KIRKWOOD SENIOR SOFTBALL

Kirkwood Senior Softball

Monday and Friday mornings

 

Kirkwood Senior Softball is a "pickup" league organized by the Kirkwood Parks & Recreation Department for men 55 years of age and over.  Games are played according to the USA Softball rule book and the softballs and bats must be certified by USA Softball (formerly ASA). 

A number of local “House Rules” also apply.  In the event of conflicting rules, the house rule will apply.

 

USA SOFTBALL RULE BOOK – senior slowpitch 

 

The rule book covers all aspects of the game and includes special playing rules in bold print that pertain specifically to senior slow pitch.  The Senior Slow pitch rules, as set forth in the rule book, are summarized (alphabetically) as follows:

 

Commitment Line – Once the runner passes the commitment line, 20 feet from home plate, the runner cannot return to third base.  The runner is out if the runner returns and the ball remains live. 

 

Double home plate –  The second home plate shall be placed eight feet from the back tip of home plate on an extended line from first base. 

• Defensive players can touch only the original home plate and runners can touch only the second home plate

• Runners tagged by a defensive player instead of touching the original home plate will not be out once the runner has passed the commitment line

• If the runner touches the original home plate the runner is out and the ball is live

• Once a runner passes the commitment line the runner cannot return to third base

• If the runner passes the commitment line and continues running on the foul line and interferes with the fielder taking the throw at home plate, the runner is out

 

Equipment - 

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•   Softballs - Only softballs which bear the ASA or USA Softball certification mark may be used at Kirkwood Park. ​

•   Softball Bats - All bats must bear either the ASA 2000 Certification Mark, the 2004 Certification Mark, the 2013 Certification Mark or the USA Softball certification mark and must not be listed on the USA Softball Non-Approved Bat List with 2000 or 2004 Certification Mark.

 

Extra player - Rule book does not apply.  All players in the lineup may bat and substitute freely on defense.

 

Home run rule

• Home run limit in rule book does not apply.  Unlimited home runs are permitted (they are rare here).

• On any home run hit over the fence, the batter and any runners are not required to run the bases  

 

Run Ahead Rule – Does not apply.  See House Rules.

 

 

 

HOUSE RULES

 

 

In addition to the written rules that are contained in the rule book, certain “house rules” apply.  These are rules that were added to the game to accommodate recreational softball for seniors.  These rules have been passed along over the years at Kirkwood Park.  In the event of conflicting rules, the “house rule” will apply.

 

Equipment

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Pitching Screen

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• Location - The pitcher may place the screen at any "reasonable" location between home plate and the pitching rubber.  He may place the screen directly in front of the rubber and pitch over the screen or may place the screen to the right or left and pitch to the side of the screen.

• Ball contacting screen - If a batter hits the screen with a batted ball, the ball is dead and a strike is called on the batter. If a defensive player throws or deflects a thrown or batted ball into the screen the ball remains live. 

   

Players and substitutes –

 

As each player arrives, he will write his name on the lineup board by the position that he wishes to play.  The lineup board contains spots for ten positions plus an extra infielder and extra outfielder on each team, for a maximum of twelve defensive players per team.  All players present will be in the batting lineup. If a team has twelve players there must be five infielders and five outfielders. If a team has eleven players, the extra player may play infield or outfield.

 

Should more than twenty four players show up, the group may be divided into three teams.  The team that is “sitting out” will fill any vacant positions on defense.    

 

Free substitution of defensive players will be permitted.  

 

Players may be added at the end of the batting lineup during the course of the game.  No penalty will be incurred if a player leaves the park or is injured and is unable to take his turn at bat.

 

The game –

 

All games will be “pickup games” in which the teams are made up from any and all players who show up to participate.  New teams will be made up for every game.

 

A regulation game shall consist of ten innings played in “double inning” format in which the visiting team bats for two consecutive half-innings and the home team bats for two consecutive half-innings.

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Run rule – A maximum of four runs are allowed per inning except for the last inning.  The last inning will have unlimited runs allowed. 

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Mercy Rule --

Our version of the mercy rule is as follows :

1) One team is leading by 10+ runs and has scored 4+ runs in their final at-bat

2) Trailing team has the option of calling the inning over and they then take their final at-bat

3) The trailing team makes the concession that they can only achieve a tie

 

Batting –

 

Balls and strikes will not be called in KSS games, however, three swinging strikes, foul balls or dead balls shall constitute a strikeout. A batted ball directly hitting the pitching screen is a full strike.

 

Batter-runner and runner

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The runner is out at any base when a defensive player, in possession of the ball, contacts the base or tags the runner before the runner reaches the base.  The runner shall be ruled to have reached the base when he contacts the base or contacts the ground even with or past the base to which he is running.

A runner who is running the bases in reverse order and is returning to first, second or third base is out when a defensive player, in possession of the ball contacts the base or tags the runner before the runner reaches the base.

 

A runner who is caught in a rundown may change direction only one time during the rundown.  A runner changing direction more than once during a rundown shall be called out.

 

The “run-through rule” allows the base runner to run past second or third base without liability to be put out.  The runner may step on the base or run on either side of the base, without touching the base, but must run behind any defensive player who may be receiving a throw.   

 

A runner who runs through must return and touch the base before advancing to the next base whether or not he initially stepped on the base. If the runner tries to advance without re-tagging the base, he will be sent back to that base after the play unless he is put out on his attempt to advance.

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A runner who interferes with the ball or with a fielder’s attempt to catch a ball will be called out.  (Note: the runner must run behind the defensive player whenever possible)

 

A runner who slides or dives will be called out.

 

Courtesy runners are available to players who are unable to run.  A courtesy runner is not to be used to gain an advantage by substituting a fast runner for a slower runner.

 

Courtesy Runner – our rules are more lenient in the spirit of a friendly recreational game.

• Any eligible player in the lineup may be used, even a player from a sitting team in our 3-team format

• Unlimited number allowed each inning

• Courtesy runner whose turn at bat comes while on base can be replaced and will take his turn at bat

• A player may be a courtesy runner only once per inning

• A courtesy runner may run for an existing courtesy runner (typically due to injury)

The courtesy runner for the batter must maintain contact with the center post on the backstop until the batter makes contact with the ball.  If a courtesy runner leaves the backstop before the batter makes contact with the ball, the batter may be called out.  If the courtesy runner is being used from the backstop, he is only allowed to reach first base no matter where the ball is hit or how it is played.

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Infield Fly Rule --

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The infield fly rule shall apply as described in the rule book only if it is announced immediately at a volume that is loud enough for all to hear.  If it is determined that the umpire inadvertently failed to call “Infield fly rule” or made the call too late for the fielders and runners to react, the batter will be called out, the ball is dead and the runners will return to the bases that they occupied when the ball was pitched.

 

Umpires –

 

The catcher shall be responsible for calling fair or foul balls and the pitcher shall call out or safe on the bases.  If either umpire is unsure of any call he may ask for the help of any player on either team who may have been in a position to see the play.  The umpire may reverse any call if he feels that he was in error.

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Positioning of Fielders ---

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In keeping with the standard USA Softball rules, we do not restrict fielders from employing a shift.

But we follow standard rec leagues in that we prohibit outfielders from playing on the infield dirt.

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Our Gentleman's Rule --

A batter cannot be thrown out at first by an outfielder, nor by relay from an outfielder to an infielder.

An infielder that backs into the grass is still an infielder and can throw to first.

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