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Slowpitch SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES:

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All teams and participants are required to complete a hold harmless agreement form each year.

All participants assume the risk of injury.

 

TOURNAMENT FORMAT:

  • Team captains will be notified of the exact format

once all teams have signed up.

  • 16 team maximum

  • 3 Game Guarantee

  • 1st Round – All teams will have 2 Pool Play games. 

Each team's record after 2 games will determine their seed for 

the single elimination bracket

  • 2nd Round – Single Elimination Playoff with top 1 to 2 teams

advancing (depending on number of teams signed up)

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TEAMS:

  • A minimum of ten players constitute a team.  Team captains are responsible for coordinating shirts/jerseys for their teams and notifying the Lake Hopatcong Elks Charity Softball Tournament Staff of any roster replacements or additions.

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GAME TIME/MERCY RULE:

  • Games will consist of seven innings.  

  • Mercy Rule is in effect. 15 Runs after 4 innings

  • There will be a 55 minute time limit per game

    • No inning can start after ​55 minutes

  • There will not be a time limit for the Semi Finals and the Finals

  • In the event of a tie score after 7 innings, a Tie Breaker will apply.

    • Last batted out will go to 2nd base to start the inning

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HOME RUN RULE:

  • There will be ONE home run allowed per inning.

  • Any home run hit after the first per inning, will result in an out.​​

  • Only Home Runs that go OVER the fence will follow this rule.​

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COURTESY RUNNER RULE:

  • All teams are allowed 1 courtesy runner per inning.

  • In the event of an injury, an additional courtesy runner may be allowed.

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ACCEPTABLE FOOTWEAR:

  • NON-METAL Cleats ONLY. Sneakers/Turfs are allowed as well.

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BATS:

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BALLS:

  • All Game Balls will be the "Dudley Thunder SX"

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DISTANCES FOR PITCHING MOUND AND BASES:

  • The pitching mound will be 50’ away from home plate.  The bases will be 60’ away from home plate for all games.

 

UMPIRE'S JUDGEMENT:

  • An umpire's judgment should not be contested.  Failure to adhere to an umpire's judgment may warrant ejection.  No appeals.  The umpire's decisions are final. Only rule interpretations may be protested immediately following the issue in question.

 

BALLS AND STRIKES:

  • All batters will start with a 1-1 count (one ball and one strike) A mat will be affixed to the back side of home plate.  If the ball lands on either home plate or the mat, it is a strike. A batter who hits a foul ball when they have 2 strikes on them, is out.

 

BUNTING:

  • The batter will be called out if they bunt.

 

BASE RUNNING:

  • Under no circumstance will stand-up collisions, at any base, be tolerated.  Sliding is strongly encouraged, but not required.  HOWEVER, the responsibility of avoiding contact lies with the runner.  If, in the umpires' judgment, the runner fails to take the necessary steps to avoid contact, and causes contact, they shall call the runner out.  On double play situations, runners tagged out at second must refrain from interfering with the throw to first base.  Any interference by the base runner will cause the runner going to first base to automatically be called out for runner interference.  Any excessive force used to tag a base runner out, or to force a fielder to drop a ball, may warrant an ejection.

 

STEALS:

  • No stealing is allowed.  A base runner may not leave the base until either a pitched ball is hit or it crosses home plate.  If the base runner leaves early, the umpire will declare "no pitch" and the base runner will be called out.

 

INTERFERENCE:

  • A fielder has the right to go into the base path when (a) he has the ball (b) he is in the act of fielding the batted ball or (c) he is in the act of fielding the thrown ball.  If accidental contact is made under these circumstances, the umpires will decide if the runner will be awarded the next base.  If the contact was blatantly made by the runner, then the runner will be called out.

 

INFIELD FLY RULE:

  • A batter is called out on an easily caught pop fly to any defensive player near or in the infield when there are runners on first and second or the bases are loaded and there are less than two outs.  The batter is called out and all base runners advance at their own risk once the fly ball has been touched.  When such a hit is made, the umpire should immediately call "infield fly the batter is out".  

 

PITCHING:

  • Pitches should be greater than 6 ft, but may not exceed 12 ft in arc. Any pitch outside of this range of arc will be called a ball. The arc of every pitch will be at the umpire's discretion and may not be disputed. A pitcher must keep one foot in contact with the pitching rubber during the entire pitching motion. Otherwise, it will be ruled an illegal pitch and considered a ball. On an illegal pitch, if a batter swings and misses, then it will be considered a strike. Once the batter is set in the batters box, the pitcher may pitch the ball. If the batter is not set in the box and the pitch occurs, it will be called "no pitch".

 

SUBSTITUTIONS:

  • A lineup of no less than ten (10) players must be submitted to the umpire at the start of each game.  The lineup will contain the first and last name of each player, their position, uniform number, and place in the batting order.  If the lineup is more than 10 batters, then any batter in the lineup after 10 will be called an Extra Player (EP).  

  • A substitute may enter the game for anyone in the lineup. All players who were in the starting lineup are able to re-enter into their exact spot in the lineup. Once a substitute has come out of the game, they are no longer allowed to re-enter.

 

FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO:

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