either of these conditions has been met, the game is over and the score is final. If, however, neither of these two conditions has been met, the game will be suspended and the game will restart with a new time limit of one hour (1:00) of play as soon as possible.

Code of Conduct

• All persons associated with Fall Creek Softball program, including coaches, players, umpires, parents, and attendees, will conduct themselves both responsibly and courteously. If a person’s conduct results in an ejection, they will be asked to leave the property. They will have five minutes to comply and if they refuse, the offending team will forfeit the game.
• Any “trash talking”, derogatory comments, profanity, or abusive language toward a coach, player, umpire, parent, or attendee will result in a team warning. A second offense, during any will result in immediate ejection and suspension from the next scheduled game.
• Any intentional physical contact by a coach, player, umpire, parent, or attendee will result in immediate ejection and suspension from attending Fall Creek Softball & Baseball sporting events for the remainder of the season.