12U-D League Softball Rules (2023 Rules Update: Due to enrollment numbers MJBSA will be playing a 12U for 2023 Spring/Summer season)
Marysville Junior Baseball & Softball Association (MJBSA)
League will follow OHSAA official fast pitch softball rules with the following exceptions: (Revision Date: March 15, 2023)
• Age Qualifications
1. Age shall be as of January 1.
• Playing Field
1. Pitching and base path distances
▪ Pitching: 35ft.
▪ Base Path: 60ft.
2. Umpire is required: Shall not be a relative of a player. Umpire must be 13 years old or older.
• Equipment
1. Batting helmets with face guard and chin strap are mandatory.
2. Will use an 11” softball. (Yellow in color).
3. Home team will provide (1) new and (1) good used ball for each home game.
4. Shoes are required equipment. Shoe sole or heal projection other than the standard shoe plate are prohibited. Metal toe
plates and metal cleats are prohibited.
• Player Substitutions
1. Teams may borrow up to (3) players from a lower division. If an area does not have a lower division, they may borrow
from another league’s lower division team.
2. Borrowed players from a lower division must be on a Marysville or Raymond League roster. Games may be played with 8 players, without penalty. Five of those players must be on the team roster. Example: With (7) roster players you may borrow (3) players from lower division to make a team of (10). With (5) roster players you may still only borrow (3) players to make a team of (8).
3. No borrowed player will be permitted to play if a full line up of roster players is present and able to play.
4. Borrowed players may play in any fielding position.
5. Must bat all available players, open substitutions will apply. If a player gets injured or has to leave the game for any reason while using continuous batting order, that player is then skipped in the batting order with no out taken. This player may also re-enter in a later inning.
6. Play with (6) infielders and (4) outfielders.
• Games
1. Innings: 6; Official Game: 4
2. 7 runs per inning limit.
3. No new inning shall be started after 1 hour and 45 minutes from the start of the game, unless in the event of a tie.
4. In the event of a tie at the end of 6 innings or time limit, you will play until tie is broken or up to 2 extra innings, if at the
end of the 2nd extra inning there is still a tie, it remains a tie.
5. A pitcher entering the game for the 1st time will be allowed (5) warm up pitches. A pitcher re- entering will be allowed (3) warm up pitches. If the pitcher hits 2 girls in a row or 3 girls in an inning, she must be removed for that inning only and may return, however, if she hits a 4th in a game she must be removed from the pitching position for the remainder of the game.
6. Pitchers may pitch a maximum of 4 innings per game (free substitution). Any pitches thrown will constitute an inning.
7. No infield warm-up is permitted after the first inning
8. No coaching from the pitchers’ mound, while the ball is in play.
• Official rosters
1. Official rosters must contain
▪ Team name, area, age division
▪ Coaches name, phone number
▪ Players name, DOB
2. Players may only be on (1) Marysville League fast pitch roster.
3. Rosters must be presented to the opposing coach at the 1st scheduled game with that team. Players may be added to a roster up to the 3rd game of the season by contacting the league president. Final rosters must be presented to the tournament director prior to the 1st game of the tournament.
4. Final rosters must contain a minimum of (8) players and a maximum of (20).
5. No boys are permitted to play in the Marysville League games or tournaments.
• Pitching Control/Hit Batter Rule: If a pitcher hits two (2) batters in a row or three (3) total in an inning they must be pulled. They can re-enter to the pitching position and hit a max of four (4) batters in a game before being pulled for the remainder of the game from the pitching position.
• A player may steal 2nd and 3rd base only. A player may only steal (1) base at a time per pitched ball. No player is permitted to steal while the coach is pitching. A batter hit while the coach is pitching will not be awarded first base. Home base may be stolen ONLY if the catcher throws to anyone but the pitcher. No stealing ever on an overthrow to the pitcher.
• Base runners cannot advance once the pitcher has control of the ball inside the pitchers circle.
• Bunting is permitted, except off of the coach pitching. Slug bunting is not prohibited. However, a batter may not show bunt and draw defense up and then pull back and take a full swing, full power – sometimes referred to as a “slug bunt” actually a fake bunt. This will not be tolerated and any coach found teaching this is in the 12U league will be disciplined. A slap bunt is allowed. Separating the hands to bunt does this, then sliding the lower hand to meet the top hand where the top hand is when in the bunting position. The swing is taken from there. Not drawn back with full power swing, but just the opposite – from the bunting position and no power. The idea is to move the defense and “slap it” where they are not.
• A runner may advance (1) base only on an overthrow from a ball that is in play by an infield player. Advance at your own risk. No additional bases will be granted on any additional overthrows per play.
• The batter is out on a dropped 3rd strike. The ball is live and the runners on 1st and 2nd may advance at their own risk.
• No illegal pitches shall be called. Coaches and/or umpires must address the illegal pitch immediately with the pitcher.
•Batters can not be walked. If a pitcher throws ball four the offensive coach will throw a max of three pitches from the pitchers plate. Batters must hit one of the pitches or they will be recorded as a out. The ball and strike count will remain in effect and umpire will call ball and strikes. If the third and final pitch is fouled off then the batter gets another pitch, this will be the case until a ball is put in play or the batter strikes out. If a coached pitched ball hits a batter, then the batter shall not get 1st base and the pitched ball will be considered one of the max three pitches.
Example 1: If a batter has 2 strikes when the coach comes in to pitch and throws a pitch that is a strike called or swinging, the batter is out after only 1 pitch.
Example 2: If a batter has 2 strikes when the coach comes in to pitch and throws a called ball, the batter has two remaining pitches to put the ball in play or be out.
Example 3: If a batter has 1 strike when the coach comes in to pitch and two swinging or called strikes then the batter is out.
Example 4: If a batter has 0 strikes when the coach comes in to pitch then the batter will get the maximum three pitches to put the ball in play.
• The player playing pitcher position must stand on either side or behind the coach that is pitching with at least one foot in the circle.
• No bunting, stealing, or advancing on passed balls when the coach is pitching. If a batted ball hits the coach then it is declared a dead ball/no pitch and does not count against the max three pitches.
• A coach must throw a flat pitch from the pitching rubber that is consistent in speed with the pitches thrown by the players in the league. Each illegal pitch will count as one of the 3 pitches for each batter.
• Infield fly rule does not apply
• Runners may leave their base at the release of the pitch.
• The 4 outfielders must be in a normal playing position. Depending on the size of the field it can be defined as the edge of the grass or an approximation of 15 ft. beyond the base paths.
• If a player gets hurt on a batted ball, play stops and runner is awarded the next base.
o Thrown Bat Rule - The first offense both teams will be warned, umpire will tell both head coaches, no matter which team was the offender, both teams get warned. Each offense after the first the batter is out and runners may advance at their own will.
Tournament - Rules will be the same as league rules with the following exceptions.
1. Trophies of at least (7) inches tall shall be provided to the 1st place team/coach and trophies at least (5) inches tall, not
to exceed the height of the 1st place trophy, shall be presented to the 2nd place team/coach.
2. To qualify for tournament play, a roster player must have participated in at least 50% of the Marysville League game
schedule. Injury exceptions will be determined by the league representatives. Current season score books must be
available upon request.
3. All protests are to refer to OHSAA and Marysville League rules and are to be resolved immediately. Home plate umpire’s
decision is final.