CO-ED Rules

Danbury Co-Ed Softball Rules 2026

Entry fee and team rosters – League fee of $875 must be paid in full by April 12th.
All league games will be primarily be played on field 2, unless weather causes scheduling issues or there’s enough teams to warrant playing on another field.
All teams will be given a 5 minute grace period to avoid a forfeit. This rule only stands as long as games are running on time. Teams can select a filler player to avoid a forfeit, as long as the minimum roster numbers are met.
1. In the case of a player running late for the game, but they want to play in the game, the filler player must complete the half inning before swapping out with the late player.
2. For example, Filler Player will play in the field and/or bat in the game starting in the 1st inning. The Roster Player shows up during the Top 2nd Inning, the Roster Player may enter the game at the bottom of the 2nd Inning.
Teams forfeiting must pay a $25.00 fine prior to the next game. If a team needs to forfeit, it must be done 24 hours before game time to avoid a fine.
1. All players must be at the field at game time.
2. A game will be forfeited if a team loses a player to injury or ejection and has no one to replace that person, unless a Filler Player is selected.
Ejections: Any player ejected from a game will not be allowed to play in the following two games.
Metal spikes are prohibited. Anyone found wearing metal spikes will be asked to remove their cleats.
Protests: A letter of protest must be turned into the umpire or president within 48 hours, and must be noted on the score sheet.
No player, male or female, is allowed to play on more than 1 team as a Rostered Player. They can still play for multiple teams as a Filler Player.
Batters start with 1 ball and 1 strike.
Third Strike foul will be ruled an out.
On any ball hit in the infield, the runner must touch the orange base.
Uniform shirts are recommended, but not mandatory.
1. Same color, same lettering with team name.
  1. If a player forgets his or her uniform shirt, please have a t-shirt of the same color or as close as they can as the team jersey.
2. No street shoes are permitted.
No jewelry, earrings, rings or watches are permitted during game play.
Line up cards must be turned in 10 minutes prior to game time.
1. Players to be identified by first and last name.
2. Teams must provide opponent with a copy upon request.
3. Lineup must be staggered male-female or female-male. (see new rule 2026 for exception)
4. If a player is substituted, the original player can re-enter the game in the same spot of the batting order.
5. Once a line up is submitted it cannot me changed.
10 run rule after 5 innings. The team behind must bat 5 times.
1. For example, if the away team is up by 10 runs in the Top 5th, the home team must be allowed to bat in the bottom half of the inning.
If a male player walks, he automatically takes second base. The female following him has the option to walk or bat.
1. If the female player chooses to bat, the male still is granted second base.
2. If the male player is followed by another male player, then the walked male takes first, not second base.
Courtesy runners:
1. (1) Courtesy runner per gender/per inning.
2. Pitchers are granted a courtesy runner.
3. Teams choose their runners.
4. If the courtesy runner is still on base when they are up, it is an out.
5. Courtesy runners may only run for one batter per inning.
Rosters are closed before the start of the fifth game. A player may move from one team to another (once per player) up until the fifth game. Please submit all roster changes to Chelsea. All roster changes must be reviewed and approved by league officials. Roster changes after the sixth game will be reviewed on a case to case basis.
The league will supply a game ball each week.
Males must use wooden bats. Wooden bats with composite handles are allowed. Females may use any bat.
No alcohol in the bench area. Any player caught drinking during a game will be ejected.
There will be an imaginary line 30 feet outside the infield dirt. Outfielders must stay beyond the line until the ball is hit.
No bat donuts or iron bars are to be used during warm-ups.
Minimum age to play is 18.
All teams must clean their bench after a game.
No swearing or bad language.
Pitchers must throw an arc between 6 and 12 feet high. Higher or lower arcs are automatic balls.

Playoff Rosters:

New to the 2026 season, the overall goal for playoff rosters is to make sure the player rostered player has played enough during the regular season, avoiding teams from bringing in “ringers’ for the playoffs / championship.
Playoffs will follow the regular season.
A player needs at least one (1) plate appearance in at least (4) games played to be eligible for the playoffs.
Scorekeeper will check roster against lineup card. Any player not on the roster will not be allowed to play in any playoff games.
If the player is a Roster Filler Player (and not already listed on their playoff roster), their stats and appearance will be defined by the scorekeepers chosen “Roster Filler Player #” and the filler player will NOT be allowed to play for that team during the playoffs.
In the event that there is a manager challenge regarding a player's availability, at the start of the playoff game, the player may provide their driver's license or form of ID so that we can confirm the player with their year's stats and availability.
Any "full-time" player that suffers an injury causing them to miss the playoff requirements can be reinstated if the player's manager notifies the Danbury Co-Ed board and receives corresponding approval by the majority of fellow managers.

Game Day Rosters:

New to the 2026 season, the overall goal is to prioritize playing more games and slowly ruling out the need for teams to forfeit games. By introducing Roster Filler Spots, the league is removing the need for Automatic Outs.

The spirit of these game day rosters is to feature an even number of balanced players, either 5 and 5 or 6 and 6. If one of the players is missing, teams can opt for a defensive disadvantage or Filler Roster Player. In addition, teams can add one DH position, as long as the final split is within the +/- (2) of the same gender [(6) Males / (4) Females or (6) Females (4) Males].

Example Notes: These numbers can be revered, as in: (6) Males and (3) Females has the same numerical outcome as (6) Females and (3) Males.

Example 1: (6) Males and (3) Females = (9) Players [missing (1) player for minimum]

Solution 1: Grab a filler Female for (6) Males and (4) Females
- You cannot do (7) Males and (3) Females
Solution 2: Continue playing with (6) Males and (3) Females and there is NO automatic out as the team has opted for the defensive disadvantage.

Example 2: (5) Males and (4) Females = 9 Players [missing (1) player for minimum]

Solution 1: Grab a filler Male/Female for (6) Males and (4) Females or (5) Males and (5) Females
Solution 2: Continue playing with (5) Males and (4) Females and there is NO automatic out as the team has opted for the defensive disadvantage.

Example 3: Full 10 Person Roster, adding DHs for (5) Males and (5) Females:

(5) Males and (5) Females
- Team can add (1) Male and/or (1) Female for a total of (6) Males and/or (6) Females
- Teams can add (1) Male or (1) Female without also adding the opposite.
(6) Males and (4) Females / (4) Males and (6) Females = (10) Players
- Teams can add a DH for an odd number of players, either (6) Males and (5) Females or (6) Females and (5) Males.
- Teams could pick (2) rostered Females, for a total of (6) Males and (6) Females, although that is the traditional lineup without complications.

Important Notes:

Teams may not add additional batters after the game starts.

Male batter only takes 2nd base on a walk if followed by a female batter. The Female batter has an option to either bat or take first base. If the Female player opts to bat, the Male who walked is still allotted 2nd base.

Any team caught trying to circumvent these rules is subject to forfeit and fine as previously outlined.

GROUND RULES

Overthrow: Out of bounds lines for overthrows. 2 bases given.
A ball hit fair, crossing the out of bounds line unintentionally is a double.
Both feet must be in bounds when catching a ball near the out of bounds line; either in the air or on the ground.
A ball carried over the out of bounds line is a dead ball. One base given.
A ball hitting the light pole on field #3 in right field in the air is a home run.
A ball rolling touched or untouched hitting a pole in the right field on field #3 counts for whatever you can run to.
A fair ball hitting tree branches on field #3 is a dead ball home run.
A fair ball hit into the outfield, interfered by a person on field #4 counts for whatever you can run to.
A fair ball hit over the fence on field #3 in the right field is a home run.
A fair ball hit under, through, stuck in or bouncing over the fence is a double.