2026 Friday Morning League Rules Feb 8, 2026
The Friday Morning League (FML) rules supplement the current USA rules (https://www.usasoftball.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2026/01/USAS-2026-Rulebook_Digital.pdf) with the following:
Draft and Players
All registered players will be drafted in a serpentine manner to fill up all teams.
Each manager will be evaluated by the board and other managers and be given a specific round in which they must draft themselves during the serpentine draft.
Managers will draw numbers to determine the order of selection.
If there are more players in the draft pool resulting in an unequal number of players on a team (i.e., 68 draftees support six 11-man teams, leaving 2 extra players), a draw will be held before the draft to determine which team(s) will receive an additional player.
All managers will participate in the extra-player(s)’ draft to occur in the middle of the draft in an attempt to maintain parity. After drafting those players, the serpentine draft will continue from where it left off.
Player(s) registering after the draft will become pool player(s) assigned an appropriate draft round.
Pool players are not guaranteed to play but can be called upon as a like-for-like substitute player.
Pool player(s) may play any position, be a courtesy runner, and bat anywhere in the lineup.
Player Substitutes: every manager must strive to find a substitute on a like-for-like basis.
When trying to replace an 11th rounder, strive for another 11th rounder, but if none are available then you can pick up a 10th rounder.
If no like-for-like can be found, the manager needs the agreement from the opposing manager to use a higher ranked player, else play shorthanded.
The league is based on “Fun, Fitness, Fellowship, & Fairplay.” In the spirit of fairplay, don’t abuse asking to use a better player substitute.
If playing shorthanded, an “Out” will be called EACH TIME for the missing player(s)’ at-bat slot.
If a player is injured during the game, the manager should attempt to replace him with an available player waiting at the fields on a like-for-like basis, else coordinate with the other manager.
When a player is lost permanently (injury/illness, retiring, moving, etc.), at the discretion of the board with league parity in mind, a pool player (of near-equal draft round) MAY be assigned to that team.
With 11 player rosters, we will field & bat all 11 players (5 outfielders).
The 5 outfielders must all start beyond the 160-foot arc in the outfield at the time the ball is hit.
Games:
All games are scheduled for 75-minutes which should allow for a full 7 innings. However, if the time limit is reached without the open inning, time will be extended to allow a final declared Open Inning.
No Tie-Breaker inning will be played, even if time allows.
Run Scoring:
Each team may score no more than 5 runs per inning until the last inning.
Open Inning (either the 7th or the final declared inning), the visiting team may score 10 runs if leading, or 10 runs more than the home team if the home team is ahead. The home team will then bat in an attempt to win the game in their half of the inning.
When the visiting team is leading by 7 runs or more at the start of the open inning (7th or last declared inning), the flip/flop rule will apply. The home team will bat first in the final inning in an attempt to overcome the deficit. If the home team does not make up the deficit, the game is over. If the home team takes the lead, the visiting team will bat in the bottom half of the inning in an attempt to win the game.
A maximum of two over the fence home runs per game per team are allowed. Additional home runs will be recorded as a single base hit with no other base runner advancement unless it is forced.
Run scoring line. When running from third to home, the base runner will follow on or outside the secondary line towards the run scoring line in the effort to avoid Homeplate and thus a potential collision with the catcher.
The run scoring line shall be located from the left front corner (3rd base side) of home plate on a direct line from 1st base.
With the intent to avoid collisions with the catcher at home-plate, a runner crossing any part of the 3rd base side batter’s mat will be called out.
Commitment Line: Once the runner touches on or over the commitment line (located 40-feet from 3rd base, and perpendicular to the third base line), he/she must continue towards the run scoring line.
The foot must contact the ground; breaking the plane doesn’t count.
Runs are recorded when the base runner touches the run scoring line (or the ground beyond). If the ball is in the possession of a defensive player while touching any part of the strike mat before the base runner touches the run scoring line (or the ground beyond), an out is recorded.
Defensive players may not tag the base runner once they have crossed the commitment line.
Sliding is prohibited at the run scoring line with the exception of tripping or unintentionally falling.
Sliding into the run scoring line will result in an out.
Sliding to avoid contact with a defensive player is interpreted as Interference: the run scores.
Equipment:
FML players may only use certified/approved bats per the USAS Rulebook (page 30: Rule 3, Section 1). An appointed board member will verify each bat and provide an applicable year FML sticker.
All female players (and male players who become age 70 any time during the current year) may use any certified bat with a 1.21 BPF compression or less certification.
It becomes the responsibility for all players (especially team managers) to ensure only approved bats are used during FML games, AND only females and age-appropriate males use the 1.21 BPF bats.
FML uses a strike mat that goes over home plate for calling balls and strikes.
Playing Field and Game Rules:
The playing field consists of 65-foot bases with the pitching rubber located 50 feet from home plate.
Two bases are located along the first base line for safety. The white, infield side base is for the defensive player’s use, and the orange (outside the foul line) base is to be used by the offensive player when running to first.
If the defensive player is retrieving the ball from foul territory, he/she then uses the orange base while the offensive runner goes for the inside white bag.
Pitcher’s equipment:
All pitchers must use either the pitching screen or a pitcher’s helmet that covers the temple and crown of the head. Fielder masks are not allowed as they don’t offer the protection needed.
Example images are added at the end of the rules.
Umpires shall be diligent in the call and enforcement of the pitching screen rule (see 3d below). The pitching screen will be located at a distance not to exceed 6’ forward of the pitching rubber. At least the frame’s outside edge must overlap with the rubber-edge of the pitcher’s glove hand as viewed from Homeplate.
Pitchers using the pitching screen must be entirely behind the screen after delivery of every pitch and remain entirely behind the screen until the ball is hit by the batter.
Any batted ball hitting the pitching screen will be declared a dead ball. Thrown or kicked balls hitting the screen will be treated as live balls.
At any time the ball is hit and the pitcher fields (or touches) the ball when he/she was not entirely behind the screen at the time of the hit, after the play is dead (time called), the umpire announces the infraction. The batter then has the options of:
the result of the play, or
dead-ball take a walk, or
Declared dead ball as if the ball hit the pitching screen. The batter keeps batting with the same pre-swing count.
Any pitch (6 – 12’ pitch arc) hitting the black or white portion of the strike mat is a strike. An illegal pitch will be called by the umpire on pitches that in the umpire’s opinion are outside the 6’-12’ pitch arc.
Batters start with a one ball and one strike pitch count. After two strikes the batter receives one courtesy foul ball. Any additional foul ball is recorded as an out (except as noted in the pitcher screen rule).
Base runners must attempt to avoid contact by either sliding or veering away from a player attempting to record a force out at second or third base. Avoidable contact by the base runner will result in the base runner being called out.
If the umpire determines that the contact (or threat of interference) resulted in a fielder being unable to complete a double play, both the runner at the base tagged and the runner involved at the other bag shall be called out. The throw must be attempted; it is up to the umpire’s judgment whether a throw could have resulted in the double-play.
Outfielders must line up behind the white chalked line in the outfield at the beginning of each pitched ball. The chalked line will run in an arc 160 feet from home plate, from the left field foul line to the right field foul line. All outfielders will be required to remain behind this line until the ball is hit.
If the ball is hit while an outfielder is in front of the line, the batting team will be given the option of taking the result of the play or replaying the pitch. If the pitch is not hit, there is no penalty, but the offending outfielder will be given a warning by the umpire.
Throwing Batters out at 1st Base
Batters may only be thrown out at 1st base by the pitcher, catcher or an infielder. Any batted ball through the infield that touches the grass is treated as an automatic base hit.
Once the ball touches the grass, even the infielder can no longer throw the runner out at 1st base.
Balls fielded by outfielders may not be thrown to first base to record a force out. Outfielders may throw the ball to 2nd, 3rd, or home plate to attempt to record a tag or force out at any of those bases.
However, if the batter rounds the base in an attempt to advance, he/she may be thrown/tagged out per normal play.
Infielders may not attempt to complete a double play by receiving the ball from the outfield for the force at their base and then throw out the batter at first base.
Outfielders catching a fly ball may throw out a base runner at any base where he did not tag up.
Courtesy Runners:
Courtesy runners are allowed for any base runner, except:
A courtesy runner cannot replace another courtesy runner.
If a player has had a courtesy runner during an inning, that player may not run for someone else during that same inning.
A team may utilize an unlimited number of courtesy runners per inning, as long as no player courtesy-runs more than once per inning. A player may courtesy run an unlimited number of times per game.
If a courtesy runner is on base and it is his/her turn at bat, the courtesy runner will be recorded as an out on base by the umpire but does not lose their time at bat.
A courtesy runner for the batter is NOT allowed.
[If an injury occurs during the game that hobbles a batter, and no sub is available, then the managers can get together to decide amongst themselves whether a courtesy runner will be allowed from Homeplate.]
Here are two examples of the pitcher’s helmet style mask that protect the temples and crown of the head:
|
|
|
