INDOOR Softball – Regular season rules only
The HUB softball follows ASA rules in all cases except as noted below. In certain cases where rules differ The HUB rules will take precedence.
For information regarding rainouts, scheduling, or problems at your field contact the Softball Program Manager at:
Tel: 617.863.8300 ext 8
Team Roster and eligibility – Maximum roster size is 15. All players must be over the age of 18. Only rostered players will be eligible to play. Only players who sign a player waiver form are considered rostered. Players may not be rostered on two teams in the same Division.
Season – Season length varies by division 6 games long plus playoffs for qualifying teams depending on the division, league, and season. Playoffs are single elimination.
Uniforms and Equipment – All players are required to wear matching team shirts which are provided with The HUB registration. The HUB allows only turf shoes or sneakers.
Field of Play – The following dimensions will be in effect. Bases will be marked off at 60′ and the mound will be marked off at 50′. The pitching arc is 6′ to 10′ from the ground. Pitchers are not required to make contact with the rubber during the pitch. All batted balls hitting the ceiling are considered live and may be caught for an out before they hit the ground.
Game and Start of Play – Games are 45 minutes and the umpire will announce time.
Captains or a team representative will meet with the umpire 5 minutes before the scheduled start time to review ground rules, and pay umpire fees. There is no grace period at the start of the game. To ensure a full game is played it is critical to show up on time, hustle on and off-field, and know your team assignments.
Time Limit – Games are scheduled on the 50 minutes. Games can continue past 7 innings but no new inning will start after 45 minutes.
Run Limit – Teams will be limited to scoring no more than 6 runs per turn at bat. Once a team has scored 6 runs their turn at bat will be considered over.
Mercy Rule – There is no mercy rule in indoor softball.
Warm-ups – No infield/outfield warm-ups after the 2nd inning. The pitcher is allowed one warm-up pitch between innings.
Players on the field – Each team may have a maximum of 8. For Coed games, the maximum number of men in the field at any one time is 6. The minimum number of players required for a legal game is 7 with at least one woman for coed games. At the beginning of the game if one team has less than the minimum number of players they are automatically the visiting team and must bat first. If less than 7 players are present by the end of that team’s turn at bat then that team will forfeit the game. If a team has only 7 players a ghost out will be recorded every time the 8th spot in the order comes to bat.
Non-defensive Catchers – In cases where one team has 7 players present the opposing team will supply a non-defensive catcher for the duration of the game or until an 8th player arrives.
Batting order Coed – There must be at least 2 females in the batting order. No maximum number of batters in order but a team may not bat more than 3 males in a row (MMMFMMMFMMM), until both women have batted. Once the mandatory number of women have batted a team is allowed to bat the remaining men up to a maximum of 3 in a row (except when the batting order is turning over i.e. if you bat 3 males at the top of the order they potentially could be your 4th, 5th and 6th male batter in a row from bottom to top.) The number of women you may bat is unlimited and for every additional female batter, you may add 3 male batters.
Batting order Men’s – Lineup is unlimited
Penalty for missing women – Both women’s spots must appear in the order from the start of the game. If less than 2 women are present at the start of the game then a “ghost out” will be assessed each time a missing woman’s spot is reached in the order. At least 1 woman is required to play the game.
Ghost out – If a team has less than the minimum number of female batters a ghost out will be assessed every time that female spot comes up in the order. The spot is still considered a female spot and all other rules regarding female spots in the order are in effect.
Walk to a male batter with a female batting next – When a male batter is walked on three consecutive pitches and a female spot (whether present or not) follows in the batting order, the male batter automatically advances to 2nd base. Base runners advance only to the base they are forced to move to (i.e. a sole runner on second would only move to third if forced by the approaching walked batter).
Fill-in players – Players are not allowed to be rostered on more than one team in the same division. Teams are allowed to use fill in players if they are otherwise in jeopardy of forfeiting their game. Teams can use The HUB SUBS Facebook Group page to post requests for fill in players. You may not add fill-in players to go above the maximum number of players allowed in the field. Fill-in players are not allowed to be used during the playoffs.
Fouling out – All batters start with a 1-1 count. A batter is considered out if he fouls off one ball after his or her second strike.
Players arriving late – A player arriving after the batting order has turned over must be placed at the bottom of the order. Late-arriving players can enter the game while their team is on the field. Late-arriving players must be announced to the umpire and the opposing team. Late arriving women must fill the spot in the order currently occupied by the ghost out(s) or be placed at the bottom of the lineup if 3 females are already in the game.
Players leaving early – A player who cannot bat (injury, or has left the premises) in their designated spot is not penalized. That spot in the order is simply skipped. However, if a woman cannot bat, causing the team to be left with less than 2 women, it is an out each time the spot comes to bat. A forfeit will be declared if a team is left with less than 5 players.
Courtesy runners and injury – A batter may ask for courtesy runner BEFORE his or her time at bat and the umpire will announce it to the opposing team. The batter may not advance beyond first base on a batted ball, except when automatic advancement would be awarded for a ball out of play (i.e., overthrow, automatic double or HR) or for a base on balls when batting before a female. Once a courtesy runner has been asked for it is automatic for the rest of the game. A replacement runner is the last player to have completed their turn at bat, and is not currently a base runner – a man for a man, and a woman for a woman. If a player is injured while running to a base it is the umpire’s discretion whether to award a courtesy runner
Pitching Mats – Will be provided by the HUB and on the field at the start of the game. Any pitch that hits the plate or the mat will be considered a strike
Eligible Bats – For indoor play players may use any bat regardless of association.
Umpires – Umpires are certified ASA umpires. Umpires will review the ground rules with the team captains and collect game balls and umpire fees from team captains prior to the start of play. Harassment of the umpires, either physical or verbal may result in an ejection from the game and a warning from the league. A second offense will result in expulsion from the league. Do not harass the umpires!
Game Balls and bases – The HUB will only use 12” Easton Incrediballs for game play. Game balls provided at the Facility. Bases will be on the field at the start of each game
No bunting, stealing, leading off base, take-out slides or blocking a base.
Forfeits – All teams are required to notify the league if they are unable to field a team as far in advance as possible. No later than 2pm the day of a weeknight game. No later than Friday by 5pm for a Sunday game. If a team contacts the office after the set deadlines the game will be forfeited and the forfeiting team will be required to pay both teams umpire fees. If a team fails to show up for a game without contacting the league office the game will be forfeited and the forfeitin g team will be required to pay both teams umpire fees and a $50 penalty. If a team shows up with fewer than 7 players and cannot field a team the game will be forfeited and the forfeiting team will be required to pay both teams umpire fees. A 3rd forfeit and the team will be removed from the league.
Forfeit and penalty fees must be paid to the league prior to the team’s next scheduled game. Failure to pay the forfeit and/or penalty fee will result in expulsion from the league. Forfeit fees can be paid online [click here]
Score reporting and Website – Each team will have a team page on the league website once teams have submitted their player liability form. Teams are required to post their scores within 48hrs of the completion of their game via their team website. Standings will update automatically upon entering of the scores.
Playoff eligibility and tie-breakers – Only rostered players who have played in at least 3 of their team’s games are eligible to play in the playoffs. Teams with 2 or more forfeits are not eligible to make the playoffs. The following tie-breakers will be used to determine playoff eligibility and seeding: In the case of two teams ending the season with identical records the first tiebreaker is head to head record, followed by overall run differential, followed by overall runs against. In the case of two teams ending the season with identical records but have not played each other the first tie-breaker is overall run differential, followed by overall runs against. Any team with a forfeit is automatically seeded lower.
If three or more teams end the season with identical records the first tiebreaker is head to head record among the tied teams, followed by overall run differential, followed by a overall runs against. Any team with a forfeit is automatically seeded lower.
No Umpire – Occasionally events occur outside of our control and we make every attempt to respond quickly and effectively to outside disruptions. If an umpire has not arrived by game time please call the league office and we will contact the ASA to determine the cause of the umpire’s absence. Usually a replacement ump can be sent to the field quickly. Teams should begin the game without an umpire and call balls and strikes themselves until the umpire arrives. In these cases, balls & strikes will be determined by the team who is batting.
Food and Beverage is not permitted on the fields of play before, during or after games. Team are required to clean their bench area after the completion of their game.
Rules are subject to change without notice.
HUB MAIL
Write a comment: