2023 Women's Fastpitch League Rules
NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE PARKING LOT, PLAYER AREA OR THE STANDS AT ANY TIME. (THESE ARE PARK RULES, AS WELL AS LEAGUE RULES.)
SMOKING WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE PAVED, STRIPED PARKING LOT ONLY!
(This does not include the road behind fields 1 & 2)
1.0 Rules:
This league will follow USSSA rules as outlined in the 2023 USSSA Rule book. IGSA's league rules will supercede USSSA's rules, when indicated in these rules. ** Please note: All bats must have new USSSA "Thumbprint". Please make sure your players know this. Due to insurance regulations, we cannot allow bats without this marking. (See www.igsasoftball.com website homepage for a photo of the thumbprint bats must have.)
2.0 Registration
To participate in the league, each player must (a) complete a contract and sign a waiver of league responsibility, (b) and pay the fee, before she can step on the playing field. If this is not done, the team will forfeit the game. Each team that wants to come in as a whole team MUST carry at least 12 players on their roster. Individual registrants will be placed on a team, to fill that team and according to their needs for positions.
2.1 Women who are 18 years old or older as of January 1, 2023, will be eligible for the Women's League. Those who qualify will be allowed to play in both Division V and the Women's League, however, players under 18 are not eligible for the women's league.
2.2 To add to your roster after the games have started it must be approved by the Women's League Rep. If it is not, it will result in a forfeit.
2.3 Pickup players may be used, however, for insurance purposes, must pay $8 for each game played ($15 for doubleheader). This also prevents people from not committing to the league and still getting to play. A sub form can be completed and payment made, on the website 30 minutes prior to game time and the player taking the field…no exceptions. Any team that violates this rule will forfeit and will not be allowed to return next year.
** Note: The purpose of pick-up players is to fill in when you are short players. Please do not play pick-up players over your regular season players as they committed to playing a full season and have paid full price. Breaking this rule could prevent you from returning the next season. (The only exception would be for pitchers/catchers.)
3.0 Game Rosters and Lineup
The game roster and lineup will be presented to the other team's score keeper no later than 5 minutes before scheduled game time. Home team will be listed first and be the official scorekeeper. All teams must provide a scorekeeper. **Home teams (listed first for the first game) will be in the 3rd base dugout for that night's games.
4.0 Schedule
The Women's League will play 6 weeks of double headers, on Tuesday nights at Adair Park, beginning on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Our goal is to have the league wrapped up before the July 4th holiday, but depending on the weather, we could have make-up games into July. Every effort will be made to make up rainouts, depending on field and umpire availability.
4.1 The league will provide two official umpires for each game, as well as game balls.
4.2 Games may be pushed back by 1/2 hour if heat index is over 100 degrees.
5.0 Game Rules
Pitching Distance is 43 feet. Bases are 60 feet apart.
5.1 No unsportsmanlike conduct, smoking, intoxicating beverages or use of profane language will be allowed on the field or in the bench area. All offenders will be removed from the park.
5.2 Any player who carelessly and deliberately throws the bat will be subject to ejection from the game. The first occurrence will result in a warning being given to the player and both managers.
5.3 Catchers must wear a helmet, face guard, throat protector, shin guards and a chest protector.
5.4 Each batter must wear a batting helmet. Face mask is optional, but recommended.
5.5 Players may wear jewelry, at their own risk. IGSA will not be responsible for injuries related to wearing jewelry.
5.6 A team must have at least 7 players present to start and continue a game or team will forfeit the game.
5.6.1 A team that starts with fewer than 9 players will be allowed to add late arriving players to the end of the batting order and an 8th and/or 9th player may immediately play on defense when time is called and the official scorekeeper is notified.
5.7 A team's batting order will include all players present at the game, although only 9 may play the field at a given time. Substitutions apply only to defensive replacement.
5.7.1 When a player on the field becomes incapacitated, another player will take her place. The place in the batting order will be skipped without penalty. No out will be taken for an injured player.
5.7.2 IF a player is removed from the game by an umpire, her spot in the batting order will result in an out.
5.8 Game Length, Run Spread and Time Limit. A regulation game will consist of 7 innings or 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5.8.1 The game will end if one team is ahead by 15 runs after 3 complete innings or if the home team is ahead or goes ahead by 15 runs after the visitors bat in the 3rd inning. The game will end if one team is ahead by 8 runs after 5 complete innings or if the home team is ahead or goes ahead by 8 runs after the visitors bat in the 5th inning.
5.8.2 The time limit begins with the first pitch of the game. The plate umpire will announce the starting time to the offical scorekeeper.
a. The time limit will be 1 hour and 15 minutes, with no new inning starting after 1 hour and 10 minutes. There will be NO drop dead time limits...we will finish the inning if the home team is behind.
b. No International Tie Breaker will be played. If the game is still tied then the game will end in a tie.
c. No Five Run Rule per inning will be in place.
5.9 Courtesy runners may be used for the pitcher and catcher at any time. Runner must be the last available batter/runner. To keep game moving, it is recommended that a runner be put in for the catcher with 2 outs.
5.10 There will be only one conference between the manager or other team representative from the dugout with each and every pitcher in an inning. The second conference will result in the removal of the pitcher from the pitching position. That pitcher may return to pitch if she remains in the game or re-enters once a relieving pitcher faces at least one batter.
5.11 Any pitcher who hits 3 batters in one inning must be removed as pitcher for the remainder of the inning.
5.12 Players, managers and coaches who are ejected from a game must sit out the remainder of that game only and must leave the vicinity of the field.
6.0 RAINOUTS
All Rainouts may be added on to the end of the schedule, if fields and umpires are available. However, we cannot guarantee either but will do our best.
Please have your players register for text/email rainout info on the website's homepage (igsasoftball.com) by clicking on the blue box that says "Adair Park Field Rental - Tuesdays". This will ensure that everyone is being notified as quickly as possible.