Prior to the tournament, team captains will be voting for additional or amended playing rules; therefore, some of the rules on this page may be amended prior to arrival.

Additional playing rules will be introduced in mid-August.

Click on a rule category below to learn more:
Tournament Rules
Special Co-ed Divisions Rules
Special Men's Divisions Rules
Special Women's Divisions Rules

Tournament Rules
1. Length of game: Goal is 7 innings. No new inning may start after 1 hour 5 minutes. There is no “mercy” rule, however, teams behind by 15 runs or more after 4 innings may choose to prematurely end game.

2. Tie-breakers: A single extra inning is automatically played if the game is tied after 1 hour 5 minutes. If the game remains tied after the extra inning, and 65 minutes have elapsed, the game ends in a tie. If 65 minutes have not elapsed, the game can continue for an additional inning.

3. Game starting times are strictly adhered to. No infield/outfield practice between innings. Pitchers allowed three warm-ups between innings.

4. Captains must discuss all ground rules with the Umpire prior to the game.

5. Coin flip determines home team for every game. There might be a situation in which a team plays an opponent twice. In that case, a coin flip determines home team in the first game, and the other team is home team for the second game. There also may be a case in the Men’s Division whereby teams play each other three times. In this scenario, a coin flip determines home team in game #1, the opposing team is home for game #2, and a coin flip decides game #3. The teams will approach the umpire with these home rules prior to the game.

6. Base distances are 65'. A "safety" base will be placed next to first base in foul territory and the runner may touch either first or the safety base.

7. 1-1 count. All batters start off with a 1 ball, 1 strike count. The second foul ball after two (2) strikes is a strikeout.

8. Strike Zone: A rubber mat (plate extension) extending 18” is placed directly behind home plate. A pitched ball landing on either home plate or the plate extension shall be called a strike.

9. Scoring runs: A runner must touch home plate, not the extension, for the run to count.

10. Pitching distances: 50’ for both Men and Women. A pitcher must have at least one foot touching the rubber prior to his/her pitch.

11. Pitching arc limit: 15’. The path of the pitched ball must be an arc, and at some point reach the height of the batter’s head.

12. INTENTIONAL WALKS: Only one allowed per game in all divisions. Pitcher must declare intentional pass prior to the first pitch, does not have to toss three (3) pitches, and the batter is awarded first base. (Co-ed team "walk rules" appear under Coed Rules, #3).

13. Strikeouts: The second foul ball after two (2) strikes is a strikeout.

14. By vote of team captains, the ASWS will play with a quality higher core performance ball.

15. No intentional bunting or chop hits are allowed. Penalty: The batter is declared “out.”

16. Base stealing is not permitted. A base runner must maintain contact with the base until the batter swings and makes contact with the pitched ball.

17. “Time-out” shall be declared by the Umpire when a play is completed and runners are stopped and attempting no further advance.

18. APPEAL PLAY: When questioning whether a base runner tagged up correctly or missed a base, the team captain on the field can verbally inform the Umpire of an appeal once the play is over. The appeal must be requested before the next pitch is delivered.

19. FREE SUBSTITUTION: Any player may enter the game as a substitute. This rule, in effect, allows a captain to take any member of his team out of the game and later bring him/her back in. A player can only re-enter the game after the team has batted around (including the substitute). She/he may be inserted in their original place in the batting order or in a position further down the batting order.

20. ADDITIONAL HITTER (AH) RULE: A team may bat as many players as it wishes. The number of AH positions cannot be increased or decreased once a game has begun. An AH may enter the game as a defensive player at any time following one completion of the batting order. If an AH assumes a defensive position, she/he must remain in their original place in the batting order while the defensive player removed may remain in his/her batting spot or be replaced with a different player as an AH.

21. Courtesy runners are permitted as along as the captain notifies the Umpire and opposing team captain prior to the game. An opposing captain does not have the option to refuse a courtesy runner nor may she/he choose the new runner. The last “out” becomes the new runner. For sportsmanship sake, limit it to no more than (2) courtesy runners per game, unless both captains “agree to agree” to more.

22. STRATEGY CONFERENCES: Only one per game. A second conference results in the runners and batter moving up two bases.

23. Sliding is permitted. Steel cleats are prohibited.

24. Unnecessary roughness is not tolerated. Under no circumstances can a player perform in a manner that might result in injury to another player. The most obvious roughness occurs when a fielder securely has the ball and a base runner purposely tries to jar the ball loose by colliding head-on with the fielder. Should this occur, the Umpire may declare both the runner in question and the batter out. Any runs that scored will be disallowed. All other base runners must return to the base they held before the collision. The Umpire reserves the right to eject the runner from the game. The Umpire’s decision may not be appealed. WHEN IN DOUBT, SLIDE!

25. KEEPING SCORE: Insure that the Umpire and opposing team agrees to the number of runs scored each half-inning. When there is a dispute, it’s usually the team keeping score (as long as it’s accurate) that prevails.

26. Home Run rule: Unlimited home runs are allowed in co-ed and men’s "division" games only. However, a 1-UP rule will apply in non-division games, meaning neither team is able to hit more than 1 home run than its opponent. Any additional home run is ruled a single. Applies to both the higher and lower division team. It is incumbent for both teams to advise the Umpire prior to the game whether it’s a division or non-division game.

27. LEGAL BATS: All players must adhere to the ASA Banned Bat List. If a player is caught using a non-approved bat, the game is forfeited, the next division game is forfeited, and there will be no appeal process.

The current ASA “banned” bat rules apply for Co-ed, Men’s and Women’s Divisions. View the current list of banned bats.

28. GAME PENALTIES FOR LATE ARRIVAL: With Palm Beach County leagues starting at 5 and 6 PM, fields have to be vacated by 3 or 4 PM (depending on complex) to allow grounds crew to ready their fields. Therefore, any team not ready to take the field precisely at stated game time will be penalized five (5) runs. The “late arriving” team must also be the visiting team. A forfeit is declared if a team shows up more than 10 minutes late without permission of the World Series staff. If a team is traveling between complexes, and your current game is running late, it is incumbent to notify a World Series field coordinator so the next complex is aware that you're on the way. Any potential protests will be handled on a case by case basis.

Special Co-ed Divisions Rules

1. A team may never play more than five men defensively, however, they may field a starting lineup of 6 or more women. Players can play any position (i.e., four men or four women in the outfield).

2. No two men may bat in a row. Includes designated hitters.

3. WALK A MALE BATTER ON THREE CONSECUTIVE PITCHES, WITHOUT THROWING A STRIKE, AND HE ADVANCES TO SECOND BASE. The next woman batter must bat. If a woman walks on three consecutive pitches, she advances to first base only. A male hitter only advances to first base when he is intentionally walked. (More on intentional walks in Tournament Rules #12.)

4. Outfield Cone or Distance Rule: When a woman is batting, all four (4) outfielders must remain at least 200’ from home plate until the ball is hit. When a male is batting, one (1) defensive outfielder may play a “rover” position in front of the 200’ line. Either a white line or cones will designate the 200’ line. The batter will be awarded first base, and all other runners will advance one base if an outfielder moves in front of the perimeter prior to the batter making contact.

5. A team can start the game with 6 women and 4 men. If a fifth man shows up, he can be substituted for a woman at the end of the inning. The alternate M/F batting order still applies.

6. Co-ed Division players MUST ADHERE to the current ASA "banned" bat list. If a co-ed division male or female batter uses a non-approved bat, not only is that game forfeited, but the violating team also forfeits its next "division" game.

Special Men's Divisions Rules

1. HOME RUN LIMITS: There are 3-4 men’s divisions of play. Unlimited home runs are permitted only when teams play against division opponents. However, when a higher division team plays a lower division team, a one-up HR limit applies for both teams. Any successive home run is ruled a single until the opposing teams hits a HR.

2. BAT RULES: The current ASA “banned” bat list applies for the Men's Division.

Special Women's Divisions Rules

1. The Women's division plays with an 11" ball.

2. 2009 Bat Rules: Observe ASA "banned" bat list.