(REVISED 4-9-06) PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulations shall govern except as modified below:
WARM-UP TIME: If time permits, teams may warm up until 5 minutes before game time. Teams shall split infield warm-up equally as time permits. There is to be a STRICTLY ENFORCED time limit between innings for pitcher warm-ups. Specifically, pitchers are limited to the shorter of 5 warm-up pitches or 1 minute. Players need to take the field ready to play.
PITCHER LIMITS: A single pitcher can pitch a maximum of 3 innings per game. One pitch in an inning counts as a full inning for a pitcher. Pitchers (starter or reliever) may re-enter the game at any time.
TOTAL INNINGS AND RUN LIMITS: There will be a 5-run limit per inning, with a set 5 innings maximum per game. No new inning can start after 75 minutes. A new inning starts after the third out of the preceding inning. Tie games will end in a tie unless it is a postseason game. Postseason tie games will continue with extra innings till the tie is broken. The pitcher limit gets re-set in extra innings (ie like starting a new game)
STEALING: Runners may steal when the pitch leaves the pitchers hand. See PONY rule book for description of the “Look-back” rule.
MINIMUM PLAYING TIME: All players (the entire team) must bat in the official batting order exchanged with the opposing coach before the start of the game. Any players arriving late are plugged into the bottom of the official batting order. If a game starts and a team has less than 9 players present, the team will be required to take an OUT in the 8th and/or 9th batting position of the official batting order. Should additional players arriving during the game, the player(s) will be plugged into the bottom of the official batting order. Every player must play a minimum of 2 innings (6 outs) of defense (unless that player is late and missed the start of the game).
SEVEN PLAYER MINIMUM: A team must have a minimum number of 7 players available to play at game time, or else the game must be forfeited. If both teams have less than 7 players at game time, the game is a FORFEIT (LOSS) for both teams and WILL NOT be made up except by Board approval. (An injured player will not be counted if that player cannot participate in the game.) A team beginning with 7 players may finish a game with less than 7 players if any players are lost during the game due to injury or illness. However, the team will be required to take an OUT in the ill-injured player’s position for the remainder of the game.
SLIDING: The runner must avoid a collision with the defensive player. Refer to the PONY rulebook POE 12 for further clarification.
BASE COACHES: A player may coach first or third base provided she wears a helmet.
OUTFIELD POSITIONS: Nine (9) players will be allowed to play defense (three (3) must be 10’ into the grass outfield). Teams may play Ten (10) players if both coaches agree.
TOURNAMENT: There will be an end of season tournament.
BALL UNDER FENCE: At Hatley Fields, a batted ball going under the outfield fence shall be a ground rule triple.
DROPPED THIRD STRIKE: The dropped third strike rule is in effect.
HELMETS: All players must wear an approved helmet with face mask and chinstrap.