Adult Softball Manager's Cheat Sheet

Metro Tournament:

• August 2 and 3
• $115/team
• Deadline to register is 7/11 at 3pm
• Teams must have roster on file to be eligible

Please refer to THE USA SOFTBALL RULE BOOK for all rules except the following MPRB modifications:

House Rules:

Time Limit:

• No new inning shall start 55 minutes after start of the game (all games)
• Tie games will remain a tie: another inning may be played if time permits

Balls and Strikes:

• Three balls, two strikes
• No courtesy foul- batter must hit ball fair on second strike

Run Rule:

• 20 runs after three innings
• 15 runs after four innings
• 10 runs after five innings

Home Run Rule:

• Limit of four untouched over the fence home runs per team per game for ALL classifications and leagues on ALL fenced or partially fenced fields
• Any home runs over four will result in the batter being called out

Equipment:

• Managers must provide a usable USA Softball approved ball for each game
• All teams will hit their own game balls
• An optic yellow 52COR 300 Compression 12" for men
• An optic yellow 52COR 300 Compression 11" for women

Rosters:

• Team rosters are due by the third game and will completed online
• Instructions on roster submission can be found HERE (contact league director for ADA compliant version, if needed)
• Teams may begin and finish with nine players without a penalty
• A team cannot play with fewer than nine players
• If a player is ejected, the team must have a replacement or a forfeit will be declared

Co-Ed Leagues:

• If a team has only nine players, the gender breakdown must be five and four
• A team's batting order will start with whichever gender has five
• For teams with 10 or more players, the team may bat an entire lineup with a minimum of four of one gender and five of the other
• Teams will create two separate lineups (one of one gender and one of the other); the batting order will begin with the gender that has a greater number of players
• Teams will alternate batting by gender adhering to the lineup created for each gender
• If one gender has only four players, that team can only field nine players on defense, but can still bat 10+ if the other gender has more than five players
• This is allowed in league play, but not the Metro Tournament (see bulletin for details)

Open Leagues:

• 12" softball will be used for all players
• A walk is a single base award for all players
• There are no lineup requirements by gender

'E' Leagues:

• The half inning is over after six runs have scored
• This rule may be waved if both teams agree to do so at the beginning of the game

Courtesy Runners:

• Any eligible player that may participate on offense ore defense and are on the official line-up (including available subs) may be used as a courtesy runner
• A courtesy runner may be used at any time once per inning
• If a team goes through the entire line-up, the same person may use another courtesy runner
• In Co-Ed, the courtesy runner must be of the same gender and the team is allowed one per inning, per gender

Sunday Double Header Game Time:

• 5pm for the entire season

Home Teams:

• Home and away designations are listed on the league schedule

Weather Info:

• Click HERE for gameday weather and game status updates AFTER 3:30pm

If you cannot make a game, please be courteous and notify the recreation office

The following is a list of commonly asked questions to our office. This is intended to be a quick reference for managers; we suggest that you keep this sheet with your scorebook. For detailed information on any of the following please refer to the LOCAL PLAYING RULES HANDOUT or THE ASA RULE BOOK.

• Time Limit- No new inning shall start 55 minutes after start of the game (All games) 
• Tie Games- will remain a tie, another inning may be played if time permits (See Time Limit)
• Balls & Strikes- three balls, two strikes no courtesy foul (Batter must hit ball fair on second strike) 
• Run Rule- 20 runs after three innings, 15 after four or 10 runs after five innings
• All 'E' Leagues- The half inning is over after six runs have scored. This rule may only be waived if both teams agree to do so at the beginning of the game. 
• Number of players- The Architects League Plays with six men and four women. Teams may begin and finish with nine players. A team cannot play with less than nine players (a minimum of three must be women). A team can play with more than four women if it chooses, but no more than six men can be on the field at a time. 
• Co-Ed- If a team has nine players there must be a minimum of three women
• Batting Order- Teams may bat entire lineup with four women and six men. Teams will create two separate lineups, one for males and one for females. Teams will then alternate batting by gender adhering to the lineup created for each gender. 
• Courtesy Runners- Any eligible player that may participate on offense or defense and are on the official line-up including available substitutes may be used as a courtesy runner. A courtesy runner may be used at any time once per inning. If a team goes through the entire line-up the same person may use another courtesy runner. In Co-Ed the courtesy runner must be of the same gender. The team is allowed one per inning, per gender. 
• Defensive Alignment- As long as there are a maximum of six men and three or more women on the field, their positions do not matter
• Home Team- Listed on the schedule
• Game Balls- Managers must provide a usable USA Softball approved ball for each game. All teams will hit their own game balls. An optic yellow 52COR 300 compression 12” for men and 11” women will be used in MPRB leagues 
• Ejection- If a player is ejected the team must have a replacement or a forfeit will be declared
• Weather Info – Click Here to check the status of games
• If you cannot make a game, please be courteous and notify the opposing team and the recreation office

HCBA SOFTBALL LEAGUE

OFFICIAL CO-ED RULES

• The standard softball rules of Minneapolis USA Softball apply except as modified below.

1. Captains should check the weather/game cancelations page to determine if games will be played.
2. Games may be called on the field at the discretion of the umpire; however, in cases of rain or  threatening weather where no umpire is present, a rain out is declared at 10 minutes past the scheduled starting time unless team captains are present and agree otherwise.
3. If your team needs to forfeit, notify the other team’s captain, Rachel Hoben at the Park Board (rhoben@minneapolisparks.org) and HCBA Commissioner Peter Selness. Forfeits must be called no later than 3:30pm. 

• If a forfeit is called, the teams MAY play a practice game, using the umpire, by loaning a player or players to the team short of players.
• A team may start and finish a game with only 9 players.
• These 9 players MUST be in a 5:4 gender ratio. If a team can not do this, they must forfeit the game. There will be a maximum of ten (10) minutes allowed before the start of games to get at least nine (9) players on the field. The gender ratio while playing in the field must ALWAYS be 5:4 or 5:5, no exceptions. For example, a team playing with 6 female players and 4 male players would have to play with 5 females and 4 males in the field with the 6th female staying on the bench.

4. The batting order MUST alternate by male/female.

• In the event that a team has only 4 players of one gender, there will NOT be an automatic out charged where the fifth player should bat. Instead, the first person to hit will be up again. For example, the batting order for a team with only 4 female players would be as follows: 
• Female #1
• Male #1
• Female #2
• Male #2
• Female #3
• Male #3
• Female #4
• Male #4
• Female #1Male #5
• Female #2
• Male #6…and so on.
• A team may bat an unlimited number of players regardless of whether they are playing in the field. Players batting who are not playing in the field must alternate between men and woman.

5. All team members must be at least age 18 at the start of the season. 

6. The pitcher will pitch from a distance of 50' from home plate.

7. The team in the field may play its players at any position. There is NO requirement to alternate men and women between pitcher and catcher or the infield positions and outfield positions (e.g., a team may have men play both pitcher and catcher; a team may have women play 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and shortstop). Additionally, unlimited substitutions in the field are permitted so long as the 5:4 or 5:5 ratio is maintained.

8. Ten (10) runs is the maximum amount of runs that can be scored by one team in an inning. After the tenth (10th) run is scored, the batting teams’ half inning ends immediately and the opposing team comes to bat. This rule is waived during the final inning of a game.

9. Games will be seven (7) innings or 55 minutes - whichever comes first - EXCEPT when a team is winning by ten (10) or more runs at the end of the fifth inning; then, the game is over. No new innings will start 55 minutes after the start of the game.

10. A pinch runner is allowed for an injured player who is batting once the batter reaches first base. The pinch runner shall be the player of the same sex as the injured player who most recently made an out.

11. The arc requirement for all pitches shall be 6' to 10' from the ground.

12. The pitch count will be 3 balls and 2 strikes, with one (1) courtesy strike on any second-strike foul ball. No lead offs on the bases. 

13. If a batter's first swing results in a caught foul tip, the batter will be out only if before being caught the ball rises above the batter's head. Otherwise, a caught foul tip will be a strike.

14. We will NOT follow the ASA rule regarding walks. All genders take one (1) base on a walk.

15. A 12-inch ASA slow pitch ball will be used to pitch. These balls are optic yellow with redstitching with a .52 core, 300 lb. compression. Look for the ASA certified “diamond” logo on the ball for best results.

• At the start of each game, the home team will supply a new “game” ball and the visiting team will supply a “back-up” ball.

16. Only ASA-approved bats may be used. 

• Please see http://www.asasoftball.com/about/certified_equipment.asp for the ASA non-approved bat list.

17. The Minneapolis ASA infield fly rule will be in effect. The infield fly rule applies when there are runners at 1st and 2nd or 1st, 2nd, and 3rd; LESS than two (2) outs; and the batter hits a routine pop fly in the infield. When invoking the infield fly rule, the umpire must make a judgment as to whether the pop fly is routine.

18. On NE #6 and #7, any ball hit into the trees will be automatically ruled a ground double. On NE #5, however, the ball will be played "as is"; there will be no automatic home run or ground double calls.

19. Playoffs will be scheduled following the regular season. If teams are tied, standings to determine 

playoff positions shall be determined by: (1) head to head results between the tied teams; then (2) regular season run differential; (3) number of games the team has forfeited; and finally (4) if the teams are still tied, the standings will be determined by coin-flip.

NOTE: These rules are intended to provide uniformity and avoid confusion among the teams regarding the league requirements. 

Captains: Please make sure your players are acquainted with these rules. It is also a good idea to bring a copy to the fields to show to any umpires unfamiliar with them. Key differences between the HCBA league and other MPRB softball leagues are below: 

FOUL: One (1) courtesy strike on any second- strike foul ball is allowed. (See Rule #12).

WALK RULE: All genders take one (1) base on a walk (See Rule #10).

GENDER BALANCE: The team in the field may play its players at any position (See Rule #7) as long as the gender ratio while playing in the field is 5:4 or 5:5 (See Rule #3).

Please remind your umpires of these key differences at the beginning of each game to ensure the HCBA league rules are applied consistently in all games.

• METRO TOURNAMENT: Please contact league director for more details
• Metro Tournament entry fee $100 (Fee waived if playing in a 12-week double header league) 
• Must contact League Director to enroll
• Co-Ed, Men’s and Women’s August 1 and 2 
• Deadline to enter is July 17. Registration will be done online. 
• Teams must have a roster for a current league time online to qualify
• Your regular season roster will also be the roster used for the Metro Tournament if you choose to enter your team
  

• Bossen Field Park (5701 S 28th Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55417)
• Bryn Mawr (601 Morgan Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55405)
• Keewaydin (3030 E 53rd St., Minneapolis, MN 55417)
• Marshall Terrace Park (2740 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418)
• Neiman Sports Complex (6247 Bloomington Road, St. Paul, MN 55111)
• Northeast Athletic Field Park (1530 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413)
• Lake Nokomis Park (4955 W Lake Nokomis Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55417)
• Pearl Park (414 E Diamond Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55419)
• Xcel Energy Park(Rod Carew All Star Field) (2900 Marshall St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418)