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Modified Pitching and other rules
PITCHER
There are three major parts to a modified fast pitch delivery: the starting position, the backswing up to the top of the windup, and the forward swing down to and through the release.
1. STARTING POSITION
The pitcher MUST:
* Must start with both feet on the rubber.
* Have their hips and shoulders fully square to home plate.
* Pause while holding the ball in front of the body. (The ASA requires a 1-to-10 second pause before the pitch. However precedent is for only a brief but distinct pause. The intent of rule is to prevent the pitcher from gaining unfair momentum fir the pitch, or "quick-pitching" a batter.)
The pitcher MAY:
* Hold the ball in either the glove or the pitching hand.
2. BACKSWING
The pitcher MUST:
* Start the backswing directly out of the paused position.
* Move the pitching hand backwards to start the delivery.
The pitcher MAY:
* Take the ball behind the back, outwards (within reason), or over the head during the backswing.
* Bring the arm above the shoulder line.
* Lift their front foot high off the ground.
* Slide or drag the pivot foot, so long as it remains in constant contact with the pitching rubber.
The pitcher MAY NOT:
* Step backwards or sideways off the rubber.
* Use a "rocker" motion to start the windup.
* Use a :windmill" motion. (In a windmill motion, the backswing and delivery are in one continuous circular motion.)
* Use an obvious "slingshot" motion - bending the elbow AND rotating the body significantly towards first or third base. (The intent of the rule is to prevent a pitcher from using significant forward motion of the hands to gain momentum for the backswing. Many pitchers have a small forward hitch in their hands prior to the backward motion. This is OK) All pitchers bend their elbows and turn their bodies to some extent. In an illegal slingshot, these movements are very pronounced so as to allow the pitcher to "whip" the ball around.
* There is no limit to the height of the backswing.
* Pitching hand cannot go further than 6' from the thigh.
3. DELIVERY
The pitcher MUST:
* Deliver the ball in a full underhand motion. (Sidearm pitches are illegal.)
* Release the pitch on the first forward movement past the hip.
* Roughly square the shoulders to home plate at the point of release. (No pitcher squares the shoulders fully at the time of release, owing to the effects of the stride. The intent of rule is to eliminate cross-body slingshot deliveries.)
The pitcher MAY:
* Take one forward step. The foot must come down within the 24" width of the pitching rubber.
* Throw any legal softball pitch such as a curve ball, drop ball, slider, knuckle ball, etc. (Needless to say, spitballs, foreign substances, 'scuffballs', and the like are illegal.)
* Point the palm downward upon release.
The pitcher MAY NOT:
* Have the ball significantly outside the wrist during the downswing and release. (Sidearm pitches are illegal.)
* Use a crow-hop delivery.(A "crow hop" is defined by the ASA as jumping off the pitching rubber and re-planting the back foot before releasing the ball. It effectively shortens the distance to home plate and is illegal in all forms of fastpitch.
However, it is legal to "leap" off the rubber during the delivery so long as the pitch is released while in the air and the pitcher does not re-plant the pivot foot.)
CHANGING PITCHERS
* If pitcher is removed, the new pitcher must complete pitching to at least one batter.
LEAD and STEALING
* Runner may leave the base to take a lead or steal the next base after the pitch is released.
GAME BALL
* The home team of each game will provide a new ball and and a good used ball.
* The used ball must be approved by the umpire.
FORFEITS
* You must have a minimum of eight players to start a game.
* Umpire will wait 10 minutes after schedule start of game before calling a forfeit.
* Metal cleats are not allowed.
* If a batter bats out of turn, the scheduled batter is out. ASA Rules apply concerning any plays resulting in outs made during the improper batter's time at bat.
* A player must have appeared in a minimum of 3 games to be eligible for playoffs (at least one inning in the field or 1 at bat constitutes an appearance).
ALL STAR GAME
* There will be 32 players selected for the All Star game, 4 players from each team. The American Division All-Stars will play the National Divsion All-Stars. The # of players selected per team is subject to change from year to year.
KNOCKOUT
* If a team is losing by 10 runs after 5 innings the game is over.
DESIGNATED HITTER (DH)
* If a team starts a game without a DH, they must play the entire game without one.
* If the DH is removed and put to play a fielding position, you lose the DH.
* You may replace the DH with a player on the bench who has not played in that game and the removed DH is not eligible to play another position.
PROTEST (this is a new rule that has not been officially voted upon by the league.)
* Protest must be in writing in scorebook and Umpire must sign protest in scorebook.
* A formal written protest must be given to the league secretary and the $15.00 fee before protest is heard. If you win the protest, the $15.00 fee will be refunded. If you lose the protest, the $15.00 will not be refunded.
* The protest must be heard before the next week games.
RULES OF PLAY
1. THE TEAMS AND GAMES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE RULES AND REGULATIONS SET FORTH IN THE "OFFICIAL SOFTBALL PLAYING RULES" AS ADOPTED BY THE AMATEUR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS AS NOTED HEREIN. (NOTE: IF THE UMPIRES ARE NOT AWARE OF OUR "SPECIAL" RULES BEFORE THE GAME STARTS, THEY WILL RULE PER THE ASA RULE BOOK.
2. INTENTIONAL WALKS ARE LEGAL AND ARE PART OF A TEAM'S STRATEGY. IT IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED A DELAY OF GAME TACTIC. IF NO RUNNERS ARE ON BASE, A PITCHER MAY ELECT TO POINT TO FIRST BASE BEFORE THROWING THE FIRST PITCH TO A BATTER, AND THAT BATTER WILL BE AWARDED THE BASE.
3. BASE RUNNERS MUST STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE BASE THEY CURRENTLY OCCUPY UNTIL THE BALL IS RELEASED FROM THE PITCHER'S HAND. ANY RUNNER LEAVING A BASE BEFORE THE PITCH IS RELEASED WILL BE CALLED OUT. (A DEAD BALL - NO PITCH IS ALSO DECLARED.)
4. THERE IS NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF FOUL BALLS A BATTER MAY HIT.
5. NO TAUNTING, NO PERSONAL INSULTS, NO DELIBERATE ATTEMPTS TO INJURE, NO FIGHTING, NO EXCESSIVE FOUL LANGUAGE, NO PHYSICALLY INTIMIDATING THE OPPONENTS OR THE UMPIRES, AND ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PARK RULES.
6. MISCELLANEOUS RULES - BUNTING IS LEGAL. NO FAKE TAGS. SLIDE AND VEER RULES ALWAYS APPLY. COURTESY RUNNERS ARE NOT PERMITTED EXCEPT IN CASE OF INJURY.
7. A CATCHER'S MASK IS MANDATORY. PLAYERS NOT WEARING THIS PROPER GEAR WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY GAME.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
1. A TEAM MUST HAVE AT LEAST EIGHT PLAYERS IN ATTENDANCE TO BEGIN A GAME. IF EIGHT PLAYERS ARE NOT IN ATTENDANCE BY "FORFEIT TIME", THE GAME WILL BE FORFEITED.
2. A TEAM SHALL FIELD TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYERS (IF TEN PLAYERS ARE AVAILABLE) AND UP TWO "EXTRA HITTERS".
3. IN ADDITION, A TEAM SHALL BE PERMITTED ONE DESIGNATED HITTER (DH) PER TEAM AT ANY POSITION.
TEAM LINE UPS
1. A PLAYER THAT ENTERS OR STARTS A GAME AS AN "EXTRA HITTER" (EH) CAN ENTER INTO THE GAME IN A DEFENSIVE POSITION AT ANY TIME.
2. IF A PLAYER ON THE FIELD IS REPLACED, THEY MAY STAY IN THE GAME AS AN EH (OR IF THEY WERE A STARTER, THEY MAY RE-ENTER THE GAME AS LONG AS THEY REMAIN IN THEIR ORIGINAL BATTING ORDER POSITION. OTHERWISE, THE REPLACED PLAYER IS OUT OF THE GAME.
3. IF A PLAYER HAS TO LEAVE THE GAME FOR ANY REASON, A SUBSTITUTE SHALL FILL THEIR POSITION IN THE BATTING ORDER. IF NO SUBSTITUTE IS AVAILABLE, AN OUT IS RECORDED EVERY TIME THEIR POSITION IN THE BATTING ORDER COMES UP FOR THE REST OF THE GAME.
4. A TEAM CAN ADD ADDITIONAL BATTERS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LINE UP. THIS CAN ONLY TAKE PLACE AT THE HALF INNING.
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Central PA Modified Softball League
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