2017 Grass Valley Slow-Pitch Softball Season info

Dust off your cleats, glove, and bat. It is time to play ball!

As the rain hits us hard, and we need it after 4 plus years of drought, it would behoove you to gather up your ball gear, start stretching, call up your team (or find some players to start a team), and get in the game mode — it is almost time to play some ball!

The 2017 season starts in April, are you ready? This year the board has put their foot down and will stand strong on late registrations — THERE WILL NOT BE ANY! Get your team, player, and sponsorship money, as well as, roster in before the deadline. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Coed Rules Summary

All / Most rules of baseball apply to softball with the addition of the following Coed Softball rules from USSSA, and local WNCSSA League rules.

Pithing / Strike Zone
It is underhand, slow-pitch softball. Pitch height is no lower than 6 feet from ground and no height than 12 feet from ground. There is a 3 foot diameter mat covering the traditional home plate. If the ball hits the mat on a legal pitch, it is a strike.

The Balls / Men's Bats
Men use a bigger softer core ball than women, and use single wall, aluminum bats that must have a yellow sticker put on by the league. There are penalties if a man hits a woman's ball, or uses anything other than a single wall bat.

Fielding a Team
The minimum amount of players to field a legal team are 4 women and 4 men. The maximum amount of players are 5 women and 5 men. You can play either 4 women and 5 men, or 5 women and 4 men. There are no other combinations.

Roster / Team Fees
You can have up to 16 players on the roster, any more will be $5.00 extra above the registration fees. It would be wise to register, with the league, every player that plays on the field for your team. A team will be disqualified from league play if it is found out that they played un-rostered (registered) players — do not just pull from the fans to play on your team. Managers Register your team.

First Base
Batter / Runner must use the outside bag and the First Base-man / Fielder must use the inside bag on a play at first. After the runner has established that first base is theirs, then the outside bag does not exist.

Force plays at Second and Third
The Runner must move out of the way if they will not make it to the base before the Fielder touches it to force them out — runners cannot fling their arms, yell or scream, and make contact with the fielder to break up a double play. This is unsportsmanlike conduct and unsafe. The runner and following runner will be out. The runner causing the unsportsmanlike conduct may be ejected.

Plays at home / Commitment & Coed Line
All plays at home are force plays! There is no tagging of the runner inside the commitment zone. RUNNERS DO NOT TOUCH HOME! Do not get near home. Follow the inner white line, or run along the fence line to be sure you will not be called out. There is also a commitment line that once a runner crosses it from the third base side they are committed to go home. If they head back to third and the player with the ball touches home, the runner is out.

Any questions contact the WNCCSA Board of Directors or read the Rules Book.