Intramural Sports Softball Rules Current Official A. S. A. Softball Rules shall apply with modifications or exceptions as indicated in this document. Rule 1: The Playing Field A. Dimensions - Baselines 70'; Pitching Distance 50' Rule 2: Equipment A. University Recreation will provide the bats and balls for play. Participants must use the balls provided by Competitive Sports. Participants may use their own bats as long as they are legal and meet the specifications and requirements of Rule 2, E. B. The catcher is encouraged to wear a mask. Gloves or mitts may be worn by any player C. Shoes must be worn by all participants and will be made of a canvas, leather, or synthetic material which covers the foot attached to a firm sole of leather, rubber, or composition material which may have cleats or be cleat-less. No metal spikes or polyurethane spikes similar to metal soles and heel plates are allowed. 1. Cleats are limited to studs or projections, which are made with nonabrasive rubber or rubbertype synthetic material, which does not chip or develop a cutting edge. 2. Screw-in cleats are allowed if the screw is part of the cleat. Penalty: A player violating this rule will be restricted from playing in the game until appropriate shoes are worn. The game will not be delayed to secure appropriate attire by a participant. If discovered because an opposing player was hurt (due to a player wearing improper shoes) then the offending participant will be ejected. D. A 12 ball is used for all games. E. Softball Bats - Bats will be marked OFFICIAL SOFTBALL by the manufacturer. The bat must also either: a. Bear either the ASA 2000 certification mark, the ASA 2004 certification mark, or the ASA 2013 Certification Mark as shown on the ASA website (www.asasoftball.com), and must not be listed on an ASA Banned Bat List unless it bears a current recertification stamp b. Bear the USSSA BPF 1.2 mark as shown on the USSSA website (www.usssa.com), and must not be listed on an USSSA Banned Bat List unless it bears a current recertification stamp. 1. The bat shall not have exposed rivets, pins, rough, or sharp edges or any form of exterior fastener that would present a hazard. A metal bat shall be free of burrs and cracks. 2. The official bat shall not be more than 34.0 inches long nor exceed 38.0 ounces in weight. 3. If the words OFFICIAL SOFTBALL cannot be read due to wear and tear on the bat, the bat may be declared legal if it is without doubt legal in all other aspects. 4. Titanium alloy bats will not be legal for Intramural Sports play. 5. Illegal/altered bat - When a batter is at bat or is discovered using an illegal/altered bat, the batter is out and is ejected from the game. For a list of illegal bats, see ASA website. F. It will be prohibited for a player to wear equipment which would be considered dangerous to one s self or to another player: 1. No hard casts will be permitted. 2. No jewelry will be permitted.
3. No hard or unyielding items to control hair will be permitted. Bandanas are allowed but may not contain any knots. Rule 3: Players, Substitutes, and Courtesy Runners A. Number of players 1. Men, Women, and Graduate/Faculty/Staff - 10 players - Minimum of 8 players needed to start and complete a game. 2. Co-Rec - 10 players - Minimum of 8 players needed to start and complete a game - five male and five female; game can be played with 9 players and a 5-4, 6-5, 6-6 ratio of males-females or vice-versa. B. Extra player (EP) 1. An EP is optional, but if one is used, it must be made known prior to the start of the game and listed on the score sheet in the regular batting order. 2. To utilize the EP, a team must have 11 or 12 (co-rec) players in the batting line-up. 3. The batting order must remain constant, however any 10 of the 11 or 12 (co-rec) players can take a defensive position throughout the game. (Exception: In co-rec play, five males and five females must take a defensive position.) C. Substitutes 1. Any player can leave and re-enter the game one time. He/she must bat in the same position that he/she originally was in when he/she started the game. In co-rec play, a male must replace a male and a female must replace a female. 2. If a player or players should leave the game and are not replaced with a substitute player, then an out will be declared every time the player or players would have batted. D. Short-handed rule 1. Teams may start with eight players. 2. Players may be added to the bottom of the lineup with no penalty, provided they enter the game before their team completes their turn at bat in the third inning. After the third inning, any late arriving player may only enter the game as a substitute. 3. Teams may only add to a maximum of 10 players (no EP can be used in this situation). 4. The fielding team must occupy the pitcher and catcher positions. E. Courtesy Runner - A courtesy runner may take the place of an injured base runner with the consent of the opposing captain and with the understanding that both players are eligible for further participation in the game. 1. The batter-runner should report to the base prior to the courtesy runner entering the game. 2. Any player including available substitutes may be used as a courtesy runner. It is not required that the courtesy runner be the last player recorded out for a team. 3. The courtesy runner should be of the same gender. 4. A player may be a courtesy runner only once per inning. Rule 4: The Game A. The choice of the first or last bat in the inning shall be decided by a toss of a coin unless otherwise stated in these rules. B. Warm-up guidelines: 1. Five warm-up pitches in the first inning. 2. Two warm-up pitches per inning for the remainder of the game. 3. A pitching change - the new pitcher will be allowed five warm-up pitches. 4. No infield warm-up balls after the first inning. 5. No teams will be allowed to take batting practice/infield prior to game time.
C. Length of Game - The normal length of a game shall be seven innings with a 45-minute time limit. If a game is caused to be ended by the 45-minute time limit, the final result will be the score at the end of the inning the game was in when the time limit was reached. An inning has started as soon as the third out of the previous inning has occurred. D. No new inning will be started after the 45-minute time limit. The plate umpire will keep the official game time. E. Run ahead rules: 1. If a team is leading by 20 runs after three complete innings, the team that is leading is automatically declared the winner. 2. If a team is leading by 15 runs after four complete innings, the team that is leading is automatically declared the winner. 3. If a team is leading by 10 runs after five complete innings, the team that is leading is automatically declared the winner Complete innings must be played unless the home team scores the run ahead limit. F. Tie Game Procedures - In the event of a tie score at the end of seven innings, an extra inning(s) shall be played to attempt to break the tie. In the event of a tie score at the end of an inning after the 45- minute time limit, the tie will stand in regular season games. All play-off games must be played to a conclusion that produces a winner. Regular season games will not have extra innings. G. A run shall not be scored if the third out of the inning is a result of: 1. The batter being put out before legally touching first base. 2. A base runner being forced out due to the batter becoming a base runner. H. Unfinished Games - In case the game is terminated due to the time, darkness, weather conditions or any unusual situations, prior to five complete innings, it will be completed from the point of interruption with the score as is (players that were present at the original game must bat in the same position). University Recreation will notify all teams involved with inclement weather situations once the games have been rescheduled. All games stopped after the completion of five complete innings or when the home team is leading after the visiting team has batted in the top of the fifth inning will be ruled official games. I. Decision to cancel games in progress will be made by the Competitive Sports Supervisors. Rule 5: Pitching Regulations A. The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher s plate. The pitcher s pivot foot must be in contact with the pitcher s plate throughout the delivery. B. The pitcher must come to a full and complete stop with the ball in front of the body. The front of the body must face the batter. This position must be maintained at least one second before starting the delivery. (No quick pitches will be allowed.) C. The delivery must be a continuous motion. D. The pitcher must deliver the ball toward home plate on the first forward swing of the pitching arm past the hip with an underhanded motion. E. The pitcher has 10 seconds to release the next pitch after receiving the ball. F. The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher s plate until the pitched ball leaves the hand. If a step is taken, it can be forward, backward, or to the side provided the step is simultaneous with the release of the ball. G. The pitcher may not pitch the ball behind their back or through their legs and cannot deliver a pitch from the glove.
H. The pitch shall be released at a moderate speed. The speed is left entirely up to the judgment of the umpire. I. The ball must be delivered with a visible arc and reach a height of at least six feet from the ground, while not exceeding a maximum height of 10 feet. J. If an illegal pitch is thrown, the umpire shall call illegal pitch prior to the ball reaching home plate. The batter has the option to take the pitch (automatic ball) or swing, in which case it becomes a legal pitch and the ball is live. Rule 6: Batting A. Strike Zone In order for a pitch to be called a strike, it must reach a minimum height of 6 feet and a maximum height of 10 feet. The ball must also land on the 2 ft. x 3 ft. mat placed behind home plate. a. Ex: If the batter does not swing and the legal delivery misses the mat, a ball will be called b. Ex: If the batter does not swing and the legal delivery hits the mat, a strike will be called B. The batter must take the batter s position within immediately after being directed by the umpire. C. After the ball is in play, the batter may not step out of the batter s box to stop play unless time has been granted by the umpire. All action will continue and the pitch will be called. EXCEPTION: If special conditions warrant, as determined by the umpire, time can be called. D. Each batter will enter the batter s box with a one ball and one strike count. Only two additional strikes are required for a strikeout and three additional balls for a walk. All foul balls count as strikes. E. A walk in Co-Rec play: 1. A walk to a male batter who is succeeded by another male batter will result in a one-base award. 2. A walk to a male batter who is succeeded by a female batter will result in a two-base award. The next batter (a female) will bat. Exception: With two outs the female batter has the option to walk or bat. 3. A male batter-runner advancing to second base without touching first base will be called out if properly appealed. F. In Co-Rec games, it is mandatory that males and females alternate in the batting order. If a team would not have alternating genders in the lineup, an out would be recorded between players of identical gender. (Exception: When 9 or 11 players are listed in the batting order, the last person and the first person may be of the same gender.) G. A bunt is a batted ball, not swung at by the batter, but met with the bat. A batter is out on a bunted ball. H. A chopped hit ball is one, which the batter strikes downward without a full swing of the bat. A batter is out on a chopped ball. I. Batter s Box A batter s box measures four feet by seven feet. The front line of the batter s box will be four feet in front of a line drawn through the center of home plate. The inside lines of a batter s box will be six inches from home plate. A batter s box will not be marked but the batter s box guidelines will be enforced by the officials. 1. Prior to the pitch, the batter must have both feet completely within the dimensions of a batter s box. 2. The batter is out when any part of the foot is touching home plate when a fair or foul ball is hit. 3. The batter is out when the entire foot is in front of home plate when a fair or foul ball is hit. J. A fair ball is a legally batted ball which: 1. Settles or is touched on fair ground between home and first base or between home and third base. 2. Bounds past first and third base on or over fair ground. 3. Touches first or third base.
4. While on or over fair ground, touches the person or clothing of an umpire or players. 5. First falls on fair ground beyond first and third base. A fair ball must be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, regardless of whether the fielder is on fair or foul ground at the time he/she touches the ball. 6. While on or over fair ground, lands behind a fence. This is considered a home run. 7. Hits a foul line or foul pole on the fly. If the ball hits the pole above the fence level, it shall be a home run. K. A foul ball is a legally batted ball which: 1. Settles on foul ground between home and first base or between home and third base. 2. Bounds past first or third base on or over foul ground. 3. First touches on foul ground beyond first or third base. 4. While on or over foul ground touches the person or clothing of an umpire, player or is blocked. L. Infield Fly Rule - A batter is out immediately when he/she hits an infield fly, as declared by the umpire, with runners on first and second or on first, second, and third with less than two out. M. The batter is out if a fielder intentionally drops a fair ball, including a line drive, which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort with first, first and second, first and third, or first, second, and third bases occupied with less than two outs. (Ruling: Ball is dead and runners return to base.) N. Any fair ball: 1. A ground rule double will be declared when a fair ball falling short of the fence contacts an overhanging tree limb or leafage. 2. A home run will be declared when a fair ball contacts an overhanging tree limb or leafage above or behind the fence (bouncing back to the field of play or remaining over the fence). In either case, this shall be ruled an over-the-fence home run. 3. A live ball will be declared when a fair ball contacts the light poles or power boxes in the outfield (except if a ball would come to stop underneath the power boxes, thereby, prompting a ground rule double). O. Any foul ball: 1. A strike will be recorded for the batter when a foul ball contacts an overhanging tree limb or leafage. P. When two fields share the same outfield, it is possible for a fair ball off the bat of the hitter or following an error by a fielder to go in the other field s area of play. If the ball is touched by someone playing on the other field, the batter shall be awarded an automatic triple. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the batter would have scored, the batter can be awarded a home run. Q. Home Run Limit: Each team will be restricted to four over-the-fence home runs per game. Once a team has reached this limit, any additional over-the-fence home runs hit by a member of that team will result in the ball being declared dead, the batter being declared out, and all base runners being forced to return to base. Rule 7: Batter-Runner A. The double base will be used for plays at first base. Half the base is white (over fair territory) and half is orange (over foul territory). When using the double base at first, the following rules should be enforced: 1. A batted ball hitting the white portion is declared fair and a batted ball hitting the colored portion is declared foul. 2. Whenever a play is being made on the batter-runner the defense must use the white portion and the batter-runner the colored portion. On extra base hits or balls hit to the outfield, when there is no play being made at the double base, the batter-runner may touch the white or colored portion. Should the batter-runner return, the runner must return to the white
portion. 3. On any force out attempt from the foul side of first base, the defense and the batter-runner can use either the white or colored portion. This includes overthrows. 4. When tagging up on a fly ball, any portion of the base may be used. B. Under no condition is a runner permitted to steal a base. He/she may leave the base when a pitched ball has reached or passes home plate. If the ball is not hit, ball is dead, runners must return immediately to their bases. Penalty for not immediately returning, the runner will be declared out. Base runner is automatically out and ball is dead in case runner leaves base prior to ball reaching home plate. C. Fake tag a fake tag occurs when a fielder without the ball deceives the runner by impeding his/her progress. If this happens in the judgment of the umpire, the umpire will give the delayed dead ball signal, allow the play to continue then award the base or bases that the runner and each other runner affected by the fake tag would have reached (in the judgment of the umpire). If the umpire feels there is justification, a defensive player making a fake tag could be ejected from the game. D. Any fielder who contacts a runner in an unnecessary manner will be ejected from the game. The necessity of contact will be the sole judgment of the umpire. E. Any base runner that flagrantly contacts a fielder having possession of the ball will be declared out and will also be ejected from the game. Acts that are deemed flagrant include, but are not limited to: dropping of the shoulder, raising of the arms for reasons other than protection, etc. F. Interference - The batter-runner/runner is out when he/she interferes with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball or interferes with fielder attempting to throw the ball. G. When a runner dislodges a base from its proper position, neither the runner nor the succeeding runner(s) in the same series of plays are compelled to follow a base out of position. H. Failure of a preceding runner to touch a base or to legally tag up on a caught fly ball, and who is declared out, does not affect the status of a succeeding runner who touches bases in proper order. If the failure to touch a base in regular order or to legally tag up on a caught fly ball is the third out of the inning, no succeeding runner may score a run. I. No runner may return to touch a missed base or one left too soon after a following runner has scored or once he/she leaves the field of play. J. Bases left too soon on a caught fly ball must be retouched prior to advancing to awarded bases. K. The runner is out when the runner physically passes a preceding runner before that runner has been put out. Rule 8: Dead Ball Guidelines and Procedures A. Dead ball territory will be marked by dead ball lines or if the ball goes over or behind any fence or bleachers. B. In all cases, when a thrown ball goes into dead ball territory, each runner shall be awarded two bases from the time the ball left the fielder s hand. C. When a live ball is unintentionally carried by a fielder from playable territory into dead ball territory, the ball is dead and each runner is awarded one base from the last base touched at the time the fielder entered dead ball territory. D. A batted ball that is grounded which enters dead ball territory (touched or untouched by a fielder) will be ruled a ground rule double. E. If, in the judgment of the umpire, a fielder intentionally carries, kicks, pushes, or throws a live ball from playable territory into dead ball territory, the ball is dead. Each runner is awarded two bases from the last base touched at the time the fielder entered or the ball was kicked, pushed, or thrown into dead ball territory. F. When a fielder loses possession of the ball, such as on an attempted tag and the ball enters dead ball
territory, each runner is awarded one base from the last base touched at the time the ball entered dead ball territory.