TEAMS

• The minimum age requirement for all players is 13 years of age before Sept.1st of the current year.
• Weekly church attendance is not a league requirement but is left up to each individual church to decide.
• If a church supports an Independent Church League (ICL) coed team, those attending that church must play for only their church coed team. An exception applies to families who attend different churches. Family members may play on the same coed team as long as they are not playing on more than one coed team within the ICL. If a church supports more than one coed team in the ICL, a player may play only on the coed team with which he/she starts the season. Penalty is forfeiture of all games played with ineligible players. ICL League Officials reserve the right to decide on a case by case basis where players can play outside of the rules as is currently written. Exception: As of 2019 the league now allows female players to be added to a second roster and play on a second coed or men’s team.
• If a church does not support a coed team, a player from that church may play for another church supported coed team.
• Team rosters for league play must be submitted to the board before your first league game. Names may be added to the team roster through the League Board throughout the season.
• Teams registered through ICL are automatically registered with USSSA.

FIELDS AND CONDUCT

• The ICL, owners/operators of ball fields, and/or league officers are not responsible for injuries to players or spectators. Players and teams are expected to carry their own insurance in case of injury. ALL PLAYERS PLAY AT THEIR OWN RISK.
• Alcoholic beverages or tobacco products shall not be consumed on playing fields or parking lot areas at any time. The ICL board will determine the penalty.
• Any display of non-Christian conduct, as determined by the umpires, will be grounds for removal from a game or forfeiture of a game. Such conduct may include but is not limited to: inappropriate language, taunting, fighting, unsportsmanlike conduct, disruptive behavior, etc. Any and all removal(s) of player(s) by an umpire must be reported to the league president in writing by the offending player’s coach within 48 hours of the incident, and are subject to automatic league review. The ICL Board will impose a mandatory one (1) game suspension and up to dismissal of all remaining games at their discretion for an ejected player.
• Teams not conducting themselves according to ICL conduct rules stated above may be subject to forfeiture of game(s) at the discretion of the ICL Board
• Proper care of the fields is expected and the last teams playing on each field are responsible for clean up.

PLAY AND EQUIPMENT

• Runners ARE REQUIRED TO AVOID INTENTIONAL CONTACT. Players in violation will be removed from the game at the discretion of the umpire.
• Batter running to first base is required to use the orange safety bag on close plays at first base.
• Fake tags are prohibited at any base when a runner is approaching. The penalty will be ejection from the game.
• All teams must have 8 players to start and finish a game. All empty roster spots under 10 will result in an automatic out.
• Three balls is a walk, two strikes is an out. Batters are granted a courtesy foul ball.
• Metal or hard plastic spikes are prohibited. Closed toe shoes are required.
• The men will hit the 12” ball and the women will hit the 11” ball.
• Runners cannot leave the base before the ball crosses home plate or is hit.
• Bats must comply with USSSA guidelines.
• RAIN OUTS – Teams should never assume a rainout. Any weather related cancellation will be called by the umpire, at game time. (There is no rainout number for the Lacey Recreational Athletic Complex)

ICL RULE MODIFICATIONS TO THE USSSA RULES

• Teams must play at scheduled times.
• Teams not ready to play at scheduled times will forfeit the game.
• No new innings will start after 60 minutes.
• If a game is delayed or not finished, four complete innings constitutes a complete game. Incomplete games should be reported to the scheduler.
• Any time a team is ten (10) or more runs ahead at the end of the 5th inning or the end of any inning after the 5th, the game is over. The ICL does not recognize the “20 after 3” or “15 after 4” USSSA mercy rules.
• Teams are not allowed more than two men over the number of women (offense or defense). Male and female batters must alternate in the batting order until all the women have batted. When playing with less than 10 players, missing females in the lineup are counted as female players.
• LEGAL LINE UP EXAMPLES: (M=Male, F=Female, O=Automatic Out)
  10 players – 5 men/5 women M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F
  10 players – 5 men/5 women F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M
  10 players – 6 men /4 women M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,M
  10 players – 6 men /4 women F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,M,M
  9 players – 5 men/4 women M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,O
  9 players – 5 men/4 women F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,M,O
  9 players – 5 women/4 men M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,F,O
  9 players – 5 women/4 men F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,O
  8 players – 6 men/2 women M,F,M,F,M,O,M,O,M,M
  8 players – 4 men/4 women M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,O,O
  8 players – 4 men/4 women F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,O,O
  8 players – 5 men/3 women M,F,M,F,M,F,M,O,M,O
  8 players – 5 men/3 women F,M,F,M,F,M,O,M,M,O
  8 players – 5 women/3 men M,F,M,F,M,F,O,F,O,F
  11 players – M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M
  12 players – M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F,M,F or M
         
• All teams are allowed free substitutions. No player and his/her sub can be in the game at the same time, and a player must always bat in the same batting order.
• It is optional for a team to bat any number of players offensively. Teams must maintain the male/female ratio (refer to rule 4.d.); any ten of those players may play defensively at any time. Batting order cannot change except for substitutions.
• Courtesy Runner rule Teams can use as many courtesy runners as needed. The courtesy runner must be of the same gender and must be either the last out or the farthest away in the lineup.
• Coed A & B walk rule (This rule applies in coed A and B division games only)When a male batter draws a walk and is followed by a female batter, he is awarded second base. (In this case: the female batter following the walked male batter has the option of taking her turn at bat or walking to first base). When a male batter draws a walk and is followed by a male batter, the walked batter is awarded first base only.
• In all other divisions any walked batter (male or female) is awarded first base only.
• Out of the park homeruns are limited to 4 per team per game. Homeruns above the limit are dead ball outs.

Current USSSA rules apply to all other situations not covered in these rule amendments.