League Rules

Gem City Social Sports (GCSS) strives to provide a fun, safe, and engaging environment for adults to play sports and socialize. All GCSS Softball Leagues utilize standard ASA/USA-style rules with the following exceptions and modifications specifically tailored for our Competitive-Social Hybrid format.

Note: All situations not specifically covered in this rulebook shall be acted upon by the GCSS Umpire or League Coordinator, and all such action taken shall be final.

• Manager Responsibilities: Designated team captains are responsible for communicating league rules, schedule updates, and standing formats to their team members. Captains are also responsible for the conduct of their team during league play.
• Sportsmanship: GCSS is a social sports organization. While play can be competitive, friendly and sportsmanlike conduct is required at all times.
• Umpire Authority: An umpire will determine all balls, strikes, and on-field calls. All judgment decisions are final. Excessive disagreements will result in an ejection from the game and/or league if deemed necessary.

• App Notifications: All schedules, standings, and weather updates will be communicated via the official GCSS App.
• Swiss Scheduling Format: This league utilizes a dynamic "Swiss" scheduling format. Teams are matched up each week against opponents with similar records and standings to ensure balanced, fun gameplay.
• Weekly Updates: The schedule for the following week will be published in the GCSS app immediately after the final game of the day concludes.
• Weather Delays: In the event of rain or unplayable field conditions, updates will be pushed directly through the GCSS app.
• Social Points: League standings are determined by a combination of win/loss records AND "Social Points." Teams earn Social Points by participating in weekly mini-games and taking team photos. These points actively affect your rank in the Swiss standings.

• Regulation Game Length: 55 minutes or seven (7) innings, whichever comes first.
• Pace of Play: The umpire will keep the official game clock. No new inning will start after the 55-minute mark.
• Run Limit: There is a strict 7-run limit per inning for innings 1 through 4. From the 5th inning through the 7th inning, unlimited runs may be scored.
• Mercy Rule: 10 runs ahead after five complete innings.
• Ties & Extra Innings: If a game is tied after 55 minutes or 7 innings, it will proceed to a "One-Pitch" extra inning.
  • Each team begins the inning with one out.
  • The batter gets exactly one pitch.
  • A foul ball, swing-and-miss, or called strike is an out. A called ball is a walk.
  • If still tied after one extra inning, regular season games end in a tie.

• Game Time is Forfeit Time: Teams must be prepared to play at their scheduled start time.
• Grace Period: A 10-minute grace period is allowed if a team does not have the minimum required players (see Roster rules). If the required players have not arrived after 10 minutes, the game is ruled a forfeit.
• Scoring: A forfeited game will be scored 10-0 in the standings.

• Softballs: Gem City Social Sports will provide all official game balls. Teams are responsible for retrieving their own foul balls and home runs to keep the game moving.
• Bat Regulations:
  • All bats must be visibly marked with at least one of the following stamps: USA (formerly ASA) or USSSA.
  • Wooden baseball bats, altered bats, cracked bats, or dented bats are strictly prohibited.
  • If a batter enters the box with an illegal bat, they will be called out. A second offense will result in an ejection.
• Footwear: Players must wear closed-toe athletic shoes. Metal cleats are strictly prohibited. Only molded plastic cleats or turf shoes are allowed. Any player caught wearing metal cleats will be asked to change; refusal will result in an ejection.

• Fielding Maximum: A maximum of 10 players can play in the field at once.
• Gender Minimums: A full fielding team of 10 must include a minimum of 4 female players.
• Short-Handed Play: Teams may start and play a game with 9 players (minimum of 3 females). If playing with 9 players due to a missing female, the team must take an automatic out in the batting order where the missing female player’s spot would be.
• Field Positioning: There are no specific position requirements (e.g., you do not need exactly 2 females in the outfield and 2 in the infield).

• The Count: All batters start with a 1-ball, 1-strike (1-1) count.
• Foul Balls: A batter with two strikes is allowed one courtesy foul ball. The second foul ball with two strikes results in a foul out.
• Pitching Arc: A legal pitch must have a minimum arc of 6 feet and a maximum of 10 feet. Any pitch not deemed legal will be called an automatic ball.
• The Strike Mat: A strike mat will be placed behind home plate. If a pitched ball touches any part of the strike mat OR home plate within the legal height (6ft - 10ft) arc limit, the pitch will be called a strike.
• Home Run Limit: Teams are allowed a maximum of two (2) over-the-fence home runs per game. Any home run hit over the fence after the limit is reached is an automatic out.
• The Walk Rule (Co-Ed): Any walk to a male batter (intentional or not) will result in the batter being awarded 2nd base. This is to ensure competitive fairness and keep the game moving. The following female batter must bat.
• Batting Order: All players in the field must be listed in the batting order. If teams wish to bat more than 10 players, they may not bat more than two men in a row at any point in the lineup.

• Commit Line: A commit line will be drawn halfway between third base and home plate. Once a baserunner crosses this line, they cannot return to third base and are forced to advance toward home.
• No Stealing: No lead-offs or stealing. Runners may only leave the base once the ball crosses the plane of the plate or is hit by the batter. Leaving early results in an automatic out.

• Gem City Social Sports prioritizes a fun, inclusive, and social atmosphere.
• Use of derogatory language, threats, physical altercations, or excessive arguing with umpires, staff, or opposing players is strictly prohibited.
• Umpires and League Coordinators reserve the right to eject any player from a game or the league entirely for violating conduct guidelines. Ejected players must leave the facility immediately.