3/7 PCO "Umpire Challenge" 3gg Festival Spring 2026

WELCOME TO PUTNAM CITY OPTIMIST SOFTBALL COMPLEX ENTERING THIS FACILITY YOU’RE AGREEING TO THE FOLLOWING RULES Putnam City Optimist ABSOLUTELY PROHOBITS the following on the ball park premises which includes all parking areas. • Firearms or Weapons. • Possession of or use of Alcohol beverage. • Smoking tobacco, vaping, cigarettes, cigars, pipes including in the Parking lot. • Chewing tobacco or similar products. • Illegal narcotics and drugs of any kind. • Pets of any kind. • Glass containers. • Outside Food or Drinks of any kind. (Coaches and Players may carry an approved sports bottle/jug for water) • Climbing on trees, fences, backstops, dugouts, buildings. • Bikes, skateboards, scooters, skates and rollerblades. • Anyone other than coaches and players in the dugout or on the playing field. • Use of Infields before games or when idle without permission. • Pitchers warming up anywhere on Football Fields. • Warming up hitting or swing bat. (except in the designated areas) • No hitting, throwing or pitching into any park fence. • Inappropriate language, actions, comments, un-sportsmanship behavior, or gestures. • Team chanting or cheers deemed inappropriate or unsportsmanlike. • Violent, threatening or intimidating behavior verbal or physical. • Harassing umpires, coaches, players, spectators, and league officials • Littering in the dugout, park and parking lot. Putnam City Optimist Softball Complex EXPECTS the following on the ball park premise which includes all parking areas. • Everyone should show proper respect to umpires, players, spectators, and league officials. • Handicap and reserved parking must be respected: vehicles parked illegally will be towed at the owner’s expense • Children are to be under adult supervision at all times. • Report any Violations of park rules. ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE ABOVE RULES AND REGULATIONS OR CONSTITUTING A PUBLIC NUISANSE WILL LEAVE THE BALL PARK WITH THE POSSIBLE REFUSAL OF FUTURE ENTRANCE ====================================================================================================================================================================== PUTNAM CITY OPTIMIST T-BALL RULES 1. All players will be listed in the scorebook and all players will bat. If a girl becomes sick or has to leave the park after the game starts, a line will be drawn through her name with no penalty. She may, however, reenter if her coach thinks she is well enough to play, or if she returns to the park. If a girl should arrive late, her name is placed at the bottom of the batting order. 2. Each girl will play at least one inning on defense. 3. Pitcher is a fielding position. She must keep one foot on the rubber until the ball is legally hit. The pitching rubber is 35 feet from home plate. 4. No defensive player may play closer to home plate than 35 feet, until the ball is hit. 5. The Coach at home plate is responsible for adjusting the "T" to the satisfaction of the batter. 6. The Coach at home plate will be responsible for removing the "T" from the five feet circle after the ball is hit fair. 7. Batters may not throw their bat. The Umpire will give one warning when the first bat is thrown. This warning will apply to both teams. On the second and subsequent occurrences, the batter will be called out. 8. The batter is allowed 3 strikes before being called out. The bat must hit the ball and knock it out of the 5-foot circle to be a fair ball. Any ball that is hit and it does not go outside the 5 feet circle, will be called a strike. A player will get 3 strikes before being called out. 9. No bunting is allowed. 10. Runners may not advance if the ball does not travel outside the 5-foot ark. 11. It is not a strike if the batter accidentally knocks the ball off the "T" while addressing the ball. 12. Batter can only address the ball twice. The third time will be called a strike. 13. The coach can only position the batter one time during her time at bat. This can be done once at anytime during her time at bat. 14. Coach can only adjust the "T" twice per batter. 15. No runner may lead off the base until the ball is hit. The runner must be on the base when the ball is hit. 16. Only six runs may score each half inning. 17. The catcher must stay behind home plate and to the opposite side of the batter. 18. Time should be called when the defense stops the lead runner from advancing after the ball is hit. Merely throwing the ball to the pitcher does not stop the play. 19. The infield fly rule does not apply in "T" ball. 20. If a base runner misses a base. Once play has stopped, the head coach of the defense team must appeal that base was missed to the official, the runner will be called out once the official has verified that runner missed base. 21. If a player leaves a base too soon and the umpire observes such, the player will be called out. 22. T-Ball can field ten (10) players. There will be four outfielders. The tenth player cannot play an infield position. 23. There will be an automatic out if a team has less than 9 players. Exception: if the opposing team agrees to no auto out during the plate visit with the official at the beginning of said game then there will be no recorded auto out. 24. The catcher will wear either a catcher’s helmet or a batting helmet. 25. Positioning: Players must play in a normal defensive position. Outfield players must be positioned in grass area behind the dirt edge of the infield. 26. Overthrows/missed opportunities: There can be only one over-throw/missed opportunity per hit ball. Runners get the base they are going to plus one. Once time is called runners will be sent back to the bases allowed. Outfield hits are played as normal. Runners are at risk of being put out during all play. *Definition: On an infield hit (inside dirt area) runners can not advance more than the one plus one as stated above. ====================================================================================================================================================================== PUTNAM CITY OPTIMIST COACH PITCH RULES 2024 1. The pitching rubber will be 35 feet from home plate. Coach will pitch from the pitching rubber. 2. A coach for the team that is batting will pitch. The batter will receive five pitches or three swinging strikes, whichever occurs first. Each pitch will count as one of the five even if the batter does not swing. If the fifth pitch is hit (not bunted) foul the batter will remain at bat as long as they continue to foul off pitches. 3. A maximum of 6 runs can be scored each inning by each team. 4. A defensive player will occupy the pitchers position on either side of the coach pitcher. The pitcher position must stay behind the 35’ pitching plate until the ball is hit. 5. There will be no Base on Balls (walk) awarded. 6. Batters hit by a pitch will not be awarded 1st base. 7. The batter is out on a third strike. No drop third strike. 8. In addition to base coaches, only a coach in the pitcher’s circle is allowed on the field of play. The pitching coach may only coach the batter prior to the pitch. He/she may not coach the batter-runner at ANY time. 9. The pitching coach must make an effort to avoid interfering with the play. If in the umpire’s judgment, a coach interferes unintentionally with the batted ball and/or defensive play, the ball will be declared dead and the pitch replayed. If in the umpire’s judgment, a coach interferes intentionally, the lead runner is out and the play replayed. If there are no runners, the batter is out. 10. No stealing. A runner can leave the base when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, with risk of being tagged out. If runner leaves base too early, she will be called out. 11. Bunting is allowed. However, if a batter shows bunt, she must bunt or she will be ruled out. When a bunt is shown, the first and third base player do not have to remain behind the 35’ hash mark. The player pitcher must stay 35 feet from home plate until the ball is hit. 12. Batters may not throw their bat. The umpire will give one warning per game to both coaches after the first bat is thrown. On the second and subsequent occurrences, the batter will be called out. 13. The infield fly rule does not apply in coach pitch. 14. If a game is called because of the run rule, they may scrimmage for the remainder of the game time. 15. Coach Pitch can field ten (10) players. There will be four outfielders. The tenth player cannot play an infield position. 16. Time should be called when the defense stops the lead runner from advancing or if the lead runner stops on a base, after the ball is hit. When time is called the ball is declared dead all play stops and the runners must return to their last touched base. 17. Overthrows There can be only one over-throw per hit ball. Runners get the base they are going to plus one. Once time is called runners will be sent back to bases allowed. Runners are at risk of being put out. ROSTERS AND BATTING ORDER Prior to the game a complete batting line up roster of the team members shall be listed in the scorebook and all girls shall bat continuously in that order. Should a player be injured, ill or needs to leave for any reason, her name shall be "lined out" and her time in the line-up shall be skipped. A player arriving late shall be added to the bottom of the line-up. A copy of the batting order will be exchanged prior to the start of the game. The batting lineup will have the players correct name spelling as it is on the official roster. Everyone must play a defensive position in at least one inning. Players must play in a "normal defensive position". Infielders may play no closer to home plate than the hash mark (35 feet) on the base line, until the ball is hit.