SOFTBALL RULES

RULE 1 DEFINITION

SECTION 1 BLOCKED BALL

A blocked ball is a batted or thrown ball that is touched, stopped or handled by a person not engaged in the game or which touches any object which touches any object which is not part of the official equipment or official playing area.

SECTION 2 CHOPPED BALL

A chopped ball is one at which the batter strikes downward with a chopping motion of the bat. Chopping will not be permitted.

SECTION 3 DEAD BALL

The ball is not in play and is not considered in play again until the pitcher is within eight (8) feet of the pitcher's plate and the plate umpire has called play ball.

SECTION 4 ILLEGALLY BATTED BALL

Occurs when a batter hits a ball while his/her entire foot is completely out of the box, on the ground when he/she hits the ball; when any part of the batter's foot is touching home plate when he/she hits the ball; or when the batter hits the ball with an illegal bat.

SECTION 5 FAKED TAG

A form of obstruction on a runner, while advancing or returning to a base, by a fielder who neither has the ball nor is about to receive the ball, and which impedes the progress of the runner. The runner does not have to stop or slide. Merely slowing down when a faked tag is administered would constitute obstruction.

SECTION 6 INFIELD FLY

A fair fly ball (not including a line drive) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when 1^st and 2^nd, or 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd bases are occupied, before two outs. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who positions him/her in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.

SECTION 7 INTERFERENCE

Interference is the act of an offensive player or team member, which impedes or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play.

SECTION 8 OBSTRUCTION

Obstruction is the act of: a) a defensive player or team member which hinders or prevents a batter from striking or hitting a pitched ball or b) a fielder, while (1) not in possession of the ball, (2) not in the act of fielding a batted ball or (3) not about to receive a thrown ball, impedes the progress of a base-runner or batter-runner who is legally running bases.

SECTION 9 OVERTHROW

An overthrow occurs when a thrown ball from a fielder goes beyond the boundary lines of the playing field (dead ball territory) or becomes a blocked ball.

SECTION 10 STEALING

The act of a base runner attempting to advance during a pitch to the batter. No base stealing will be permitted. The runner must be in contact with the base until the pitch crosses the plate or it hit.

SECTION 11 STRIKE ZONE

The space over any part of home plate which is between the batter's back shoulder and his/her knees when the batter assumes his/her natural batting stance. The strike zone remains the same not matter where the batter positions him/herself.

RULE 2 THE PLAYING FIELD AND EQUIPMENT

SECTION 1 DISTANCE

1. Bases shall be sixty-five (65) feet apart

2. Pitching distances shall be fifty (50) feet from home plate.

3. The playing field shall be described as the area defined by extending a line from the edge of the backstop parallel to the baseline. Permanently placed objects falling within the area shall be considered out of play. All questions arising in this area shall be left to the judgment of the umpire.

SECTION 2 EQUIPMENT ***

1. Only official softball bats are legal

2. Official twelve (12) inch softballs in men's play and official eleven (11) inch softballs in women's play will be used. Teams must use balls provided by the IM Department unless others are mutually agreed upon.

3. SHOES WITH ANY TYPE OF CLEATED SOLE OR SHOES WITH DETACHABEL METAL, PLACTIC OR RUBBER CLEATS ARE ALLOWED ON REAVES PARK FIELDS.

4. A player may wear gloves but only the catcher and the first baseman may use mitts.

RULE 3 PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES

SECTION 1 NUMBER OF PLAYERS

Each team shall play with ten players, but may play with nine players with one automatic out, or with eight players with two automatic outs.

 

 

 

SECTION 2 SUBSTITUTION

1. A player who has been substituted for may re-enter the game.

2. A player may not bat more than once in the batting rotation. (Example: Batting rotation shall mean batting once through all 10 positions.)

3. No designated hitting will be permitted.

4. To make a substitution, the captain must notify the umpire who will suspend play and notify the scorekeepers.

 

 

 

SECTION 3 PLAYERS NAMES ON SCORECARDS

A player shall be officially in the game when his/her name and ID number have been entered on the official scorecard.

RULE 4 THE GAME

SECTION 1 FIRST BAT- The choice of first or last bat in the inning shall be decided toss of coin

SECTION 2 TIME FACTORS

1. A regulation game shall consist of five (5) innings, unless the game is tied, or one team is leading by ten (10) or more runs at the end of three (3) innings, or when time limits stated below come into effect. ( Refer to Tie Game Rule 6, Sec. 2).

2. No new innings shall begin fifty (50) minutes after the scheduled starting time. All innings once begun shall be completed. The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time because of darkness or other causes. (NOTICE: During play-off finals a 90 minute playing time limit will be in effect.)

3. Due to limited time, there shall be no infield practice between innings and only one warm up pitch will be allowed.

4. Games halted by rain shall be declared complete after three innings or 1 ½ innings if the home team is ahead.

SECTION 3 THIRD OUT

A run shall not be scored if the third out of the inning is the result of:

1. The batter being put out before legally touching 1^st base.

2. A base runner being forced out due to the batter becoming a base runner.

3. A base runner leaving base before the pitched ball reaches home plate.

SECTION 4 OVER-RUNNING FIRST

If a runner makes an attempt toward 2^nd base after over-running first, he/she is in jeopardy of being put out.

SECTION 5 TWO STRIKES AND FOUL BALLS

When a batter has a count of two strikes, any foul ball including a foul tip shall be called an out. After a foul ball is caught, regardless of the count, runners may advance at their own risk.

RULE 5 PITCHING REGULATIONS

SECTION 1 POSITIONING

The pitcher shall take a position with one or both feet firmly on the ground and in contact with, but not off the side of the pitcher's plate. At the time of delivery, both the pivot and the non-pivot foot must be within the length (24 inches) of the pitcher's plate.

RULE 8 UMPIRES

SECTION 4 APPEAL PLAY

An appeal play is a play on which an umpire cannot make a decision until requested by a coach or player. The appeal must be made before the next legal or illegal pitch, or before the defensive team has left the field. The defensive team has left the field when the pitcher and all infielders have clearly vacated their normal fielding positions and have left fair territory on their way to the bench or dugout area. The plate umpire should acknowledge the appeal, and the administering umpire should then make a decision on the play. Base runners cannot leave their base during this period, as the ball remains dead until the next pitch. All play is dead, no runners may advance.

THE OFFICIAL RULES OF THE AMATEUR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SHALL GOVERN IF NOT COVERED BY THESE RULES. The IM

Department retains the right to rule on matters not specifically mentioned in these rules to promote a fairness of the game.

 

 

Coed Rules:

Batting order must alternate betwwen male and female.

Battery must be male and female. Infield and outfield must consist of 50% female.

A male that is walked gives the choise to the next female better to hit or walk. if she hits, the male runner stays at 1st.