2013 Official League Rules PEF - ASE Fast Pitch

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PONY Elite Travel/ Select Fast Pitch Softball's Mission Statement ... current year publications of PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulation rules when adapting ...
2013 OFFICIAL LEAGUE RULES PONY ELITE TRAVEL/SELECT FAST PITCH SOFTBALL® PONY Elite Travel/ Select Fast Pitch Softball's Mission Statement The purpose of PONY Elite Travel/Select Fast Pitch Softball is to provide a positive, youth centered learning environment for girls who are interested in playing competitive fast pitch softball based on the fundamental values of PONY Softball by Protecting Our Nation's Youth. PONY Elite Travel/Select Fast Pitch Softball is an affordable educational organization committed to the development of fast pitch softball skills and to instill the ideals of good sportsmanship, personal integrity, and team cooperation in the players, coaches and fans that participate in the program.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1- THE PONY ELITE FAST PITCH TRAVEL/SELECT LEAGUE....………….3 2- TEAMS……………………………………………………………………………...3 3- LEGAL PLAYERS…………………………………….…………………………...3 4- SELECTION OF PLAYERS………………………………………………………3-4 5- EQUIPMENT……………………………………………………………………….4 6- PLAYING RULES………………………………………………………………….4 7- MACHINE PITCH RULES…...…………………………………………………...5 8- COACH PITCH RULES…………………………………………………………..5-6 9- LENGTH OF GAMES……………………………………………………………..6 10- SCHEDULE………………………………………………………………………...7 11- SCOREKEEPERS………………………………………………………………….7 12- MANAGERS, COACHES and SPECTATORS………………………………….7 13- PENALTIES………………………………………………………………………..7-8 14- TRAVEL/SELECT ALL STARS…………………….…………………………..8 15- CLASSIFICATION/ DIVISIONS………………………………………………...8-9 16- CONTACT US……………………………………………………………………..9

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PONY Elite Travel/ Select league games will be played in accordance with the current PONY Girls Softball Rules & Regulations with the following “Exceptions” and/or “Specifics”. Please refer to the current year publications of PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulation rules when adapting the following... 1- THE PONY ELITE FAST PITCH TRAVEL/ SELECT LEAGUE A. Hierarchy a. Official PONY Elite Fast Pitch rules take precedence over local Association rules. b. Official PONY Elite Fast Pitch rules take precedence over Official PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulations. B. Team Registration a. PONY Elite registers teams, not individuals into a common league. b. All teams entering the PONY Elite Travel/Select league will be registered with PONY Softball under one organization, PONY Elite Travel/Select Fast Pitch Softball 2- TEAMS A. Travel/Select teams shall consist of not more than 18, nor less than 10 players. The names of these players shall be registered with the PONY Elite Travel/Select league’s online “Roster Management” system prior to playing in their first league game. 3- LEGAL PLAYERS A. Age cutoff determination is December 31st of each year. B. The PONY Elite Travel/Select league will use the AND UNDER in each age group: a. PINTO 8U (Coach and/or Machine Pitch) b. MUSTANG 10U c. BRONCO 12U d. PONY 14U e. COLT 16U f. PALOMINO 18U C. Under no circumstance can a player play “down” in age division. D. A player may play for more than one team within PONY Elite Travel/Select as long as it is a different age division within the same event. 4- SELECTION OF PLAYERS A. PONY Elite Travel/Select league waives the individual player selection (draft) process and placement of players on each team. B. PONY Elite Travel/Select league teams shall be made up of players that have been “selected” or “recruited” by each individual team. a. The term “selected” or “recruited” shall mean that the player and the team have come to a mutual agreement regarding the acceptance of the player’s spot on the team. b. By accepting a spot on the team, the player understands that certain financial and time obligations agreed upon are those solely between the player and the team and the PONY Elite Travel/Select league officials shall have no authority to step in and settle a dispute arising from these types of conflicts. The PONY Elite Travel/Select league considers these to be a personal matter between the player and the team and will not get involved.

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C. Players may not be selected from traditional PONY recreation league teams in which they are already participating on. a. Specifically: a player cannot play for a traditional rec league team and a PONY Elite Travel/Select league team at the same time, in the same season. D. Players voluntarily leaving the team or those dropped for disciplinary reasons, before June 30th, may be replaced with the approval of PONY Elite Travel/Select league officers, but such players shall not participate with any of the other PONY Elite Travel/Select league teams for the remainder of the current playing season. 5- EQUIPMENT A. A PONY stamped ball is not required. B. Each team will supply one (1) “New” or “Like New” ball per game to the umpire at the pre-game meeting. C. PINTO: Each team may hit their own ball while on offense. D. PONY, COLT and PALOMINO: Metal cleated shoes are allowed. 6- PLAYING RULES A. The official playing rules, with the exceptions and variations contained in this document, shall be current ‘‘PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulations” revised, as released through the office of PONY Baseball and Softball, Inc. B. At pre-game meeting, one coach will be designated to UIC. This coach is the only one that is allowed to approach umpires to either discuss a judgment call or protest a rules interpretation. All other coaches will be warned no more than 1 time per game to not approach an umpire for these matters before they are ejected. C. No pre-game infield warm up permitted on infield. D. Teams will occupy dugouts as displayed on scoreboard. Home team has choice if no scoreboard is available. E. The home association will supply a designated PONY Elite “official book” that will be used for all games. Upon completion of game, the home association shall collect this book and keep in a safe place. The information contained within this book will be considered the “official record” of the game and may be called upon to settle disputes during or after the league season is complete. Teams are not permitted to use their own “personal book” as the “official book” unless the home association fails to supply them. If this occurs, the home team’s personal book will be considered the “official book” of record. F. Illegal Pitches are strictly enforced. No warnings! G. The entire roster of players present for the game shall bat in rotation (no exceptions). H. PINTO: The catcher will assume the catcher’s position until the batter swings, then field the position defensively. (There is no dropped third strike rule.) I. No player participation rule. Playing time is at the sole discretion of the head coach. J. Free substitution on defense. K. PINTO: (optional) A COURTESY RUNNER may be used for the catcher of record at any time. The courtesy runner will be the last recorded out. (intent of this rule is to speed up play, not insert a pinch runner) L. PLAYER INJURY: one coach allowed on field… play continues. M. MALICIOUS CONTACT: Any player that, in the judgment of the umpire, makes contact with an opposing player with the intent to injure, Malicious Contact shall be ruled and the player shall be called out and ejected from the game plus an additional game. Play is dead at time contact occurs and all runners return to base last legally touched.

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7- MACHINE PITCH RULES A. Pitching machine will be set no less than 30 MPH and no faster than 35 MPH. B. Speed and height placement will be set before the game by umpires and/ or directors. C. Once set, the machine can only be changed if the umpire and/or directors determine that the machine is no longer throwing strikes. D. During the course of the game if the umpire sees pitches consistently out of the strike zone he will call “no pitch” and have the machine reset to the proper speed and height. E. Each team will play with 10 players on the field. The four (4) outfielders must be positioned 15 feet behind the baselines when the pitching motion is made. F. There will be a pitching circle drawn around the pitching rubber. The circle will be drawn 8 feet from the mid-point of the pitching rubber. G. The ball must be returned to the player pitcher who will have both feet within the circle to stop the play. This will be used like the “look back” rule in Fast Pitch play. H. Bunting is allowed. If you bunt foul on your third strike then it will be an out. I. There will be 5 pitches or 3 strikes to each batter, whichever comes first. There are unlimited fouls unless you are bunting on the 3rd strike. J. No walks. K. If a hit ball strikes the pitching machine or the coach pitcher, the umpire will call “dead ball” and award the batter first base. The other runners, if there are any, will move forward a base only if they are forced to by the batter-runner being awarded first base. L. Base runners may steal only one (1) base at a time and may not steal home. M. They may not leave the base until the ball has left the pitching machine. If they leave the base early, it will result in the base runner being called out. N. If the catcher throws the ball to try to get the runner out and overthrows the fielder, the runner may not advance another base. 8- COACH PITCH RULES A. Each batter is allowed four (4) pitches. Umpires will call swinging strikes only and three strikes will be an out. The fourth pitch unless hit fair or foul will be an out. B. The infield fly rule is not in effect C. Bases will be 55 feet. D. No defensive player except for the pitcher who must be parallel to and 3 feet from either side of the pitching rubber and the catcher who must be within the confines of the catcher’s box can be closer than 45 feet from home plate. When in the umpire’s judgment these are not in effect prior to the pitch, no pitch will be called. There should be lines at first and third base but if not then it will be the umpire’s judgment. E. Only the players and coaching staff whose names appear on the roster will be allowed in the dugout. Pinto teams may have up to four on the coaching staff: manager, and three coaches. The coach pitcher must be one of the four on the coaching staff. F. All other current PONY Girls Softball rules are in effect. G. Catchers must wear equipment defined for fast pitch catchers. H. If the coach pitcher is hit with a batted ball, no pitch will be called. All players return to base at time of pitch. I. Each team will provide their own pitching coach. The coach pitcher must be listed as a coach. The pitching distance is 40 feet. The ball must be delivered to the batter in a safe manner, and no arch required. Pitched ball is dead when it hits the ground. Batter cannot hit a ball that first touches the ground.

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J. Team conference at change of ½ innings are not allowed (Delay of Game). PENALTY: 1st infraction warning to manager, if in the judgment of the umpire infraction continues, the 2nd infraction will result in the ejection of the manager or one coach per infraction. K. Intentional walks are not allowed. L. No stealing M. No dropped third strike N. No bunting, chopping down on the ball or soft swings allowed. Batter is declared out. O. The removal and reporting of the coach pitcher is subject to all PONY Girls Softball Rules and Regulations. P. The player in the pitching position must remain in contact with the extension of the pitching rubber until the ball reaches home plate. Failure to remain in contact will result in a delayed dead ball. If all runners advance (1) base and the batter reaches first base safely there is no penalty. If an out is made on the batter or base runners before there is an advance of one base then the ball is dead and the batter and all base runners will advance one base from the base they occupied at the time of the infraction. Q. Teams will play 10 players on defense. Teams must have 8 players to start or continue. R. When the ball is in the possession of an infielder and in the judgment of the umpire all play has ceased, time shall be called by the umpire. Teams may use the 8’ circle but play will stop when time is called. Look back rule will not be used. S. Coach Pitcher must have 1 foot on the rubber at time of release and both feet must be within the 24” width of the rubber. PENALTY: Immediate Dead Ball and no pitch. Pitcher is warned and repeat violation results in removal from pitching position. T. The coach pitcher cannot communicate with their players at any time while on offense. Also, cannot communicate with the other coachers while the ball is live but can on a dead ball. If they do so, one warning will be given and if it occurs again during the game the pitcher will be removed from the pitching position for the remainder of the game. Coach Pitcher may call time to talk to other coaches. Time out is charged as the one (1) offensive conference allowed per half inning. U. After the ball is hit fair, the coach pitcher must clear to the opposite side of the field that the ball is hit, or move forward or back in order not to interfere. When the coach pitcher interferes with an offensive player then the play stands. When the coach pitcher interferes unintentionally with a defensive player then the umpire has the option to call a base runner out, if intentional then the runner will be called out. 9- LENGTH OF GAMES A. Time Limits: a. PINTO: Six (6) innings or 1 Hour 15 minutes. b. MUSTANG: Six (6) innings or 1 Hour 30 minutes c. BRONCO, PONY, COLT, and PALOMINO: Seven (7) innings or 1 Hour 30 minutes. B. Run Limits: a. PINTO, MUSTANG, BRONCO, PONY, COLT and PALOMINO: Six (6) runs per ½ inning. (Please note that run limits per ½ innings are to ensure fair amount of offense for both teams during league play) C. OVERTIME TIE BREAKER: Once game time or innings have expired and the score is tied, the following tie breaker will go into effect until a winner is decided for any and all overtime innings. a. Last completed at bat from previous inning on 2nd base, full count on next batter in rotation, no outs. b. Each batter in overtime will have a full count when stepping to the plate. c. COURTESY RUNNERS are not allowed during overtime.

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10- SCHEDULE A. Only games cancelled due to rainout, weather, or other acts of nature or loss of power will be rescheduled by league officials. B. Due to tremendous interest in softball and limited field availability, any game cancelled due to personal conflict of a team or both teams will stand as a forfeit or double forfeit and will not be rescheduled. 11- SCOREKEEPERS A. A member of the home team will keep the “official book”. B. A member of the visiting team will run the scoreboard.

12- MANAGERS, COACHES and SPECTATORS A. It is recommended that Managers and Coaches wear appropriate attire that reflects their softball team. Sandals and flip flops worn while performing coaching duties do not reflect appropriate softball attire. B. Profanity is not condoned in any form. No warnings will be issued. If an umpire or league official hears a coach, manager or spectator use profanity, the offending person will be ejected immediately from the park for that game plus a game. Managers and Coaches bear the full responsibility of their spectators. A Manager or Coach could be ejected from the game for actions of their Spectators during a game. C. Under no circumstance shall a Manager, Coach or Spectator approach a game official outside the field of play. Any action from a Manager, Coach or Spectator towards a game official outside the field of play will be considered hostile and ejections as well as suspensions will be enforced with no warning! D. Any Manager, Coach or Spectator that makes contact with an umpire in a flagrant manner on the field or off the field will be suspended from PONY Elite Travel/Select as well as the park for no less than one (1) calendar year. More time may be added depending on the severity of the contact. In some extreme cases, PONY Elite Travel/Select reserves the right to the removal of a player from a team if it is in the best interest of the league. E. Managers and Coaches will be permitted to stand outside the dugout while performing their duties, as long as in the judgment of the umpire, they are not interfering with the game. If, in the judgment of the umpires on the field that the coaches are interfering with play, the umpires have full authority to move any or all the coaches inside the dugout at any time. F. If a live ball touches any coach (except base coach) or equipment (including buckets) outside the dugout the ball is ruled dead and all runners are allowed one (1) base past the last one legally touched. 13- PENALTIES A. A team failing to field at least eight (8) uniformed players within 15 minutes after scheduled starting time of a game, or at any time during the game, shall forfeit the game. B. A game may be started with 8 players with the 9th spot in the batting order being an out. a. Players arriving late may enter the game at any point and shall be placed at the bottom of the batting order. b. No out will be taken for any player lost for injury or illness. i. An out will be taken for a player loss to ejection. C. If, for any reason, a team drops below eight (8) during the game, the team will forfeit to the opposing team.

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D. EJECTION RULE (game + a game): Any Player, Manager, Coach or Spectator that has been ejected from a game shall serve an additional game which will be the next scheduled game. a. Any Manager, Coach or Spectator that has been ejected must vacate to the parking lot immediately. b. Any player ejected will be allowed to remain in dugout unless parent or guardian removes them from the dugout in order to go leave the facility. Under no circumstance shall a player be expelled from the dugout unless they are with a parent or guardian. c. PONY Elite reserves the right to increase the penalty for habitual offenders of the ejection rule at their discretion. 14- TRAVEL/SELECT ALL STARS A. All PONY Elite Fast Pitch teams are considered part of the PONY Travel/Select program. B. At no time throughout the All Star tournament process will a PONY Elite Travel/Select Fast Pitch team play against the traditional recreation league all-star program. C. All Star Travel/ Select tournament teams shall consist of a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 18 players. D. Qualified Travel/Select league teams that wish to play in the PONY Travel/Select All Star tournament will have to declare to PONY Elite and pay the one-time entry fee by May 15th to PONY Elite. This fee will provide tournament play for normal all stars. Added gate fees will be collected at each tournament of the all-star season. E. Teams that play in the PONY Travel/Select Fast Pitch World Series will pay an additional tournament fee once invited to play in the World Series. F. Once a team has declared to play and have paid the entry fee, no refunds will be issued. G. Any team that does not declare to play in the PONY Travel/Select All Star tournament will be considered “disbanded”. All qualified players on the team are free to be picked up by other qualified teams that have declared to play in the PONY Travel/Select All Star tournament in order to fill needed roster spots to meet the 10 player minimum requirement. H. A team of “disbanded” players may be created in order to play the PONY Travel/Select All Star tournament, but no head coach from any “disbanded” team may be listed as a coach on a newly formed team of “disbanded” players. Only assistant coaches and or volunteer parents may coach this newly created team. I. Matching uniforms are not required for Travel/Select All Star play. J. All coaches will be required to wear shirts in accordance with one another while coaching during All Star play. K. Any coach/ team that withdraw from Travel/Select All Star play before they are eliminated will be suspended from PONY Elite events for no less than one (1) calendar year. 15- CLASSIFICATION/ DIVISIONS PONY ELITE Travel/ Select Fast Pitch Softball provides an opportunity for teams of varying skill levels to enjoy competing in league games. Our divisional guidelines are designed to produce a competitive arena that is fair for teams within both of our skill levels. Please realize that no organization has been able to compose a “concrete” definition of what is or isn’t a certain division Team. Classification is subjective, and is determined by the opinions and decisions of PONY Elite Travel/Select officials in judging the talent level of each team. We consider, and monitor, team’s participation in other organizations as well. If we find that a team is participating in a higher division of another similar organization, we will expect such teams to play in PONY Elite Travel/Select’s associated class or division.

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At the same time, if a team is classified in a higher division of another organization, but has been unable to achieve a winning or successful record in that division, PONY Elite Travel/Select will allow such team to participate in a division of our organization that we deem appropriate. This could be a lower division if the team has a losing record in another organization’s higher level. A. SILVER DIVISION (B): The SILVER division is designed for those “select” or “recruited” teams which cannot compete successfully within our GOLD Division. Classification in our SILVER division is not based on size of the community, availability of players within a region, or the size of the players. Classification in the SILVER Division is based purely on the ability, skill level, and success of the team. B. GOLD DIVISION (A): The GOLD division is designed for those “select” or “recruited” teams that we find consistently win within the SILVER division – PONY Elite may elevate such a team to our GOLD Division at any time, at the discretion of PONY Elite Executive Directors. C. PONY Elite only has “Team Classification”. Players are not classified.

16- CONTACT US Website: www.ponyelitefastpitch.com By Mail: PONY Elite Travel/Select Fast Pitch Softball PO Box 44 Burleson, Texas 76097 By Email: [email protected] By Phone: 817-266-5379

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