KPRD Softball Rules of Play

Version
2024.1
Last Revised
March 17th 2024
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Mission Statement

Kernersville Parks and Recreation Department (KPRD) strives to improve the quality of life and safety for its citizens and employees by offering diverse, high quality programs, activities, parks, and town facilities, while also protecting the environment.

Purpose

To provide an opportunity for men and women to participate in organized league play in accordance with the Rules and By-Laws outlined herein.

Format

  • NSA sanctioned women’s, men’s, and coed leagues
  • 10-game regular season
  • Double elimination tournament
  • 1-umpire system regular season
  • 2-umpire system tournament

Age Requirement

  • Men 18+
  • Women 18+

Registration

Each team is required to register their team during assigned registration dates. Registration will not be accepted without payment. Late registration may be added as an additional charge if the Athletic Coordinator sees fit.

Fee

$450.00 per team. A $25.00 late fee applies to all registrations after the deadline.  No refunds will be given after schedules have been posted.

Schedules

The official schedule will come from the Athletic Coordinator and will be posted online at www.kvparks.com. Please make sure that you check the schedule on a regular basis in case there are any changes. Schedules will be updated weekly with scores and standings.

Game Time

  • Game times can be played at 6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm, and 9:30pm.
  • An official game will consist of a 1-hour time limit or 7 innings, whichever comes first. No new inning will be allowed to start after the 55-minute mark. The umpire will keep official time on the field.
  • A 5-minute grace period will be a given each game to allow each team to achieve their minimums.
  • Tie Game– Extra innings will be played until a winner is decided.
  • Injury– Any time taken out for injury will be added to the playing time.
  • In the case of a forfeit, the team scheduled to play will have use of the field for 30 minutes. If a team forfeits three games in a season, that team will automatically become eliminated from any postseason competition and forfeit all team fees.

Equipment

  • Uniforms
    • Metal cleats/spikes are PROHIBITED.
    • The umpire has full authority to request certain types of jewelry to be removed if deemed unsafe.
    • All teams must furnish their own shirts or uniforms. Shirts are preferred to be all of the same or similar color but not required.
    • Shirts with numbers are not mandatory but preferred.
    • Tank tops and/or any boots are NOT allowed at any time.
  • Game Balls
    • Each team must furnish the ball they would like to use when on offense. The balls do not have to be new, but of usable quality as deemed by the umpire.
    • Optic Yellow
    • No specific brand is required but it must be an approved stamped NSA.
    • Men-
      • 52 COR, 275 compression, 12 inch- Logo 1 or 3
      • 44 COR, 400 compression, 12 inch- Logo 2
    • Women-
      • 52 COR, 275 compression, 11 inch- Logo 1 or 3
      • 44 COR, 400 compression, 11 inch- Logo 2
    • It will be the opposing pitcher’s responsibility to make sure that the correct size ball is being used.
    • It is the responsibility of the defensive team to make sure a legal ball is being used. If an illegal ball is being used, it shall be replaced at that time, with no penalty. All plays to that point will stand and there will be no replays.
  • Bats
    • No illegal or altered bats. All bats used must be approved NSA bats. You can get the approved bat list on playnsa.com.
    • KPRD will have compression testing for all bats used in league play. All bats must be approved and have the current season KPRD approved sticker visible.
    • A team’s catcher will be responsible to ensure each opposing batter’s bat has the approved sticker.
    • Penalties-
      • Before the first pitch- No penalty and the batter is allowed to get an approved bat.
      • After the first pitch and during the player’s at bat- Result is an out.
      • After the at bat and before the next pitch- batter is out and all players on base return to previous base occupied.
      • Second offense in the same game- Results in the player’s ejection from the game.
    • All equipment must meet NSA requirements and is subject to the umpire’s approval.

Inclement Weather

In case of inclement weather, postponement of games will be announced when the fields are deemed unplayable. If the first games of the night are cancelled, all games for the night will be cancelled. After game time, the decision of play will be left up to the umpire. For more information, call the inclement weather hotline at 336-992-0805 or check online at www.kvparks.com. Games, which are postponed, will be rescheduled at the end of the season or as double headers during the season. Only with extreme cases will games be made up on different nights. The spring season will need to conclude no later than July 1st and the fall season December 1st.

A game that is called off for weather before 4 full innings of play shall not be considered a regulation game and will be rescheduled from the beginning. If the home team is winning after 4 1/2 innings the game is considered official.

Rosters/Lineup Cards

  • It is the responsibility of the Team Manager/Representative to see that all participants of their team understand the rules/regulations of the league.
  • Rosters must be turned into the Kernersville Parks & Recreation Department by your first game or when requested by KPRD. By not submitting a roster at this time your team is subject to play in the highest level of competition.
  • Players can be added/deleted from the team roster as long as the active roster does not exceed 20 players.
  • Players deleted from the roster will no longer be eligible for play with that team.
  • New lineup cards for 2024.
  • Each team manager will be responsible for turning in a legibly and signed lineup card to the umpire.
  • Substitutions will be added to the lineup card once they enter the game.
  • Must include first and last name, no nicknames.
  • Lineup cards are posted on the clipboard located at each field.

Eligibility

  • Eligible participants may play on any team in any league; however, a participant may only play on one team per night.
  • Players must be listed on the team roster.
  • Players must complete the online participant waiver form or the paper version at the field.
  • The Field Supervisor will track all rosters and players in order to compile an eligibility list for all teams. Only full names (first & last) on the lineup cards will be counted. It will be the team manager’s responsibility to make sure that the umpire makes notation of the substituted names on the scorecard.
  • Any participant playing under an assumed name will be suspended for 1 year from all Kernersville leagues, and a photo ID will be requested in such situations.
  • Players must play in at least 4 regular season games (40%) in a 10-game schedule to be eligible for tournament play.
  • If a team forfeits (calls, emails or in person) then all players on the winning team will receive eligibility for playing in that game. No player on the forfeiting team will receive eligibility.

Illegal Player

  • If a player that has played in at least one game, signed a waiver sheet, or appears on a roster of any given team within a league, that player cannot play for another team within the same night in the same season.
  • If a player has not played in the required number of games during the regular season and then plays in post-season tournament play.
  • Playing of an ineligible player during the regular season will result in forfeiture of all games the player participated in. A second offense will lead to dismissal of the team from the league.
  • Playing of an illegal player in the tournament will result in a loss and elimination of that team from the tournament.
  • Team managers must alert the umpire and field supervisor to declare illegal players during the course of the game or before the last out of the game. After the game, no action will be taken. (See Protests/Appeals for more info)
  • If the accusation is made correctly during a game, and the player is illegal, it will result in a forfeit. The game will go down as a 0-7 loss. If this happens in a tournament the team will be eliminated.

Softball Board

The Softball Board consists of the team managers who attend the preseason meeting for that season. The Board will meet as needed to discuss the league rules of play, umpires, teams, schedules, tournaments, situations that arise at the field, etc. The Board represents the players and managers and will make recommendations to KPRD regarding the best interest of the program. KPRD and the Softball Board holds the right to assign your team to a competitive league based on your roster. Each team is entitled to 1 representative for mandatory meetings regarding the league and that representative is entitled to 1 vote, if necessary.

Local Playing Rules

KPRD will have jurisdiction over all managers, players and leagues. KPRD reserves the right to supersede NSA rules regarding the best interest of the program.

  • All Players must stay inside the dugout at all times. The only exceptions are 1st and 3rd base coaches and the on-deck player. There may only be two bats allowed outside of the dugout. (1 warm up, and the one being used by the batter).
  • Run Rule – All teams have the option to keep playing (scrimmage with no umpire) within the one-hour time limit regardless of the score if both teams agree.
    • 20 runs after 3 innings
    • 15 runs after 4 innings
    • 10 runs after 5 innings.
  • Homerun Limit– Each League will have a homerun limit. Once the limit has been reached each additional homerun hit will be an out against the offense.
    • Men’s- 3 Homeruns allowed
    • Women’s- 3 Homeruns allowed
    • Coed- 3 Homeruns allowed male / 3 Homeruns allowed female
  • NSA Rules state that batters will begin with a ONE & ONE count (1 ball & 1 strike), with no extra foul (Once you have two strikes on you, batted ball must be fair). A foul ball on 2 strikes is a dead ball and an out.
  • Teams must have (8) eight players to start a game at the official game time or the game is forfeited. In the case where a team starts a game with eight players, the vacant 9th and 10th spot(s) in the batting order shall be declared an OUT. Should the 9th and 10th player(s) arrive, the team may insert the 9th and 10th player(s) into the lineup with no penalty (Their name must be listed as a SUB on the lineup card before the game begin). Inserting the 9th and 10th player(s) into the lineup would eliminate the automatic out(s). The 9th and 10th position in the lineup must be left blank if only (8) eight players are available. In coed the out can be the 9th or 10th batter depend on the player you are short and how the lineup card was started.
  • Teams must also have at least (9) players to continue a game.
  • Since the lineup card contains a total of (12) twelve spots/names the following scenarios can occur:
    • Any team may use one (1) or two (2) Extra Players (EP) per game provided it is made known prior to the start of the game and properly indicated in the lineup. In the case where a team starts the game with eleven or twelve players and that player has not arrived the vacant spot in the lineup shall be declared an out for the entire game. The eleventh or twelfth position in the lineup must be left blank until a player arrives. If the eleventh or twelfth player(s) arrives, they can be inserted into the game and eliminate the automatic out from the lineup, but their name MUST BE LISTED as a SUB on the lineup card before the game begins.
  • Coed League- Teams may play with the following scenarios: Normal- 5 men/5 women or 6 men/6 women. Short- 5 women/4 men, 5 men/4 women, 6 men/5 women, 6 women/5 men, 4 women/4 men. In the case where a team starts the game with eight, nine or eleven players (a short scenario 4/4, 5/4 or 6/5) and that player has not arrived the vacant spot(s) in the lineup shall be declared an out for the entire game or until a player arrives to fill the spot.
  • The official score is kept by the umpire and will be confirmed by each team at the end of each half inning.
  • Courtesy Runner- Any player on the lineup can be a courtesy runner. If that player comes up to bat in the lineup while on base, it is an automatic out.
  • Teams are encouraged to contact the Athletic Coordinator if their team is forfeiting. If the Athletic Coordinator and the opposing team are made aware before game time, the score will count 3-0. If the forfeit it made aware of at the fields, the forfeit will count 7-0.

Standings

Standings will be kept on the softball website for each league. In the event of a tie the following will be used.

  • Head-to-Head Record
  • Head-to-Head Run Differential
  • Coin Toss

Tournament

  • Each league will conclude with a double elimination tournament to determine a champion and runner-up. If weather and time do not permit then a single elimination will be provided.
  • The championship game(s) will be an untimed 7 inning game. Run rule is still in effect.
  • Tournament seeding will be based on regular season record. Once the tournament begins, highest seed will determine HOME teams. The exception to this rule is in the championship tournament game. In the championship game the winner’s bracket team will be home team, regardless of seeding. In the case of an “if necessary” game a coin toss will determine the home team.

In lieu of trophies

1st and 2nd place teams in the regular season and tournament will receive:

    • 1st Place- One Dozen Balls
    • 2nd Place- 1/2 Dozen Balls

Code of Conduct

Kernersville Parks and Recreation encourages clean and sportsmanlike conduct on the field and in the stands.

  • Bad sportsmanship, fighting, profanity, or arguing/threatening the umpires will not be permitted on the field or at the ballpark. Players, coaches, or spectators approaching umpires in a negative manner will not be permitted. Such actions are subject to ejection from the game and/or suspension from the league.
  • PROFANITY- If profanity is loud enough to hear by the umpires and spectators in the stands, the player will be ejected from the game.
  • EJECTION- Any player or coach ejected from the game will be required to leave the premises IMMEDIATELY. Refusal to do so will lead to team forfeiture of the game. An ejected player is expected to simply gather belongings and leave the field and spectator area immediately. Ejection from a game will automatically lead to a suspension from the league for a minimum of 2 games (the KPRD and Softball Board have the final call if an offense calls for more than 2 games). A second ejection in the same season will result in suspension from the league for the remainder of the season and/or a period of 1 year from ejection date. This decision is made by KPRD and Softball Board at their sole discretion.
  • Throwing a bat- If you intentionally throw a bat during play, you will be automatically ejected from the game at the umpire’s discretion.
  • Any action involving excessive profanity, assault on an umpire or official of the Town, or excessive disruptive behavior of a player, coach, or fan will result in permanent banning from any other activities offered by the KPRD and that individual may be subject to criminal charges with local authorities.
  • KPRD will NOT tolerate physical or verbal fighting for ANY REASON on and off the field and all patrons (fans and/or players) involved will be subject to a ban from any and all KPRD facilities, programs &/or be subject to criminal charges.

Protests / Appeals

  • Should a dispute arise about whether a player is eligible (team or game count), it will be the team manager’s responsibility to file a protest. The Field Supervisor will refer to each lineup card handed in throughout the season in order to count games played or check team rosters and waivers to see which team the player is on.
  • Protests can only be made regarding rule interpretations or use of ineligible players. In order to protest, the team manager must alert the umpire at the time of the protest during the game so it can be noted in the scorecard. To file an official protest with KPRD, the team manager must file a letter with the League Director stating the protest along with a $25 protest fee (by 12:00pm the following day). The League Director’s decision will be final. If the protest is granted, the $25 fee will be returned. If it is denied, the Team Manager will forfeit the $25.
  • To file an appeal on an ejection, the team manager must file a letter with the League Director stating the appeal along with a $25 protest fee (by 12:00pm the following day). This appeal will then be submitted to the Softball Board to vote (within a week of the incident). The softball board then has the final call on the appeal. It the appeal is granted, the $25 fee will be returned. If it is upheld, the team manager will forfeit the $25.

Park Rules

  • Batting balls against ball field fencing IS NOT
  • Consumption of alcoholic beverages on Park Property will result in instant banning from park property and league play for the period of 1 year.
  • Dogs are NOT allowed in the softball park area, with the exception of service dogs.