SOFTBALL

I. Rules:  The official CIF rules for softball will be used.

II. Season of Sport
League teams shall participate as per Sac Joaquin Section Bylaws:
Article 5 General Rules 511 Season of Sport
The following exception are in effect for the Trans Valley League: 
There shall be no Pitchers and Catchers early start as stated in Section Bylaw Article 5 General
Rules 511.6 Preseason Dead Periods #3.  Note: Pitcher and Catchers.
There shall be no “Limited Period” as stated in Section Bylaw Article 5 General rules 511.7 
Limited Periods a, b, c, d, and e.
*Note: 511.7 Limited Periods f. Out of Season and g. Summer Rules, are in effect

III. Number of Officials:  Varsity league games require two umpires.  Frosh-Soph games require only one official.  Varsity games will be played with only one official if necessary.  The specified waiting time for the full complement of officials is thirty minutes.  If only two officials show up, they will split to cover varsity and Frosh-Soph games.  Refer to TVL Constitution—General Policies-#17

IV. Starting Time:  Starting time will be 3:30 p.m.  After daylight savings, starting time will be 4:30 p.m.  Night games may be scheduled.  Regularly scheduled day games shall be finished under the lights if available. (8/01)

V. Warm up:  The home team must have completed its use of the field for warn up purposes fifteen (15) minutes before game time.  The visiting team shall have the use of the field for warm up purposes the fifteen (15) minutes prior to game time.

VI. Postponements:  Postponed games are to be scheduled for the next non conflicting date.
    A. Tied and/or suspended games during the first round are to be completed the day of the second round game between the same two teams.  The game is to be continued from the point of suspension.  The regularly scheduled game is to start 15 minutes after completion of the suspended game or sooner if both coaches agree.
    B. Tied and/or suspended games during the second round of league play are to be completed from the point of suspension, at the home team’s field, on the next non conflicting date.
    C. Immediately after a tie or suspended game the two coaches will compare scorebooks to make sure they are consistent.  Home team book is official.

VII. Official Ball:  CIF approved.

VIII. League Champion and Section Playoff Seeding:  TVL Champion will be decided by best win-loss record.  In case of a tie for first place, there will be co-champions.  The format for determining league representation to playoffs will be as follows:
    A. Head to head record within the tie.  The team with the best head to head record within the tie shall represent the league as the higher seed in the section playoffs.
    B. Point total.  Each team will be assigned a point value based on their league record at the end of the season.  The best record will receive 7 points, second best 6 points, continuing down to the worst record receiving 1 point.  Teams with the same record will split the total points for the spots that they represent.  Example: two teams finish tied for first at 13-1 would be assigned a point value of 6 1/2 points each, 1/2 of 7+6.  Points are accumulated for each win based on this assigned value of the teams played in league.  Seeding would then be decided by the highest point totals of the teams involved in the head to head tie.
    C. Team least scored upon.  Team with the least total runs scored against them in league play.
    D. League playoff or coin flip.  If any teams contending for a playoff spot are still tied after stages (a), (b) and (C) have been completed, there may be a coin flip (all coaches involved must agree) or playoff at a neutral site with all remaining tied teams.  In the event that there are more than two teams left at this stage, match ups will be determined by a coin flip.  Example; teams A, team B and team C are still tied at this stage.  During the blind draw teams B and C are drawn.  They will play the first playoff game (or they may agree to flip a coin) and team A will then play the winner, or they may elect to flip a coin.


XIX. Awards:  Refer to TVL Constitution—Financial Section III Awards.

X.  Honorable Mention:  Only those student athletes receiving a nomination (according to the bylaws for each sport) for all league shall be considered honorable mention.  There will be no additional nominations for this honor

XI. No batting practice before a league game once the school day has ended.  No pitching machines.   No live pitching in a batting cage.   Use of wiffle balls OK.  Soft toss OK.



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