BREAKING NEWS - Tournament Cancelled
Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the final weekend of the softball tournament has been cancelled.
The US Embassy has decided to cancel all large events on Embassy property. The Commissioner will contact coaches regarding any further developments.
YISL encourages all players to take appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of this pandemic and to stay safe and healthy.

Tournament Champions - Past 5 Years
2015 - ISY(w), Eagles
2016 - Cobra Kai, Nicks
2017 - Cobra Kai, Bulldogs
2018 - Cobra Kai, Bulldogs
2019 - ISY(w), Bulldogs

Congrats - Regular Season Champions!
ISY won the women's league, and the M-Stars defeated the Eagles on the final day of the regular season to become the men's champion.

Infield Fly Rule Clarified
An "Infield Fly" is a fair fly ball (not including a line-drive) that can be caught in the infield-area with ordinary effort, with less than 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, or on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
The umpire should call "infield fly, batter out if fair". The rule is in effect, regardless of whether either umpire calls the "infield fly" during the play or not. Further, if an umpire does not call the "infield fly" during the play, if appropriate, the umpire may retroactively rectify the situation as to not put one team at a disadvantage (i.e. resulting in a double-play because of a dropped ball and confusion).
Please note that judging/enforcing the Infield Fly rule can sometimes be difficult because it may require judgment by the umpire. Keep in mind that the purpose of the rule is to prevent fielders from manipulating the rules to get an easy double-play.

Courtesy Runner - Rule #12
Please note that the Courtesy Runner Rule's purpose is to allow participation of players who have difficulty running, commonly due to injury. The Rule is not intended to advantage a team by putting in a replacement who is faster than the runner being replaced.
Captains - please choose courtesy/replacement runners who are the slower runners on your team.
According to the Rule, the opposing captain has the final say as to who they will accept as a Courtesy Runner.

Umpire's Judgment
According to ISF Rules, there shall be no appeal of an umpire's decision on any play involving the umpire's accuracy of judgment. Only managers and team captains make seek a reversal of an umpire's decision, and may only do so based solely on a point of the rules. Umpires are encouraged to confer with each other when a team seeks a reversal of a decision. However, in no case may an umpire overrule the decision of an associate. The responsibility to reverse a decision remains solely with the umpire whose responsibility it was to make the original decision. Further, after conferring, the decision must be announced by the umpire with the original responsibility for the decision.

Question: Ball Hits Yellow Homerun Pipe?
A question was raised at the field on Sunday. Please check YISL Rule #6 on this site regarding the correct call on whether a batted ball that hits the yellow pipe is a homerun or not.

Quick Pitch Rule
If the home plate umpire judges a pitcher to have attempted a quick pitch before the batter was ready, an automatic "ball" shall be called and the umpire shall warn the pitcher for unsportsmanlike conduct. A batter is considered “ready”, once s/he has set their feet in the batter’s box and then has looked at the pitcher. Only then may the pitcher begin his/her delivery. (Note that this rule is different than baseball, where the pitcher may pitch as soon as the batter has both feet in the batter's box.)
Click on the "Rules" button above to see more rules.

Fielder Obstructing Base
A runner shall not be ruled out for failing to touch a base if the runner is obstructed from touching that base (official ISF rule). This is a common occurrence at 1st base on balls hit into the outfield (though it should not be common this late in the season!). The first baseman should clearly vacate the inside (white) part of 1st base so that the runner is not obstructed from rounding the base. Otherwise, the umpire may award 2nd base to the runner.

Rule on Interfering with a fielder?
“Interference” is the act of an offensive player or team member that impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play.
EFFECT - The interfering runner is out, the ball is dead, and all runners must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the pitch. If this interference is, in the umpire’s judgment, an obvious attempt to prevent a double play, the runner closest to home plate at the time of the interference shall also be called out.
Please note that the defensive player has priority of space when attempting to execute a play on a batted ball. The runner is obligated to avoid the fielder who is attempting to play the batted ball.

Rule on a Bobbled Flyball?
With less than two outs and a flyball is hit, must a runner wait until a bobbled ball is completely controlled by the fielder or can the runner leave their base for the next base as soon as a fielder touches the flyball?
The runner may advance to the next base as soon as the fielder touches the flyball, not wait until the fielder has completely controlled the ball (same rule for softball as baseball, including MLB).

Appeal of Runner Leaving Base Early on a Flyball
In cases where the fielding team had no possibility of a play on a runner advancing Home after a deep fly ball, please do not appeal to the umpire unless you are sure the runner left early. Appealing when you had no possibility of a play on the runner and you did not see the runner obviously leaving early, is considered unsportsmanlike behavior and delay of game. The umpire may assess a penalty of a ball against the pitcher on the next batter faced.

Crashing Into Fielder - Interference
Interference shall be ruled if, when a defensive player has the ball and is waiting for the runner, the runner remains on his/her feet and crashes into the defensive player. (ISF Rule 8:9r) If deliberate, the runner shall also be ejected from the game.

Runner Obstructed at Base
Is it legal for a fielder awaiting a throw to deliberately position himself in a manner to make it more difficult for a runner to reach that base?
Obstruction shall be ruled if a fielder awaiting a throw at base impedes the progress of the runner attempting to reach that base. The fielder must already be in possession of the ball in order not to be ruled for obstruction. (ISF Rule 8:7b)

Umpire's Call on Foul/Fair Balls
The call on foul/fair balls is the responsibility of the homeplate umpire. Umpires are to make an audible call only on foul balls. If the ball is a fair ball, the umpire will point to the inside of the playing field, but will not make an audible call. In other words, always keep playing unless you hear the umpire yell "foul ball".

Verbal Distraction of Batter
A fielder who acts in a manner to distract a batter shall be penalized and warned. If the batter does not swing at the pitch, the pitch shall be an automatic ball. If the batter swings at the pitch, the offensive team shall choose to take the result of the play or a base on balls. (ISF Rule 6.4)

Runner Automatically Out if Hit by Batted Ball?
The runner is not out, when s/he is hit by a fair, untouched batted ball while off base that, if in the umpire's judgment, no fielder had an opportunity to make an out and the runner did not intentionally interfere with the ball.

Runner Out of Base Path?
A base path is a direct line between a base and the runner’s position at the time a defensive player is attempting (or about to attempt) to tag a runner. The base path is 3 feet wide, giving the runner only 18 inches to deviate to one side or the other. The intent of this rule is for runners to run directly to the next base and not be able to "play tag" along the way.

The Call on Questionable Outfield Catches?
The responsibility for all judgement calls on fly balls (and line drives) hit to the outfield rests with the homeplate umpire. The umpire should give the appropriate "safe" or "out" signal and clearly call "yes-catch" or "no-catch".
The base umpire's responsibility, in these situations, is to move onto the infield grass and to watch the base runner(s) to make sure the runners touch the bases and properly tag up.

Rule Change this Year
Balls popped up that hit any part of the tree above homeplate are dead balls. The play is ruled dead as soon as the ball hits a tree branch or leaves.

15-Run Mercy Rule
Please note that games are officially over (automatically), if one team is ahead by 15 or more runs in the bottom half of the 5th inning, or in the bottom half of any inning thereafter. There is no choice to continue the "official" game. Only if ample time remains, may the teams continue using the field for practice.

After a Homerun, Return to Dugout
In order to save time, after hitting a homerun, the batter and all base runners are to run directly to the dugout, rather than continue around the bases.

Photos at Softball Field - Clarification
Security has informed us that taking photos at the softball field is permitted, as long as the campus houses are not included in the photos. Thank you for your cooperation.

Volunteer Opportunities
The league is seeking volunteers to take gameday photos and to help update the website.
Put yourself and your teammates' action photos on this website! Yes, you can take photos of your games each week and forward them to the webmaster to put on the website.

Keeping Games Moving
Teams are reminded that in order to complete full 7-inning games within the allotted time, teams must move quickly on and off the field between innings.
Pitchers are allowed 5 warm-up pitches the first inning and 3 warm-up pitches at the start of each remaining inning, but ONLY IF the pitcher quickly takes the field and starts the warm-up pitches. Otherwise, umpires will immediately start the inning without any warm-up pitches.

Spectators - Security Clearance Required
Please note that all spectators for Sunday YISL games are required to have security clearance to enter the American Club property. The captain of the team you are coming to watch can arrange for security clearance. If you already have security clearance to enter the American Club facilities, that clearance will also allow you to watch the softball games.
Come out, have a hotdog, and enjoy the action!

YISL Rule - Classified Homerun Hitters
Batters in the #3 and #4 position in the batting order are classified "HR hitters" (for every team, men and women).
Of what significance is the "HR Hitter" classification? The rule protects these two positions in the batting line-up from being repeatedly intentionally walked. The second time a batter in the #3 or #4 position in the batting order is walked on straight balls (no pitched strikes) in a game, s/he is automatically awarded a two-base walk (note: this rule does not require that the walks be consecutive at-bats). Any runners on base at the time of a two-base walk advance only if forced by the walked batter-runner.
If a team has more than 2 players who have hit 4 or more HR's during the Regular Season, each player beyond the first two players are also protected by this rule, regardless of where they bat in the batting order.

Sportsmanship - Rule #27 Recruited Players
Captains, please note that the purpose of Rule #27 is to allow a team, with only 7 or 8 rostered players present at game time, to be able to still compete in their scheduled game - not to gain an advantage by recruiting top league players.
Any substitute players may now only fill the positions of catcher and/or right field. In the men's league the recruited players do not bat. In the women's league, they must bat last in the order, and any HR's only count as a double.

Thank you to all volunteers for 2017-18!
Thank you to Mick Amundson-Geisel for another year of fine service as League Commissioner, and to Soe Soe Cole, Maung Maung Tin, Amy Tun, Tom Just, and David Tegenfeldt for their help each week.
Mick Amundson-Geisel has volunteered to be the Commissioner again this year, with Soe Soe Cole, Maung Maung Tin, Amy Tun, Tom Just, and David Tegenfeldt assisting.