Official rules and regulations for Mellennial Sports Co-Ed Softball
Maximum players on field: 10 players (8 male, 2 female)
Minimum players required: 8 players (2 females required)
Female participation: 2 females must be on the field at all times
Batting lineup: All players present must bat (up to 15 players maximum)
9th batter: Automatic out if fewer than 10 players on roster
Pitching style: ASA arc pitch (6–12 feet arc)
Pitching distance: 46 feet from home plate
Illegal pitch: Results in a ball unless the batter swings
Softballs (ASA-approved)
Bases and safety equipment
Gloves (must be worn in the field)
Composite bats (ASA/USA-approved with certification sticker only)
Pitchers must wear face masks (no exceptions)
Catchers should wear masks at all times behind the plate
Metal cleats (soft cleats only)
Bunting
Ball Replacement Fee: If a team loses a game ball, a $10 replacement fee will apply. All teams are responsible for retrieving foul balls and home run balls.
Maximum: 10 players on the field at once
Infielders: No more than 6 infielders (including pitcher and catcher)
Outfielders: Must start at least 10 yards behind the infield and remain there until the ball is hit
Female requirement: At least 2 females must be on the field at all times
If only 1 female is present, the missing female's spot results in an automatic out, and the team plays one player short
No home run limit: Unlimited home runs per game
Maximum roster: 25 players
Maximum batting lineup: 15 players
All players present on the team must bat
After the 10th batter, the lineup must alternate male-female
No more than 4 men may bat in a row
Players must participate in at least 3 games to be eligible for playoffs
All players must play at least 1 game per week for a minimum of 3 weeks to qualify for playoffs
Bye weeks count as games played only if the player is on the official roster
No substitutes allowed during playoffs (except in case of injury)
Rosters must be submitted by the registration deadline
Teams may resubmit rosters within the first 3 weeks to account for injuries
Each player's games will be recorded
After Week 3: Only players on the official roster may play
After Week 6: No roster replacements allowed unless the team cannot field at least 6 players
Rosters will be strictly enforced
For medical, injury, or relocation cases, proof must be submitted to Mellennial Sports before replacing the player
Replacements within Weeks 1–3 must pay a $60 (three-game sub fee) to be eligible for the remainder of the season (including playoffs)
Outside subs are allowed during the regular season to fill the 10th spot, avoiding a shortened roster
Players from other teams in the league are not allowed to sub unless approved by the opposing team captain
If the opposing captain agrees, the game can proceed and may or may not count officially—it's the opposing team's decision
$20 sub fee
Must sign waiver before the start of the game
You must wear a T-shirt closely matching team colors
No subs are allowed during playoffs (except in the case of injury)
Subs must participate by Week 3 of the regular season to be eligible for playoffs
A courtesy runner may be used in the case of injury
Pinch runner rule: Last reported out (guy for guy, girl for girl); unlimited use
Regular season: 7 innings or 1 hour and 5 minutes, whichever comes first
Official game requirements: 5 full innings (or 4½ innings if the home team is ahead)
Extra innings: Allowed in playoffs if the game is tied and time permits
Last inning: Will always be completed, regardless of time
15
run lead after 4 innings
12
run lead after 5 innings
10
run lead after 6 innings
No warm-up pitches allowed between innings
Teams should hustle on and off the field
Pitchers are allowed 3 warm-up pitches in the first inning they take the mound
Players should arrive early and give themselves ample time to warm up before the game begins
If rain ends the game before 5 innings (or 4½ with home team leading), the entire game will be replayed
If rain ends the game after the 5th inning, the result stands based on the last completed inning
Games are played rain or shine unless conditions are hazardous
Mellennial Sports will only cancel games when absolutely necessary
If a cancellation occurs, all players will be notified via text message and social media no less than 2 hours before game time
Game time is forfeit time
Games start on schedule with a 15-minute grace period
After the grace period, a forfeit is declared
If 10 players arrive at game time: Game begins immediately
If 9 players arrive: Team can wait until forfeit time without penalty
Late arrivals: Players arriving late may be added to the end of the batting order
The umpire will conduct a coin toss between the two team captains at the start of every game
During playoffs, the team with the better record receives home field advantage
The winning captain chooses whether to bat first or take the field (designating home or away)
Each team must present a lineup at this time
Captains should confirm ground rules, including home run limits and ground rule doubles
Games begin with a 1–1 count
One courtesy foul ball is allowed after two strikes
If a foul ball is caught in play but the fielder's momentum carries them out of play, runners are granted one base
At least one foot must remain in the batter's box during the at-bat
If both feet are out of the box during a live at-bat, this results in an automatic out
If a male batter is walked without a strike and a female is on deck, the female may choose to walk or bat
If a strike is thrown, the female must bat
The male does not advance extra bases
If a female is on deck, she must be announced
If a male batter bats in place of a female, the inning ends immediately. The lineup must be corrected, and the female batter leads off the next inning.
All players present must be in the batting order
Field players must also be in the batting order, but not all batters are required to play the field
Players cannot be removed from the batting order unless due to injury or extenuating circumstances
Teams may bat up to 15 players
If the error is caught during the at-bat: The correct batter assumes the current count
If the incorrect batter reaches base and the mistake is caught before the next pitch: The correct batter is out, and runners return to their previous bases
If the next pitch has been made: The incorrect batter's action stands
ASA arc pitch: 6–12 feet arc
Illegal pitch: Results in a ball unless the batter swings
If the batter swings at an illegal pitch, the ball is live and the outcome of the swing stands
When it applies: Fewer than two outs with runners on 1st and 2nd or bases loaded
Call: A fly ball in the infield with significant height and deemed an easy catch will result in the batter being called out
Result: The play is dead
If the ball hits the plate or mat, it is a strike
Soccer goals or benches: If a ball hits or enters the soccer goals or benches, it is a ground-rule double
Players must raise their hands to signal to the umpire
Ball bounces over fence: If the ball bounces over the fence in fair territory, it is a ground-rule double
No leading off or stealing: Violations result in the runner being called out
Base path rule: A runner who moves more than two steps out of the base path is out
Fielder blocking: If a fielder is blocking a base without possession of the ball, the runner is safe (fielder's interference)
Retouch rule: The runner must notify the umpire when retouching a base
Runners must avoid contact with fielders attempting to field a hit
Runners must also avoid base coaches
Contact with a coach is interference and results in an out
It is the runner's responsibility to avoid collisions whenever possible
Malicious contact will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct
A runner hit with a batted ball in fair territory is out (runner's interference)
A ball thrown out of play results in the runner being awarded the base they are advancing to
If a ball touches equipment (glove, bat, etc.) left outside the dugout, the runner advances one base
Runner must step on orange safety bag when running to first base
Stepping on the white bag is an automatic out
First baseman must step on the white bag on a force play to record an out
If the first baseman steps on the orange safety bag to record an out on a force play, the runner is automatically safe
Sliding is allowed at all bases
No head-first sliding at home plate or first base
A forfeit will result in a 15-run penalty against the forfeiting team
Forfeits are recorded on the team's standings
1. First Offense: Loss of game
2. Second Offense: Loss of game and removal from playoffs
3. Third Offense: Removal from the rest of the schedule and no refund
If you know in advance that your team will forfeit:
Contact Mellennial Sports at least 3 hours before game time
If your decision to forfeit is made less than 3 hours before game time:
Still contact Mellennial Sports immediately
If we successfully notify the other team in time to prevent them from showing up, no additional penalty will be applied
If you fail to notify and the other team arrives, your team will be eliminated from the rest of the schedule
If you field a team using players from within Mellennial Sports (not from other teams in your league), the game can still be played
If you use players from another team in the same league, the game counts as a forfeit (though a scrimmage may still be played)
If you do not have enough players to start, the game will be considered a forfeit after 20 minutes
Mellennial Sports Forfeit Prevention: Mellennial Sports strongly discourages forfeits. Your teammates and opponents rely on your participation to ensure a full roster and competitive game. At check-in, please notify umpires if your team knows it will be short on players or currently has low attendance. Umpires will assist in making sure a game is played—whether official or scrimmage—on every field.
Only the team captain is permitted to ask the head umpire for rule clarifications
Judgment calls made by the umpire may not be questioned by players or captains
However, umpires may confer with each other and team captains to discuss calls if they choose (at the discretion of the umpire)
At Mellennial Sports, the ultimate goal is for everyone to have fun
While games can get competitive, all players must maintain good sportsmanship at all times
Any behavior or abusive language directed at another player or umpire that is deemed unacceptable by the umpire may result in suspension or ejection from the game or league
Unsportsmanlike conduct may result in player/team suspension or removal from future Mellennial Sports activities, at the discretion of Mellennial Sports umpires
Once a game has been played: No refunds will be issued
Before the season starts: You may be eligible for a refund upon consultation with management
Team rankings will be determined using the following criteria, in order:
Ranking Points
Win = 3, Tie = 1, Loss = 0
Win Percentage
Head-to-Head Record
Runs Against
Once teams are seeded (1–4), rankings are finalized
If a team forfeits during playoffs, the 1st place team has priority to secure a spot in the championship
Playoff Seeding Example:
If the 3rd place team forfeits, teams will be reseeded. It would become 2nd place vs. 4th place, with the winner advancing to play the 1st place team in the championship.
Roster changes: No substitutes allowed during playoffs (except in the case of injury)
Game timing: Extra innings are allowed if the game is tied and time permits
Playoff eligibility: Only players who participated in at least 3 regular season games are eligible
All rules are subject to clarification by Mellennial Sports management
For questions or rule disputes, contact Mellennial Sports directly
Rules may be updated at the discretion of Mellennial Sports before the season
If you have any questions about these rules or need clarification, our team is here to help. Contact us anytime!