Concord Girls Softball League

10U 2023-2024 Rules

 

The Concord Girls Softball League’s 10U league is designed to introduce the girls to the game of Fastpitch. In most cases, this is the first year the girls will be pitching. We encourage the players, coaches, and parents to be very patient with the girls, coaches, and umpires. We should all be involved in the league for the development and well-being of the girls.

Umpires – This is a developmental age, and the girls are often learning along with their coaches. Thank you for taking a moment to explain calls to help us all grow in our roles. We greatly appreciate your part in our games and you sharing your extensive knowledge of the game.

 

Overview

Innings                                                   5

Bases                                                     60 ft

Stealing                                                  2nd and 3rd base, not home; runners may steal one base at a time 

    Ball Size                                                 11 inch

    Pitching                                                  35 feet (kid and coach)

    Age Cut off                                             Age as of December 31, 2023

    Umpires                                                  Carded, paid

    Division Coordinator                             Tom Valentino

   

General Rules

1. Games begin at 6:30pm- Warm-ups are encouraged to be done in the outfield.  Infield warm-ups are allowed by the visiting team at 6:00pm and the home team at 6:15pm leading into the start of the game.

o Exception for games played on Opening Day and the end of year tournament.

2. Forfeit occurs if a team cannot field 8 players within 15 minutes of the official start of the game.

3. Home team:

o supplies the game ball and pays umpire (funds provide by league).

o will use the dugout on the first base side.

4. Catchers must wear chest protectors, shin guards, and masks.

5. Batters and base runners must wear helmets with face masks.

6. Pitchers and Infielders are required to wear fielding face masks.  Outfielders are strongly encouraged to wear fielding face masks.

7. To be considered a finished game, it must go the full amount of innings OR the full amount of time.  Game time limit is 90 minutes. No new innings after 90 minutes, but the current inning will be finished.   A new inning starts immediately after the 3rd out of the prior inning.  Umpires have final decision for weather and darkness conditions. If a game is tied after 5 innings or 90 minutes, 1 additional inning will be played.  (Example: If a game is tied after 5 innings, a 6th inning is played. If a game is tied and the time limit has expired after 4 innings, a 5th inning is played.) If a game remains tied after 1 extra inning, the game is declared a tie.

8. A game that does not go the regulation time of 90 minutes or to the bottom of the 3rd inning (with the home team ahead) shall be called a suspended game, unless agreed upon by the coaches. The game will resume from the point it stopped with the same batting order, lineup, pitch count, & outs. Any player not present will be scratched from the lineup, without penalty. If new players arrive, they will be added to the end of the batting order, and the game will continue until complete.

9. Every player plays a minimum of 2 innings defensively.  

10. Continuous batting order & free substitutions. Any player taken out of the game due to injury/Illness and misses a batting turn may not re-enter the game and will not be considered an out.

11. Outfielders must be standing in the grass of the outfield when the play begins.

12. Lighting/Thunder Rule: If the umpire sees lightning or hears thunder, the game shall be delayed 30 minutes from the last occurrence. All individuals have the right to leave an athletic site or activity, without fear of repercussion or penalty, to seek a safe structure or location if they feel they are in danger from impending lightning activity.

13. Bat Throwing: On the first offense, a player receives a warning. On the second offense, the batter is called out. On the third offense, a player may be removed from game.

14. Cheering: No negative, taunting, intimidating, defeating yelling or cheering. Cheer only in support of your own team. One team warning, second is forfeiture. We want to ensure a positive, productive, safe environment at all times.

15. Ejections: The umpire has the right to eject any player, coach or fan for misconduct.
Misconduct Policy

• Parent misconduct will result in a warning. If the conduct continues, the parent and head coach will be ejected by the umpire from the game. 

• Any coach who is ejected will receive a 1-game suspension for his/her first offense.  (Coach may not attend any practices in between ejection and the game for which they are suspended.)

• A second time a coach has been ejected, the coach will have a 3-game suspension (including practices in between).

• A third time a coach is ejected, the coach will be suspended for the remainder of the season up to and including the tournament.

• All ejections must be reported to the CGSL Board for tracking. 

• All individuals ejected from a game must leave the field area for the remainder of the game and immediate post-game period.

16. Sliding is not mandatory but strongly encouraged. In the event that a play is attempted at the base/plate, a runner can be called out if they do not slide.  This is for the safety of both players, and actual contact does not need to be made.  This will be at the umpire’s discretion.

17. Call-ups can be requested from the 8u Division if a team is short players under the following stipulations:

o Call-up player cannot miss a game from their original team.

o Call-up player cannot play more innings in the field than anyone else on the team.

o Call-up player must bat last in the lineup.

o No limit on number of call-up players allowed, but the total number of players cannot be more than the number of players required in the field plus one additional. Example: 10U requires 10 players in the field so you could call-up players to give you a total of 11.

o If you are not able to find an 8u call-up player on your own, please reach out to the 10u division coordinator for assistance.

10U Specific Miscellaneous Rules

1. Once the ball is thrown to the pitcher and she has control within the circle area or in best judgment according to the umpire if the circle isn't visible, the ball becomes dead and no further advancement of runners is permitted.  If the runner is halfway or over halfway, they can continue to the next base.  If they are not halfway, they must return to the previous base.

2. After the 4th walk/hit by pitch within an inning, a coach from the offensive team will pitch for the remainder of the inning.  The player earning the 4th walk has the choice to take their base or to receive 5 pitches from the coach pitcher.  They can either strike out or put the ball in play.  They will not walk.  If the 5th pitch is a foul ball, an additional pitch will be given.  A player will not be called out on a foul ball.

3. Once the coach enters the game to pitch, the coach will finish the inning.  (The next inning, a player will pitch again.)  Batters for the remainder of the inning receive up to 7 pitches from their coach.  Swinging strikes/foul balls will be counted.  Swinging and missing on the 3rd strike will be considered a strikeout.  If the final pitch is a foul ball, the batter will be given another pitch.  A player will not be called out on a foul ball.

4. There is no bunting and stealing when there is a coach pitcher.

5. A ball striking a coach pitcher will be a dead ball and not counted against the batter as one of the pitches.

6. You can alternate pitchers in different innings.  Example: If your starting pitcher pitches the first inning and then you have another pitcher come in for the second inning, you can have the starter back in for the remaining innings.

7. If a pitching change is made within an inning, the walk count for the inning does not reset.

8. 10U team fields 10 players in a game but can have as few as 8 (10th player is an outfielder, 4 max in outfield LF, LC, RC, RF).

9. Teams may play 2 travel players in the infield (or 1 infielder/1 pitcher) at a time. Catcher is considered an infield position.  Additional travel players on the team may be in the outfield or on the bench to rotate in during other innings.

10. There is no infield fly rule.

11. There is no dropped third strike.

12. Runners can leave the base once the ball is released by the pitcher. If an umpire determines a player left the base early, the offensive team will receive a warning and the player will be sent back to the base from which she started. On ensuing offenses after a team has been warned, base runners will be called out for leaving early.

13. Modified Stealing: Base runners may steal one base at a time except home. No extra base on an overthrow / missed throw. A runner may only advance home on a hit or walk. When a coach is pitching, base runners cannot steal and must remain on the base until the ball is hit.

14. Overthrow is defined as an attempted put out of a baserunner at a base where the ball goes past its intended target.  In these situations, the runner may advance one extra base if the ball remains in play.  If the ball goes out of play (beyond or over the fence), the runner will automatically be awarded that base.  Examples:

15. There is a ground ball, a throw is made to first base, and the runner is safe due to an overthrow that stays in play.  She may advance if she wishes to second base.  She may not advance beyond second base unless there is a play at second base in which a throw is made and it is an overthrow. 

16. Same scenario, but the overthrow at first goes out of play.  The runner is awarded second base automatically and the play is dead.  If there were runners on base, they are awarded the base they were running to plus the next base.

17. Run limit per inning: There is a soft 5-run limit per team, per inning. Additional runs scored on a play in which a team’s 5th run scores will also be counted. Example: If a team has already scored 4 runs in an inning, has the bases loaded, and the batter hits a grand slam, the team is credited with 8 runs scored in the inning.

18. Pinch Runners may be used for injured players or catchers. Should be the player last out in the current inning. If there are no out in the current inning, then the last out player from the previous inning is acceptable.