​
BSSA LOCAL PLAYING RULES
(As reviewed, amended and approved by the Board of Directors on 8/29/2023)
Note: In the event there is no local rule covering a situation, the default rule will be determined by reference to the Florida Half Century ASA Playing Rules. Any playing rules set forth in the Organizational Charter of BSSA are no longer in effect.
​
​1. NO INFIELD FLY RULE
​
2. BATTER’S BALL AND STRIKE COUNT
BSSA is a "3 and 2 League". A batter enters the batter’s box with a 1 and 1 count and is effectively awarded a walk with 3 balls and is declared out with 2 strikes. Exception: Players reaching their 80th Birthday at any time during the current year have the option of a full "4 and 3" count. This is also subject to rules 3 and 4 below.
3. CAUGHT FOUL TIP OUT
A foul tip caught by the catcher is an out regardless of the height of the tipped ball.
4. ONE WALK PER PLAYER PER GAME
A player who has walked once in a game cannot walk again.
During subsequent at bat(s), that batter will continue to bat until completing the subsequent at bat(s) by putting the ball in play or striking out. In the event the pitcher throws four called balls, the batting team advances the team’s player who made the last out in the preceding inning to first base and the batter shall continue to hit but with an entire new count.
5. TWO WALKS PER INNING MAXIMUM
After two walks in an inning all subsequent batters in that inning will be regarded as having walked once already in the game (See #4 above).
6. CALLED STRIKE
Any ball striking any part of home plate or making the sound of ball on wood with a legal ARC is a strike. Exception: a ball hitting dirt first in front of home plate is not a strike. The legal ARC must be a minimum of 6 feet to a maximum of 12 feet. Only the Manager and Co-Manager from the batting team have the authority to declare a pitch as illegal and must declare “Illegal” before the ball hits the plate.
7. PITCHING PLATE/RUBBER
The pitcher must have at least one foot on the pitching plate/rubber when releasing the ball to make the pitch.
8. POSITIONING OF PITCHER’S SCREEN
The pitching screen must be placed in front of the pitching plate/pitching rubber no more than 4 feet in front of the pitching plate /rubber and must extend over a minimum of one half of the pitching plate/rubber.
9. BATTED OR THROWN BALL HITTING PITCHER’S SCREEN
Any batted ball hitting the screen is a strike unless it has first touched a defensive player. A batted ball hitting the screen with two strikes on the batter is an out and any runners return to their bases.
Any live ball thrown by any fielder that hits the screen shall remain in play.
10. COURTESY RUNNER – POSITIONING AND LIMITATIONS
IN GENERAL. A courtesy runner is permitted only upon the direct request made by the runner being replaced. A runner cannot replace a courtesy runner unless there is an injury to the courtesy runner.
A player can only courtesy run one (1) time per inning and must not be on base when his/her turn at bat occurs.
A player on base when his/her turn at bat occurs will be declared out but will be permitted to take his place at bat or the inning will end if that is the third out.
FROM HOME PLATE. Before the start of the game, the two managers shall meet to identify the specific players who shall need replacement by a courtesy runner from home plate. In the event that during the course of the game a player’s physical condition changes, his status may be altered by agreement of the managers.
The courtesy runner must be in contact with the center backstop pole directly behind home plate. The runner must not start to run until the ball has been struck by the batter.
A courtesy runner cannot advance beyond first base under any circumstances with the exception of the batter hitting an over-the-fence home run. Once the batter hits the ball the batter must vacate the batter’s box and avoid interfering with the catcher.
11. RUNNER LEAVING BASE EARLY
While on base, a runner must not leave the base until the ball has been struck by the batter.
12. OUTFIELDERS CANNOT THROW BATTERS OUT AT FIRST
An outfielder cannot directly force a batter out at first base. If a batter rounds the base in attempt to go to second, the runner may be put out by a throw from an outfielder. A batter can be thrown out at first base to complete a double play from an outfielder to an infielder who has recorded a force out on a preceding runner.
A short fielder/rover can throw a batter out at first.
13. OUTFIELDER MINIMUM POSITIONING LINE
There will be a chalk line drawn in the outfield at 180 feet from home plate. In the absence of such line, there are white vertical lines painted on each foul fence at 180 feet and outfielders should position themselves accordingly. All outfielders must remain behind the chalk line in the outfield until the ball is struck by the batter.
14. POSITIONING OF INFIELDERS, ROVERS, and OUTFIELDERS
The defensive team must position its players so that there are four
infielders starting play on the infield dirt with two of them to the left of second base and two to the right of second base. Each team may have two rovers. If there are two rovers, one must start to the left of second base and the other to the right of second base. If there is only one rover, the rover may begin play anywhere on the outfield grass. All rovers must start play on the outfield grass but once the ball is struck by the batter, any rover may move onto the infield dirt.
​
All outfielders must comply with the outfield minimum positioning line consistent with Rule 13 above.
15. MAXIMUM RUNS PER INNING
A team can only score a maximum of five runs per inning except a losing team can score any number of runs in an inning until they have tied the score, unless the inning is an “open” inning. See Rule 16 below.
16. OPEN INNINGS
The last inning and any subsequent innings are “Open” innings.
In “Open” innings, the standard 5 run rule or tie maximum limits do not apply but rather an unlimited number of runs may be scored by a team.
17. TRAILING HOME TEAM FLIP-FLOPS AND BATS BACK-TO-BACK TO TIE
If the visiting team has a large run lead, upon agreement of the team managers, the teams may “flip-flop”.
18. EXTRA INNING TIE-BREAKER
If the score is tied after regulation play, the player who was the last batter to complete his time at bat will be placed on second base to start each additional inning. A courtesy runner rule may be substituted.
19. BASE COACHES ARE THE UMPIRES
The first base coach makes fair/foul calls on the right field line and safe/out calls at 1st base and home. The third base coach makes fair/foul calls on the left field line and safe/out calls at 2nd and 3rd bases.
If the batting team has not provided base coaches/umpires, the catcher will make the fair/foul calls and the manager of the team in the field will make safe/out calls.
In the event there is a legitimate difference of view concerning the correctness of a call, the managers of the teams acting in good faith will resolve the issue.
20. ASSIGNED DUGOUTS
Home team – first base dugout. Visitors - third base dugout.
21. BALL GOING INTO DUGOUT
When a ball goes into a dugout, a dead ball is declared and each runner advances to the base to which that runner was heading plus one base.
22. BAT PLACE
All bats are to be kept against the short fence between the high fence portion of the backstop and the gate to the dugout. If an active ball in play hits a bat not positioned as above, all runners advance one base.
23. COMMITMENT LINE
The commitment line shall be marked in foul territory approximately twenty feet from home plate, perpendicular to the third base foul line.
Once the runner passes the line he may not go back to third base. If he does, he is out.
Once the runner touches or goes beyond the line, the defense can only get the runner out by picking up or catching the ball and touching home plate before the runner scores as defined in Rule 24.
At no time is the defender to touch the runner after he crosses the commitment line. If the runner is tagged after he crosses the commitment line, the runner is safe, the run scores and the ball remains live.
24. THE SCORING LINE
A “scoring line” shall be drawn near home plate adjacent to the left rear corner of the right handed batter’s box and in line with the first base line. The runner must place his foot down onto the ground touching or across the scoring line in order to score.
If the runner touches the right handed batter’s box before crossing the scoring line, the runner is out.
25. THE FIRST BASE SAFETY BASE
A batter/runner must touch the colored base on the initial play unless the throw forces the runner to run inside the base line to avoid a collision.
If there is a question of touching the wrong base intentionally or a bobbled ball, the appeal can be made to the umpires.
If the defensive player is blocked from stepping on the inside white bag he may step on the outside bag for the out.
26. APPEAL
In the event there is a legitimate difference of view concerning the correctness of a call, or rule interpretation by an umpire, the team managers shall confer and acting in good faith shall resolve the issue.
27. PICK-UP PLAYER
All pick-up players must bat at the tail end of the batting order.
28. BATTING TEAM PROVIDING DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO OPPONENT.
When one, or both teams cannot field a maximum of 12 players on the field it may become necessary for the batting team to provide temporary defensive players to the fielding team. When this occurs, the batting team is obligated to provide only enough players to bring the defensive team to ten (10) players regardless of how many players the batting team will field. The catcher and baseman nearest the providing team’s dugout are preferred for simplicity and pace of the game.
29. FORFEIT GAMES – TOO FEW PLAYERS
​
A team must have 8 players present from their drafted or subsequently expanded official roster to play a regular season game. Having fewer players will result in a 1-0 forfeit by that team.
If there are two teams forfeiting, those two teams each take a forfeit loss. Despite the forfeit, every effort will be made to play a “practice game”.
Their opponents who did not forfeit now play each other in a league game.
Walk up players will not be assigned to the practice game until all other teams have at least 10 players.
** In the case of player(s) walking off the field/quitting; the player(s) shall be suspended for two weeks. The impacted manager shall meet after the game to discuss the circumstances with the Commissioner. The manager and Commissioner shall make the final decision on the impacted player’s suspension. The Commissioner shall make known the suspension to the player(s) plus send them an email informing the impacted player(s) and manager of the two week suspension.
​