I. General

The 2023 Fall season starts on Saturday, September 9th.  All games will take place at Queensbridge Park and Whitey Ford Field on Saturdays.  Games will either be played on Field 1 or Field 2.  

A. Duration of the Season

All teams will play six (6) league games.  Games are scheduled as early as 9AM and as late as 6PM.  All games are scheduled for seven innings.  Rain, lights and/or other unforeseen circumstances may cause a game to be shortened to less than seven innings.  

B. Schedule/Divisions

For the 2023 Fall season there are four divisions.  All divisions consist of seven teams.  All teams are scheduled to play six divisional opponents.  At the conclusion of the season, the top four teams in Division A, Division B, Division B1 and Division C will compete in the playoffs.  If a team forfeits twice during the regular season they will not be permitted to compete in the postseason.  

C. Safety

For personal safety, players should not play if they have an injury.  League umpires and officials have the ability to make a determination regarding a player's game status where necessary for the safety of league members.  Moreover, players may not appear on the field of play, at any time, in an intoxicated condition or under the influence of any other type of drug which might affect the individual's safety or the safety of others.

Protective equipment is recommended in the event of pre-existing conditions.  If a player can not continue due to injury, the team shall not have to take an auto out as long as they have the requisite number of players.  

All players are responsible for their own insurance coverage.  No player may take part in a game without a completed waiver form.

D. Team Roster/Player Eligibility

Generally, the team captain has autonomy to select their team, with returning players given preference on returning to their team.  In the event that a returning team does not have enough signups prior to the end of the player renewal period, the league shall place free agents on the team in order to complete the team and ensure that the team has enough players each week.  Additionally, 

• A player may be on only one roster.
• Players who are not on any league roster are not permitted to play.  Any attempt to add a non-league member to a game will result in an immediate forfeit for that team.
• Falsification of waiver signatures will result in the team being suspended from league play.

E. Equipment

The league shall provide bases, cones, softballs, and a first aid kit.  The league uses 12" Clincher Softballs (DeBeer 12" Regular Clincher Softballs).  The league does not provide bats or gloves for players.  All league members who signed up prior to the t-shirt cut off date and provided the league with their shirt size AND remitted the proper payment shall receive a league dri-fit shirt in team color with their sign-up in the size provided.

Astoria Sports reserves the right to withhold or withdraw approval of any equipment which significantly changes the character of the game, affects the safety of the participants or spectators, or renders a player's performance more a product of his/her equipment than individual skill.  All bats that appear on the ASA's official list of banned bats are illegal in all divisions.  All composite bats are illegal.  

Players are encouraged to bring their own glove, to wear cleats, and strongly encouraged to wear a cup and other protective gear.  

METAL CLEATS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN ANY LEAGUE SETTING.  Specifically, no metal spikes nor polyurethane spikes similar to metal sole and heel plates are allowed.

F. Official Game Time and Rain-Out Procedure

As mentioned above, all games will take place on Saturdays.  The season is expected to start in September and end in November.  The presiding umpire's time will be the official time for determining forfeits.  Teams must have six roster players within 10 minutes of their scheduled start time.  Roster players are defined as players who are on that teams roster.  It does not include subs.

Games are seven innings.  In the event of a tie, the game will continue until one team leads after a full inning of play.

Team captains are responsible for contacting the league to find out the status of their game.  Games can be cancelled due to bad weather, expected bad weather, unplayable field conditions or issues with the lights.  While Astoria Sports has secured the applicable permits with lights, the Parks Department is in sole control of the lights.  If there is an issue with the lights prior to or during a scheduled game, the game may unfortunately be delayed or postponed.  

Astoria Sports will make every effort to contact the team captain or a representative to advise of a potential delay or cancellation.  Astoria Sports will also post this information on all social media pages and on this website.

In the unfortunate event games are cancelled or suspended, they will be rescheduled with sufficient notice.  Sufficient notice shall be a minimum of three weeks, unless agreed upon by both teams.  There shall be no rescheduled games over a long holiday weekend.  

G. Forfeits and Official Games

All games are scheduled for seven (7) innings.  In the event of inclement weather or other unplayable conditions (i.e darkness), four innings shall constitute an official game.  If the home team is winning heading into the bottom of the fourth inning and inclement weather/unplayable conditions occur, this shall constitute an official game.  Starting Spring 2023, the league has implemented the following: in order to minimize the number of bye weeks, the league will be implementing a 1 hour 15 minute time limit on all games.  All games are spaced out by one hour and twenty minutes.

H. Mercy Rule

The mercy rule will be 15 runs after 4 innings (3 and a half if the home team is ahead) or 12 runs after 5 innings and later (4 and a half if the home team is ahead) or 10 runs after six innings.

I. Parental Obligations

If parental responsibilities (i.e caring for ones child) while AT the field force a temporary absence from fielding, and such an absence would cause a temporary shortage of fielders, the fielding team shall not be penalized fielders and the other team shall provide a catcher.  Ex: a team has 10 players and one player has to care for a child while their team is in the field.  the other team shall temporarily provide a catcher until that player is able to return who shall only return the ball to the pitcher and attempt to field the ball on a force play.  The other nine players are in the field.

J. Assumption of Risks

By participating in any Astoria Sports league game, any and all players knowingly and voluntarily accept and assume all risks of injury incurred or suffered while playing or practicing on the field(s).  This includes risks inherent in the sport of softball. 

II. Gameplay

A. Batting

There will be 4 ball/3 strike at bats.  ALL BATTERS START WITH A 1-1 COUNT.  A swing that does not make contact with the ball is a strike.  Foul balls will count for the first two strikes, not for the third strike resulting in an out.  Foul balls caught by the catcher must be over the head of the batter to be considered an out.  Batters are allowed three foul balls an at bat.  On the fourth foul ball the batter is out.  

• The batter may not move in the vicinity of the catcher attempting to catch the ball, nor shall any player yell out obscenities prior to the completion of the play.  Such actions will be deemed interference and no one advances.  The batter may also be ruled out (at the umpires discretion).  
• Batters shall not toss the bat after a swing.  This activity places league players and officials in harms way.  Umpires may warn players upon display of this action, and may call the batter out if they continue to throw or errantly release the bat in a dangerous way.  Continuous action may result in an out or removal from the game.

As delineated above, batters may not use bats that are not ASA approved slow pitch softball bats.  

Batting order: All players participating in the game must be included in the batting order.  There is no substituting in/out of the batting order. 

If a player/participant is ejected, they must leave the grounds (park) for the remainder of the game and have no contact with the umpires, staff or participants of the game.  The game shall continue unless the total number of players on the roster falls below six.  In such an event, the game is a forfeit win for the other team.  If the ejected player is a batter or baserunner they will be declared an out at the time they are ejected.  Following the ejection, the ejected player will be counted as an out each time their name comes up in the batting order.  

If a player is unable to continue playing the game due to injury or reasons other than disqualification or ejection, the team shall collapse the batting order, skipping the player without further penalty.  If the injured player is a base runner, the last batted out shall take his or her spot.  In the event a base runner can not run the bases, the player replacing the base runner shall be the last recorded out.  In extreme circumstances, in the event an umpire feels a player is abusing the allowance, the umpire may refuse the allowance of a pinch runner.  

If a player shows up late, that player shall be placed at the end of the lineup if the lineup has completed one turn through.  Additionally, if a player leaves the lineup and/or game, that player can not return to the lineup.  There is no requirement for placement of males/females in the lineup.

Batting out of order: If a player erroneously bats out of order and does not make contact yet sees pitches, the correct batter will bat and inherit their count.  If a player erroneously bats out of order and gets a hit, that player will automatically be deemed out and the baserunners (if any) will return to their base.  If a player erroneously bats out of order and makes an out, that out will stand and the lineup will resume with the originally intended batter.  It is the responsibility of the opposing team to make the umpire aware of  and potential "batting out of order" situations that evade the umpires purview.  There is no going back in time beyond the current batter for outs where the correct lineup was not being followed.  

B. Pitching

The pitching rubber will be placed 45 feet from the edge of home plate.  

The ball must be pitched underhand at a slow speed.  The ball must be pitched in a continuous motion.  If the umpire feels that the pitcher is pitching too quick or pitching with a non-continuous motion to purposely confuse the hitter, he or she will inform the pitcher.  The result can be a ball at the umpires discretion.  If the action is persistent, the pitcher may be replaced at the umpires discretion.  

Arc: At least six feet from the ground before it crosses home plate.  It shall not rise higher than twelve feet above the ground.  

Strike zone: The mat is a good guide for what constitutes a strike.  In general, the strike zone is any part of the area over home plate that is lower than the letters and higher than the knees of the batter.  Umpires shall review the strike zone with the pitcher prior to the start of the game.

Intentional walks: There shall be no intentional walks.  At first instance, the umpire shall deem the pitch a non-pitch and inform the pitcher to discontinue the act.  If, in the umpires judgment a pitcher continues the act of intentionally walking a batter, the umpire may award the batter second base.

C. Baserunning

Both first base and home plate have safety bases.  They are for the baserunner only.  They shall not be impeded during a play.  For safety purposes, a fielder may not block a baserunners running through the first base safety base.  Such action may result in an interference call with the runner being called safe.  Similarly, a runner may not purposely make contact with the fielder attempting to make a play on the fielder's base.  

Sliding/runner safety: Sliding is done at the players own risk.  A player may choose to slide; however, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES may a player engage in a takeout slide and/or throw his/her body at a player on the other team in an unsafe manner, for any reason.  Players should either slide in an appropriate manner or give themselves up.  There is a safety base that is attached to home plate that is for the runner.  In the event that a baserunner heading home touches home plate and makes no contact with the catcher or any other player, said action will result in a team warning to remember to touch the appropriate base.  A continued refusal/adherence may lead to the umpire calling the runner out at his or her discretion to prevent injury.  If a baserunner makes contact with the catcher or any other player on home plate, the baserunner will be declared out.  

A player in the field may not trip or interfere with ANY baserunners.  Such actions may result in a warning, suspension and/or ejection.  NO player may take out a baserunner in am unsafe manner.

There shall be no collisions at any bases ad no throwing the ball at baserunners.  

Any intentional disregard for this rule will result in discipline from the league.  Any negligence in adhering to this rule may result in disciplinary action from the league.

There shall be no base leading nor base stealing.

D. Fielding

A team may field a maximum of ten fielders in the field.  

Cone Placement: Cones will be used to identify fair territory in the outfield.  There is no regulation as to how far back in the outfield an outfielder can stand.  However, all outfielders must be positioned behind the second cone at the start of the batter's swing.  The second cone will act as an outfield line that can not be encroached prior to the batter's swing. 

Number of players in the Infield: Teams may only have four (4) players on the infield (not including pitcher and catcher).  Teams can not play a five man infield.  An outfielder may not enter the infield until after the ball is hit and in play.

Overthrows: In the event of an overthrow at first base or third base, the runner will automatically advance one base.  For purposes of this rule, the overthrow must result in the ball going out of play.  For example, at Queensbridge park on field 1, the ball would roll a significant distance beyond the first baseman with no backup.  At third base, the ball would go past or make contact with the bleachers.  In the event the ball goes out of play beyond the backstop, all runners will advance one base.  If the runner was more than halfway to a base, the base awarded would be the following base.

E. Borrowed Players (sub rule)

Teams may borrow eligible, rostered players from another team in the league under the following situations:

When a team has six (6) original players: Two subs can be used.  They must bat at the end of the lineup.  Two female spots should be secured to play.  Each missing female spot results in an auto out each time through the lineup.  In this situation, the other team provides a catcher (catcher is to catch on force plays to the plate only).

When a team has seven (7) original players (including two females): One sub can be used, batting at the end of the lineup.  The sub plays right field.

When a team has seven (7) original players (including one female): One sub can be used playing right field.  The sub must bat at the end of the lineup.  The other team catches.  If you can not secure a female to sub, you may use one male sub.  One auto out per each time through the lineup, with the other team catching.

When a team has seven (7) original players (no females): Two female subs can be used, both players batting at the end of the lineup and playing right field and catcher.  If one female sub, one auto out each time through the lineup.  If you can not secure a female to sub, you may use one male sub,  This would result in two auto outs each time through the lineup with the other team catching.

When a team has eight (8) original players (two females): One sub can be used.  That player will be catching.

When a team has eight (8) original players (one female): One sub can be used, batting at the end of the lineup and catching.  If the sub is not female, one auto out each time through the lineup.

When a team has eight (8) original players (no females): Up to two female subs can play, batting at the end of the lineup.  Both female subs play the field each inning at catcher and right field, and there are nine fielders. 

When a team has nine or more players (two females): No subs

When a team has nine or more players (one female): One female sub can play, batting last and catching.  Nine fielders.

When a team has nine or more players (no females): Up to two female subs can play, batting last.  One sub at catcher, one in right field.  Nine in the field.      

III. Role of the Umpire  

The league shall provide at least one (1) umpire for all league games.  Generally, league umpires have experience playing, observing and calling coed slow pitch softball games.  

Both teams are responsible for keeping score.  The home plate umpire is designated as official scorekeeper and shall recite the score at the conclusion of each inning, at a minimum.  There is no going back innings to assess a run total from an earlier inning at the conclusion of a subsequent inning.  

All umpires have total autonomy in upholding the standards of sportsmanship, pitching regulation, safety and fair play. 

As stated above, umpires will inform teams at the beginning of the game of his or her strike zone for calling strikes.  Umpires can/will call strikes at their discretion.  

The umpire(s) shall have full autonomy for interpreting rules and assessing situations that are not clearly defined by these rules.  The umpire shall make an informed judgment based on the situation and circumstances as presented. 

The umpire shall do his or her best to keep the game moving.  At this time, there is no time limit on how long games go.  However, the umpire can and is expected to realize the time and expedite unnecessary delay. 

League umpires and officials have the ability to make a determination regarding a player's game status where necessary for the safety of league members.

The attending Astoria Sports umpire's time will be the official time for determining forfeits.  In the event a team has to forfeit, the game will not be rescheduled.  The league will inform the affected team of a forfeit as soon as possible.

IV. Playoffs

All four divisions will have their own individual playoffs.  The top four teams qualify in all divisions, with the top seed (#1) playing the fourth seed (#4); and the third seed (#3) playing the second seed (#2).  The winners will meet thereafter.  There is no third place game.  For the playoffs, each team must have at least seven roster players present at the start of the game.  The sub rules shall allow for a maximum of one sub, when applicable.  The sub has to be a league member and shall not have played in any game for any other team in the postseason on that day (in any division).  The seventy five minute rule is in effect for the playoffs (as listed above). 

Tiebreaker order: head to head, runs against, runs scored.  For head to head to apply, all teams with the same record a) must have played each other and b) the same amount of times.  If all teams have not played each other, the next tiebreaker is runs against.  If a team forfeits, they receive runs against via the following formula- runs against divided by number of games actually played.  That total gets added to their runs against.  A reminder that two forfeits results in a forfeiture of postseason play.

V. Sportsmanship

The ultimate goal of the league is for all players to have fun.  That being said, any behavior on and off the field deemed unacceptable may result in suspension and/or ejection from the game.