"Serving Youth Since 1936"
513-598-4546
Baseball & Fast Pitch Softball
A special thank you to all managers, coaches, participants, sponsors, parents, trustees and umpires who donate endless hours of their time to teach our youth.
Youth Training Leagues
TBA
Rules
for 1st-3rd grade Softball
Instructional
PLAYING FIELD
A. Bases will be 50 feet apart.
B. Pitchers mound is 30 feet from Home Plate.
C. Defensive players will be: Pitcher, Catcher, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Baseman, Shortstop, Left Field, Left Center Fielder, Right Center Fielder, and Right Field. D. Outfielders must play in the outfield and not on the infield (dirt).
EQUIPMENT
A. The home team will supply bases.
B. The softball that will be used is an (11") and will be supplied by the home team.
C. All bats that will be used must be of a one-piece construction and have a rubber grip or tape on the handle.
D. Shoes must be of one-piece construction and must have no metal cleats or detachable spikes. Gym shoes are recommended.
THE GAME
A. The home team is designated as the first team on the schedule. There will be an equal division of home games if possible.
B. The Bridgetown Baseball Association will provide umpires.
C. Ground rules should be discussed before each game with the umpire.
D. Only 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade girls can comprise an instructional team. (No girls shall play instructional softball and play on another competitive team.)
E. No new inning shall begin after 1 hour and 15 minutes into the game. Five innings or 1 hour and 15 minutes is a complete game.
F. An offensive inning is over when 10 batters have batted or there are 3 outs, which ever comes first.
G. A continuous batting order will be used. All players must bat in rotation.
H. Each player plays 2 innings in the field.
I. When a team is in the field, 2 coaches are permitted in the outfield for the purpose of instruction.
J. Each batter receives 4 swings in which to hit the ball fair. The last swing must be a clean strike for the batter to be out. No walks will be allowed.
K. The pitcher will be a member of the offensive team. No older children will be used as pitchers. The pitcher will be a manager, coach or a member of the team. When a coach is pitching, he/she must get out of the way of the ball after it is hit. The child playing on the pitchers mound, must make a play for the ball. She must have clearance to make a throw to a base. If the adult interferes with the play, the batter is awarded first base.
L. Throwing of the bat will be discouraged. If a batter throws the bat after being warned on a previous at bat, the batter will be out.
M. There will be no advances on any overthrow.
N. The in-field fly rule is waived.
O. No base stealing allowed.
P. No leadoffs are permitted.
Q. No sliding is allowed.
R. On all plays, the fielder has the right to field the ball and the base runner may not interfere. If the defensive player has no play on the ball, she must yield to the runner. (There is a chance where there may be an inadvertent collision where there is no interference ruled on either player. This is the umpire’s decision only!)
S. When a ball is hit into the outfield, the ball must be picked up and attempted to be thrown into the infield, and the runner cannot advance. (The runner may not advance when not at least 1/2 way to the next base.)
T. All rainouts are to be made up within 2 weeks of the original scheduled game. Games that are called due to rain are to be made up on the home teams practice night.
U. Managers are responsible for their team’s fans. Please keep them under control.
V. No alcoholic beverages or smoking will be allowed on school property.
W. On defense, each team will field ten players in normal softball positions; all players will play defense in a rotation. (Do not play the same players at First, Pitcher, and or Second base) But the manager should assign a player who is capable of being alert to hit or thrown balls, this is to avoid injuries.
The Board of Trustees of the Bridgetown Baseball Association has adopted the above rules. All members will adhere to the above rules.
Tee-Ball is for youths that are six years old or who are entered in kindergarten.
A. Bases will be a distance of 60 feet. Pitchers mound will be placed
at 45 feet for tee-ball and 40 feet for coaches pitch.
B. Ground rules should be discussed before each game with the umpire. The training league coordinator will assign the umpire.
C. On defense, each team will field nine players in normal baseball positions. All players will play defense in a rotation. (Do not play the same players at First, Pitcher, and /or Second Base.) But the coach should assign a player who is capable of being alert to hit or thrown balls. This is to avoid injuries.
D. When a team is in the field, up to 2 coaches are permitted to roam the outfield for the purpose of instruction. In coaches pitch it is discouraged in favor of sideline coaching. On offense, every player on the team bats in rotation. An offensive inning is over when 9 batters have batted or there are 3 outs, which ever comes first. There are 2 outs when the ninth batter comes to bat.
E. The throwing of the bat will be discouraged by all supervision. Please explain to the players any unsafe conduct. If the player throws the bat after being warned on a previous at bat, the player will be called out. The batted ball will be a dead ball.
F. There will be NO Stealing.
G. Sliding will be discouraged because of the risk of injury.
H. A leadoff of two steps is permitted. Base runners may not break for the next base until the ball makes contact with the bat. The runner may go to the next base if he/she is more than half way when the play is dead, except at home. Coaches should encourage fundamentals not runs scored.
I. A play is considered dead when the ball is in the catchers possession in the area of home plate. Players should be encouraged to attempt the proper defensive play, rather than automatically throwing to the plate.
J. In coaches pitch, there will be no walks issued. Strikeouts may occur when the batter has two strikes, but the umpire should remind him that they have only one more chance. The umpire and the coaches should encourage swinging at pitches in the strike zone. If the batter fails to swing at good pitches after being warned, called strikes may occur. Discretion should be used in this area and a discussion of this topic should be included in the ground rules.
K. Coaches will be responsible for their fans. Please keep them under control. Failing to do so could cause your team to forfeit.
L. Games called due to rain will be made up on the home teams practice night. This is the responsibility of the managers. Please notify the coordinator for scheduling of an umpire, a minimum of two days is required to schedule an umpire.
M. No alcoholic beverages or smoking will be allowed on any school property.
N. The coordinator is Tim Cohill and he can be reached at 598-4546. Have a safe and enjoyable season.