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 Playoff Rules
2018 Season

  Rules requiring special attention or changes from previous years are HIGHLIGHTED.
 

1. HIERARCHY OF RULES:

  • GVCC Rules & Regulations will be followed unless amended by this document. 

  • ASA slow-pitch rules will be followed, unless amended by this document or the GVCC Rules and Regulations.

  • Current regulations defining Ground Rules and Approved Bats will be followed.

  • All teams are responsible to have a copy of the rules for each game.

2. PLAYOFF FORMAT & ELIGIBILITY:

  • Teams from the following divisions will be eligible for the playoffs:

    • Top 8 teams from the East.

    • Top 8 teams from the Central.

    • Top 8 teams from the West.

  • A double elimination playoff format will be used to determine divisional champions from within each of the divisions.

  • After the divisional champions from each of the divisions are determined:

    • The champion from the Central will compete in a single playoff game with the East Runner-up team.

    • The champions from the West will compete in a single playoff game with the champion of the East.

    • The winner of the Central / East Runner-up playoff game will compete against the winner of the East / West playoff game in a best of three game series to determine the GVCC Softball League Champion.

  • The following steps are used to determine playoff seeding, when teams, in the same division, have identical records:

    • Records in head-to-head competition will be used as the primary means for determining the higher seeded team.

    • If head-to-head competition can not be used to determine the seeding...  records against common opponents will be used.

    • If head-to-head and common opponent records can not provide a valid seeding ....   the "average runs per game margin" will be used.  (The "average runs per game margin" is the average total runs scored minus the average total runs allowed.  Scores from forfeited games are not included in the "average runs per game margin".)

  • If two or more teams are in first place with identical records at the end of the season, the division champion will be determined by using the playoff seeding format, as described above ...  (head-to-head competition;  followed by common opponents; and finally the "average runs per game margin")

3. GAMES:

  • All games must go seven (7) innings. 

  • Interrupted games due to weather, darkness, etc. will be resumed from point of stoppage.

4. SUSPENDED GAMES:

  • If a game is suspended (in reference to #3 above), it will be resumed the next scheduled night, beginning at 5:10 PM on the same field.

  • All games must be completed. The start time must be adhered to in order to complete the other games.

5. MERCY RULE:

  • In the event that the home team is ahead by twelve (12) or more runs after four and one-half innings (4 1/2) , the game will end immediately. 

  • If the visiting team is ahead by twelve (12) or more runs after the completion of the fifth (5th) or sixth (6th) innings, the game is over. 

6. START TIMES FOR GAMES:

  • There will be no "grace period".  All games will begin on time. 

  • Refer to the playoff schedule, which is posted on the league's web site, for the date, time, and location of all games.

7. HOME TEAM:

  • The team with the lower seed number will have the choice to be the home or visiting team.  (#1 being the lowest # seed ....  #8 being the highest # seed)

  • For the Division Championship Game, the team arriving at the game from the Winner's Bracket will have their choice of being the home or visiting team.

  • If a second game is required to determine the divisional or league championship, where both teams have one loss, the lower seed team will have the choice of being the home or visiting team.

8. REPORTING GAME SCORES: The winning team is responsible to text or email the game score immediately after the game has ended to the league Commissioner, this ensures prompt website updates.

9. PLAYER PARTICIPATION:  All players must fulfill the following requirements:

  • participated in at least three (3) regular season games,

  • listed on the team's roster,

  • signed the Release of Liability Waiver Forms for applicable fields.

10. PLAYER EJECTION:

  • Any player ejected from a playoff game may not play in their team's next scheduled game. The incident will be reviewed and the length of suspension will be determined by the League President.

  • If the ejected player's team does not advance in the playoffs, the player is not permitted to participate in the first game next year.

11. UNIFORMS: All team participants must have matching shirts.


12. ILLEGAL EQUIPMENT:  If a player is found to be using an illegal bat (as defined by League Rule #34) during the playoffs, the following actions will be taken by the league:

  • the player will be ineligible for the remainder of the playoffs.

  • the team will be assessed a loss for the game.

  • the team will be placed on probation for reentry into the league

  • if this is the player's / team's final game for the current playoff season, the "first time offense" penalty spelled out in League Rule #34 will apply if the team is accepted back into the league for next season.

  • all aspects of League Rule #34, with the exception of the aforementioned actions taken by the league, remain in effect throughout the playoffs.

GVCC Softball League
League Office

 Updated: 03/24/2018         

Great Valley Corporate Center Softball League
 Malvern, PA 19355        
www.gvccsl.com