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Play will be governed by ASA rules, except for certain NSFPL rules, designed to enhance safety, participation, sportsmanship and speed of play. Please note that the age cutoff is January 1. For example, a player who is 12 years old on January 1, 2008, is eligible to play in the 12-U age division for the entire calendar year.

The League will follow the Official ASA Playing Rules for 2008, with the following exceptions:

  • The dropped third strike rule will not be in use for 10U.
  • Each team must file a roster, including name and birth date, with a minimum of 12 players with the NSFPL Commissioner by no later than June 1, 2008. New players may be added to rosters with notice. Players may not be simultaneously on the rosters of two different teams within the same age group. Players may, however, be on the rosters of other age group teams within the same organization and may play on those teams without limitation, subject to age eligibility.
  • All players present at the start of a game and eligible to play in that contest will be included in the batting order for the entire game. Eligible players not present at the start of the game will be added to the lineup in the last position in the batting order. Teams are entitled to free substitution at all defensive positions, including pitcher, for the entire game. If due to injury, a player needs to be removed from the lineup, their spot will be skipped with no out recorded unless the lineup now has only 8 players. In that case, the out will be recorded each time that lineup position come to bat.
  • SAFETY: On-deck batters, while the batter is in the batter's box, must stand behind the batter, i.e., on the third base side when a right-handed batter is at the plate, and vice versa.
  • No inning may begin more than 2 hours from the actual start of the game. For purposes of this rule, a new inning is deemed to start immediately after the home team has made the third out of an inning.
  • A "run-ahead rule" of 15 runs after 5 innings will be in effect for games at all age levels. In addition, 10-U teams may score no more than 7 runs per at bat, regardless of the score in the game, visitors or home. (Exception: At 10U, if a team trails by more than 7 after the 5th inning, the 7 run limit is waived.)
  • Tied games called due to the time limit, regardless of innings played, or called for any reason after 5 complete innings will be recorded as ties. For League standings, ties count as a half-game win and a half-game loss for each team.
  • If a game is postponed or suspended due to inclement weather cannot be rescheduled after best efforts from both coaches, the game will be recorded as "no contest."
  • Games for the 2008 season must be played no later than Thursday, July 31, 2008 , and must be reported by August 3, 2008.
  • Final standings will be determined by winning percentage, computed as the total of wins (and fractional wins in the case of ties) divided by total games (excluding no contests). Ties in the standings will be broken by wins and losses in head-to-head competition. Continuing ties will result in teams sharing a position in the standings.

IMPORTANT ASA RULE CHANGES FOR 20007 AND 2008

ONLY RULE CHANGE OF SIGNIFICANCE HAS TO DO WITH STEALING AT 10U LEVEL. BASESTEALING RULES ARE NOW THE SAME AS FOR OLDER AGE GROUPS.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR 10U BRACKET

DO WE FOLLOW ASA RULES? YES

WHAT SPECIAL RULES ARE THERE IN ASA THAT APPLY ONLY TO 1OU

  • --PITCHING DISTANCE IS 35 FEET
  • --11" BALL FOR 10U FAST PITCH

 

IMPORTANT ASA RULE CHANGES FOR 2006

Base on balls: A base on balls permits a batter to gain first base when four pitches are judged by the umpire to be out of the strike zone.

  • Comment: Removes “without liability to be put out” since there are ways the batter-runner can be called out when going to first base on a base on balls. ie: if the batter runner walk into the dugout or team area before reaching first base.

Foul Ball (G): Goes directly from the bat to any part of the catcher’s body or equipment and is caught by another fielder.

  • Comment: Deleted are the words “not higher than the batter’s head”. With the change in foul tip we will judge foul ball regardless of height.

Foul Tip: A batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catchers hand(s) or glove / mitt.

  • Comment: A foul tip should not be judged by the height of the batter, merely that the ball traveled from the bat back to the catcher’s hand(s) or glove / mitt.

Tag: A legal tag is the act of a defensive player in:

  1. Touching a base with any part of the body while holding the ball securely and firmly in the hand or glove or:
  2. Touching a batter or batter-runner with the ball while securely held in the hand or glove.
  • Comment: To clean up the current rule and make it easier to read..

Rule 3 Section 4: Glove / Mitt: A Glove / Mitt may be worn by any player.

  • Comment: This will allow all players to wear either a glove or a mitt as long as they meet the dimensional requirements in our rule. With the dimensions of gloves today there is no advantage to wearing a mitt in all defensive positions.

Rule 7 Section 4 L When a pitched ball, in the umpire’s judgment, is prevented from entering the strike zone by any actions of the batter other than hitting the ball.

Effect: The Ball is dead and a strike on the batter.

  • Comment: This is for the instance when the slap hitter sticks their leg out and is hit by the ball to prevent the ball coming into the strike zone when they new they could not hit it.

Rule 8 Section 2M 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9: They now read as follows:

Section M 3: Whenever a play is being made on the batter-runner, the defense must use the white portion and the batter-runner the colored portion. (Removed is “by an infielder)

Effect: Once the runner returns to the white or colored base, no appeal can be made.

  • Comment: The Double base rule should apply whenever the batter-runner is advancing to first base regardless of where the ball was hit, infield or outfield. This also allows the batter-runner to return to either color after they have touched or missed the base no appeal can be made.

Section M 6: On balls hit to the outfield with no play on the batter-runner advancing to first base, the batter-runner may touch the white or colored portion. Should the batter-runner return, the runner may return to the white or colored portion.

  • Comment: This effects the Batter-runner on all balls hit to the outfield and there is a play on the batter-runner. The double base applies to any ball hit regardless of where. The batter runner may also return to either base, white or colored.

Section M 7: When tagging up on a fly ball, the white or colored portion may be used.

  • Comment: To stay consistent and call the White or Colored portions the same.

Section M 8: Fast Pitch, SP with stealing, 16-Inch Slow Pitch; on an attempted pick-off play, the runner may return to the white or colored portion.

  • Comment: To stay consistent and call the white and colored portions the same. This also applies to a timing play.

Section M 9: When there is a force play on the batter-runner, who touches only the white portion and collides with the fielder about to catch a thrown ball while on the white.

  • Comment: Removed the words “By an infielder”. The double base rule applies to all balls hit regardless of where.

Comments on Double base changes: The rule now is basically written so that as a batter-runner while advancing to first base the color you must touch remains the same regardless of where the ball is hit or the throw comes from. Once you have passed first base the base now becomes one base made of a colored portion and a white portion, 30 by 15 vs. 15 by 15

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IMPORTANT ASA RULE CHANGES FROM 2005

Rule #1 – Infield Fly A fair fly ball . . . which can be caught by an infielder, pitcher or catcher with ordinary effort....

  • Comment: Wording of previous definition was vague concerning the pitcher and catcher.

Rule #3, Section 5, E HELMETS. …… All Junior Olympic Fast Pitch batting helmets shall be equipped with a securely fastened NOCSAE approved face mask guard.

  • Comment: To insure the new face mask/guard is permanently attached.

Rule #5, Section 10 TIME LIMIT RULE. When the time limit is in effect, the time limit begins with the first pitch.

  • Comment: Now that time limits have been authorized for all region/area play (ASA Code 510 O), there should be a definitive start time.

Rule #8, Section 5 B 1 1. An obstructed runner may not be called out between the two bases where obstructed unless properly appealed for:

 

a. when an obstructed runner, after the obstruction, safely obtains the base they would have been awarded, in the umpire’s judgment, had there been no obstruction and there is a subsequent play on a different runner, the obstructed runner is no longer protected between the bases where they were obstructed and maybe put out (NEW)

b. when properly appealed for missing a base,

c. when properly appealed for leaving a base before a fly ball was first touched

d. when committing an act of interference, or

e. when passing another runner

  • Comment: This change maintains an offense/defense balance that eliminates confusion on an obstruction play between bases.

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IMPORTANT ASA RULE CHANGES FROM 2004

Rule 2, Sec. 3(H)(1): The double base is approved for use at first base.

EFFECTIVE 2005: The DOUBLE BASE shall be used at first base in all divisions of play.

Rule 3, Sec. 1A: A. CERTIFIED/APPROVED. The official bat for ASA Championship Play must meet all of the requirements of Rule 3, Section 1, and:

(1) Must bear either the ASA approved 2000 certification mark or the ASA 2004 certification mark as shown below, and must not be listed on an ASA Banned Bat List unless it also bears an ASA approved re-certification mark shown below, or ASA 2000 Certification Mark ASA 2004 Certification Mark ASA Recertification Mark

(2) must be included on a list of approved bat models published by the ASA National Office; or

(3) must, in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, have been manufactured prior to 2000, and if tested, would comply with the ASA bat performance standards then in effect.

Rule 3, Sec 5D: D. FACE MASKS/FACE GUARDS. Any defensive player or offensive player can wear an approved plastic face mask/guard. Face masks/guards that are cracked or deformed, or if padding has deteriorated or is missing, are prohibited from use. Fast Pitch catchers cannot wear the plastic face mask/guard. EFFECTIVE 2005: All Junior Olympic Fast Pitch batting helmets shall be equipped with a NOCSAE approved face mask/guard.

Rule 8, Sec. 5B: The change removed the words “or about to receive a thrown ball” from the obstruction rule, so it now reads: B. When a fielder not in possession of the ball, or not in the act of fielding a batted ball impedes the progress of a runner or batter-runner who is legally running the bases. COMMENTS: Removing “about to receive a thrown ball” will not allow players to block a base or home plate without the ball. As one coach so aptly stated, after this ruling was approved, Rather than teach to block the base, catch the ball, and then apply the tag, I will now have to teach to catch the ball, block the base and then apply the tag. Obstruction should be ruled if the fielder blocks the base without the ball.

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