All players must sign the activity consent form and present their valid BearPass Card prior to each game. No on will be permitted to play without their BearPass Card. No Exceptions!
Official ASA softball rules, with certain modifications, are used as a guideline for rules. Campus Recreation Staff will have the final say on all rules and their application.
1. NUMBER OF PLAYERS
1.1. Teams consist of ten players, but may start and/or play with eight players. If the 9th or 10th person arrives, he/she is eligible to play immediately.
1.2. An extra hitter (11th player) may be used, but they will not play in the field.
2. LENGTH OF GAME
2.1. Games will be 7 innings or 50 minutes, whichever comes first. All innings started before the time limit has been reached (unless 7 innings have been played) will be completed to etermine a winner. Extra innings will be played until the tie is broken, for playoffs only.
2.2. A fifteen-run rule or ten-run rule will apply when the losing team completed three or four innings, respectively.
2.3. In case of rain during the regular season, an official game shall be declared if the losing team has completed three innings. A playoff tournament game must go four innings to be official.
3. EQUIPMENT
3.1. NO Jewelry allowed! The only jewelry that allowed is a medical alert bracelet that must be taped down.
3.2. Campus Recreation will supply all equipment except that of a personal nature (e.g., gloves, shoes, uniforms, etc.)
3.3. Players may be use their own bats as long as they are stamped “official softball†or, if not visibly stamped, are approved by the umpire.
3.4. METAL SPIKED CLEATS MAY NOT BE WORN AT ANY TIME. Molded rubber soccer-style shoes or rubber screw in cleats ½ inch and under will be allowed. Any player with metal spikes will be disqualified.
3.5. Mitts may be used only by the catcher and first baseman. All other players must use gloves.
3.6. No multi-colored glove may be used by the pitcher.
3.7. The only balls that will be used during play will be provided by Campus Recreation.
4. SUBSTITUTIONS
4.1. A player can substitute once in the spot where he/she batted previously.
4.2. Substitutes must report to the scorekeeper before entering the game.
5. OVERTHROWS
5.1. An overthrow is a play in which a ball is thrown from one fielder to another to retire runner who has not reached or is off base and goes into foul territory beyond the boundary lines of the playing field.
5.2. In all cases where a thrown ball crosses the designated boundaries for the playing field, or hits any person or object not engaged in the players’ benches, including bats lying near the benches, whether the ball rebounded into playing field or not, each and every baseman shall be awarded the base they were approaching plus one more additional base.
6. BATTING
6.1. All batters will begin each bat with one ball and one strike, or a “one-and-one countâ€. This is to encourage more play, and less pitching and catching.
6.2. A team may intentionally walk an opposite batter by informing the plate umpire of such intent and the batter will be awarded first base.
6.3. The batter may not intentionally bunt or chop downward on the ball.
6.4. The batter is not allowed to run on a dropped third strike.
6.5. A batter fouling off the third strike will be called out on strikes.
6.6. If any ball is hit over the fence, the game will be called immediately. The team with the player who hit the ball over the fence will automatically forfeit.
6.7. Any person hitting a ball over the fence cannot participate in Intramural sports for the remainder of the season. Additional disciplinary actions may also be taken by Campus Recreation.
7. PITCHING REGULATIONS
7.1. The pitcher shall not wear a sweatband, bracelet, or similar type of item on the wrist or forearm of the pitching arm. A multi-colored glove is prohibited.
7.2. At no time during the game is the pitcher allowed to use tape or other substances on his pitching hand or fingers, except for powdered resin approved by the umpire.
7.3. The pitcher shall take a position with both feet firmly on he ground, in contact with the pitcher’s rubber, and his arm must come past his/her only once.
7.4. In the act of delivering the ball, the pitcher shall take not more than one step forward toward the batter, and simultaneously deliver the ball to the batter.
7.5. The release of the ball and the follow-through of the hand and wrist must be forward past a straight line of the body. The hand shall be below the hip, the wrist not any farther from the body than the elbow.
7.6. The ball must be delivered at a moderate speed – from below the hip – with a perceptible arch (a minimum of six feet from the ground with a maximum height of 12 feet). The speed of the pitch and its height are left entirely to the judgment of the umpire.
7.7. In order to help speed up play as much as possible, the catcher shall return the ball directly to the pitcher after each pitch.
8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1. Under no condition is a runner permitted to steal a base. A runner may only leave the base when a pitched ball is batted or has reached home plate.
8.2. In a double play situation, it is the responsibility of the runners to slide or otherwise get of the way of a fielder trying to make the play. Also, a runner is not allowed to physically charge into a fielder in an effort to dislodge the ball. Failure of a runner to follow the regulations described above will result in that runner being called “outâ€.
8.3. Appeal Play- An appeal play is one in which an umpire cannot make a decision upon until requested by a manager, coach or player (e.g., a runner tagging up early on a fly to outfield). The appeal must be made on the field of play and before any pitches are thrown to the next batter. The ball should be returned to the pitcher, who then notifies the umpire of the exact nature of the appeal and proceeds to carry out the appeal play. The umpire will signal if the runner is “out†or “safeâ€.
8.4. There will be no head first sliding into bases. Slide feet first. This is for your safety as well as the other players.
8.5. If there is a play at any base, runner has to slide in order to avoid running into the defense. If he/she does not they will automatically be out if they have interfered with the play.
9. ADDITIONAL COED RULES
All rules for coed softball will be the same as in the men’s and women’s leagues except for the following:
9.1. NUMBER OF PLAYERS
a. Coed teams of ten players (five women and five men), but may start and/or play with eight players (4 men and 4 women). Teams may have up to 12 players (10 plus 2 extra hitters). An equal number of men and women must be playing at all times.
b. If a team starts with ten players, they may continue with eight players if an injury causes the number of players to drop to eight and no substitutes are available.
c. If a player is ejected and there were only 8 players playing, the game is over.
d. At no time may a coed team continue with less than eight players on the field.
9.2. BATTING
a. Men and women must alternate in the batting order.
b. Walking a man will automatically mean a walk to the woman following him in the batting order. The woman, however, has the option of taking her turn at bat instead of the walk.
9.3. PLAYING POSITIONS
a. An equal number of men and women must play infield and outfield positions.
b. One woman and one man must play the pitcher/catcher positions.