NACOGDOCHES PARKS & RECREATION

ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES

RULES
1. Rules governing all play will be those used by A.S.A., city league rules
supersede all other rules.
2. The Recreation Superintendent will be the administrator of all softball
leagues. In all Governing matters, the Recreation Superintendent has
total jurisdiction.
3. As coaches, players, managers, etc., it is your responsibility to become
knowledgeable of all rules (city and ASA).

THE GAME
1. A regulation game is 7 innings or a time limit of 55 minutes. The playoff
games will be 7 innings or 55 minutes. The championship game will be 7
innings or 75 minute time limit. If the Championship goes to an “if” game,
then it will revert back to the 7 inning or 55 minute rule.
2. Each player will begin his/her at bat with 1 ball and 1 strike. If a player
has 2 strikes and fouls a ball off, he/she is not out yet; an extra foul shall
be awarded. If the hitter has been awarded their extra foul and fouls off
another ball, then he/she is declared out.
3. A team ahead by 20 runs after 3 innings, 15 runs after 4 innings or 10 runs
after 5 innings will be declared the winner by “RUN-RULE”.

4. When a softball game is tied at the end of seven innings,

the International Tie Breaker rule goes into effect. At the start of each
inning, a runner is placed on second base with the intent of accelerating
opportunities to score and bringing the game to a speedier conclusion. No
free foul is in effect.

5. In case of rain, wet fields, darkness, lightning, etc., a game called by a city
official, or an umpire shall be declared a complete game if 5 complete or
more innings have been played. If the above conditions have not been
met the game will be replayed from the “spot” where the game had been
called. The Recreation Superintendent will reschedule this game at a later
date.
6. SOFTBALL GAME STATUS: Please go to
www.teamsideline.com/nacogdoches for game status. If you have not
received a notification after 3:30 pm, the game will be called at the fields.

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7. Any Men’s adult team may begin a game with 8 players, adding players up
to ten as they arrive. Any player added must be on the substitution
list. Empty slots in the line-up will count as outs. The EH spot can’t be
added once the game begins. This rule applies to all leagues. Men’s
leagues may lose players during a game down to 8 and empty slots will
count as outs if no subs are available.

8. Any co-ed adult team may begin a game with 8 players, adding players up
to ten as they arrive. Any player added must be on the substitution list.
Empty slots in the line-up will count as outs. The EH slot can not be added
once the game begins. If a player is injured or must leave the game for
any reason in co-ed play other than ejection and a sub is not available, the
team losing the player may continue to play shorthanded. If a team plays
shorthanded with either three players in the outfield or infield, at least one
must be male and at least one must be female. Outs will be taken in the
batting position where the leaving player was listed.
9. If a player is ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, the game will be called
a forfeit. If a player has to leave due to injury or any other emergency, the
game will continue and outs will be taken in the vacated player’s batting
position.
10. GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME!
11. ASA umpires will officiate all league games and will assess forfeits in
accordance with league rules.
12. The city scorekeepers will keep official score and time. The first game will
begin at 6:15, 6:30 or 7:00pm on game day.
*The clock will start directly after the meeting between managers and
Umpires, not at first pitch.
13. Coaches must obtain line-up cards from the official scorekeeper. First and
last name and jersey numbers are required on all line-up cards. Line-ups
are due to the scorekeeper 10 minutes prior to the scheduled game time.
14. Home and Visiting teams for the regular season and playoffs will be
determined by a coin toss at home plate.
15. 5 warm up pitches to start the game, or a relief pitcher, and no more than
3 between innings. No infield between innings after the first inning.
16. Any ball put in play by a batter that passes beyond the fence line or
through the walk way will count as ground rule double. Any ball put in play
by a batter that is purposely thrown or kicked past the above mentioned
points; to create a ground rule double will result in a four base award. It
must be done on purpose; this ruling is at the discretion of the umpire.

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 17. One courtesy runner per inning (one time) may be used. The courtesy
runner can be any player in the lineup. If the courtesy runner is still on
base at the time his/her turn at bat comes up, that spot in the batting order
will be an out. Same gender substitutions only.

18. Any batter who hits a ball directly back at the pitching mound will be called
out. If the ball hits the ground before striking the pitcher, it will be a
playable ball. A ball determined to be hit up the middle will be an
automatic out for the batter. The “Halo Rule”, a 3 ft circle from the center
of the rubber, will determine the pitcher’s protection zone.

19. Equipment and all players other than the batter and on-deck batter must
be in the dugout.

20. Music will be allowed in the dugout.

 The volume of the music played must be reasonable and subject to
change at umpire’s discretion.
 The music must not be vulgar.
 If the opposing team objects to the music, the team captain must
inform the umpire and the umpire will require the music to be turned
off.

21. COVID RULE – Umpires, catchers and players while batting will be
REQUIRED to wear a face covering. Once a player can maintain 6 feet
apart, they may take their face covering off.
 When in the dugout if 6 feet apart cannot be maintained, then face
coverings will be required.

EQUIPMENT/PLAYER ATTIRE/JERSEY RULE

1. All players must wear jerseys that have a 6 inch number permanently
affixed on the back of the jersey. NO duplicate numbers on a team will be
allowed. A player not wearing a jersey of this type will not be allowed to
play. No taped or ink numbers will be allowed. They must be heat
pressed, screen printed, or sewn on. The color, design or print on the
shirt does not have to match.
2. Exposed jewelry, IF JUDGED BY THE SOFTBALL PLATE UMPIRE TO
BE DANGEROUS, may not be allowed to be worn. Failure to remove
jewelry may result in a player ejection. Each Umpire may have a different
opinion on what is “dangerous”.
3. Three digit numbers are no longer allowed in league play, in accordance
with ASA rules.
4. Metal or detachable spikes are not allowed in slow-pitch Softball. Metal
braces and any type of hard casts are not allowed.

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 5. Each team is responsible for supplying the game balls. Men’s and
Women’s balls may be purchased from NP&R’s office during our office
hours. Men will use 12 inch, .52 core, 300 lb. compression ball with
our NP&R stamp on it. Women will use 11 inch ball. ALL balls must
have the core AND compression stamped on the ball.
6. Any bat used in our NP&R Adult Softball League must be tested and
approved prior to using it in a game. There is no grace period. (Please
see the attached Bat Testing Policy for more details)

7. All bats that have been tested and planned to be used during play, will be
placed in bins behind the umpire. No new bats may enter once the game
has started.
 If sharing bats, please provide wipes to disinfect between uses

LEAGUE PLAY
1. A player may play on only one team per league. Example: A male player
may play on one Men’s Open, one Church team, and one Co-Ed team if
he chooses to do so. A player may not play on 2 Men’s open teams. The
same rule applies to the women’s league.

2. Once a team’s regular season is complete, a player is not allowed to play

on another team in the same division.
3. Blue Team Participation Sheets are required in the Recreation Center at
the start of the season. If a player plays and their name is not on file, then
the player will be ineligible and the game will be declared a forfeit. All team
sheets must match-up with team line-up sheet.
*** Blue Team Sheets must be turned in at the first game***

4. The roster limit is 20 players per team. Changes to the roster may be
made as long as the team still has 4 regular season games remaining.
5. Players must have a valid driver’s license or other photo identification in
the dugout to verify identity.

6. Teams will be placed in league divisions according to past records, ability,

team request, etc. If there is a disagreement on at which level a team
should play; the Recreation Superintendent will make the decision.
Teams who win the lower division championships will automatically be
placed in the next division up the following season.
7. A player must be on his/her roster before the playoffs begin and
participate in at least 4 regular season games in order to be eligible for the
playoffs. The Recreation Superintendent and Recreation Staff will keep
record of each game played.

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Stealing Bases (Rule 8, Sec. 4G)

Men’s Open: Runners may advance when the ball crosses home plate, or if
the pitcher has the ball and is not in the vicinity of the pitching plate.
1. If a runner stops or is clearly not advancing when the catcher releases the
ball to the pitcher (who is in the vicinity of the pitcher’s plate) and the
pitcher catches the ball, the play is ruled dead and all runner(s) are
returned to the last base legally touched.
2. If the pitcher does not catch the ball or have possession of the ball while in
the vicinity of the pitcher’s plate, the ball remains live and the runner(s)
may advance.
3. Runners may not advance if the pitched ball hits the batter, the ground
before reaching the front edge of home plate or home plate. The ball is
dead and the batter will be awarded a ‘ball’.
4. The pitcher may cover any base on an attempted out and if a play is being
made on a runner off the base, the ball remains live.
5. The above will apply for both legal and illegal pitches.
6. A pitched ball that hits behind home plate and strikes the umpire, or a
thrown ball by the catcher that hits the umpire, remains live and runners
may advance.

CO-ED LEAGUE
1. Games have to begin with the following ratio: 4 men/ 4 women, 5 men/ 5
women, 6 men/ 6 women, 4 men/ 5 women, 5 men/ 4 women, or 6
women/ 4 men. A forfeit will be declared if these requirements are not
met. An official game begins with the first pitch of the game. If you start
with 8 players, substitutes may enter in the game at arrival. Until entries
occur an automatic out is recorded for each empty slot in the batting order.
If you start a game with 12 players, you must finish the game with 12
players unless an injury occurs, then outs will be taken. If an ejection
occurs, it is a forfeit. If a player must leave due to work, emergency, etc.
the EH may replace the player OR outs will be taken.
2. Gender Allotments:
 Infield - 2 men and 2 women
 Outfield - 2 men and 2 women
 The pitcher and catcher must be of opposite gender.
3. Batting order must alternate male/female or female/male.
4. 200 FOOT LINE: When a woman is up to bat, three outfielders must be
behind the 200 ft. line when the ball is pitched (this rule is waved if a team

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 starts with 8 players). One female outfielder can be in front of the 200 ft.
line if no female infielders are back on the grass. If you are a female
player and are in front of the 200 ft. line or back on the grass, you are
considered in the “rover” position. Violation of this rule is an automatic
double.
5. The 11 inch ball will be used for the women players, and the 12 inch ball
will be used for the male players. If the player hits the wrong ball, the play
is disallowed and the batter comes back to hit the proper size ball.

PLAYER EJECTIONS
1. The Recreation Superintendent and game officials can impose any
ejection. Only the Recreation Superintendent can impose a suspension.
2. When a player is ejected from a game, that player is automatically
suspended for 1 game. Depending on the severity of the behavior, it could
be longer. That player is not allowed on the field or in the dugout before
or during the game.
3. If a player is ejected twice in one season, that player is suspended for the
remainder of the calendar year.
4. A player can be ejected before, during and after a game.
5. When an ejection occurs, the player must leave the park in a reasonable
amount of time as designated by the umpire. Failure to do so will result in
a player suspension for that season.
6. If any player throws any equipment in anger, it will result in an automatic
ejection from the game. It will be to the umpire’s discretion to decide if it
was done in anger.
7. Any player or coach found to be guilty of knowingly and purposely
breaking league, ASA rules may be suspended from league play no less
than one full season, no more than one year.

FORFEITS
1. There is zero tolerance for profanity, vulgarity, unsportsmanlike conduct or
unsafe acts of any nature. If any of these occur a team forfeit will be
declared.
2. Consumption of alcohol or drugs is PROHIBITED. A team forfeit will result
and violators will be removed from the park. If the violators do not dispose
of the alcohol upon request, the Police will be called and the Recreation
Department will press full charges against the violator(s).

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 3. Events conflicting with any game schedule will not be rescheduled. If a
manager notifies the recreation department 24 hours before the conflict,
the games missed will only count as losses. If the Recreation center is not
notified, the games missed will count as forfeits against the 3 forfeit rule.
4. All league fees are non-refundable.

5. Each team is allowed 3 forfeits during each season. The team will also
forfeit all rights to play in tournament and all awards. Forfeits are not to be
used to manipulate standings in order to purposely place lower. If found
that a team is using forfeits to do so, they will be suspended from all
league play for one full season.

PROTESTS
1. The burden of proof lies with the protesting coach.
2. Only the “listed” Head Coach can file a protest.
3. The protest must be filed with the scorekeeper before next pitch is thrown.
After the protest is filed on field, the protesting coach has 24 hours to
submit a formal, written protest to the Recreation Superintendent. Player
eligibility must be protested before the last out of the ball game to be
honored.
4. A $25.00 protest fee must be paid to the Recreation Superintendent after
the on field protest, NO EXCEPTIONS! If the protesting coach wins the
protest, the money will be refunded. If the protesting coach looses the
protest, the money is given to the Recreation Department.
5. If a player’s identity is protested, the player in question must produce a
valid picture I.D. at that time. If he/she can’t do so, the game is a forfeit.
6. Judgment calls cannot be protested. Such as: balls, strikes, safe, out, foul,
or fair are all judgment calls.
7. Player eligibility protests can be filed anytime before 5:00pm the day of the
protesting teams next scheduled game. NO EXCEPTIONS!

INJURIES
1. All play with the City of Nacogdoches is strictly voluntary. The City of
Nacogdoches assumes no responsibility for injuries received by any
player or spectator.

HOMERUNS
1. Unobstructed homeruns per game:
 Men’s Open League A: 6/Team/Game*
 Men’s Open League B: 4/Team/Game*

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  Men’s Open League C: 2/Team/Game*
 Co-Ed League A: 4/Team/Game*
 Co-Ed League B: 2/Team/Game*
 Men’s Church and Industrial Leagues: 4/Team/Game*
*See 2-Up Rule

2. 2-Up Rule will go into effect when one team reaches their max number of
homeruns. The 2-up Rule states that once one team reaches the homerun
limit, they cannot exceed the limit until other team gets within 1 homerun.
No team may have more than 2 homeruns up on the other team, once the
limit has been reached.

*IF 2-Up Rule is NOT in effect, any home run after limit is reached will result in an
inning ending out.

CLASSIFICATION
1. Team classification is strictly voluntary. If there is a discrepancy on what
class a team should play, the Recreation Superintendent will place a team
in the class he/she feels is the fairest to the team in question and the
league as a whole. This judgement by the Recreation Superintendent is
final; the only other option is a refund.
2. If a team is “on the bubble” in the B league, then they will play in both A
and B playoffs in order to judge the overall talent of the team and to
compare it against A teams. If the B team plays well in the A tournament,
that team will be forced to play A league the following season. In this
situation, the B team playing-up has the chance to win both tournaments.
3. Playing in both playoffs is not an option! If a team refuses to play A during
the playoffs, then they will be removed from the B playoffs as well. If they
forfeit out, they will be removed from the B playoffs!
4. Co-Ed will be held on Tuesday and/or Thursday night.
Men’s will be held on Wednesday night.
If Industrial or Church League makes, the Recreation Superintendent will
determine a league night at that time.

The City reserves the right to change league rules at any time.

If you have a question during league play, please direct those

to the Field Supervisor. For all other questions please call
the recreation center at (936) 559-2960.

Updated: August 2020