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6. 12 Run Rule - The league game shall end anytime after the completion of5 innings (41⁄2 innings when the home team is winning) whenever thelosing team is behind by 12 or more runs. In order for this rule to beeffective, the losing team must have at least the same number of at-bats asthe winning team. The "12 Run Rule" will be in effect for playoffgames.

7. Designated Runner - Any player that can play in the field and bat butcannot run the bases due to a disability may have a designated base runner.The designated base runner must start behind the umpire on the 1st baseside and run only after the ball is hit. Once the ball is hit, the designatedbase runner is treated as the batter. The designated base runner will be theplayer/batting position whom was the last recorded out. However, bothteam managers may agree that another player be used as a designated baserunner. All disabled players must be noted on your team roster.Designated Runners do not count against the Courtesy Runner Rule.

8. Courtesy Runners - Each team may use 3 courtesy runners per game.They may be used for 1 player or divided between 3 players. The courtesyrunner will be the player/batting position whom was the last recorded out.The “Courtesy Runner Rule” does not apply to disabled players. Thecourtesy runner may be used for the batter to run to 1st base. The courtesyrunner must start on the 1st base side and run only after the ball is hit. Ifcourtesy runner is put out as a result of the at bat, it still counts against theteam total of courtesy runners even though the courtesy runner didn’tsafely occupy a base at the end of the at bat.

i. If a courtesy runner is used and it becomes his turn to bat while heis on base as a courtesy runner, he will not be declared out. Theumpire will determine which player in the game may take the placeof the courtesy runner so that they may take their scheduled turn atbat. The new courtesy runner will occupy the base left by theprevious courtesy runner. The new courtesy runner will not countagainst the total number of courtesy runners used.

i. Tie Game - If during the regular season the score is tied after thecompletion of 7 innings, the teams will continue play until the tie isbroken. Play will continue for no more than 4 additional innings or untilplay is stopped by the umpire, whichever occurs first. The umpire shalldecide, in his sole judgment, when to stop play during a league gamebecause of bad weather conditions or it is too dark to safely continue play.If play is stopped by the umpire, the score will revert back to the scorefollowing the last full inning of play if the home team did not have theiropportunity to complete their turn at bat for their half of the inning. Ifafter the completion of 4 additional innings or the umpire stops playbefore the home team has completed it turn at bat, the league game will berecorded as a tie. There will be no further replay of this league game.

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10. 1-1 Count and 3rd Strike Foul Rule – Players will enter the batters boxwith a one-ball one-strike count to start. With two strikes, the batter willbe allowed to hit one foul ball. If a batter hits a second foul ball with twostrikes, the batter will be declared out on strikes. If with two strikes andthe courtesy foul ball exhausted and a batted ball is caught in foul territoryin the air as a fly out, if there are runners on base, the runners mayadvance at their own risk. The same rules for tagging up and advancingapply.

11. Stealing – There is no stealing of bases allowed.

12. Pitch Height – The ball must be delivered with perceptible arc and reacha height of at least 6 feet from the ground, while not exceeding amaximum height of 12 feet from the ground. Pitching height will be thejudgment of the umpire.

m. Base Distance – The bases will be a diamond layout with 65-foot basepaths. The tip of the diamond will measure 91 feet 11 inches. Check alldistances with a tape whenever possible.

14. Warm-up Pitches – During the first two weeks of the season, warm-uppitches will be limited to 5 in the first inning and 1 for the remainder ofthe game. Infield warm-up throws will be limited to the first inning only.

15. Suspension of Play - The umpire shall decide, in his sole judgment, whento stop play during a league game because of bad weather conditions or itis too dark to safely continue play. 5 innings (41⁄2 innings if the hometeam is winning) must be played in order for the results of the league gameto be official. If play is stopped after the 5th inning, the league game endsif the home team had sufficient opportunity to win. If the game is stoppedbefore the completion of 5 innings of play, the league game will bereplayed in it entirety as a make-up game. If a regular season gamebecomes official and is halted by the umpire because of darkness orweather conditions and the score is tied, the game will be recorded as a tieand there will be no further replay of this game.

16. Cancellations - League games may be canceled for bad weather or specialchurch functions. If a league game is canceled, it will be rescheduled as amake-up game. Where a league game is canceled for a special churchfunctions, notification must be given at least 7 days in advance of thescheduled league game. See Team Manager Responsibilities for furtherinformation.

17. Make-Up Games - All make-up games must be completed by theSaturday before the league playoffs are scheduled to begin. Both teammanagers should endeavor to agree on a mutually convenient date to playand make-up game. If no agreement is reached, the home team shallreschedule the make-up game on the next available make-up date reserved

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on the schedule or the last Saturday before the league playoffs arescheduled to begin. Where the home team reschedules the make-up gamebecause the team managers cannot agree on a mutually convenient date, atleast 5 days prior notice must be given to the visiting team. At thescheduled make-up game, if one team does not have a sufficient numberof players, that game will be recorded as a forfeit loss for the team withthe insufficient number of players. If both teams do not have theminimum amount of players, both teams will incur a forfeit loss. In theevent the make-up game is not played by the Saturday before the leagueplayoffs beginning, a loss will be recorded for both teams. Appeals byvisiting managers about the rescheduling of make-up games shallimmediately be brought to the attention of the League President, ifunavailable then direct the matter to the Vice- President for appropriateaction. See Team Manager Responsibilities for further information.

i. In the event that neither team can agree to a date to complete themake-up, the League will schedule the make-up for the nextscheduled make-up date or the last Saturday before the playoffsstart. Managers will be notified of the make-up date. At theleague scheduled make-up game, if one team does not have asufficient number of players, that game will be recorded as a forfeitloss for the team with the insufficient number of players. If bothteams do not have the minimum amount of players, both teams willincur a forfeit loss. For Ranking purposes, a double forfeit willresult in a 0-0 score.

18. Homerun Rule - There will be a limit of 3 homeruns per team at fieldswhere there is a determined or agreed upon Ground Rule Homerun. Anyteam that hits a homerun after 3 homeruns have been hit will be recordedas an out and no runners may advance. There will be no penalty ofejection for a player hitting a homerun when the limit has been exceeded.

19. Intentionally Hitting the Ball at the Pitcher - Any batted ballintentionally hit up the middle at the pitcher, regardless of whether or notit strikes the pitcher, shall result in a dead ball out. The batter will beejected from the game and may be subject to an additional penalty in theform of a suspension. The determination of "intentional" is a judgment callmade by the umpire. It is not subject to appeal and shall not bepresumptive merely in the case of a batted ball striking the pitcher.EFFECT: The determination of intent shall be based upon the totality ofthe facts and circumstances present during the game, including previousstatements and actions by players, managers and others prior to theincident that results in the umpire's judgment of intent or lack thereof. It isnot the intent to prevent players from hitting the ball towards the middle ofthe field but to eliminate the willful intent to injure or intimidate a playerfrom the opposing team due to circumstances that have arisen from thegame.

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t. Batted Balls That Cause Serious Injury - If an infield player is seriouslyinjured that results in emergency hospitalization or attention by an EMSCrew by a batted ball, the umpire shall immediately quarantine both thebat and ball and will keep them for inspection by the league. If the leaguesuspects that the bat or ball has been altered in any way, the leaguereserves the right to seek assistance from the ASA for non-destructive ordestructive testing on the ball and bat in question. EFFECT: If a battedball reaches an infielder faster than they can react and injures the player. Itis up to the umpire’s discretion if the injury occurred because of a “badhop” from the field. In that case, the bat need not be confiscated. (SeeArticle VI Equipment Requirements, Section D - Bats for details on batrequirements and penalties regarding bats.)

u. Playoffs

i. Ranking - The ranking of teams for league playoffs shall bedetermined by the following criteria in the order of priority thatsuch criteria is listed.

1. Overall win-loss record;

2. Then head - head win-loss record;

3. Using head - head games and this formula.

a. (Runs Scored – Runs Allowed) / (# Of Games)4. Coin toss.

2. Suspension of Play - The umpire shall decide, in his solejudgment, when to stop play during a league playoff game becauseof bad weather conditions or it is too dark to safely continue play.In the event that the umpire stops play; the playoff game shallresume exactly at the point where the game was stopped. Playoffgames cannot end in a tie. If a playoff game is suspended and thescore is tied, the game shall be continued from the point ofsuspension at the next available date. Teams may have to continueplay on non-regularly scheduled league games or may have to playa doubleheader as to not disrupt the entire league playoff schedule.

3. Number of Innings - A league playoff game shall not be officialunless 5 innings are played (41⁄2 if the home team is winning). Aleague playoff game cannot end in a tie. Extra innings will beplayed until the tie is broken.

4. Eligibility - See Player and Teams Requirements for furtherinformation on player eligibility.

5. Managers – During the playoffs only the manger will be allowedto approach the umpire to get a clarification on a call. All othersmaybe ejected from the game.

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F. EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. Softball - The official softball for all league games is a optic yellow -ASA

   approved ball.

2. Spikes - No metal spikes or metal tipped fiberglass spikes are allowed.Only all purpose rubber or molded plastic spikes will be permitted. Thisrule shall be enforced by the team managers and the umpires. Any playerwearing illegal spikes during any league game will be ejected by theumpire. Any player wearing illegal spikes during any league game, whichresults in an injury to any person, including the umpire shall be suspendedfrom the League for the remainder of the season, including playoffs.

3. Uniforms

   1. Shirts - Teams shall have, at a minimum, matching shirts orjerseys. Team shirts or jerseys shall have a visible number on theback. Team shirts or jerseys should be essentially the same. Teamshirts or jerseys do not have to be identical since a style may not beavailable from one year to the next. New teams to the leagueshould attempt to be outfitted with matching jerseys as soon aspossible.

   2. Jerseys - Starting in the 2014 Spring/Summer Season, all returningteams shall endeavor to have matching shirts that identify thechurch that they are playing for with a visible one or two digitnumber on the back by the first game of the season. Exceptionswill be made for the occasional player that forgets his uniform.

4. Bats - NOTE ON FOLLOWING BAT SECTIONS: The CFSL does nothave the legal right to confiscate property from a player. However, itDOES have the right to make rules and related penalties to be imposedupon anyone who declines to voluntarily "surrender" a suspectedaltered or illegal bat. The language of the following sections reflects thatlegal reality.

i. Legal Bats - Only bats listed on the ASA website that areconsidered legal for ASA Championship Play may be used inleague games. ASA rules regarding the use of legal or illegal batswill be strictly enforced by the umpire. Illegal bats with the ASAApproved Stamp appear on the ASA website (www.softball.org) incertified equipment, illegal bat list.

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2. PENALTIES FOR USING ILLEGAL or ALTERED BATS

   1. Any attempt to use an illegal or altered bat in a CFSLsanctioned game will result in the batter being ejected fromthe game.

   2. The batter will also be called out.

   3. The base runners will be instructed to return to the base(s)

      occupied at the time the illegal bat was used, providing

      there are fewer than three outs.

   4. The Umpire or CFSL officers will request the owner of the

      bat to surrender it for forwarding it to ASA headquarters ifit appears to be a legal ASA bat altered to make it performoutside of the testing standard it was designed for or if aplayer was seriously injured as result from a batted ballfrom it. A player's failure to voluntarily surrender the bat tothe umpire or league officials will result in an immediateminimum suspension of the remainder of the regular seasonand playoffs of the current season and suspension fromplay from the regular season and playoffs from thefollowing year. There will be a subsequent hearing todetermine if additional sanctions against the player shall beimposed and if the bat will be returned to the player ordestroyed.

3. Illegal Bats - The umpire will strictly enforce ASA rules regardingthe use of legal and illegal bats. Any use of an illegal bat (bats thatappear on the ASA banned list or those not certified for ASAChampionship Play*) that results in an injury to any league gameparticipant whether it is a player, umpire, coach, or spectator shallresult in suspension of the remainder of the regular season and orthe league playoffs. *Bats that are certified by other associationsand not the ASA will be considered illegal bats.

4. “Altered” or “Doctored Bats” - Any player that voluntarilysurrenders their bat and it is found to be a “doctored” bat (anillegal bat cosmetically altered to make it appear legal) or “altered”bat (legal bats changed to result in performance that would exceedthe current ASA bat standard it was designed for) shall result insuspension of the player for the remainder of the regular seasonand or playoffs for the current season and for the following season.Any use of a “doctored” or “altered” bat that results in injury toany league game participant whether it is a player, umpire, coach,or spectator will result in a permanent lifetime ban from the leagueand subsequent disciplinary action by the ASA. Rules andprocedures for testing suspected “altered” or “doctored bats” willbe carried out by the District Commissioner of the ASA.

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5. Bat Inspection - All players must make their bats that will be usedin any sanctioned league game available for inspection by theumpire before the game starts. All bats must remain visible on thefence and must not be placed back in a players bat bag hidden fromview from the umpire or other team. Any player that removes theiror another player’s bat from the fence area in an attempt to hide itwill be ejected from the game. If a player comes late to the game,the umpire must inspect his bat before he can use it and it mustremain visible on the fence for the remainder of the game.

6. Damaged Bats - No bats with any cracks that compromise thebarrel or handle or has loose material inside the bat where it makesan audible sound while shaken or tilted will be allowed for use inleague play. It will be considered an illegal bat and will beremoved from the game. If a bat that has been removed from thegame for this reason is used again in that or any other league game,the game will end in a forfeit.

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