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Blackstone Valley Girls Softball
Major League Division Guidelines

Revised 3/25/04

General:

1. All players must be registered members of the Mendon, Northbridge, Upton or Douglas Youth Softball Leagues.

2. All players must wear uniforms consisting of shirts and hats. They must also wear rubber spikes or sneakers.

3. High School Varsity and Junior Varsity uniforms are not permitted.

4. Players are not allowed to wear jewelry of any kind.

5. Each team will field 10 players if available on defense, consisting of 4 outfielders. All outfielders must remain in the outfield
area until the ball is live. The ball is considered live when the ball is hit.

6. The decision to call a game off due to weather / field conditions will be made by the head coach of the home team scheduled
to play. The coach may cancel the game prior to the starting time.

7. Six (6) full innings define a complete game. An official game has a minimum of four (4) complete innings (3 ½ if the home team is ahead).

8. Players must remain in the dugout or on the bench when not playing in the field. The on-deck batter may warm up.

9. If the team that is at bat is leading the game at the time their turn to bat begins, then that team will be limited to scoring
(6) six additional runs during the current inning. If however the team coming to bat is trailing at the time their turn to bat begins, that
team will be allowed to score as many runs as needed until such time as their lead totals (6) six runs. Both teams will be allowed to
score unlimited runs in the last inning of the game. For the purpose of this rule, the final inning of the game is defined as either the sixth
inning or whatever inning the umpire declares to be the final inning. The declaration from the umpire must occur prior to the beginning
of any inning.

10. All injuries must be reported to the leagues of those teams participating in the game.

11. All coaches will have on hand the emergency forms (applications) at all practices and games.

12. Each team must have an emergency kit on hand with gloves, band aids, ice packs, gauze, etc.

13. A twelve (12) inch ball will be used as standard for all games.

14. Each player can only sit out one (1) consecutive inning.

15. Catchers must wear catcher's equipment as provided by the league, or equivalent, and wear personal protective equipment, as necessary,
which is furnished by the player. This rule is in effect for both games and practices.

16. The top of a new inning will not begin in any game after 7:45 PM while school is in session.

Conduct:

1. Profanity, kicking equipment or other unsportsperson like conduct by coaches, players, or parents will cause the umpire to give the team a
warning. Continuation of this behavior by a player or coach after the warning will result in ejection from the game. If a parent continues
to display unacceptable behavior after being warned, the team for whom their daughter plays may be forced to forfeit the game at the umpires
discretion.

2. Coaches shall assume the responsibility for the conduct of his or her players. They will also be responsible for assisting the umpire in
managing unacceptable behavior displayed by the parents of girls on his or her team.

3. Coaches should encourage their players to cheer for their teammates. Chanting and the singing of limericks will be allowed in this division only.

Pitching:

1. The starting pitcher, once relieved can return to pitch once during a game (provided that rule # 2 under batting has not occurred).

2. Pitchers must begin their motion with at least one foot touching the pitching rubber. All steps must be forward in motion.

3. Windmill pitching is permitted, however if a windmill delivery is to be used the pitcher must deliver the ball from a pitching rubber
that is forty (40) feet from home plate. This distance may be adjusted in to thirty five (35) feet if the adjustment is mutually agreed
upon by both coaches and the umpire in charge.

4. Pitchers will be limited to pitching half of the total innings played by their team in a given week, running Sunday to Saturday.

Base Running:

1. Stealing is permitted, the base runner is allowed to leave the base when the ball leaves The pitchers hand however, is only allowed
to steal (1) one base at a time. If an over throw occurs in an attempt to prevent a runner from stealing, the ball is considered dead and
the runner must hold their position on that base.

2. The infield fly rule will be in effect.

3. The dropped third strike rule will not be in effect.

4. If a ball is caught in the air, runners may tag up. (fair or foul territory).

5. Sliding is permitted.

6. Base runners must make every attempt to slide or avoid a collision on close plays
at all bases.

7. A ball is considered dead when it is returned to the pitcher following a play. Runners may not advance after the ball has been returned
to the pitcher on the pitcher's mound.

8. Base runners are allowed to lead / steal upon release of the ball from the pitchers hand.

9. Runners are allowed to steal home plate on passed ball only and must make every attempt to slide or avoid collisions at the plate.

Batting:

1. The batting order which is established prior to the game shall include all girls on the team that are present and shall remain unchanged
for the duration of the game. If a player arrives late they shall be added to the end of the existing batting order.

2. A batter hit by a pitch does walk. After three (3) batters are hit, the pitcher must be removed from the mound.

3. Batters should be instructed not to throw their bats. If this occurs, one warning will be given to the team. If the infraction occurs
again all other batters will be called out.

4. Batting helmets with chin straps secured must be worn while batting and running the bases.

5. Balls and strikes (with walks and strikeouts) will be called. A tipped third strike that goes directly into the catcher's mitt and is
caught will be considered a strikeout.

6. Bunting will be allowed.

Central Reporting of Scores

1. The home team will be responsible for reporting scores. The coach of the home team will post the following information
on mendonhomeplate.com.

A. The final score.
B. The names of both pitchers and the total innings that each pitcher pitched.

Note:
The guidelines contained above represent the general rules by which play is conducted. Any aspects of play which are not covered
by these documents will be governed by current USSSA Rules and Regulations as published for the upcoming year 2003 season.

Directions:
From Uxbridge, Mendon, Northbridge area:
1. Take Route 16 west into Douglas center 2. In Douglas center, turn right onto Mechanic St. (just before UniBank)
3. Follow Mechanic St. approximately 1/4 mile. 4. Just over bridge, turn left into Soldiers Field parking lots. 5. Field1 is the
Little League immediately to your right when entering the parking lot. 6. Field 2 is in the left field corner of the Babe Ruth field.

Directions:

From Uxbridge/Northbridge area: 1. Take Rte. 16 west into Douglas Center. 2. In Douglas Center, turn left onto Depot
Street (between the First Congregational Church and Douglas Historical Society) 3. Follow Depot St., until road forks
(approx. 1/4 mile). 4. Take a left onto Martin Road 5. Follow Martin Rd. past 4 corner intersection with Maple St. 6. The
entrance to the Martin Rd fields are just past this intersection on the right.

4/06/04

Rules Enforcement

All of the guidelines and rules published for the 2004 season are enforceable by the umpires and the board of directors supporting
the Blackstone Valley Girls Softball League. All on field disputes will be resolved by the umpire in charge on the field at the time the
infraction occurs. The decision of the umpire is final…Any serious infractions including issues regarding on filed conduct may
Be submitted to the board of directors of the Blackstone Valley Girls Softball League for review and potential disciplinary action. The
process for submitting Issues for review is as follows:

1. All issues must be submitted within 24 hours of their occurrence in writing to one of the members of the board of directors of the league.

League Directors

Scott Lavallee Douglas
Tony Sauter Mendon
Doug Valk Northbridge
Vanessa Majkut Upton

2. Participants involved in the issue to be addressed by the board will be notified by their respective town representative that a review of the
incident has been requested.

3. The board of directors will convene in a special session to address the issue within seven days of the written request.

4. Participants involved in the issue will be required to attend the special session of the board of directors to provide their view
of the issue being discussed.

5. The board of directors after reviewing the incident will render a decision with regard to disciplinary action based upon the severity
of the incident. Disciplinary action may range from reprimand, suspension, to permanent expulsion from league participation at the
discretion of the board.

6. The decision of the board of directors regarding league disciplinary action is final.

BVGSL 2004
MASTER COACHES
LIST

MAJOR LEAGUE

Umpiring Dave (508)

Mendon

Mendon Greenhouse Tom Grady HC (508) 273-2843

Lowells Restaurant Tom Hackenson HC (508) 473-9582

Douglas

Up-Town Trucking Scott Lavallee HC (508) 476-4473
(508) 612-0836 - cell

Northbridge

Blackstone Valley Vets Tony Ohman HC (508) 234-6148
Kim Smith AC (508) 234-0187