Prime Time Softball League

Official Rules – 2025

1. GAMES WILL LAST 7 INNINGS OR NO NEW INNING WILL START AFTER 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES. IN THE EVENT OF A TIE, EXTRA INNINGS WILL BE ALLOWED ONLY BASED ON TIME REMAINING, OTHERWISE IT WILL BE SCORED AS A TIE IN THE STANDINGS. THE UMPIRE WILL DETERMINE OFFICIAL GAME TIME. LAST OUT OF PREVIOUS INNING WILL BE THE START OF THE NEW INNING. YOU MUST BE PREPARED TO PLAY AT OFFICIAL GAME TIME. LASTLY, NO NEW INNING WILL START AFTER 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES IF ONE TEAM IS BEATING ANOTHER TEAM BY 15 OR MORE RUNS.
   
2. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY:
   1. SCANNED INDIVIDUAL RELEASE FORMS AND SCANNED ROSTERS WITH NO LIMIT OF LEGITIMATE PLAYERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 13, 2025 (NO EXCEPTIONS) ! ROSTERS MAY BE SUBMITTED AT THE MANAGERS MEETING OR EMAILED TO TOM OSERANSKY. PLEASE EMAIL THE INDIVIDUAL RELEASE FORMS FOR YOUR TEAM IN ONE EMAIL. A TEAM WILL RECEIVE FORFEITS AND MAY BE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE THIRD WEEK OF PLAY IF THE ROSTER AND RELEASE FORMS ARE NOT RECEIVED. THE RELEASES MUST BE SIGNED BY INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS AND THE ROSTERS MUST BE SIGNED BY THE TEAM MANAGER.
      ROSTERS MUST INCLUDE PLAYERS NAME AND WORK POSITION ON SHOW. PLAYERS MUST BE PART OF THE SHOW’S CURRENT PRODUCTION. THIS INCLUDES ALL CAST, CREW, STAFF AND IMMEDIATE FAMILY (SPOUSE, DOMESTIC PARTNER, CHILDREN, SIBLINGS, PARENTS) OF THOSE PERSONNEL. A TEAM MAY INCLUDE PLAYERS FROM A SHOW WHICH IS PRODUCED BY THE SAME PRODUCTION COMPANY. THE RULES ABOVE APPLY TO THESE PLAYERS AS WELL. ANY NEW ADDITIONS TO A ROSTER MUST BE SUBMITTED IMMEDIATELY ON AN ORIGINAL ADD FORM. NO NEW ADDITIONS WILL BE ALLOWED AFTER THE FIFTH WEEK OF PLAY.
   2. EVERY PLAYER MUST HAVE THEIR PICTURE ID WITH THEM FOR ALL OF THE POST SEASON GAMES. THE PTSL IS ALLOWING ONE PROTOEST WITH UP TO 3 PLAYERS IN QUESTION OF PLAYER LEGITIMACY BASED ON RULE 2A PER GAME. A PROTEST FEE OF $40 MUST BE GIVEN TO THE UMPIRE(reimbursed if protested players are proven illegal).
   3. The Player(s) protest must be brought to the attention of the umpire before the completion of the game. The umpire will IMMEDIATELY present the protest to the opposing Manager. The game is then “Played under Protest” and the player(s) MUST present the proper ID to the umpire before or during the Protested Player’s teams current Offensive Inning or the beginning of the next Offensive half inning (if the team is in the field).
   4. If the Player presents his/her proper ID, the player’s name(s) will be forwarded to the PTSL Board for verification and a ruling will be made accordingly. If a protested player does NOT show his/her proper ID the result MAY end in a forfeit.
   5. LET’S HOPE THIS IS NOT NECESSARY.
3. IN ORDER TO PLAY 10 PLAYERS, A MINIMUM OF TWO WOMEN MUST PLAY. YOU MAY PLAY NINE PLAYERS INCLUDING ONE WOMAN WITH THE 10th BATTING POSITION COUNTED AS AN OUT. NO WOMEN IS CONSIDERED A FORFEIT. TWO WOMEN OR ONE WITH AN OUT MUST COME WITHIN THE FIRST TEN BATTING POSITIONS. YOUNG PLAYERS (MALE OR FEMALE) BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14-17 CAN PLAY ONLY IF THERE IS A DISCRETIONARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH MANAGERS AND A RELEASE HAS BEEN SIGNED BY A PARENT. GENDER FOR GENDER. MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 ARE UNFORTUNATELY NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY FOR SAFETY REASONS.
   
4. THERE WILL BE A FIVE-MINUTE GRACE PERIOD TO FIELD EIGHT PLAYERS. IF A TEAM CAN FIELD EIGHT PLAYERS INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO WOMEN, THERE WILL BE NO PENALTIES . IF A TEAM CAN FIELD EIGHT PLAYERS WITH ONLY ONE WOMAN, THE NINTH POSITION IN THE BATTING ORDER WILL BE AN OUT.
   
5. BATTERS WILL START WITH A COUNT OF ONE BALL AND ONE STRIKE. WITH TWO STRIKES, THE BATTER IS ALLOWED ONE FOUL BALL AND THE SECOND FOUL IS CONSIDERED STRIKE THREE.
   
6. RUNNERS MAY LEAD OFF ONCE THE PITCHER HAS RELEASED THE PITCH AND PICKOFFS ARE ALLOWED, WHICH WILL BE A FORCE PLAY. THE RUNNER CAN ONLY ADVANCE ON A BAD THROW TO THEIR BASE OR IF THE BALL IS HIT.
   
7. FIVE INNINGS WILL CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE GAME IF STOPPED DUE TO RAIN OR OTHER UNCONTROLLABLE FACTORS.
   
8. THE PITCH MUST BE OVER THE BATTERS HEAD AND THERE IS NO LIMIT WITH REGARDS TO THE HEIGHT OF THE PITCH.
   
9. MANAGERS MUST BRING ONE NEW BALL AND ONE GOOD BACK-UP BALL TO EACH GAME. THE NEW GAME BALL WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU AHEAD OF TIME BY THE LEAGUE.
   
10. DUE TO THE PARKS’ RULES AND REGULATIONS, ALCOHOL IS NOT PERMITTED ON THE FIELDS OR PREMISES AT ANY TIME. WE WILL LOSE OUR PERMITS AND THE RIGHT TO USE ANY FIELDS IF YOU DO NOT ABIDE BY THIS RULE. NOT TO MENTION THE FORFEIT OF TEAM FEES. THOSE CAUGHT WITH ALCOHOL WILL FORFEIT THEIR NEXT GAME. A SECOND OFFENSE WILL REMOVE THE TEAM FROM THE LEAGUE. THIS INCLUDES FANS.
    
11. THE UMPIRE WILL KEEP THE OFFICIAL SCORE. EACH MANAGER SHOULD KEEP A SCORE BOOK WITH HIS/HER TEAMS PERFORMANCE. MANAGERS SHOULD CHECK THE SCORE WITH THE UMPIRE AT THE END OF EACH INNING. RESULTS AND STANDINGS WILL BE UPDATED EACH WEEK AT PTSL.NET.
    
12. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE REGULAR SEASON, THE TOP FOUR TEAMS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. IN CASE OF REGULAR SEASON TIES, TEAM vs TEAM AND/OR RECORD vs SAME TEAMS WILL BE CONSIDERED. A LOTTERY SYSTEM MAY BE USED FOR SEEDING PURPOSES IF NECESSARY.
    
13. EACH TEAM WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A SEASON SCHEDULE VIA OUR WEBSITE (www.PTSL.net) AND YOU SHOULD SHARE THAT WEBSITE WITH ALL OF YOUR PLAYERS. DIVISIONS AND SCHEDULES WERE APPOINTED SOLELY UPON A LOTTERY SYSTEM. EACH TEAM WILL HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF HOME GAMES.
    
14. IF THERE ARE ANY DISCREPANCIES DURING PLAY WHICH CAN’T BE SETTLED BY THE UMPIRE WITH THE MANAGERS, A PROTEST SHOULD BE MADE TO THE PTSL BOARD. THE UMPIRE MUST BE MADE AWARE THAT A PROTEST IS BEING MADE AND A PROTEST FEE OF $40 MUST BE GIVEN TO THE UMPIRE. THIS FEE WILL BE REFUNDED IF THE PROTEST IS ALLOWED. THE PROTEST MUST BE FILED NO LATER THAN THE MONDAY AFTER THE GAME IS PLAYED BY THE PROTESTING MANAGER TO A BOARD MEMBER IN WRITING. THE BOARD WILL REVIEW ANY SUCH PROTEST AND RULE ON IT BY THE NEXT WEEKS GAMES. YOU CANNOT PROTEST A JUDGEMENT CALL. A MAXIMUM OF TWO PLAYERS ELIGIBILITY MAY BE CHALLENGED PER OPPOSING TEAM PER GAME. LET’S HOPE THIS PROCESS IS NOT NECESSARY.
    
15. IF AN UMPIRE EJECTS A PLAYER FROM A GAME, HE/SHE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN THE TEAMS NEXT GAME. IF THIS PLAYER PLAYS IN THE NEXT GAME OR IS EJECTED A SECOND TIME DURING THE SEASON, HE/SHE WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN LEAGUE GAMES. IF HE/SHE DOES PLAY AFTER EJECTION FROM THE LEAGUE, THAT TEAM WILL FORFEIT ALL GAMES THAT THE EJECTED PLAYER PARTICIPATED IN. AGAIN, THIS LEAGUE IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED BY ALL AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM.
    
16. IN CASE OF RAIN, PLEASE REFER TO PTSL.NET FOR UPDATES. ALL GAMES GO ON AS SCHEDULED UNLESS PTSL.NET INSTRUCTS DIFFERENTLY. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS.
    
17. NO BASEBALL, TITANIUM, COMPOSITE OR MULTI-WALL BATS MAY BE USED AT ANYTIME. If an illegal bat is discovered being used, the player caught using the bat will be called out and any runners who advanced will return to their original bases. The umpire or opposing team must notice the illegal bat before the next batter has been pitched to. If a team gets caught with an illegal bat for the second time, the player caught using the bat will be ejected from the game and suspended for one additional game. If a team is caught for the third time they will forfeit the game in progress and the next game as well. If a team gets caught for the fourth time, they will be removed from the league. (See the L A Recreation & Parks current list of illegal bats.)
    
18. OUT OF PLAY BOUNDARIES WILL BE DETERMINED PRIOR TO THE GAMES BY THE UMPIRES.
    
19. PINCH RUNNERS MAY BE USED. THEY MUST BE THE BATTER OF THE SAME GENDER WHO MADE THE LAST OUT. THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE PINCH RUNNER PER INNING PER GENDER.
    
20. IF A TEAM FORFEITS WITHOUT CANCELING THE GAME BY EMAILING TOM OSERANSKY (toseransky@gmail.com) AND THE OPPOSING TEAM’S MANAGER BY 5 PM ON THE THURSDAY PRIOR TO THE GAME, A FORFEIT FEE OF $40. MUST BE PAID TO PTSL AND WILL BE DUE BY THE THURSDAY PROCEEDING THE TEAMS NEXT GAME. IF THE FEE IS NOT PAID THEN SUBSEQUENT GAMES WILL BE CANCELED AND FORFEITED UNTIL THE FEE IS PAID. EVERY SUBSEQUENT GAME WILL BE A FORFEIT UNTIL THIS FEE IS PAID. RE-SCHEDULED GAMES (UNLESS CANCELED BY THE LEAGUE DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER CONDITIONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL) ARE NOT PERMITTED.
    
21. THREE FORFEITS WILL GET A TEAM REMOVED FROM THE LEAGUE AND WILL FORFEIT THEIR LEAGUE FEES.
    
22. MANAGERS MUST PRESENT TO OPPOSING MANAGER BEFORE THE GAME HIS/HER BATTING ORDER. THESE RULES APPLY TO THE BATTING ORDER:
    1. TWO WOMEN MUST BAT WITHIN THE TOP TEN BATTING POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE GAME ALONG WITH PLAYING DEFENSIVELY.
    2. IF A PLAYER IS REMOVED FROM THE BATTING ORDER, HE/SHE CAN ONLY RE-ENTER THE BATTING ORDER IN HIS/HER ORIGINAL POSITION.
    3. ALL PLAYERS MUST PLAY AT LEAST TWO INNINGS OF DEFENSE (NO DESIGNATED HITTERS). A PLAYER MAY NOT ENTER THE GAME AFTER THE START OF THE FIFTH DEFENSIVE INNING.
    4. ONLY TWO PLAYERS MAY SHARE A BATTING POSITION AND ALTERNATE WHEN HITTING.
    5. SHOULD A PLAYER DROP OUT OF THE BATTING ORDER FOR ANY REASON AND THERE IS NOT ANOTHER PLAYER ELIGIBLE TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT PLAYER, THAT BATTING POSITION WILL BE AN OUT THE NEXT TIME IT COMES UP AND WILL BE DISSOLVED THE SECOND TIME IT COMES UP IN THE ORDER. THE EXCEPTION OF COURSE IS REFER TO RULE #22 A, WHEN IT WILL BE AN OUT EVERY TIME IT COMES UP. YOU CANNOT DROP A BATTING POSITION AND FALL BELOW THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS REQUIRED TO PLAY THE GAME.
23. ALL GAMES WILL ALLOW ONLY FIVE WARM UP PITCHES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME. ALL SUBSEQUENT INNINGS WILL ALLOW ONLY THREE PITCHES BETWEEN INNINGS. THIS IS TO HELP MOVE THE GAME ALONG AND COMPLETE AS MANY INNINGS AS POSSIBLE. NEW PITCHERS WILL GET FIVE WARM-UP PITCHES.
    
24. THE TEAM LEAGUE ENTRY FEE IS $1,200 AND MUST BE RECEIVED BY AUGUST 21, 2025, MADE PAYABLE TO PRIME TIME SOFTBALL LEAGUE. NO COMPANY CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED. FEE COVERS ALL FIELD USE, UMPIRE FEES, THE PTSL WEBSITE, BALLS, AWARDS, ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND OTHER MONEYS NEEDED TO RUN THE LEAGUE.
    
25. BASES, TEMPLATE AND A 1st BASE EXTENSION WILL BE PROVIDED FOR AND SET UP BY THE UMPIRE. ALL PLAYERS WHO OVERRUN 1ST BASE MUST USE THE EXTENSION TO DO SO.
    
26. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL PLAYERS CARRY PERSONAL MEDICAL INSURANCE. THE LEAGUE, BOARD MEMBERS, MANAGERS AND PARKS OFFER NO INSURANCE, COVERAGE OR LIABILITY. ALL PLAYERS AGREE TO PLAY AT THEIR OWN RISK.
    
27. BASE RUNNERS MUST AVOID CONTACT WITH THE FIELDERS WHEN A PLAY CAN BE MADE AT THE BASE A RUNNER IS ADVANCING TO. THE RUNNER MUST DO THIS BY SLIDING OR BY GETTING OUT OF THE WAY. THE UMPIRES HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL A RUNNER OUT IF THIS UMPIRE FEELS THE BASE RUNNER INTERFERED WITH THE FIELDERS ABILITY TO MAKE A PLAY.
    
28. UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT, ALL OUTFIELDERS MUST REMAIN ON THE OUTFIELD GRASS. THE UMPIRES BEFORE EACH GAME WILL DETERMINE THIS AREA.
    
29. A PLAYER MUST PLAY IN AT LEAST FIVE GAMES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PLAYOFFS.
    
30. TEAMS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES. TEAMS WHO FAIL TO DO THIS WILL BE WARNED AND/OR FINED.
    
31. THE UMPIRE WILL DESIGNATE THE PITCHING RUBBER BEFORE THE GAME BEGINS. PITCHERS MUST START THEIR PITCH WITH ONE FOOT ON THE RUBBER AND KEEP IT ON THE RUBBER UNTIL THE BALL IS RELEASED.
    
32. IF AN UMPIRE FAILS TO APPEAR, BOTH MANAGERS MUST DESIGNATE AN UMPIRE AND PLAY THE GAME. IF THIS FAILS TO HAPPEN, THE GAME WILL BE CONSIDERED A DOUBLE FORFEIT.
    
33. HOME TEAM WILL BE AWARDED TO THE TEAM WITH THE BEST RECORD THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS. A TROPHY WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE 1st AND 2nd PLACE TEAMS WITH A PTSL AWARD GOING TO EACH INDIVIDUAL ON THE 1st PLACE TEAM.
    
34. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED THAT ALL PLAYERS WEAR CLEATS WHILE PLAYING, FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. PLAYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR METAL CLEATS OF ANY KIND.
    
35. A SHOW MAY REGISTER MORE THAN ONE TEAM WITH THE LEAGUE, HOWEVER A PLAYER CAN ONLY PLAY ON ONE OF THE SHOW’S TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEASON, INCLUDING THE PLAYOFFS.
    
36. IF AN UMPIRE OR AN OPPOSING MANAGER ASKS A TEAM MANAGER FOR ONE OF THEIR PLAYERS NAMES, THE CORRECT NAME MUST BE GIVEN. IF A FALSE NAME OR NO NAME IS GIVEN THEN THE GAME BEING PLAYED WILL BE FORFEITED AND THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO SELECT A NEW MANAGER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON.
    
37. WE WILL INSTITUTE AN ALTERNATE HOME RUN RULE FOR BALLS THAT ARE HIT OVER THE OUTFIELD FENCE, MEANING THAT ONCE A TEAM HITS A HOME RUN, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HIT ANOTHER HOME RUN UNTIL THE OPPOSING TEAM HAS HIT ONE. AFTER THE OPPOSING TEAM HITS ONE THEN THE HOME RUN IS OPEN UNTIL A TEAM HITS ONE AGAIN. SHOULD A TEAM HIT ANY SUBSEQUENT ONES AFTER THEIR LAST ONE WITHOUT THE OPPOSING TEAM HITTING ONE, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A GROUND RULE DOUBLE UNTIL THE OPPOSING TEAM HITS ONE.
    
38. THESE RULES MAY BE MODIFIED AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE PTSL BOARD. MANAGERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY SUCH CHANGES.
    
39. ALL MANAGERS MUST DISTRIBUTE A COPY OF THESE RULES TO THEIR PLAYERS.
    
40. MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL…………. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!