Men's Saturday night softball starting on 2/21/2025. Schedules have been updated.

To see an upcoming schedule of seasons you can view  Catalog - Anthem Community Council 

Reach out to Tom Ruwald at (602) 717-8877 or Daniel Stephanski at (623) 451-1729 if you have any questions.

Below is a short list of the modified rules for a refresher for the softball league.

Forfeits:

 Please call the Front desk or Sports department by 2:00 p.m. on the day of to notify so we can inform the opposing team.

 A team that does not notify the ACC Sports department will get an automatic loss on their schedule for failure to comply with rules. ACC Sports Department

E-mail: kpopovich@anthemcouncil.com

Ph: (623)-879-3002

Front Desk E-mail: aacom1@anthemcouncil.com Ph: 623-879-3011

Currently we use modified USSSA rules for mens slowpitch softball. The modifications are below.

• Mat pitch with 6’ft to 12 ft’ arc from release of ball.   Basically lower limit can be judged by batters height, top part is most likely going to be if it is excessive since no one has a ruler under the ball.  Pitch hight is umpire judgement.  (Plate and Matt count as a strike)
• Undefensable balls hit up the middle in the air or on the ground with a three foot arc around the pitchers head will be deemed an out.  Flags or cones will be placed about 3ft. on each side of the pitcher’s mound for umpires to use if it is to close the pitcher. Umpires have ultimate call on what is undefendable..
  • Lower division the middle will be completely closed.
• Safety bag at home plate. 
  • This requires a commit line about 1/2 way between home and 3rd where if the runner crosses that line they must run home. 
    • If play ends with runner at third after crossing commitement line runner will be called out.  It is not a protest play.
  • Home will be the bag off to the side of home plate that the runner must touch. 
  • The defense will need to tag home plate (Not the mat) on a play at home before the runner touches home plate to make an out.
  • If defense tags runner after they cross commitment line the runner is not out. 
• For all bases not including home plate we are going to use the USSSA rules that are already in place for interference on both the defense and the runner.  We will look at plays where contact is made and if it is meant to take someone out the player intiating contact may be ejected.
• 5 over the fence home runs per team per game.  Every home run after 5 will be an out.
  • Lower division 3 home runs per team per game.  Every home run after 3 will be an out.
• Men’s ball will be 12".
• Foul Language or Swearing will result in one team warning and the next player is tossed.
  • Team gets one warning not each member on the team.
  • If in umpires opinion swearing is directed at a person ejection will be immediate
• No run rule except for tournament at which time USSSA run rules will apply
• Games have no new inning start after 52 minutes and drop dead after 60 minutes.  
• One new ball will be supplied per game.
• We are asking that rosters be filled out and handed in by third week of season.  You can have 20 names on roster but a person must play 4 games to be eligible for the tournament.
  • For regular season games subs can be used from other teams within division or a lower division if they are on a teams roster in the league.  If they are not a roster then they may not play.  If you use subs they must be placed at bottom of batting order and play positions in following order.  Catcher, Right Field, Second Base.  Any more than 3 subs game can still be played but will be considered a forfeit.

Bat Use:

• Bat related questions can be pertained to the USSSA Softball website. Double play and home plate scoring.
• Bats must have the USSSA stamp to be legal.
• If an illegal bat is found to be used after a ball is pitched to the batter, they will be ejected and play will be ruled dead with all runners returning to origianl position.

Illegal Player:

• Any player NOT listed on the Official Roster/Waiver.
• Any player under the age 14-17 that is playing without direct parent supervision.
• Any player under the age 14-17 on the infield except for catcher.
  • It is recommended players 14 -17 wear a helmet when batting.  This is primarily for errant throws on the bases to protect thier heads.  Many guys in this league throw hard and wild.
• Any player that is serving a suspension or is on the banned players list. Penalty for illegal player usage:
• Player is suspended for the night and issued a week suspension.
• Second offense of this violation will require a in that player being ejected and issued a two-week suspension and the TEAM will be placed on probation for remainder of the season.

End of Season Tournament:

• Mandatory roster ID checks will take place on the day or the tournament. 
• Every player’s name must appear as is on the official roster.
• The ACC reserves the right to check rosters at any point of the season.
• The night before the tournament it is recommended that players check their bats. 
• Run rule applies 20 after 3 innings, 15 after 4 innings, 10 after 5 innings.
• No new inning after 52 minutes 
  • Complete inning your in no time limit
  • If tied use international tiebreaker rules.  Man on second 1 out.

Coed Specific Rules

• Lineups must be alternating Gender (Ex M/F/M/F).
• Teams can play with a minimum of 8 or 9 players but three must be female. No more than 5 players in the field can be male.  Batting must still have a girl bat between each guy, girl.  You can field more than 5 girls if you do not have enough guys.
• When batting team has two outs and a male player walks it is two bases and the female has an option to bat or take 1st base.
• Male player receiving a walk with less than 2 outs recieves two bases and female must bat.

Good luck all, and have fun!

Please reach out to Kellen Popovich (623) 879-3002 at the Anthem Rec Center, Tom Ruwald at (602) 717-8877, or Daniel Stephanski at (623) 451-1729 for any issues.