Hyde Park Viking Softball
Rules and Guidelines
Equipment
Wood bats only. No composite or other type of non-wood bats.
Games
All games are Thursday. If the field is closed due to rain or whatever, those games are not made up. Unless it's the playoffs, then that week's games are played the following week.
New for 2024: The offical 'home team' dugout is the 3rd base side.
Games are 7 innings scheduled for 90 minutes.
Game is official after 5 innings, or 4 ½ if the home team in winning. If the game is called while in progress, prior to becoming official, the entire game will be cancelled. If the game is a playoff, it will begin from the 1st inning the next week (a new game will be played).
In the event of a cancelation mid-inning, after the game is official, the outcome might revert to previous inning if the home team is losing at the time of the cancelation. For instance, if it's the 6th inning, and the visiting team gains the lead in the top of the 6th and it starts pouring and the home team has not had an opportunity to complete bottom of the 6th inning, then the final after 5 innings is the official outcome.
In the event of a cancelation mid-inning, after the game is official, the outcome might revert to previous inning if the home team is losing at the time of the cancelation. For instance, if it's the 6th inning, and the visiting team gains the lead in the top of the 6th and it starts pouring and the home team has not had an opportunity to complete bottom of the 6th inning, then the final after 5 innings is the official outcome.
Out of play:
Field #1 - An imaginary line from the end corner of the 3rd base dugout/fence, to the first light pole, then to the second light pole in left field out of play (it's not a straight line). A ball that is fielded in play and momentum takes the fielder past the imaginary line is a live ball (no catch and carry).
Field #2 - Same as Field #1 on the 3rd base / left field side. On the first base/right field side a ball into the long grass/bush or down the hill is out of play. A fair ball hit into the bushes/trees/down the hill in territory in the outfield and declared uplayable, the umprire will award bases based on his discretion as to their position on base at the time the ball is declared dead. Bases awarded may be more that 2. (No automatic doubles or limiting runners on base with a one base advancement, for example.)
Field #1 - An imaginary line from the end corner of the 3rd base dugout/fence, to the first light pole, then to the second light pole in left field out of play (it's not a straight line). A ball that is fielded in play and momentum takes the fielder past the imaginary line is a live ball (no catch and carry).
Field #2 - Same as Field #1 on the 3rd base / left field side. On the first base/right field side a ball into the long grass/bush or down the hill is out of play. A fair ball hit into the bushes/trees/down the hill in territory in the outfield and declared uplayable, the umprire will award bases based on his discretion as to their position on base at the time the ball is declared dead. Bases awarded may be more that 2. (No automatic doubles or limiting runners on base with a one base advancement, for example.)
Leading is allowed after the pitcher releases the ball on a pitch. Pickoff attempts (generally by the catcher) are a 'force play' rather than a tag. All runners may advance, after tagging up, if the ball is thrown wildly on a 'pickoff.' No staight stealing.
Extra inning starts with a runner on 2nd base. The last player who made an out is that runner, unless that player is one that is usually pinched-run for, then it's player who made previous out.
Pinch runner substitutions are permissible. The last player who made an out can pinch run for a baserunner.
Unless the batting order has more than 10 batters, players who play the field should also bat in the game. Similarly, a player may DH if there are enough players to field all positions.
Use of a defensive over-shift will be ridiculed by the commish.
Rosters
Fill-in players are permissible during the regular season. No fill-ins in the playoffs. See playoff eligibility below.
Playoffs
Playoff eligibility - players must have played in 3 of the regular season games to be eligible for the playoffs (approximately 30% of games out of 10, depending on rainouts).
Playoff format - 2 rounds of best of 3 - Round 1 (1v4, 2v3) - top seed chooses the game times. Round 2- championship - top remaining seed chooses game times.
In the unlikely scenario where rain washes out some of the playoffs and the games can’t be made up, the total combined score of games played is the tie-breaker.
Decorum
No heckling the umps. There are no scholarships available or scouts at these games. No six figure contracts are on the line. See the last rule.
Umpire Release of Liability. The Hyde Park Viking Softball League of Milton, MA (the League), and its players, managers, coaches, and other participants hereby releases any umpire from any and all liability, claims, demands, and actions whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury that may be sustained by participants in the League while performing his/her duties as an umpire for the League.
Have fun, damn it.
Last updated: 21-Jun-2024