SOFTBALL RULES
This page contains 2023-24 RULES (at top)...
with 2025/26 Draft Procedures & HOF Criteria at bottom.
Revised and approved: September 2023
WEST HERNANDO ATHLETIC CLUB SENIORS, INC.
The following WHACS Softball League Rules & Procedures shall be in effect for the 2023-2024 season, as defined,
and shall remain in effect until properly changed, amended, altered, and/or revised in accordance with the WHACS
Bylaws. All previous editions are voided and are to be considered obsolete as of August 2023.
WHACS Softball will be governed by a Player Committee, herein referred to as “the Committee” or “PC”. At least
one (1) member of the Committee will be at each official game and will be the on-sight authority for any, and all,
related rule(s) or procedural issues.
It is the responsibility of all WHACS Softball League Players to follow, adhere to, comply with, and support the rules.
Players and/or Individuals violating the provisions of the rules may be subject to corrective action by an appropriate
authority, i.e., the Player Committee, WHACS Disciplinary Committee and/or the WHACS Board of Directors.
I. GENERAL RULES & PROCEDURES:
01. National Softball Association (“NSA”) rules will be the primary authority unless pre-empted by a local rule stated
herein. The main purpose of the “Rules” is to assure competitive, safe and consistent play for all players involved.
02. To be eligible to participate, a player must be a minimum age of fifty-five (55) years of age prior to, or during, the
respective season.
03. Once the Umpire declares “Play Ball”, only those who have signed the WHACS application and waiver are
allowed in a dugout or on the playing field.
04. SEASON’S SCHEDULE and FORMAT
⦁ REGULAR SEASON shall be a Split season (September thru December & January thru April)
with a potential 50-game schedule for each team.
⦁ LEAGUE PLAYOFFS:
⦁ A full-team, double elimination tournament will follow the completion of league play.
⦁ The use of pick-up and/or pool players will be allowed for all post season play, with a limit of 3 pick-ups.
05. GAME TIMES:
⦁ Regular games shall be played on Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Based on 6 teams, each team will play two (2)
scheduled games per week.
⦁ September thru December - first game will start at 9:00 AM; second game at 10:30 AM, or as closely as
possible.
⦁ January thru April game times, due to weather/cold, will start at 9:30 AM/10:00 AM and
11:00 AM/11:30 AM, as determined necessary by the Player Committee.
06. SPONSOR UNIFORM SHIRTS:
⦁ Players, who have been issued a uniform shirt must wear the Sponsor shirt when playing in an official game.
⦁ If a player’s uniform shirt is altered, in any way (except a number), the player will be ineligible until the uniform shirt
discrepancy is corrected.
⦁ If a player doesn’t have his uniform shirt, the on-site Player Committee representative will determine if the reason
is acceptable to allow him to play.
07. HOME TEAM FIELD RESPONSIBILITIES:
⦁ Home team dugout is on first base line.
⦁ Home team will provide the Umpire with a game ball and a good backup ball.
⦁ After each game, the home team manager will keep the BEST ball (for next game) and place
the other ball in a marked bucket in the storage shed.
⦁ FIRST game: the HOME team will lay out the bases, line the field, put out the pitching screen and set up scorer’s
table/scoreboard box to prepare for play.
⦁ SECOND game: the HOME team will put all equipment in the shed in an organized manner and make sure the
shed is locked.
08. Pool:
⦁ Players, not placed on a team, will be assigned to the Pool.
⦁ Anyone refusing to enter the pool shall be entitled to a refund.
⦁ All new WHACS softball applicants will have an evaluation try-out, as determined and performed by the Player
Committee. Each league player will be rated on a scale of “A” (Best), “B” or “C” and designated accordingly.
Note: in the case of a team losing a player due to extended injury or other circumstance, an exception to draw from
the Pool can be made at the discretion of the PC.
09. TEAM ROSTERS and PLAYER RE-ASSIGNMENTS:
⦁ A team roster will be a maximum of 13 players.
⦁ Managers may approach the Player Committee at any time about a perceived competitive imbalance of their team
in relation to other teams.
⦁ If it is deemed that teams are not competitively balanced, the PC may reassign Players, as needed, to rectify the
situation.
⦁ the Committee will attempt to gain agreement from the managers involved before moving any player.
10. MANAGER’S RESPONSIBILITY:
⦁ Smoking is not allowed on any County property.
⦁ A Manager is responsible for Bench conduct and can remove his offending player from the game.
(This includes foul language)
11. UMPIRE’S RESPONSIBILITY:
⦁ Profanity, from any player will not be tolerated in the dugout, on the playing field or outside the fence.
⦁Team will receive one warning, before each game, before being ejected (see 12, below).
Pitch calls: ONLY the Pitcher, Catcher and/or Batter may question a pitch call by the Umpire. Anyone else will be
subject to immediate ejection from the game at the umpire’s discretion.
12. EJECTIONS and SUSPENSIONS:
⦁ Any player ejected will be immediately removed from the game and must vacate
the vicinity of the ball field.
⦁ The ejected player’s spot in the batting order may be an out for the next at bat.
⦁ Teams with less than 11 players will not be able to pick up a replacement player and, therefore, must play “short-
handed” for the completion of the game.
⦁ Further action may be determined, as necessary, by the Player Committee and/or Disciplinary Committee
⦁ Fighting, with contact, will result in an immediate and automatic suspension of the participants involved. The length
of the suspension will be determined by the Disciplinary Committee.
⦁ Any resulting suspension will run through any playoffs and/or tournaments and will extend into the start of the next
regular or summer season.
note: a player, manager or coach suspended, as described above, for a 2 nd time in the same season (1 st or 2 nd
half), will then be suspended for one (1) year from the date of the 2 nd infraction.
13. QUITTING a TEAM:
⦁ A player quitting his team once the season has started without a legitimate reason (as determined by the Player
and/or Disciplinary Committee), will be suspended for one (1) year from the date of his action.
⦁ The manager shall immediately notify the Player Committee of any player quitting his team.
⦁ There will be no refund of dues and/or fees.
14. PLAYER CONDUCT:
⦁ The Player and/or Disciplinary Committee has the authority to suspend a player, manager, or coach for disrupting
the team or for conduct unbecoming or detrimental to the league and/or WHACS. The affected individual(s) will be
notified of the PC’s decision as to the length of the suspension.
⦁ Player(s) involved may appeal their suspension, except in the case of “fighting” (see 12e). The appeal must be
submitted to the Player Committee, in writing, before their team’s next scheduled game.
15. PROTESTS:
⦁ Protests must be declared at the time of a possible NSA or local rules/procedure infraction. The Umpire, or
scorekeeper, will annotate the respective game’s scoresheet, accordingly, noting the inning in which the alleged
infraction occurred. It is hoped that any dispute can be settled satisfactorily without the need for a formal protest.
⦁ Protests (with a $15 Protest Fee) must be submitted by the protesting manager to the Player Committee, in
writing, within 72 hours of the occurrence.
⦁ The written protest must explain and cite, specifically and in detail, what rule(s)/procedure(s) were violated.
⦁ The Player Committee will base its decision on its interpretation of NSA and/or local rules/procedures herein. A
response will be made to the protesting manager within 48 hours of receipt.
⦁ The Player Committee’s ruling will be final.
⦁ If the protest is upheld, the fee will be returned to the protesting manager.
II. PLAYING THE GAME:
01. THE BALL (CORE/COMPRESSION):
⦁ The League will use a 44/375 softball approved for use by the Player Committee.
02 Bats: Any tape or thickness on the bat is acceptable except Electrical tape.
03 All players must play a minimum of 4 iinings of defence if he so desires. (Optional)
02. HOME PLATE:
⦁ Home plate has been widened to 19” by 35”,
⦁ A line will be drawn eight (8) feet from the 3 rd base side of home plate and will act as a safety “plate”. A baserunner
must cross the line to score a run.
⦁ Plays at home are simple force plays. The runner must cross the drawn line before the catcher, with the ball,
touches the main plate.,
⦁ Catcher may use the entire main home plate for plays at home.
⦁ A “Commitment Line” shall be drawn, perpendicular to the foul line, 20’ from the main home plate.
⦁ If a runner touches, or passes, the designated Commitment Line, he must proceed to the drawn home line.
03. PLAYS AT FIRST BASE:
⦁ First base consists of a white (inner) base that is in-play and an orange (outer) base, spaced outside the foul line.
⦁ If an initial play can be made at 1st base: the batter/runner must touch the orange/outer base (to be safe) and any
fielder must touch the white base (for the batter/runner to be out). The batter/runner is out if he touches the
white/inner base and safe if the fielder touches the orange/outer base.
⦁ If an initial play cannot be made at/to first base, the batter/runner may touch the white bag and round it to advance
at his discretion.
PLAYS AT THIRD BASE
* There will be an additional safety base at third approximately 3-4 feet outside the foul line from the white (inner)
base.The purpose of the additional base is for enhanced safety of the baserunner and is optional for the runner to
use.
* Therefore, if the runner opts to make use of the safety base, he must return the safety base if there is any play at third
which dictates it.
04. GAME DURATION:
⦁ Games shall be (minimum of) seven (7) innings,
⦁ “The is no Mercy Rule this season. Catchup will be allowed in the 6th inning and the 7th inning will be unlimited runs.
Innings 1-5 will use the 5 Run Rule.
⦁ EXTRA INNINGS:
⦁ If game is tied after seven (7) innings, the last official batter of the previous
inning will occupy second base,
⦁ The last batter must touch second base prior to time being called to request his
designated courtesy runner.
05. LINEUP CARDS:
⦁ Managers shall provide their game line-up card to the official scorer at least ten (10) minutes prior to game time with runners noted. note: Players not present at the field at gametime will not be placed on the lineup card.
⦁ Official scorer will then pass a respective copy of the line-ups to the opposing managers.
06. REPLACEMENT PLAYERS:
⦁ GENERAL:
⦁ A Team short of players can pick up a maximum number of replacements in order to field a full team (11 players).
⦁ Replacements, assigned the night before, must play a minimum of three (3) innings, unless the replacement player
chooses not to. All replacement players will be assigned to the bottom of the line-up.
⦁ Late arriving players: Will be added to the bottom of the lineup.
.B.Teams that have less than 11 players and need a replacement for an A player can receive an A player if available.
However as an example if you are short 3 "A" players you will receive an A, B & C player no matter what level of player you're missing.
C.
⦁ RESPONSIBILITIES OF PLAYERS and MANAGERS:
⦁ Players must notify their manager at least one (1) day (if possible) before any game they will miss to allow the
manager to secure a replacement, if needed.
⦁ Managers must notify the designated Player Committee member of the need for a replacement(s) only if a full
team (11) cannot be fielded.
⦁ The Player Committee coordinator will attempt to replace missing player(s) of equal ability to those available,
starting with the Highest rated missing player(s). The important issue is supplying enough players to put the team at
full strength in number, not necessarily in ability.
Guidance will come from our player designated rating system: i.e., a lower rated player can replace any player rated
higher, if necessary. However, reverse rating, i.e. an “A” rated player replacing a “B” or “C” player, is not allowed.
It is the SCORE-KEEPERS responsability to let the Umpire know who the on deck batter is if there is no one in the On-Deck area when a batter steps up to the plate.
VOLUNTEER POOL.
⦁ Each manager will provide the Committee with a list of at least one (1) “A”, "B" & "C" rated volunteer player.
⦁ If a manager does not supply a complete list of volunteer “A”, "B" & "C" rated players, that team will not receive a
replacement of like rating.
When a team needs a player, the PC rep will attempt to select a replacement player based on the previously stated
rule under “Responsibilities of Players and Managers”.
Volunteer pool players will be used only after the Player Pool eligible players have been contacted and have
declined, or not responded, to play
07. GAME TIME REPLACEMENT:
⦁ If a team loses a player during the game (injury or other justified reason), they can not
pick up a replacement if they can still field 11. However, that player’s turn at bat will not count as an out,
⦁ If a team cannot continue to field 11; the Committee will attempt to replace the lost
player with a replacement of equal ability.
08. LINEUPS:
* At his option, a player may choose to “sit out” of a game. Said player will not be in the original lineup, nor can they
be added for the duration of that game.
⦁ A Manager must bat all his players who are present, in uniform, for the game.
⦁ Player/Managers are considered players and must bat in all team games, unless injured. If not in the original
lineup, he may not be entered during the remainder of that game.
⦁ Each player in the original lineup desiring to play in the field (defense), shall be afforded the opportunity to play a
minimum of five (4) innings, (Optional) not necessarily consecutively. Players may play any defensive fielding position.
⦁ When the game is shortened, due to weather, the minimum defensive play requirement is waived.
09. PITCHING
Each batter will start off with a 1 ball - 1 strike count
A Pitched ball must arc between “6 feet and 12 feet”
Umpire will say the word “BALL or ILLEGAL” as the ball’s arc peaks beyond the maximum height (12 foot)
or below the minimum level (6 foot). This may afford the batter adequate time to decide to swing,
or not swing, at the pitch.
PITCHING SCREEN
A pitching screen will be used in all games.
Once the ball is pitched, the pitcher must move behind the screen for safety reasons.
If the pitcher does not get behind the screen the Umpire will call a ball for safety reasons
A batted ball, which hits the screen directly off the bat, shall be called a foul ball and treated as any other foul ball. A
batted ball hitting the screen on a 3rd strike, shall be declared an out.
If the ball is hit and the pitcher fields it not having gone behind the net, the umpire will call a “dead ball” and the
batter/runner will receive 1 st base without an out being called.
If there is already a runner on 1 st base, he moves up one (1) base, as do other runners. If there is no runner on 1 st
base, any other runners do not move up one (1) base.
10. COURTESY RUNNERS:
.Up to 4 "non-runners" will be designated. These non-runners must be submitted with the lineups prior to the game. During the game, In the case of an injury to a player, the injured player can receive a runner, however 1 of the 4 designated runners must come off the runner list so the the injured player can be added. If the manager chooses to submit less tha 4 names prior to the game, he CANNOT add a runner during the game.
. If a courtesy runner is on base when it is their turn to bat, an out will be recorded on that runner on base with the runner being allowed to bat.
11. FIVE-RUN RULE:
⦁ The 5-Run Rule will be used, i.e., a team may score a maximum of 5 runs per inning, during the first 6 full innings
of play,
12. ON-DECK BATTER:
⦁ Manager must ensure his next batter is in, or moving toward, the designated on-deck circle when
the current batter steps into the batter’s box,
⦁ Umpire, at his discretion, will not allow a pitch to be thrown if the next scheduled batter is not in or near the
on-deck circle.
13.WALKS
BASE-ON-BALLS
Premise of this rule is to ensure every batter is given the opportunity to swing at a minimum of one (1) pitched strike
per official at-bat.
Any batter is allowed the option of either taking 1st base (walk) on a 4th ball if he has not been thrown a strike,
or remain at the plate until thrown a strike.
A walked batter may, without actually going to or touching 1 st base, have a courtesy runner replace him.
INTENTIONAL WALK:
⦁ Any batter may be intentionally walked only once per game.
14. DEFENSIVE PLAY
1- All Outfielders are not allowed to initially position themselves on any portion of the infield – they must
be on the outfield grass. However, once the batter hits a pitched ball, they can move anywhere to field
the ball and make a play.
2- An outfielder CAN NOT throw a batter/runner out at first base (Himself or through a relay) once the ball hits the outfield grass.
2022-23 WHACS Softball Rules
Player Committee
Revised and approved: September 2022
West Hernando Athletic Club Seniors, Inc.
Player Draft Procedure 2025-26
In May and June, WHACS Members wishing to play softball will have the opportunity to complete and
submit a Player Application/Waiver form (with dues) to the WHACS Treasurer. The ideal goal is to
sign a maximum of 78 players, yielding 6 teams of 13 players per team. Those applications not
received by June 30 th , will be placed in the Player Pool as stated in the WHACS Softball Rules &
Procedures.
Additionally, prospective Managers will complete and submit a Managers Application, with
appropriate fee, if not a acting as a Player/Manager. The goal is to weigh, select and approve 6
Managers for the upcoming season.
The Player Draft will be held in the month of July, but no later than the 1 st week in August. Access to
the Meeting is restricted to the PC, Managers and anyone formally approved by the PC.
************************************************************************************************
The Player Committee (“PC”) will oversee the Player Draft where each Manager, governed by the
process stated below, will choose their team from the list of available players.
Prior to the scheduled Draft day, the PC will:
Brief all Managers on the Draft day procedures and clarify, not defend, the process
Compile a Master Roster of all player applications received for the Managers’ use
Recommend a proposed draft date based on a minimum of 66 players (11 per team),
using: All applications received by June 30th
Less than 78 applications: those received after June 30 th will be added in date
received order as noted on the app.
Players unavailable to start play by October 15 th will not be included in the draft
Rate each Player with an “A”, “B” or “C” designation using an internal rating system
Create a Player Roster consisting of name, positions, comments and “rating”
Have available for review, as needed, all original Player Applications
Create a Draft Tote Board to track round-by-round team selections
The Draft Process will be:
Each Manager draws a number (1-6), to be used for the entirety of the draft
Each Manager has a maximum of 5 minutes to pick a Player, per Round
Using his chosen number, each Manager will select each Round in the following order:
Round 1 123456
Round 2 654321
Round 3 231645
Round 4 546132
Round 5 312564
Round 6 465213
Round 7 123456
Round 8 654321
Round 9 231645
Round 10 546132
Round 11 312564
Round 12 465213
Round 13 123456
Draft concludes
All undrafted Players (if any) will be placed in the Player Pool.
*************************************************************************************
note: any Player/Managers, depending upon their rating, will pick themselves as follows:
“A” rated 3 rd Round
“B”: rated 7 th Round
“C” rated 11 th Round
The Draft will conclude when 13 eligible players have been chosen for 6 full teams
After the completion of the Draft, the Player Committee will certify the results.
A 15-minute break will then be provided for any Manager(s) wanting to propose a trade.
Any, and all, trades must be approved by the Committee
No trades will be allowed once the Draft concludes.
WHACS PLAYOFF BRACKET DOUBLE ELIMINATION
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR INDUCTION INTO THE WHAC SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME
The President will select an Ad Hoc Hall of Fame (HOF) Committee of up to 5 members each year. Any regular WHACS member may nominate an individual to the HOF, but the HOF Committee is tasked with soliciting nominations and recommending individuals to the HOF. Nominations may be presented to any Board member or HOF Committee member.
Nominations will be in writing, citing the reasons for the nomination in compliance with the approved criteria. Nominations may be presented any time, but must be presented prior to 1 April for induction at the end of the year party. Exceptions will be considered in the case of illness, relocation, or any other valid reason.
The Ad Hoc Committee will review the nominations and make their recommendations to the BOD. The BOD will make the final decision on acceptance into the HOF.
The initial HOF Committee is tasked with developing a data base of potential inductees and future committees will ensure that the data base is updated.
Each inductee will receive a plaque and a citation at the induction ceremony. The Commissioner of Softball will include funds necessary for these awards in the budget request at the beginning of the year.
The Commissioner will ensure that all softball statistics are kept on file.
Criteria
Each nominee will have a minimum of five years as a member of the WHACS. Membership years need not be consecutive.
Each nominee will have proven service to the WHACS. Service may consist of, but is not limited to: board membership, committee membership, management of teams, field maintenance, scorekeeping, and sponsorship involvement.
Each nominee will have the character worthy to represent the WHACS as a Hall of Fame member.
Each nominee will have displayed the skill levels necessary to represent the WHACS as a Hall of Fame member. The levels necessary will be to prove above average skills in three of the five talents as defined in a “five tool player”. The five tools are; hitting for average, hitting with power, fielding, throwing and running.
