Softball Rules and

regulations
Rules
Field, Players, and Equipment
The Field - The baselines will be 65 feet. The distance from pitcher's mound to
home plate will be 50 feet.
The Players - A team must have 9 players to start or to continue a game with
the maximum of 10 players (not including an EP - SEE LAST RULE UNDER
BATTING).
Substitutes - A player is officially in the game when his/her name has been
entered on the official score sheet. Once a player leaves the line-up, he/she may
re-enter the game. FREE SUBSTITUTION/All teams must turn in batting
order. No pinch runners...only in case of injury and that player cannot
return to the game.
The captain is the only player who may address the officials during the game,
but only on matters of rules interpretation.
Equipment - No metal screws or screw-in cleats are allowed.
Rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets are advised not to be worn. Bats must
be official softball bats.
Add-ons must be made to a roster prior to the SECOND game of Intramural
softball season.
Starting the Game
The pre-game conference will consist of each captain meeting with the umpire
before the game to go over ground rules.

 Scoresheets must be filled out before the game.

Pitching Regulations
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 pitch starts when the pitcher makes any motion that is part of his/her wind
up. His/Her arm must come to a rest holding the ball in front of his/her body,
with a pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate. This position shall be held
for at least 1 second and not more than 10 seconds. He/She must deliver the
ball on the first forward swing to the pitching arm past the hip. There must be
no reserve stopping of the forward motion.
The pitcher shall not deliberately stop, roll, or bounce the ball while in the
pitching position in order to prevent the batter from striking it.
The pitcher shall not at any time during the game be allowed to use tape or
other substances upon the ball, the pitching hand, or fingers. Under supervision
of the umpire, powder resin may be use to dry the hands.
The pitch must be delivered with an arc between six and ten feet.
"NO PITCH" shall be declared when: 1) The pitcher pitches during a
suspension of play, 2) The runner is called out for leaving the base too soon, 3)
The pitcher makes a quick return pitch, 4) The ball slips from the pitcher's hand
during the windup or backswing, or 5) The pitching arc is lower than 6 feet or
higher than 10 feet.
At the beginning of the game or when a pitcher relieves another, no more than
5 pitches may be used as a warm up. Only 3 pitches will be allowed between
innings. Play shall be suspended at this time.
Intentional walks may be made by informing the plate umpire, no pitches are
necessary.
GAME TIME IS START TIME.
Batting

 Each player of the side at bat shall become a batter in order in which his/her
name appears on the scoresheet.
The batter shall not hinder the catcher from fielding or throwing the ball by
stepping out of the batter's box, or intentionally hindering the catcher while
standing within the batter's box.
Members of a team at bat shall not interfere with a player attempting to field a
foul fly ball.
A strike is called by the umpire for each legally pitched ball hitting the strike
zone mat and the batter does not swing, and for each pitched ball swung at and
missed by the batter. This includes pitches the umpire has already declared "NO
PITCH".
A ball is called by the umpire for each pitched ball which does not hit the strike
zone mat or touches the ground before reaching home plate and is not swung at
by the batter, and for each illegally pitched ball.
A foul tip is a batted ball which goes directly from the bat to the catcher's mitt
or hand and is legally caught by the catcher. The batter is not out unless the ball
goes above the batter's head before being caught or it is the third strike.
The batter gives up all rights if he swings at an illegal pitch.
If an Extra Player (EP) is used, all 11 on the starting line-up must bat and
any 10 of those 11 may play defense.
Only ASA approved slow pitch softball bats are allowed in league and
tournament play. Baseball bats are illegal, and if a team is found using one the
player(s) found using the bat will be ejected.
Protest
Protests shall not be received or considered if they are based solely on a
decision involving the accuracy of judgement on the part of an umpire.
The Supervisor on duty must be notified at the time of the protest.

 A formal protest must be written and turned into the Intramural Office within
24 hours after the game, but no sooner than 6 hours after the contest. See
Intramural Recreational Sports Handbook for more details.
Balls and Strikes
4 balls constitute a walk.
3 strikes constitutes an out (strike out).
If the batter has a foul after receiving the second strike, the batter is out.
Each batter will start with a 1 ball/1 strike count.
Player Conduct
Anyone involved in a fight will be suspended for the remainder of the softball
season and possible further disciplinary action, if necessary.
Any player ejected from 2 games in the season is suspended for the remainder
of the season and possible further disciplinary action, if necessary.
Any player pushing, shoving, disrespecting, etc. an umpire will be ejected from
the game. Refer to the Intramural Recreational Sports Handbook for further
penalties.
Definitions
Appeal Play - A play upon which an umpire cannot make a decision until
requested by a player. The appeal must be made before the next ball is
delivered to the batter.
Base Path - An imaginary line three feet to either side or direct line between the
bases.
Batter's Box - An area to which the batter is restricted while in position with the
intention of helping his/her team to obtain runs.
Batter/Baserunner - A player who has finished his/her turn at bat, but has not
yet been put out or touched first base.

 Bunt - An ILLEGALLY tapped ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the
bat and tapped slowly within the infield.
Catcher's Box - An area which the catcher must stand while and until the
pitcher delivers a pitched ball.
Dead Ball - Ball is not in play and is not considered in play again until the
pitcher is within 8 feet of the pitcher's mound and the umpires has called "Play
Ball".
Fair Ball - Any batted ball which settles on fair territory between home and first
base or home and third base; or that is on or over fair territory including any
part of first and third base when traveling to the outfield; or that touches any of
the bases; or if it touches any person (player or umpire); or that passes out of
the playing field beyond the outfield fence.
Foul Tip - A foul ball which goes directly from the bat, not higher than the
batter's head, to the catcher's hand and is legally caught.
Illegally Caught Ball - Occurs when a fielder catches a batted or thrown ball
with his/her cap, glove, or any part of his/her uniform while it is detached from
his/her proper place.
In Jeopardy - A term indicating that a ball is in play and an offensive player
may be put out.
Infield Fly Rule - A fair, hit ball, other than a line drive, that is caught or in
the opinion of the umpire could be easily handled by an infielder. Players
must be on first and second base (or bases loaded) with less than 2 outs.
Interference - The act of a defensive player which hinders or prevents a batter
from striking or hitting a pitched ball, or the act of an offensive player, which
impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive player while attempting to execute a
play.
Obstruction - The act of a fielder, while not in possession of the ball or in the
act of fielding a batted ball, which impedes the progress of a base runner who is
legally running bases.
Out of Play - A ball that has gone past the out of play boundary lines.

 Pivot Foot - The foot which the pitcher must keep in contact with the pitcher's
plate until the ball is delivered.
Play Ball - The term used by the umpire to indicate that play shall begin or
resume.
Sacrifice Fly - A fair fly ball which enables any runner to advance or enables a
runner to score, but which results in the batter/runner to be out.
Turn at Bat - Begins when a player first enters the batter's box and continues
until he is out or becomes a baserunner.
Time - Term used by the umpire to order the suspension of play.
Miscellaneous
Games consist of 7 innings.
The game will be called at the completion of the 3rd inning if one team is
ahead by 20runs, in the 4th inning if a team is ahead by 15 runs, and in the
5th inning if a team is ahead by 10 runs. If the home team is ahead at the
middle of the inning and the above scenarios exist then the game is over.
There is a 50 minute time limit.
Bunting and stealing are not permitted.
Rainouts will be rescheduled at the end of the regular season if possible.
Each team is responsible for providing a scorekeeper. The home team will keep
the official score. The umpire will make the final decision on any discrepancies
of the score.
The catcher is recommended to wear a mask.
No infield practice will be allowed after the first inning.
Runners may not leave the base until the ball has been struck by the batter.
Bring your own gloves and bats, balls will be provided.

 Each runner is allowed one base if a fielder catches a fly ball in fair or foul
territory but carries it out of bounds.
When a ball is ruled out of play, all baserunners will be awarded two bases, the
base he/she is running to at the time of the throw and the following base.
If a play is close (i.e. force out at second), then the baserunner MUST slide
except for running to first base. (no longer a rule)
A forfeit will constitute a 6 point differential (changed to 6-0 with the new
forfeit policy)
No artificial noise-makers are allowed.

INTRAMURAL POINTS FOR SOFTBALL:

Team Entry points: 150 points

Division I: 500 points 10 point spread
Division II: 400 points 10 point spread
Women's: 250 points 10 point spread

SOFTBALL
EQUIPMENTS

SOFTBALL FIELD

History of Softball
Although many people assume that softball was derived from baseball, the sports first game
actually came about because of a football game. The history of softball dates back to
Thanksgiving Day of 1887, when several alumni sat in the Chicago, Illinois Farragut Boat Club,
anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Yale versus Harvard football game. When Yale was
announced as winner, a Yale alumnus playfully threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The
Harvard fan swung at the balled-up glove with a stick, and the rest of the group looked on with
interest. George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, jokingly called out, Play

ball! and the first softball game commenced with the football fans using the boxing glove as a
ball and a broom handle in place of a bat.
Due to the initial excitement surrounding the game, the Farragut Boat Club decided to officially
devise their own set of rules, and the game quickly leaked to outsiders in Chicago and,
eventually, throughout the rest of the Midwestern U.S. As the history of softball shaped itself
over the next decade, the game went under the guise of indoor baseball, kitten baseball,
diamond ball, mush ball, and pumpkin ball. In 1926, Walter Hakanson coined the term
softball while representing the YMCA at a National Recreation Congress meeting, and by
1930, the term stuck as the sports official name.
In 1934, the Joint Rules Committee on Softball collaborated to create a set of standardized
rules. Up until this point, the game was being played with varied rules, player positions, and ball
sizes. The original softball used by the Farragut Boat Club was 16 inches in circumference.
However, Lewis Rober Sr., the man responsible for organizing softball games for firefighters in
Minneapolis, used a 12-inch ball. Robers ball won out as the preferred softball size, and
professional softball games today are played using a 1012-inch ball. However, many
Chicagoans still hold fast to the belief that real softball is played using a 16-inch ball. Games
using these 16-inch balls are often referred to as cabbage ball, super slow pitch, and mush
ball, and unlike competitive softball, players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves.
While the sport was originally advertised as an indoor game for baseball players looking to
maintain their dexterity during the off season, it gained so much popularity and recognition that it
quickly became its own official sport. In 1991, womens fast pitch softball was added to the
roster of the 1996 Summer Olympicsa landmark many people recognize as the ultimate
success of a sport. Although softball was later dropped from the 2012 Summer Olympics lineup,
the game is still one of the most popular participant sports in the United States and 113
countries have officially joined the International Softball Federation since the organizations
formation in 1952.
According to the official rules developed early in the history of softball, and eventually defined by
the International Softball Federation, there are nine players on the field at a time. The players
take the positions of pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, third baseman,
and outfielder. Usually, there are three outfielders holding the positions of right fielder, left fielder,
and center fielder. However, slow pitch softball allows for a fourth person in the outfield. Similar
to baseball, the team with the most runs at the end of the seventh inning is named the winner.
However, if the teams are tied at the end of the seventh inning, the game can go into extra
innings, until the tie is broken.
Today, softball is one of the most popular sports in the country, and an estimated 40 million
Americans engage in at least one softball game each year. Because it can be played on either a

field or an indoor arena, softball games are played year round and involve teams with players as
young as 8 years old and some players over 60 years in age. Softball is sometimes played by
corecreational leagues, where both women and men play on the same teams, but the rules are
generally modified to reduce physical inequalities between the sexes. Often, companies and
organizations form amateur coed teams to play for benefits and charity fund-raiser events.
The history of softball is still unfolding, and the game has undergone numerous modifications
since its creation in 1887, but it is still one of the most preferred sports games in the country and
has developed a following in several countries throughout the world, especially in Australia,
China, and Japan. Loved by amateurs and professionals of all ages and athletic backgrounds,
the world can only anticipate what is in store for the future of Americas other favorite pastim