Eastern Girls Fast Pitch League
R U L E S
(as of August 13, 2018)
Eastern Girls FASTPITCH Softball League shall follow USA Softball FASTPITCH rules. In addition to the USA Rules, EASTERN has adopted the following rules for safety, accommodation and efficiency purposes.

PURPOSE: to foster, to the youth involved with the sport, the ideals of good sportsmanship by providing supervised, FASTPITCH softball games. “It is the responsibility of ALL ADULTS to bear in mind, that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill or the winning of games is secondary to that of molding future citizens”. The other team, coaches, players, fans, etc. ARE NOT THE ENEMY!

GENERAL RULES

UNIFORMS PLAYING RULES PITCHING FIELD REQUIREMENTS PLAY OFF TIE BREAKER RULES
8 & Under League
EQUIPMENT
  • The official softball to be used in the 8 & under division will be any approved ASA 11 inch softball.
PITCHING
  • Pitching distance will be 35 feet within a circle of 16 feet diameter.
  • Team coaches will be utilized as pitchers but may not make any defensive plays.
  • A pitcher/coach will pitch to his/her own batter and must start within the 16 feet circle.  The player-pitcher in the 8u division must start with at least one foot within the circle.
  • Batters will get a maximum of 7 pitches to hit a fair ball. If not done, the batter is out.   There are no walks in this division.
GAME RULES
  • Regulation games in this division will be 5 innings.
  • Runs are limited to 4 per inning.
  • This division may have as many as 11 defensive players, 5 outfielders on the field. A team must have a minimum of 8 players available for the game.
  • The infield fly rule does not apply.
  • Every player present will play a minimum of 2 innings in the field.
  • A player will be positioned beside the pitcher/coach for fielding but may not interfere with the delivery of the pitch and must be within the 16’ circle.
  • If a pitcher/coach is struck by a batted ball, the ball becomes an immediate dead ball and is considered no pitch, and all runners return to their base.
  • This division may use a team coach as a catcher, but if this option is used, the catcher may not make any defensive outs.
  • Play will stop when a fielding play is made at any base, whether an out is recorded or not.
  • The position of the infielder may not be more than 3 feet in front of or behind the base, but not directly on the baseline.
  • If a defensive player intentionally rolls or bounces the ball to a base in an attempt to make an out, the runner may be called safe at the umpire’s discretion.Any ball handled by the outfielder becomes a dead ball, once the ball is back in the infield, in possession of an infielder (across the baseline) or when a play is made at any base.
  • A baserunner is not permitted to leave any base (during the pitch), prior to the batter hitting the ball.  A team warning will be given on the first offense, on the second offense, the baserunner will be called out.

10 & Under League
EQUIPMENT
  • Official softball required for EASTERN FASTPITCH SOFTBALL will be an 11” optic- yellow, raised red stitch leather softball. Cork center is recommended but if poly-core center ball is used the maximum compression of such ball will not exceed 375 PSI. The ball must be stamped ASA .47COR.
PITCHING
  • Pitching distance will be 35 feet within a circle of 16 feet diameter.
  • Pitchers are permitted to pitch from the “L” position. The “L” position is defined as “starting the motion with the ball in the pitching hand above and behind the head, glove hand out, lead foot in front of the rubber, and back foot on the rubber.”
  • Pitchers are permitted to pitch a maximum of 4 innings per game.  One pitch constitutes an inning pitched.
  • Once the pitcher is removed from the lineup; she may reenter back into the pitching position only once.
  • A pitcher can only have 2 walks per inning.   On the 3rd walk, the coach will come into pitch, the batter will lose the entire count, and will receive 4 pitches from the coach.  On the 4th pitch, either the batter hits the ball or is out.
GAME RULES
  • Games are 6 innings.  If a game is terminated for darkness, weather, field conditions, or umpire calls the game, 4 complete innings (3 1/2 where applicable) will determine a regulation game.
  • The infield fly rule does not apply.
  • All games will have a two (2) hour drop dead time limit, with no new inning to begin after 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Any time an inning is not completed by the two (2) hour drop dead time limit the game will revert to the previously completed inning to determine the outcome.
  • A 15 run rule will be in effect for all games after 4 innings (3 1/2 where applicable).
  • Runs per inning shall be limited to (4) PERIOD!  The 4 run rule is waived in the final inning.
  • Each player must have played 2 full innings by the end of the 5th inning.
  • If the starting pitcher is removed from the circle during an inning, the pitcher cannot return to the circle during the same inning.  The pitcher can return to the circle in the next inning, but only the starting pitcher may do so.  Any other player can enter the game defensively anytime and at any position.
  • Base runners cannot leave the base until the pitched ball has crossed home plate.
  • Base runners starting at 1st or 2nd base are entitled to advance or steal only one base per pitch, with liability to be put out (no advancement on an overthrow to 2nd on a steal from 1st to 2nd).  Runners starting from 3rd base may not steal or advance home on a passed ball, a wild pitch or a bad throw back to the pitcher but are liable to be put out if they come off the base.  The runner at 3rd base can advance home only if the catcher makes a play on that runner at 3rd base.
  • A runner attempting to advance beyond the one base they are entitled to advance or steal, may be put out while between bases.  A runner cannot be put out while in contact with a base.
  • A baserunner may advance, at risk of being thrown out, one base on an overthrow to any base on a batted ball.
  • If any baserunner is past the base that they were going to, prior to the throw, they may advance to the next base at their own risk.
  • After all play ceases and the ball becomes dead, if a runner occupies a base beyond the one the runner was entitled to advance or steal, the runner will be returned to the correct base without liability to be put out.
  • If a batter strikes out and the ball is dropped, the batter is out and cannot advance to 1st base, but the ball remains live for the purpose of throwing any advancing runner out.  The dropped 3rd strike rule does not apply.
  • A batter who receives a base on balls cannot advance past 1st base.  If they advance further, once the ball becomes dead, the batter/runner will be returned to 1st base, however, they do so with liability to be put out.
  • When the coach is pitching, at the start of the pitch, one foot must be on the pitching rubber.


12, 15, 18 & Under League
EQUIPMENT
  • Official softball required for EASTERN FASTPITCH SOFTBALL will be a 12” optic- yellow, raised red stitch softball. Cork center is recommended but if poly-core center ball is used the maximum compression of such ball will not exceed 375 PSI. The ball must be stamped ASA .47C0R.
  • 15 and 18 & Under Only: Metal spikes are allowed.
GAME RULES
  • A regulation game will be 7 innings. A regulation game can be called, by the umpire after 5 or more complete innings because of rain, darkness etc.
  • 12 & Under teams field 10 players. 15 & Under and 18 & Under field 9 players.
  • Runs per inning shall be limited to (5) PERIOD!  The 5 run rule is waived in the final inning.
  • A 15 run rule will be in effect for all games after 4 innings (3 1/2 where applicable).
PITCHING
  • 12 & Under Only: Pitchers are permitted to pitch from the “L” position. The “L” position is defined as “starting the motion with the ball in the pitching hand above and behind the head, glove hand out, lead foot in front of the rubber, and back foot on the rubber.”
  • 12 & Under and 15 & Under pitchers may pitch no more that 5 innings per game.   One pitch constitutes an inning pitched.
  • Once the pitcher is removed from the lineup; she may reenter back into the pitching position only once.