2025 Woodland Senior Softball Association Rules
The spirit and intent of this senior recreational league and these rules are to encourage close, competitive games however, every player’s safety will be our utmost concern. As such all board members, every manager and all players will be tasked with enforcing these rules.
1. The pitching screen is mandatory and protective pitching gear is advised. The screen must be positioned in front of the pitchers gloved hand; the base of the screen must be in line with one-half of the pitching rubber area. Pitching beyond or outside of the screen area is not allowed. Violation, the batter gets first base and all runners advance one base.
2. ANY BATTER THAT HITS THE PITCHING SCREEN TWICE IS OUT!
3. BASE RUNNERS MUST AVOID ANY AND ALL COLLISIONS! Any base runner involved in an OUTRIGHT collision will be called out, EJECTED from the game and possibly the league.
4. ANY PLAYER SLIDING INTO A BASE WILL BE CALLED OUT, however diving or sliding back to a base is allowed. Base runners must be tagged out when going back to the bag.
5. Defensive players will not tag an INBOUND runner within five feet of any bag. Base runners can overrun 2nd and 3rd bases but must retouch the overran base in order to advance or be called out.
6. Games start at 6:30 and 7:45 pm and will last 60 minutes. If the 60 minutes expires, complete that inning and the open inning will follow. The five-run rule will be in effect throughout the entire game except for the last inning, the last inning will be played as an open inning.
7. ONLY IF TIME PERMITS a tie breaking inning can be played. The tie breaking inning starts with one out and the batter who made the last out on second base. The five-run rule will be in place.
8. Every batter steps into the batter’s box with a one and one count (one strike and one ball). A legally pitched ball that makes contact with ANY part of the black mat or home plate is a strike. The second foul ball after two strikes is an OUT. The arch of the pitch to be 6 to 12 feet.
9. Runners on first or third are allowed to move laterally into foul territory for safety from a pull hitter. Runners must re-tag the base before advancing. At third base a runner cannot retreat to the bag once they have passed the commitment line, violation results in a put out.
10. For all plays at home, any runner touching the strike mat or home plate will be called out. To be safe at home a base runner’s foot must make contact with the ground PAST the home plate line before the catch is made. The defensive player must touch the WHITE HOME PLATE for a put out. Tagging the runner at home is not permitted, violation the runner will be declared safe.
11. At first base the defensive player must use the WHITE bag and runners must use the ORANGE bag. Any interference at the bag and the runner did not utilize the orange bag, they will be called out.
12. All outfielders are to be positioned BEHIND the co-ed line until the ball has been batted. Violation, the batter is awarded 2nd base and any base runners advance two bases.
13. Any batter 75-years-old or older may have a courtesy runner when batting, courtesy runner must start behind the umpire and be touching the back stop fence directly behind home base. Defensive players are to play at their regular positions.
14. All batters are guaranteed first base if a batted ball reaches the outfield. After reaching first base a courtesy runner will be permitted. Any player on the team can be a courtesy runner but can only run once per inning. If a courtesy runner runs more than once per inning, the runner will be called out when he takes possession of the base. A courtesy runner that is on a base and it is their turn at bat will be declared out; removed from the base and the next batter in the lineup will be due up.
15. All players are expected to participate in the game and bat. If a player is injured during the game and cannot continue, that spot in the batting line up will be skipped and next player will be due up.
16. Flip flops will be allowed with the game score being 15 runs or more and both managers must agree. The losing team can tie but cannot win on a flip flop.
17. Protected batters will be numbers 3 & 4 in the lineup unless specified before each game. The protected batters if walked, will get two bases and any runners on base will advance two bases.
18. A ONE-UP over the fence equalizer home run rule will be in effect. If Team 1 hits an over the fence homerun they cannot hit another homerun until Team 2 hits a homerun. Team 2 can hit 2 homeruns (1 to even homeruns and an additional to go 1 up). If an over the fence homerun is hit before the other team hits one, that homerun will be played as a walk.
19. NO SHIRT, NO PLAY. All team players must wear the same-colored league shirt. Any player not wearing a league sponsored shirt cannot take the field or bat.
20. AT GAME TIME any team with less than 8 players will forfeit that game. All players must be in same-colored league team shirts to officially begin a game. Support/pickup players can be added to teams with 8 or 9 players to field a complete team of ten players. Teams that forfeit cannot post a win.
21. Any team adding support/pickup players to field a team will be penalized at the start of the game. Penalty will be 5 runs for the 1st support player and 3 runs for the second support player.
22. Support/Pickup players cannot be protected batters, have no defensive restrictions, bat last and will only be allowed a single. Any runner on base will advance ONLY IF FORCED.
23. No team shall use a defensive over shift or movement at any time. Violation at pitcher’s release, the batter is awarded 2nd base and any base runners advance two bases.
24. All teams are responsible for retrieving all home run and foul balls, relocking all screen doors on each field, tending and locking up the pitcher’s screen, policing the dugouts and field. After the final game return all game equipment (black mat, ball bag, scoring system and first aid bag) to the league’s storage shed. League officials will secure the storage shed and bathrooms before leaving.
25. All rules not covered will be governed by the current N.C.S.S.A. and A.S.A. softball rules.
Revised November 14, 2024