Redball Social Co-Ed Softball Rules as of 05.3.21
I. The Playing Field
1A. Redball League Managers or the Umpire will designate a field suitable for play in accordance with the following provisions which equal the dimensions of a softball field:
a. The softball diamond is a square with equal sides of 60-70 feet (some variation at different fields);
b. The pitching strip is in the center of the diamond, 46-50 feet (some variation at different fields) or just over 15 paces from home plate, and directly aligned with the first base/third base diagonal.
II. Equipment/Attire
2A. Athletic shoes are required. Metal cleats are not allowed. No screw in cleats
2B. Players may wear protective equipment providing it does not offer the wearer an unfair performance advantage.
2C. Each team shall furnish all team equipment necessary for each game.
2D. Players must wear Redball team provided shirts by the 2nd week. People without team shirts wonâ??t be allowed to play.
III. Officials
3A. Games must be officiated by at least one umpire. The Head Umpire governs all game play and issues all final rulings. Other officials may assist when available.
3B. Redball League Managers or Umpires have jurisdiction over play and may call off a game due to darkness, rain or other cause at the umpireâ??s discretion.
IV. Player Eligibility
4A. All participants must have filled out the waiver.
4B. All participants must be on the team roster.
V. Team Rosters
5A. Each team roster must consist of a minimum of 10 and no more than 14players.
5B. Each team shall have one Captain, the captain will be responsible for the team.
The Team Captains must ensure that:
a. All team players must bat in the same order.
b. Only the Captain may request a conference with the umpire to dispute calls.
5C. All players must register prior to the season start and be placed on a team roster. No players can be added after start of the season.
VI. LINE-UPS / GAME TIME
6A. Line-ups: Teams must have at least 9 players and no more than 12. Everyone in the line-up must bat. Teams can field 10 players (minimum 4 females), 9 players (minimum 3 females).
6B. Batting Order: Everyone present at the game may bat as long as no more than 2 males bat in a row (i.e. 2 males, 1 female, 2 males, 1 female, etc. or vice versa). If a teamâ??s line-up is reduced due to injury, there is no penalty as long as the batting order rule is still followed. However, if the injury breaks the 2 in a row rule, the team must take an out for the missing player each time that position comes up in the batting order. If a teamâ??s line-up is reduced for any reason other than injury, the team must take an out each time that position comes up in the batting order (if no legal subs are available).
6C. All team players must bat in the same order each time through the line-up. If substitutions must be made offensively when batting all present players would violate the batting order rules, players may only re-enter in the same spot in the order. (i.e. If a team has too many males, one or more can take turns batting each time through the line-up both are allowed to play defense). In this case, the line-up would look something like this:
1st & 3 rd time through: M1 - M2 - F1 - M3 - M4 - F2 - M5 - M6 - F3 - M7 - M8 - F4
2nd & 4 th time through: M1 - M2 - F1 - M3 - M4 - F2 - M5 - M6 - F3 - M9 - M10 - F4
Males taking turns in the line-up must hit in the same spot in the line-up and cannot later substitute for other males.
6D. A team having nine (9) players present at game time prior to the first pitch must begin play immediately or the umpire, after a five-minute fair warning, will forfeit the game. Teams may start with 9 players (minimum 3 females) without charged out penalties for missing players.
6E. The game time is indicated on the schedule. No new innings shall be started after 55 minutes of playing time. The Redball League Managers or Umpires watch shall be the official time. Teams may ask the umpire the start time.
EXCEPTION: If both captains agree, game may be started before scheduled game time.
6F. Mercy Rule: If five (5) innings have been played if the home team is ahead) and one team is leading by ten (10) runs or more, the game shall be called; also 15 runs after 4 innings, and 20 runs after 3 innings.
6G. A team failing to place at least nine (9) eligible players on the field at game time will forfeit the game. Late players may enter the game at the bottom of the line-up as long as batting order rules are still followed.
6H. All batters shall assume a one-ball, one-strike count when beginning their at-bat.
XII. Defensive Positions
7A. Males and females do not have to alternate defensively in the infield, outfield, or at pitcher/catcher. However, there must be at least one(1) female in the outfield and at least one (1) female in the infield (pitcher and catcher count as infield in regards to this rule).
7B. All infielders must remain in the infield and all outfielders must remain in the outfield until the ball is hit.
VIII. Substitutions
8A. A female may only substitute for a female in the batting order, a male for a male.
8B. Teams may substitute freely on defense each inning.
IX. Regulation Games
9A. Regulation games last 7 full innings or 60 minutes (see rule 6F) whichever comes first.
9B. A game that is called off by the umpire for darkness or other safety reason after 4 full innings of play shall be considered a regulation game. The game score at end of the last full inning shall determine the winner.
9C. Ties will be allowed during the regular season. During tournament if tied we will use a Kansas City style format. A Team batting will place the last out on second and will remain in batting order with normal league ball count. The outfield will only allow for 7 fielders and 2 must be of opposite gender. Tournament round games will be 6 innings plus any extra innings needed except for the finals.
9D. A team Captain may raise protest with the umpire for blatant rule infraction, but will accept the umpires final ruling.
X. Running
10A. Runners must stay within the base line. Fielders must stay out of the base line. Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline. Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line shall be safe at the base to which they were running.
10B. Leading off base and stealing are not allowed. A runner off of his/her base when the ball is pitched is out.
10C. After a batted ball is caught, runners must tag their originating base before running to the next base. Runners may overrun first base only.
10D. In the case of a batter hitting an over-the-fence home run, drawing a walk, or advancing freely on a teammates over-the-fence home run or walk, all bases must be touched in order. If not, the opposing team may appeal to the umpire that the player missed a base and the player will be declared out. If that player scored on the play, that players run will not count. If that is the third out of the inning, all other runs scored by players touching all bases in order will still count.
10E. No blocking the plate (runner gets priority)
XI. Fouls
11A. A foul counts as a strike.
11B. A foul on the third strike is an out. No courtesy foul.
XII. Outs
12A. A count of three outs by a team completes the teams half of the inning.
12B. An out is:
1. A runner tagged by the ball in fielders hand or glove at ANY time while not on base;
2. Any batted ball (fair or foul) that is caught;
3. A fielder catching the ball with their foot on the base to which a runner is forced to run.
4. A runner off of his/her base when the ball is pitched.
5. A ball hit when the batter steps out of the batters box.
6. An intentionally bunted ball.
XIII. Ball in Play
13A. Ball is in play until the umpire declares the play is dead and will call time.
XIV. Designated Runner/Player Positions
14A. In cases of injury of illness, a time-out may be requested for participant removal and replacement with a substitute of the same sex. If the participant later returns to play, the participant must be inserted in the same batting order position previously held.
14B. If a player is ejected, injured, or becomes ill and cannot continue, and a substitute is not available, the lineup will continue in the same formation, less the removed player (see rule 6C for applicable penalties).
14C. The pitcher may be replaced on the mound once per inning.
14D. Each team gets one courtesy runner per inning. It must be a male for a male and female for a female. If the courtesy runner is on base when it is his/her turn to bat, he/she will be called out, the base will be vacated, and he/she will immediately take his/her turn at bat. The game will then continue.
XV. League Standings
15A. League standings shall be the basis of tournament seeds. Ties in the league standings shall be broken by 1)Over all standing points 2) Games won in head to head, 2) Runs against 3) Run differential in overall games 4) Coin Flip
15B. All schedules will be posted on. Redballsocial.com
XVI. Forfeits
16A. Forfeits: Using illegal players and or not enough players. Participants are only allowed to play and appear on one team roster per season. Players must play at least 3 games during the regular season to qualify for playoffs. Three team forfeits may result in disqualification from the league
XVII. Pitchers Screen
17A. Pitchers screen is required for play.
17B. The pitcher screen shall be placed across the pitching rubber square with the home plate.
17C. Pitchers shall pitch from behind the pitcher screen with appropriate arm motion to the side of the screen releasing the ball in front of the plane of the screen.
17D. Any batted ball that makes contact with the pitchers screen is a foul ball that counts against the batters batting count.
17E. Any thrown ball that makes contact with the pitchers screen is a live ball, runners may advance with option to be put out.
17F. Pitcher's screen is deemed part of playing field during live ball play.
XVIII. Batter per Inning
18A. To ensure parody among our league games, our games will have a Batter Per Inning rule. This means that the maximum amount of batters per inning will be equal to the amount of players in the lineup.
