MILFORD SLO-PITCH RECREATIONAL SOFTBALL PROGRAM
1. PURPOSE: The object shall be to promote recreational softball in the Town of Milford and to provide a league in the town each year, sponsored by the Town of Milford.
2. ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS: Any Milford resident, and surrounding communities, shall be eligible to participate, who has completed and signed the Recreation Dept.’s registration form and paid the registration fees.
3. ELIGIBILITY OF TEAMS: Any pre-organized team participating in the League shall be comprised of players that meet the eligibility requirements, and all team players have completed and signed the Recreation Dept.’s registration form and paid the registration fees.
4. ROSTERS: Must be submitted to the Recreation Director by May 14, 2004. The typed roster shall consist of the name, address and phone number and signature of each player. If any of these provisions are not met, any game in which a new player is used will be forfeited.
5. FINANCES: The League and Recreation Dept. shall agree on the number of teams in the League prior to the start of the season and shall set an entry fee for each team to provide for anticipated expenditures. New team status is in order of entry fee payment; the first team paid in full has first priority.
6. DEBTS: Any team indebted to the Recreation Dept. for any expenses must make full payment prior to the start of the season, or they will be declared ineligible. Any team, which has not satisfied all its debts, shall not be eligible for future competition until the debt is paid.
7. OFFICIAL BALL: A box (1 dozen) of game balls will be furnished by the recreation department to the team representative before their first game.
8. SCOREBOOKS AND RULES: Will be provided by recreation department.
9. UMPIRES: Each team must pay $13 to the umpire prior to the start of the game. Coaches are responsible for collecting the money and giving it to the umpire.
10. UNIFORMS: Each team must be in matching jerseys when playing League games.
11. SHOES: Games shall be played in rubber cleats. NO metal cleats will be allowed.
12. PLAYERS: Each team must have one woman in the game at all time. If the team does not have a woman present then they will play less one player and take an automatic out each time the missing player is up to bat. 10 players on the field at a time.
13. MAKE-UP GAMES: League make-up games will be played at the end of the season in September.
14. POSTPONEMENT OF GAMES: The teams must be ready to play at game time and coaches will decide whether the teams will play. If agreement can’t be reached between coaches, the umpire will decide if the game is to be played. Once the game has started, the umpire will decide if it should be halted due to inclement weather. In such an event, it is the responsibility of the HOME team to so notify the Recreation Dept. and umpire.
15. RE-ENTRY: Any of the starting players may be withdrawn and re-entered once, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the line-up.
16. EXTRA HITTER (EH): The following is a redefining of the designated hitter:
A. The use of the EH is optional.
B. The EH will be the eleventh player in the line-up and can be placed at any position in the batting order.
C. The EH must be entered into the line-up before the submission of the batting order.
D. Use of the EH can only be discontinued by injury once the game begins. In such a case, the batting order will consist of only ten (10) batters, and the spot formerly occupied by the injured player will be passed over with no penalty.
17. 15-RUN RULE: The game will be declared over if during any inning > the fifth, the losing team has been to bat in that inning and is fifteen (15) runs behind.
18. FORFEITURE OF GAMES: Any team that forfeits three (3) or more games during a season may be terminated from the League.
19. PROTESTS: Protests must be brought to the attention of the plate umpire and the opposing manager at the time of the infraction, and before the next pitch is delivered. The protest must then be filed in writing with a League officer within forty-eight (48) hours. The umpires involved in the protest must file their report with a League officer. The umpires must handle all protests. Their decision is final. Umpires and team managers involved will be present at the protest meeting. NOTE: It is the responsibility of the manager filing a protest to know who the umpires were for that particular game.
20. SUSPENSION: A player who exhibits unsportsmanlike behavior, in the opinion of the umpires, may be removed from the game, and said umpire may recommend that he be suspended. Such a suspension recommendation is to be acted upon by Umpire-in-Chief, unless the officer is a member of the team in question, at which time an impartial right to call all interested parties involved to the meeting to resolve the question. This meeting must be held within seventy-two (72) hours of the time of the violation. Their decision will be FINAL.
Any manager or player who strikes an umpire before, during, or after a game will be automatically suspended for one (1) year from the date of the offense.
Fighting on the field will result in a three (3) game suspension for the players involved in the first infraction (whether or not blows are actually struck). Players involved in a second offense will be suspended for one (1) year from the date of the infraction.
21. LEAGUE SCHEDULE: Games will be played on Sundays. (9:30a.m.,10:15a.m.,11:00a.m., 1:15p.m., 2:00p.m.) Following the conclusion of the regular schedule, there shall be play-offs.
A. Top 8 will make the play-offs.
B. Play-off formats and schedules will be determined on an annual basis, based on the number of teams in the league.
C. Play-offs will start the following Sunday after the conclusion of the regular season.
D. In case of a tie in league play records, the tie will be broken by the following:
1. Head-to-head record
2. Total runs scored against each other
3. Total runs scored
22. AWARDS: Awards will by the recreation department
A. First place award to be given to the team that finishes first in the regular season.
B. First place award will be given to the winning team of the play-offs.
C. The team shall determine the team MVP. No award given by recreation department.
23. ATTENDANCE; Teams with three (3) non-excused absences from the League meetings will be subject to penalty.