With Opening Day upon us, we want to highlight several important rule updates for the upcoming season. Over the offseason, the entire rulebook was rewritten to improve clarity, remove redundancies, and make it easier for teams to understand expectations. While the core structure of the rules remain the same, a few key changes have been made since last year.

1. Team‑to‑Team Substitution Rule Removed

The rule implemented last year allowing players to substitute between teams within the same church has been removed. Additionally, the rulebook now clearly states that a player must appear in at least four games for a team to be eligible for tournament play. Any exceptions due to legitimate extenuating circumstances must be approved by the board.

2. Courtesy Runner Rule Standardized Across All Divisions

All three divisions will now use the same courtesy‑runner rule that Division 1 followed last season. The core of the rule is simple: “Up to two batters per half‑inning may receive courtesy runners without restriction, and any player may serve as a courtesy runner for any other player.” Additional details and clarifications are outlined in Rule 7.2.

If your team has a unique situation — for example, three or more players who are physically unable to run — please contact the board so we can work with you on an appropriate solution.

3. Updated Run Rules

Previously, the only threshold our league used was a 15-run lead after 5 innings. These have been slightly adjusted to the following…

• 20‑run lead after 4 innings
• 15‑run lead after 5 innings
• 10‑run lead after 6 innings

4. Refined Swearing and Conduct Rule

The swearing rule has been expanded to clearly distinguish between minor and major offenses. This update allows the league to address conduct issues more consistently while still recognizing the difference between accidental slips and more serious behavior. Full details regarding swearing and other conduct are outlined in Rule 4.4.

With these updates in place, we’re excited to get the 2026 season underway. Thanks for your commitment to the league and for helping us create a great experience on the field all summer long.

Salem once again served as the unofficial launch point for the DAMSL season, hosting its annual One Pitch Tournament on the Saturday before Opening Day. The event has developed a reputation for foreshadowing the summer ahead: the last two One Pitch champions—New Hope Cambridge 1 in 2024 and Karmel 1 in 2025—both went on to win the D1 championship later that year. If that pattern holds, Karmel 1 is in a familiar and favorable position.

Karmel repeated as One Pitch champions, winning an electric 26–25 walk‑off thriller over New Hope Cambridge 1 in a rematch of last year’s D1 title game. In the bottom of the seventh, Karmel pushed across the decisive run to secure their second straight One Pitch crown and set the tone for another strong campaign.

Just a few miles away, another preseason storyline unfolded over at Sandquist. A last‑minute round‑robin event came together for teams not participating in the Salem tournament and was jokingly dubbed the Preseason NIT.

What began as a simple opportunity to get reps turned into a lively, competitive afternoon. Almost every game was close, but in the end New Hope Cambridge 2 edged out Grace Gospel for the inaugural Preseason NIT title on a tiebreaker.

One thing is clear: the Saturday before the DAMSL opener is the perfect window for teams to shake off the rust and enjoy some fellowship in the process. If your team is interested in joining a preseason tournament next year, reach out to any board member and we’ll connect you with the right group.

Eagle Brook has joined Division 3 as a late addition, giving the division an even number of teams and eliminating all bye weeks. Existing schedules remain the same—any previously listed bye week is now a matchup against Eagle Brook.

Division 3 schedules are now live on the DAMSL website. With an odd number of teams this season, one team will have a bye each week.

If you spot any discrepancies or have questions, please contact Al or Chris.

Schedules for Division 1 and Division 2 are now posted on the DAMSL website. Division 3’s schedule will be added by Thursday evening as final details are wrapped up.

If you have any questions, please contact Al or Chris.

The DAMSL Board is announcing a major update for the upcoming season: players and coaches may now participate in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) activities. For those unfamiliar w/NIL, it allows athletes to earn money by using their personal brand (AKA – their name, image, and likeness).

As NIL has exploded across amateur athletics, interest within our league has grown. After careful review, the board has approved an NIL framework tailored to the DAMSL’s mission and values.

Players and coaches may now get paid to take part in sponsorships, social media promotion, autograph sessions, and similar opportunities. However, to protect competitive balance, NIL activities cannot be tied to performance, must involve legitimate work, and may not be used as recruitment incentives.

The board has also approved the 80/20 Rule, directing 80% of NIL earnings to the league and 20% to the participating player or coach. League‑directed funds will support long‑term projects, including securing land west of Cambridge for the eventual construction of the DAMSL Hall of Fame building.

This is a major step forward for our league, creating new opportunities, strengthening community engagement, and supporting long‑term growth. The possibilities are wide‑ranging – here are the first deals we’ve approved…

Hard to believe, but it’s already time to start planning for the upcoming softball season. Please let your managers know that the DAMSL coaches meeting will take place on Sunday, February 22 at 6:00 PM at Cross Pointe Church. This is an important meeting, and we’d like every coach to attend. If that isn’t possible, please ensure at least one representative from each church is present to receive and share the information. Thank you!

The inaugural DAMSL Draft Tourney was nothing short of a triumph, bringing together over 70 players across six spirited teams. The morning kicked off with pool play, as teams were split into two groups of three, each battling through round-robin matchups to set the stage for the afternoon bracket.

The very first game ever played on Cross Pointe Field 2 featured Team Acker vs. Team Zelin—and it delivered a cascade of firsts. Ryan Acker launched the field’s first home run, Tom Simon earned the first win on the mound, Ben Wolcyn donned his vintage yellow DAMSL shirt as the first umpire, and James Klimek made history with the first photobomb.

After pool play wrapped, teams were seeded into a single-elimination bracket based on their morning results. In a thrilling finale, Team Zelin edged Team Goldsmith 18–17 to claim the championship.

From start to finish, the energy, camaraderie, and competition made this event unforgettable. One thing’s for sure—this tourney isn’t just a one-off. It’s the beginning of a new DAMSL tradition.

We’re kicking things off with six teams, divided into two pools of three. Each team will face the other two in their pool during morning matchups. Based on those results, teams will be seeded into a single-elimination bracket starting at 12:30 PM. The top two seeds earn a first-round bye, giving them a direct path to the semifinals. Here’s the schedule for morning pool play:

1. Pool 1 Team Goldsmith vs Team Wolcyn Field 1 8:30 AM
2. Pool 2 Team Acker vs Team Zelin Field 2 8:30 AM
3. Pool 1 Team Wolcyn vs Team VanAnda Field 2 9:40 AM
4. Pool 2 Team Zelin vs Team Hanson Field 1 9:40 AM
5. Pool 1 Team Goldsmith vs Team VanAnda Field 2 10:50 AM
6. Pool 2 Team Acker vs Team Hanson Field 1 10:50 AM

Live Bracket

You can follow along with results via: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PXKDyZ_szzcKrRv3Dr1gn2hhES8lv_CvsyOTUd7iu7k/edit?usp=sharing

The draft is in! The rosters for this weekend’s tournament are officially locked and loaded. You’ll find them in the table below—search by name, filter by team, and start sizing up the competition.

Just for fun, here’s how the first two rounds shook out: Round 1: Matt Melin, Kaleb Bibeau, Jake Mujwid, Matt Hannan, Caleb Boettcher and Nick VanAnda. Round 2: Josh Wicklund, Jacob Toske, Josiah Scheumann, Gavin Rowe, Logan Goldsmith and Danny Grant.

As for the rest of the draft order? That’s classified. Coaches have sworn an oath of forgetfulness—we’ve erased the records and torched the memory banks. Don’t ask. We genuinely don’t remember

The tourney begins 8:30 AM sharp at Cross Pointe, and the full schedule drops Wednesday—stay tuned!