Wayne State University
Co-Ed Intramural Softball Rules

Cost:
$80.00 per team entry fee.

Participation
1.  Participation in the intramural program is voluntary. Wayne State is not responsible for bodily injuries incurred while participating in Intramural sports. Each participant is advised to carry personal health and accident insurance.

2.  All  participants are required to sign the Wayne State University Intramural Release form prior to any participation.

Roster
1. You must have WSU One Card and be currently enrolled.

2. Team rosters must be turned in prior to first game (May 7, 2008).

3. No player can be added to roster after May 28.

4. Roster must include name, phone number, and ID number.

5. Must play in at least three games to be eligible for playoffs.

6. Players must check in with scorekeeper before each game.

7. A player can be on only one team.

Teams allowing participation of players who are not a CURRENT WSU student / staff/ faculty or not on the roster will forfeit any games in which the illegal player participates.

Playing Time
The game is one (1) hour from the scheduled start time. No new inning will begin if there is less than five minutes left on the game timer. Arrive early and finish warm-up on opposite field from the diamond.  Also, walking after each inning results in a lot of time being wasted.

The umpire will be the official timekeeper of the game.  The game timer begins at the scheduled time.  Please have your line-up and players ready at the time you are supposed to play.

If the game is tied after the time limit or after seven (7) innings, one additional inning will be played.  If the tie remains, the game will be recorded as a tie ball-game.

Game Time
Games will be scheduled for 5:30, 6:40, and 7:50 on Wednesdays.

Forfeit
1. If a team is late, they will be penalized two runs for every five minutes they are late and forfeit if 15 min. late.  Example: If a team is ten minutes late, the game will start with them losing 4-0 and they will be the visiting team.

Playoffs
Teams will qualify for playoffs based on points. Points will be awarded as follows: 

Win = 2 pts,  Tie = 1 pt.,  Loss = 0 pts. 

Top seed will be the home team throughout the tournament.

In the event of a tie at the end of the season, the following tie-breaker will be in effect to determine seeds:

1. Head to head

2. Total runs allowed

3. Total runs scored

4. Coin flip

Must play in three (3) games to be eligible for playoffs.

Rain-Outs
Rained out games will be rescheduled for the following Monday. On a rainy day, call (313) 577-4261 between 4-5 p.m. for cancellation notice.

• Tartar Shop – 313-577-4260
• Matthaei Facility Office – 313-577-4295
• Sheila’s Cell – 313-399-4660
• Colleen’s cell – 616-889-4513
• Jim's cell – 248-202-0442

Manager’s/Coaches Responsibilities
1. Manager’s/Coaches must be responsible for their player’s conduct at all times.

2. Make sure proper clothing is worn: NO METAL CLEATS, jeans, street shoes, jewelry, etc. Sweats/shorts, T-shirts, rubber cleats are appropriate.

Rules
1. A minimum of 8 players is required to start each game. Player numbers can be 4 & 4 or 5 & 5 with no outs taken. 5 & 3, 5 & 4, and 6 & 4 can be used, but you may have outs in your line-up. See batting rules for examples.

2. SUBSTITUTIONS- Must always be a member of the same sex.  Once a player is removed from the batting line-up, they can only be re-inserted into the same spot in the batting line-up. Example: John is batting in the third spot.  You can sub Mike into that spot in the batting order.  If you want to put John back into the game, he must go back into the third spot and Mike must come out.  Mike will be done for the game (he cannot go back into the game for anyone).

3. WALKS- When a male batter is intentionally walked (3 pitches, all balls), he is awarded two bases. The next batter (female) has the option to bat or be awarded a base on balls. If a strike is thrown in between the balls and the male batter is still walked, he will only be awarded one base because he was given the opportunity to hit. In this case the next batter must hit.

Batting
1. The batting order must be set with all team members alternating (M,F,M,F,M, etc.) until the line-up is affected by the odd  number of players.  If this is the case, an out will result automatically.

Example

• M,F,M,F,M,out,M

Exception: There can be up to two women batting in a row without having to take an out.

Example

• M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,F – No out taken
• M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,F,out,F

Once you have batted through your line-up, this batting order is set, and you cannot add any more batters to the end of your order… they must be substituted into the batting order for someone else.  Example: You start the game with nine players.  Once the ninth person has batted, you cannot add a new player into the tenth spot.  They must be subbed into the batting order for someone else.

2. If, for any reason, a player must leave the batting line-up and no substitute is available, an out shall be declared each time the vacated position in the batting order comes up.

3. All players start with the count 1 ball and 1 strike.

4. A team is allowed to score a maximum of ten runs per inning unless when the tenth run scores and in the same play others score, those runs will count (example: you have scored nine runs and hit a three run homer.  You will count all the runs (12 total) not just the one run that gets you to ten.  You get to complete the play.)  After 10 runs, the teams will automatically switch positions on the field. *** In the semifinals and the championship game, there will be no run maximum.***

5. Home run limit:  3 per game; any after that is an out (due to the short fence).

6. Base running:  when a defensive player has the ball a baserunner may not deliberately, with force crash into the defensive player.  Penalty:  Baserunner is out, runners return to base.

7. Sliding is allowed. 

Fielding
1. Ten players on the field is the maximum.

2. The pitcher and catcher combination must be one male and one female.

3. There must be at least one woman in the infield (excluding pitcher/catcher) and one woman in the outfield (e.g., remaining women cannot all be in outfield with none in the infield).  If you are short a player, then one position will remain open.

4. Defensive players will NOT BE ALLOWED to interfere with the baserunners in any way.  Result: dead ball, all runners advance one base.  Example: The batter gets a hit to the outfield.  The first baseman cannot stand on the bag since there will not be a play there.

5. You must be in the batting order to play in the field.

Additional Rules
1. Bunting or chopping the ball is not permitted.  Result:  batter is out.

2. Base stealing is not allowed

3. Runner cannot leave the base until the ball is struck.  It is not when the ball reaches the plate… it is when the ball is hit by the batter.  The umpire will call you out.

4. Two fouls balls after the second strike constitutes a strike-out.

5. NO METALS CLEATS ALLOWED!! Usage will result in dismal from league.

Pitching
Pitcher will maintain a six (6) to twelve (12) foot arc of the ball when pitching.  Ump may call the pitch high or flat.  Batter will have the option to swing at the pitch.  It will not be called a dead ball.  If batter does not choose to swing, the pitch is called a ball.  If the batter swings and misses it’s a strike.  A pitched ball is a strike if it lands on any part of the homeplate or the mat directly behind the plate (including the black part of homeplate).  There is only one exception to that rule, it is when an umpire calls a ball too high or too flat (not within 6 to 12ft arc range) the pitch is ruled a ball.

Exception: If the batter swings at the pitch, the ball is in play and the result of the swing stands.

Fielding – Outfield
A male outfielder may backup a female outfielder but he cannot cut in front of female outfielder to field the ball, if the fly ball is clearly within her range.

Fielding – Infield
In the case of a male pitcher and female catcher teammates: they should decide in advance who should cover home, if there is a play at the plate, and who should act as backup.  The captain will notify the umpire before the game who will be covering.

Injuries
1. Participants are responsible for any injuries sustained while participating in the intramural program.  Report all injuries to the supervisor.

2. If a player is injured during the play, the play will continue until the ball is dead and the play has stopped.  Time will be called so the injured play can be helped.

Exception: Play will be stopped immediately if the umpire feels the injury is severe.  The play will go back to the previous pitch (before the injury occurred).

Sportsmanship
Intramural sports at WSU are for fun and in the spirit of clean competition.  Rough play or verbal harassment will not be tolerated!  Unsportsmanlike conduct towards fellow players, opponents, officials or supervisors will result in ejection from the game and possibly the sport season.

Official Amateur Softball Association (A.S.A.)
Rules shall govern play expect where intramural rules apply.

Protest
Protest will be settled on the field and the umpire’s word is final. There will be no protests allowed concerning judgment calls by the umpire. A rule infraction may be brought to the attention of the umpire (only by the manager/coach of the protesting team).