SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES |
| Additional Hitter |
| This rule is optional! A team may insert ADDITIONAL HITTERS (One or Two) into the line-up before the start of the game. The batting order must remain constant; however any 10 of the 11 or 12 players may take a defensive position throughout the game. Failure to declare an A.H. prior to the game precludes the use of the A.H. for that game . If the A.H. is appealed, and not officially in the game, this results in EJECTION of that player. No previous at bats will be penalized. The A.H. is part of the re-entry rule and may re-enter once. (Top of Page) |
| Alcohol, Beverages and Food |
| Beverages, alcohol and food purchased outside Canton Sports Center will not be permitted in the complex, including the parking lot area. Bringing these items in is prohibited by Michigan law regulating liquor, beer and food service. No glass containers are allowed on the premises. Drinking fountains are located by all diamonds. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted outside designated areas. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the dugouts or on the field of play by players or non-players at anytime. Anyone purchasing alcoholic beverages must be 21 years of age. Anyone attempting to purchase or consume alcohol under the legal age limit is subject to indefinite suspension from the complex and prosecution to the full extent of the law. Any individual buying alcohol for a person under the legal drinking age will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and will be indefinitely suspended from the complex. Please cooperate with our personnel if they refuse to serve you alcoholic beverages. It is for your own safety and the safety of others. Anyone considered intoxicated will not be served. Please notify management if our personnel is serving anyone who appears intoxicated. (Top of Page) |
| Bats |
| Must be USSSA approved. (Top of Page) |
| Code of Conduct |
For more information on Canton Townships Code of Conduct, click here. |
| Coed Rules |
| Batting Order: Co-Ed teams may have any combination of male and female players listed on their roster. Teams must start with a minimum of eight players. Teams may start with odd number of players. Odd player can be Female or Male. If odd player is used, the 10th or 12th spot in the batting order is an automatic out. If team starts with less than 10 players, they may add players, up to 10, throughout the game. Male and female players must alternate in the batting order. There are no distance restrictions to the fielding positions of any players. Also there are no restrictions as to the rotation of fielders. Balls: A USSSA licensed 12" softball with .44 core will be used for both male and female batters.
Base on Balls: When a male batter receives a base on balls or intentional walk, he will be awarded first and second base with the next female batter in the line-up having the option to walk or to bat. Other Co-Ed Rules: All playing rules not specifically covered in the above rules shall be governed by Canton Sports Center Rules and Regulations and USSSA rules. |
| Courtesy Runner |
| This rule is easily misunderstood, so please read carefully and ask your umpire before your game for the definition of the rule. If a manager requests a courtesy runner, the opposing manager has the option to grant or DENY IT on each occasion. If granted, the person who made the last out will be the runner. In Co-Ed, the runner must be of the same sex. PLEASE REMEMBER, that this is a COURTESY GRANTED by the OPPOSING TEAM. |
| Ejections |
| Fake tags, bat throwing, crashing, unsportsmanlike conduct (on or off the field), use of vulgar language, alcohol in the dugout or cigarettes on the field of play, may result in ejection from the game. If ejected from the game, that player may be suspended from future games. The umpire-in-chief and Sports Center staff will determine all player and/or team penalties. Note: There will NOT be a mandatory warning given to the team before each game. Managers, this is your warning!!! Managers are responsible for the conduct of their players and fans, and are subject to suspension for failure to maintain these responsibilities. If you are ejected for touching or striking an umpire you will be suspended for a minimum of the entire season. If you are ejected for striking or fighting with another player, you will be suspended for a minimum of the two games following the ejection with the assurance that other actions will be taken through the Public Safety Department as deemed necessary. Teams ejected from the complex for any reason will not be eligible for a refund! The circumstances of their ejection will be reported to the USSSA Michigan & National offices. (Top of Page) |
| Eligibility Protest |
| NO PROTEST WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE FINAL OUT OF A BALL GAME! Any eligibility protest must be brought to the attention of the umpire before the game ends. At notification of protest, the umpire will circle and note the protested players name and sign the score sheet along with the protested player. It is the protested manager’s and players responsibility to appear at the office immediately following the game with a copy of the score sheet. The protesting team must post a $20 protest fee for each player being protested. IF A PROTESTED PLAYER FAILS TO APPEAR AFTER A GAME, HIS TEAM WILL BE CHARGED WITH A FORFEIT! Players are responsible for having PROPER PICTURE IDENTIFICATION (Drivers License, etc.) in their possession while playing at the Canton Softball Center. All Players MUST be on the Team Roster with a VALID signature. (Top of Page) |
| Forfeits |
| After a team forfeits their 2nd game they will be removed from the league for that season unless they pay an additional $30.00 within 48 hours of their 2nd forfeit. Paying this $30.00 is the only way a team will be able to stay in the league. (Top of Page) |
| Foul Ball Rule |
| The foul ball rule is as follows: The batter is out if the batter hits two foul balls after one strike. If the second foul ball after one strike is caught, base runners may not advance. (Top of Page) |
| Game Ball |
| Each team is given one new ball and a back-up ball before each game.(Top of Page) |
| Game Time |
| Game time is forfeit time. Team managers may choose to give the opponent a maximum of 10 minutes to field a team. When this game starts it will be official and time waived will be deducted from the 1 hr. 10 minute time limit rule. This rule is applicable to the first game time only (6:30 Monday-Friday, 2:30-Sunday). A team (except Co-Ed teams; refer to section 5.1) must start with a minimum of seven (7) players at GAME TIME. A team may add an 8th, 9th or 10th (no A.H.) player at any time to the bottom of the line-up when play is dead. IF ONE team DOES NOT have the minimum number of players at GAME TIME, the OPPOSING team may, as a courtesy, agree to wait for more players to show up. Time will still start at scheduled game time and the time delayed will be deducted from the scheduled time. EXCEPTION- If the ENTIRE team is completing a game on another field, the umpire may delay the game. If a team loses a player(s) for any reason and cannot fill the vacancy(s), the vacancy(s) becomes an automatic out(s). The vacancy(s) may be refilled at any time. EXCEPTION: When an umpire deems that a player may not continue due to application of the CONTINUED PARTICIPATION RULE (see 2.2), the vacancy(s) will be passed without penalty. NOTE: We reserve the right to modify this rule at any time during the season. (Top of Page) |
| Gloves |
| Only catcher and first baseman are allowed to use a first baseman’s glove. No player may play without a glove. (Top of Page) |
| Home Run Limits |
| Men's C: 5; Men's Super D: 2; Men's D: 1; Men's E: 0; Super Co-Ed: 2; Co-Ed: 1; Any home runs over your class limit will result in a dead-ball out with no runners advancing. This applies to untouched (by a player) over the fence home runs ONLY. Teams are responsible for retrieving their own home run balls hit over the fence and returning them to the umpire before the end of the inning! (Top of Page) |
| Injuries |
| Player, substitute, manager, team member or umpire who is bleeding or who has an open wound shall be prohibited from participating further in the game until the bleeding is stopped and the wound is covered. If treatment can be administered in a reasonable amount of time the individual would not have to leave the game. The length of time that is considered reasonable is umpire judgment. If excessive time is involved, the re-entry rule would apply to players. If there is an excessive amount of blood on the uniform or if a bandage becomes blood soaked, in the judgment of the umpire, the uniform/bandage must be changed before the individual may participate. (Top of Page) |
| Insurance |
| Players, managers, coaches and spectators may not be protected by their own private medical or liability insurance while on Canton Sports Center property. Therefore all participants and spectators are encouraged to purchase insurance independently or through the USSSA team insurance plan. Insurance information is available in the manager’s packet. Canton Sports Center does not cover individual players under it’s insurance policies. (Top of Page) |
| League Awards |
| (Based on 6-12 teams in a league) Sponsor Trophies - 1st and 2nd place. Individual Awards - 1st place. 15 awards per team. Additional awards may be purchased by placing an order in the softball office. (Top of Page) |
| Make-Up Games |
| Due to the heavy demand for diamond space, make up games may be rescheduled on any day of the week. It is the manager’s responsibility to inform his/her players of make-up games. Due to the tremendous amount of phone calls and the possibility of a miscommunication, we cannot give out make-up information to individual players over the phone. Also please have your players check the bulletin board before game time for important information regarding make-ups, diamond changes, etc. If a team drops from your league early in the season, the Canton Sports Center staff will make every attempt to reschedule the rest of the season’s games involving the dropped opponent. (Top of Page) |
| Manager's Responsibility |
| Managers are the primary link between their players and the Canton Sports Center management. It is the manager’s responsibility to attend the managers meetings and to obtain and read all information and rules regarding league play and to make this information available to his/her players. Manager’s must inform our office of changes in his/her address or telephone number. Manager’s must insure that all players read and sign the team roster before playing and ascertain the eligibility of each player signing the roster. Managers as well as players are responsible for their behavior while at the Canton Sports Center. This includes behavior on and off the field, restaurant and parking lot. Managers and players, please be aware, if your behavior is deemed unsafe, dangerous or unsportsmanlike, it will affect your playing eligibility. We feel that we have a responsibility to other players as well as non-playing visitors to provide a safe and enjoyable atmosphere and hope you as valued patrons can help us in this effort. (Top of Page) |
| Mercy Rule |
| A 12 run mercy rule will be in effect after 4 ½ innings for all league games unless otherwise notified. A 10 run mercy rule will be in effect after 5 ½ innings. An umpire may offer the use of the flip-flop rule during a lopsided game of more than 15 runs in the 3rd inning. This rule is used to disallow teams from running up the score but is not required to be accepted by either manager. (Top of Page) |
| Office Hours |
| In Season: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Saturday & Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. (Weekend hours may vary according to activity.) Off Season: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Please contact the Canton Sports Center regarding these hours). Messages may be left on our voice mail system at other times. To leave a message please call (734) 483-5600 ext. 1 or 3. Due to the tremendous volume of calls during inclement weather, rain out and field condition information cannot be given out over the office phone, please call (734) 483-2913 after 4:00pm (M-F) and after 12:00pm (Sun). Also, field conditions will be updated via the CSC website as soon as possible. Go to for updated information. (Top of Page) |
| Official Game |
| The USSSA 3-2 COUNT RULING will be in effect. A batter will be allowed 3 balls and 2 strikes versus 4 balls and 3 strikes used in the past. A regulation game is 7 innings. League games, in the event of inclement weather, are official after 4 ½ completed innings if the home team is ahead at the time. If the team at bat is losing and ties at the time of the cancellation, and the game is later than the fourth inning, the game will revert back to the last complete inning. NOTE MANAGERS: There is a difference between a "DELAY" and a "CANCELLATION." It is your responsibility to know which decision has been made by the Umpire-in-Chief; ASK! In the event of a DELAY, please keep your players together and be ready to resume play at a moments notice. If games are delayed, restart information will be announced over the PA system in the restaurant and/or available in the business office for MANAGERS. We ask that ONLY MANAGERS should be in the office requesting information about GAME DELAYS. It should be NOTED that Umpires do not cancel games, only the Umpire-in-Chief or Sports Center Management may cancel a game. PLAYERS cannot be sent home by their managers unless the games are officially canceled. (Top of Page) |
| Parking Lot |
| No bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, motorcycles or unauthorized motor vehicles are allowed beyond designated parking areas. Canton Sports Center is not responsible for damages or theft from vehicles parked in our lot. We are not responsible for cars left in the parking area overnight. Cars left overnight may be towed the following day at the owner’s expense. |
| Payments |
| Full payment must accompany your registration form in order to ensure a scheduled spot. The Canton Sports Center accepts cash, checks, MasterCard or Visa as payment for fees. Please make all checks payable to Canton Township. Please include on all checks your phone number, current address, and drivers license number. If the bank returns any team checks, your team manager is responsible to repay balance and bank service fees before your next scheduled game with cash or a cashier’s check. You are responsible to cover any checks provided to us by a sponsor. Your team is responsible for umpire fees of $11.00 per game payable at game time. (Top of Page) |
| Pets |
| Please no pets allowed on premises. |
| Pitching |
| Pitching arc is THREE feet to TEN feet. The ball must be pitched underhanded at a slow speed with a minimum arc of three(3) feet before it crosses any part of Home Plate. The pitched ball may not rise any higher than ten(10) feet above the ground. The speed and the height of the ball are left entirely to the judgment of the umpire. The umpire shall warn a pitcher who delivers a pitch with EXCESSIVE SPEED. Repeating such an offense will cause the pitchers removal from the PITCHING POSITION for the remainder of the game. A pitch that does not arch the full three feet as required, may not be an excessive speed pitch! The pitched ball must be released within five seconds from the time the pitcher has the ball and the batter has taken their position in the batters box. Once the pitcher begins the delivery motion, the batter may not request time out. (Top of Page) |
| Player Conduct |
Players are responsible for their behavior while at the Canton Sports Center. This includes behavior on and off the field, Diamond's Bar & Grill and the parking lot. There will be zero tolerance towards players who use inappropriate language, verbal abuse and any conduct that is deemed to be unsportsmanlike. For more information on Canton Townships Code of Conduct, click here. |
| Playing Rules |
| The USSSA 3-2 COUNT RULING will be in effect. A batter will be allowed 3 balls and 2 strikes versus 4 balls and 3 strikes used in the past. A regulation game is 7 innings. League games, in the event of inclement weather, are official after 4 ½ completed innings if the home team is ahead at the time. If the team at bat is losing and ties at the time of the cancellation, and the game is later than the fourth inning, the game will revert back to the last complete inning. NOTE MANAGERS: There is a difference between a "DELAY" and a "CANCELLATION." It is your responsibility to know which decision has been made by the Umpire-in-Chief; ASK! In the event of a DELAY, please keep your players together and be ready to resume play at a moments notice. If games are delayed, restart information will be announced over the PA system in the restaurant and/or available in the business office for MANAGERS. We ask that ONLY MANAGERS should be in the office requesting information about GAME DELAYS. It should be NOTED that Umpires do not cancel games, only the Umpire-in-Chief or Softball Sports Management may cancel a game. PLAYERS cannot be sent home by their managers unless the games are officially canceled. (Top of Page) |
| Playoffs |
All teams are eligible to complete in the playoffs. Team Managers will be issued a "Playoff Card" the week prior to the last night of league play. This card must be turned into our office by the designated date to compete in the playoffs. failure to do so will result in the team missing the playoffs. Playoff brackets will be formed once all league play has concluded. |
| Playoff Awards |
| Individual Awards - Playoff Champion. 15 awards per team. Additional awards may be purchased by placing an order in the office. Championship Playoff - Top half teams of final league standings. Consolation Playoff - Lower half teams of final league standings. (Top of Page) |
| Protest |
| Umpire judgment calls are not subject to protest!! Umpire will discuss disputes on the field with the MANGER ONLY. Players are not to question an umpire’s call or ruling. Only when there is a difference of opinion between the protesting team and the umpire regarding the application or interpretation of a specific playing rule, may a protest be lodged. The protest must be made to the umpire BEFORE the next pitch or the protest is invalid. In the event of a protest, the game shall be halted to note all of the specifics (team offended, situation, exact rule protested and any other important information.) After all notations are made, the game shall continue. At completion of the game, the protesting manager will bring his copy of the score sheet to the office and inform the office manager of the protest. At that time, the team manager will post a $20 protest fee for investigation of the protest. Upon posting of the fee the Umpire-in-Chief will review the protest and make a decision. If the protest is upheld, a date will be selected by the office to continue that game from the POINT of PROTEST. In instances where teams advance to another game that evening (playoffs/tournaments etc.) the game shall be halted at point of protest and shall continue until a decision has been reached. WHEN A PROTEST IS UPHELD, the $20 PROTEST FEE IS RETURNED TO THE TEAM; WHEN A PROTEST IS DENIED, the FEE WILL BE FORFEITED. (Top of Page) |
| Any information regarding rainouts, delays, etc. will be put on our field condition number (734) 483-2913. It is wise to have your players call the field condition number before every game for current information, even when weather is not threatening, as other events may affect game schedules. Please do not call the business office for field conditions. All evening games will have their first update at 4:00 p.m. for that particular night, with periodic updates as needed. Sunday leagues will have an update by noon on their scheduled day. (Top of Page) |
| Re-Entry Rule |
| Any of the STARTING players (A.H. included) may withdraw and re-enter once, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he/she is in the game. A substitute who has withdrawn may not re-enter! All re-entries by any starter must be reported to the umpire and the official scorer. There is no penalty for unannounced PROPER re-entry. IMPROPER re-entry results in the original player as well as the substitute player being ejected from the game. (Top of Page) |
| Rosters |
| The roster consists of a maximum of 20 active players who have completed the eligibility and release form. All completed rosters with players’ signatures must be on file before your first game. Teams will not be permitted to play until a valid roster is complete and are subject to forfeiting games. Rosters may be updated as teams add players to meet the maximum of twenty. Any players added must have information and signature filed in the office before participating in a game. All rosters are final by your 3rd week of league play (or 6th game). This means even if you don’t have twenty players listed, your roster is frozen for that session. Only in the case of an injured player may a person be substituted on the official roster throughout the regular season. In order to replace the injured player with another, a written document from the injured player’s doctor must be turned in to our office. NO additions can be made once playoff games have begun. A separate team roster must be on file for every league even if the same team plays a different night. Any protest made against a team without a roster on file at the office will result in the protest being upheld. A player removed from a roster may sign with another team, providing it is within the above time limit. Players can only play on one team per league. (Top of Page) |
| Scheduling |
| League schedules are available the first night of league play and will be given to the team manager when he/she turns in the teams roster. It is the manager’s responsibility to pickup a league schedule, verify all scheduled games and inform all players regarding game times. League schedules may include single and doubleheader games. Please confirm field assignments at the league board located at the main entrance to the fields. You can utilize the web site for current schedules. Due to the demand for diamond space and to be fair to all teams, we cannot guarantee any special requests as to playing times. We will try our best to accommodate your team when possible. Schedules are subject to change as deemed necessary by the League Coordinator. (Top of Page) |
| Scoring |
| The listed home team is responsible for keeping the official score sheet. If, for any reason the home team is unable to do so, the umpire must be notified so that another scorer can be designated. Teams may flip flop during innings and keep score for their own team if both teams agree to it. It is both manager’s obligation to confirm that the score is correct before each half inning starts and that the final score is also correct. Please also review your copy and make sure all of the information is correct and readable before you leave your diamond. Incorrect or unreadable score sheets result in incorrect standings! Be sure the final score is written clearly at the bottom of the score sheet and that the correct scores are listed under the correct teams! The home team is listed on the right side of the score sheet, visitor on the left side. (Top of Page) |
| Shoes |
| No metal spikes are allowed. Shoes must be worn by all players, coaches or anyone else in the dugout area. (Top of Page) |
| Smoking |
| Smoking is not permitted on the field of play by umpires, managers or players. |
| Standings |
| All standings will be posted outside the Softball Sports Office and available online at Teams are awarded points throughout the season. All wins are 2 points, ties 1 point and losses are 0 points. All game scores will be recorded and a team will receive a [7-0] win as a result of a forfeit or default. Final league standings will be based on total points, head to head, and total runs given up throughout the season. In the case of a 1st place tie based on total points only, a playoff game will determine the tie breaker. A rostered player must have competed in a minimum of six games to be eligible for any playoff game. The playoff game will be played prior to the scheduled playoff dates at the Canton Sports Center’s first available slot unless otherwise agreed by both team managers. (Top of Page) |
| Substitution |
| All substitutes should, as a courtesy, report to the umpire and the opposing team before such player enters a game. There is no penalty for unannounced substitution. |
| Time Limit |
No new inning shall be started after one hour and 10 minutes from the start of the game. The inning must be completed unless both teams agree to terminate the game at any time. MANAGERS- it is not mandatory for an umpire to notify teams as to the amount of time remaining to play in a game; therefore please take initiative to ask the umpire for the remaining time. |
46555 Michigan Avenue
Canton, MI 48188
phone: 734/483-5600
weather: 734/483-2913
csc@canton-mi.org
Quick Links |
| 2008 Tournaments |
| Session I League Registration Form |
| 2008 League Rules |
| Code of Conduct |
| USSSA Approved Bats |
| USSSA Website |
46555 W. Michigan Ave. Canton, MI 48188