All teams are provided with the Little League Softball Official Regulations and Playing Rules. All Managers and coaches should get to know the important rules that the league is required to abide by. As a guide, some of the rules and regulations are summarized and/or have been adopted by the West Windsor Little League to govern play this year. The Official Regulations and Playing Rules apply in all cases unless superseded below.

1.         Playoff Standings: Playoff standing will not be determined by regular season play. All teams will advance to the Post Season. Post-season brackets will be determined by random draw.

2.         Defensive Players: There will be a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 8 defensive players on the field at any one time with no more than 6 infielders. The outfielders must be positioned beyond the infield dirt. A team having 10 or more eligible players must field 10 defensive players. Managers are strongly encouraged to allow each player the opportunity to play in the infield during each game.

3.         Minimum Play: All players present at the beginning of the game must play at least 2 innings in the field, but more balanced playing time is strongly encouraged.

4.         Batting Order: Managers must place all players present in the batting order, which will be continuous. Players arriving late will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.

5.         Bunting: Bunting is permitted. Slap bunting is not permitted and will result in an out. Slap bunting is when the hitter “shows” bunt by taking a bunting stance and then pulls the bat back and hits away, usually “slapping” at the ball.

6.         Infield Fly Rule: There is no infield fly rule.

7.         Run Maximum: A maximum of five runs per team per inning will be registered. All runs scored on the final play of the inning shall be recorded. That is, a play that includes the scoring of the fifth run of the inning shall continue until the ball is declared dead or the third out is made. A team that hits a grand slam after scoring four runs could score 8 runs in one inning.

8.         Intentional Walks: Intentional walks are not permitted.

9.         Leading and Stealing: There is no leading. Base runners may not leave the base until the pitch crosses the plate. Stealing is permitted. For weeks one through six, a maximum of 4 attempted steals per inning per team will be allowed, except only two attempted steals of home will be permitted per inning per team (which count against the maximum of 4). In order to encourage throws down to second or third, no base advancement is permitted on overthrows during a stolen base attempt. However, if a player attempts to advance, she does so at her own risk. There is no stealing when coach pitching is in effect. For weeks seven to the end of the season, there will be unlimited stealing, including home. Base advancements that occur between the time a ball is put in play by a hitter and the time the ball is returned to the pitching circle under any defensive player's control are not considered steals. Examples: advancement on an overthrow during a play is not a steal, advancement on an overthrow from the catcher to the pitcher after a ball or strike is a steal.

10.     Base on Balls Continuation: A runner advancing to first on a base on balls may NOT advance to second base until the next pitch, unless there is an attempted play in the field at the time of the base on balls (e.g. an attempted pickoff attempt at third by the catcher or errant throw back to the pitcher).

11.     Leaving the Bench: A manager/coach shall not leave the bench except to confer with a player and only with the umpire’s prior permission.

12.     Slide or Avoid: Players must follow the “slide or avoid” rule. Players may not attempt to knock over or hurdle the fielder. Failure to follow this rule may result in the player being called out, at the sole discretion of the umpire.

13.     On-Deck: There is no on-deck position. A bat should not be touched until the batter is ready to come to the plate.

14.     Safety Base: Many of our softball fields are equipped with a double safety base at first base. The white base is the fielder's base and the red base is the runner's base. Fielders must use the white fielder's portion of the base. Runners must use the red runner's portion of the base when running through the bag. When rounding first, a runner should use the white portion of the base. Runners who "run through" the fielder's portion of the bag are subject to a warning on the first infraction and cam be called out by the umpire for additional infractions.

1.         During the first 5 weeks and for all interleague games we will follow the District 12 Minor League pitching rules as follows: Each batter will be pitched to by a pitcher from the opposing team. Upon ball 4 the count is retained and the hitting team's coach will throw up to 6 pitches to the batter who will either strike out or put the ball in play. The umpire will continue to call balls and strikes. A batter can strike out on a coach pitch, but she cannot walk. If the third strike occurs, the batter will be called out on strikes. If the batter puts the ball in play, the at bat ends with the result of the play. After the 6th additional pitch, the batter will be called out.

2.         During the last 5 weeks (with the exception of interleague games), each inning will begin with regular softball rules (3 strikes is an out, 4 balls is a walk) with a maximum of 4 walks per inning per pitcher. Once a pitcher has walked 4 batters in an inning, the District 12 pitching rules will be used for the remainder of that half inning or until the defensive team changes pitchers.

3.         A foul ball on the 6th coach’s pitch will not count and the coach will continue to pitch until the ball is hit fairly, not swung at or missed.

4.         Coach pitchers must make an attempt to get out of the pitching circle after a ball is put in play. In addition, the coach pitcher must make every reasonable attempt to avoid interfering with a defensive play.

5.         A ball accidentally fielded by the coach pitcher shall be considered a dead ball; the batter is awarded first and each runner advances one base.

6.         If three batters are hit by a pitch thrown by the same pitcher during a game, that pitcher may no longer pitch during that game. This includes pitches that bounce before crossing the plate. Batters must attempt to avoid being hit by pitched balls at all times in accordance with reasonable standards interpreted by the umpire. If, in the sole opinion of the umpire a batter purposely is hit by a pitch or fails to avoid being hit by a pitch, then that will not count against the pitcher’s hit batsmen limit. Unless the umpire determines otherwise, if the batter is hit by a pitch, the batter is to take first base.

7.         All player pitchers will pitch from a rubber that is the regulation minors’ distance of 35 feet. Coach pitchers must pitch from inside the pitching circle.

8.         If a pitcher pitches more than one inning but not more than three innings in a game, then that pitcher must rest for one calendar day following the game.

9.         If a pitcher pitches more than three innings, then that pitcher must rest for three calendar days following the game. No pitcher may pitch more than 6 innings during any Sunday through Saturday period. An opposing team may request the pitching log from the opposing team any time before the start of the game.

10.     Delivery of one pitch is considered as pitching one inning.

1.         Obscenities and/or poor sportsmanship by players, coaches, managers, or parents will not be tolerated. Do not make disparaging comments about the other team. Players using obscenities will be promptly removed from the game. Your coordinators will promptly resolve any and all issues brought to our attention.

2.         Abuse of umpires will not be tolerated. The adult umpires will be working with our youth umpires to ensure that the games are umpired in a professional manner. Any coach or manager ejected from a game for abusing the umpire will be suspended from the following game, will have to leave the complex at which the game is being played and will not be allowed at the complex at which the next game is being played. The umpire will notify the league coordinator of the ejection.

3.         No inning may begin after one hour fifty minutes have elapsed and on Saturdays only (when there is a following game) no game may extend beyond two hours (hard time). On weeknights, when there is no game immediately following, the inning in progress will be played to completion. An inning begins for the purposes of this rule at the end of the immediately preceding inning (either by the third out or the fifth run). The score reverts to the score at the end of the immediately preceding complete inning if play is stopped because the two-hour time limit is reached. A game is considered official if it is stopped because the two-hour time limit is reached.

4.         If a game is tied after six innings, additional innings can be started until the one hour and fifty minute time limit is reached and played until the two hours time limit is reached. If no game follows, the game can continue past the one hour and fifty minute and two-hour time limits, but in no case may an inning start after 9:00 PM (Sunday through Thursday) or 10:00 PM (Friday and Saturday). If the tie is not broken before the time constraints are met, then the game will be continued prior to the next time the two teams play or at a mutually agreed upon time. The league coordinator must be consulted about the scheduling of the suspended game.

5.         Wearing jewelry of any kind, with the exception of a medic alert bracelet, is not permitted.

6.         All players must wear a visor or protective mask during both games and practices.

7.         Food of any kind is not permitted in the dugout. Only water is permitted. Each team MUST clean the dugout area prior to leaving the area.

8.         The home team will take the first base dugout and is responsible to supply two game balls to the umpire.

9.         The away team will take the third base dugout.

10.     If your team is scheduled for the first or last game of the day at Ward Field, managers, coaches, parents and players from both teams must remove or replace the tarps from/onto the field. The tarps are to be placed along the fence on the left field side.

11.     The home team must line the base lines and the 8-foot pitching circle before each game. The visiting team must rake the field (prior to covering with the tarp, if appropriate) and clean out both dugouts after each game. However, in the spirit of sportsmanship, it is preferred that both teams work together before and after the game to ensure that all field maintenance is completed as quickly as possible to allow the next game to begin or to allow everyone to go home as soon as possible.

12.     Only the league coordinator can cancel a game due to weather conditions prior to the game's start. Once the game begins, it is the umpire's decision whether or not to cancel or delay the game.

13.     In the event of poor weather on days prior to a game, it is the responsibility of both managers or their delegates to review the conditions of their scheduled field well ahead of the game time and to complete any maintenance to the field to ensure that their game can be played and can be started on a timely basis. This is NOT the job of the league coordinator or the VP of Softball. The need for field maintenance is not a reason to cancel or postpone a game.

14.     It is the responsibility of the home team “Team Parent” to either select an adult volunteer to fulfill / directly supervise the announcer booth and scoreboard duties or to complete this responsibility themselves. If the “booth” duties are not supervised properly, the entire league can potentially lose the privilege of the use of the booth and the scoreboard.

15.     It is the responsibility of both managers to report promptly the score and pitching statistics to the coordinator by email after the end of the game.