OFFICIATED SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL RULES

General slow pitch softball rules regulate play with the following exceptions

I. INTRAMURAL POLICY

A. Forfeit time is 10 minutes after the hour. BE ON TIME!

B. Games will last until 7 innings or until 10 minutes to the next hour. At 10

minutes before the hour, the inning being played will be the last inning of the

game.

C. Rubber molded cleats and screw on cleats with the screw on the cleat itself

rather than on the shoes will be allowed. Cleats are to be no longer than 1.2

inches. NO metal cleats will be allowed. The gym/field supervisors will

approve or disapprove all cleats. Baseball bats cannot be used! If you cannot

tell the difference, ask the gym/field supervisor. Umpires will also check shoes- NO bare feet. Appropriate shoes only!

D. Teams must provide their own bats, gloves, and balls. Bats, balls, and gloves

may be checked out from the Women’s Equipment Room with a faculty/staff

card or an access card. For more info, call the Equipment Room at 893-2418

from 9am to 4pm any weekday. Only “official softball bats” may be used.

E. Each team must fill out their roster on the back of the scorecards before the

start of the game. Separate batting line ups should be made for men and women on the coed teams. Both team captains must verify the score by signing the scorecard before they leave the field.

F. A catcher’s mask (not a requirement) may be checked out from the Equipment Room.

G. NO bottles or kegs are allowed on the fields. Any players who appear Intoxicated and/or dangerous to themselves or others (at the discretion of the gym/field supervisors) will be required to leave the field.

II. THE GAME

A. Nine players constitute a team on defense, but a team may bat as many batters

as they want on the offense.

B. On coed teams, the number of men may never exceed the number of women

by more than one and vice versa.

C. A team may start and continue with seven players, and may continue with no

less than six.

D. Each team must have at least three infielders, not including a catcher.

E. The pitching distance is 38 feet from home plate, and the pitcher must be a

member of the batting team. He must stay within the pitching circle.

F. If a team elects to change pitchers during an inning, the substitute pitcher will

not be allowed to take any warm-up pitches.

G. Catcher policy: if a team has eight or nine players, the catcher is mandatory,

but if there are only seven players, the catcher is NOT mandatory.

A. Each batter will be allowed ONLY THREE PITCHES. No balls or strikes

will be called. A foul ball on the third pitch is an out.

B. Coed teams must alternate male-female batters throughout the game.

C. A female may only substitute for a female, and a male for a male.

D. Batters must take a full swing. Bunting or chopping the ball is not permitted

and will be an automatic out. This is up to the discretion of the umpire.

E. If the batter takes a full swing at a pitch and still barely nicks the ball causing

it to roll in front of the plate, the ball is still alive and in play, providing it is in fair territory.

F. The batter will be called out if the ball hits the pitcher or if the pitcher

interferes with the play. The ball is then dead, and runners may NOT advance.

G. The out-of-play boundaries extend from the widths of the backstops. This is

approximately 10 feet. You may extend your arm over the line to catch a ball.

H. Infield Fly Rule: if there are runners on first and second, or the bases are

loaded, and there are less than two outs, and the batter hits a pop fly that is easily catchable by an infielder, the batter is automatically out and the runners may advance at their own risk.

I. An infielder must give the ball to the pitcher to stop play. A throw from the

outfield must not be interfered with by the pitcher. Therefore, a throw from the outfield should go to an infielder first and then to the pitcher.

A. Under no conditions may a runner steal any base.

B. A runner who leaves the base before the pitch reaches the batter is out

C. In the instance of a caught fly ball, the base runner, while tagging up, may not

leave the base until the ball is touched by the fielder. Failure to touch any base results in the base runner being automatically called out.

D. THERE WILL BE NO SLIDING ALLOWED INTO ANY BASE. The

runner will automatically called out if he/she is caught sliding or diving into any base. The fielder must allow the runner to at least half of the base, and if not, the runner will be called safe. If the ball beats the runner to the base, please accept the fact that you are out. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TAKE A FIELDER OUT!!

E. A cone will be placed 2/3^rd of the way down the third base line. As soon as

the runner passes this cone, it is a forced out at home. THERE IS NO SLIDING INTO HOME. Once the cone is passed, the runner MUST go home.

F. When playing first base, DO NOT cover the base with your foot. If you do

not give the runner at least half of the base, the runner will automatically be called safe.

When the ball goes out of play, all runners get the base they were going to plus

one. If a runner is between 2^nd and 3^rd and is retreating to 2^nd, he/she is only

entitled to 3^rd base (going to 2^nd plus one). If the ball is controlled and the

momentum pushes a defender out of play, extra bases will NOT be taken.

A player may leave the game and re-enter in any position ONLY AFTER ONE

COMPLETE ROTATION OF THE BATTING ORDER has occurred.

A. If you throw the ball and hit the runner, the runner is safe at the base to which

he/she is running.

B. If you have any questions on these rules, please ask your gym/field

supervisors, umpires, of come into the Rec Sports office and ask the Sport Coordinator.

C. 50 Foot Arc Rule (COED): the outfield players must stay behind the 50 foot

arc until the ball has been hit. The arc will be designated by a cone placed 50 feet behind 2^nd base. This rule applies when female participants are at bat.

D. While this is officiated, please keep in mind that the umpire will not always

have the best view. They will try their best to make the best call, but keep your integrity and self-control intact so as to promote a healthy playing environment.