Fast Pitch Rules and Regulations
EQUIPMENT
Equipment differs for offensive and defensive positions.
· On offense, batters have a wooden or aluminum bat, batting gloves for grip, and
batting helmets for protection.
· On defense, fielders use a leather glove. The catcher has special protective
equipment, including a face mask, chest protector, and shin/leg guards.
All players wear shoes with cleats. The uniform consists of a jersey; pants, shorts,
or skirt; and a baseball cap, visor, or headband.
THE GAME
1) There are 9 players on a softball team. 2) The playing field is divided into the infield and outfield
3) The lines between the bases are 60’ apart and when joined they form a “diamond”,
inside the baseline is known as the infield
4) Outside the baseline but inside the playing field is called the outfield.
Any ball going outside the 1st or 3rd base line is a foul ball ( runners can not advance
and the batter gets another try unless the ball was caught in the air, which translates to
an out)
An official game is 7 innings (a inning is when both teams have had their turn to bat)
a) The visiting team bats in the first half of each inning, called the “top of the
inning;” the home team bats in the second half of each inning, called the “bottom
of the inning.”
There is no set time that an inning lasts; each half of the inning continues until the
defense accumulates three outs. If the game is tied after the last inning, the game
goes into “extra innings,” and continues until one team holds a lead at the end of
an inning.
PITCHING
1) The pitcher must have both feet on the pitcher’s rubber and can only take one step
forward while pitching.
2) The ball must be thrown underhand.
3) Both hands must be on the ball at the start of the pitch.
BATTING
1) Batters must follow the same order throughout the whole game
2) The batter is out if and when:
a) three strikes have been called
b) a fly ball is caught
c) the batter does not stand in the batter’s box
BASE RUNNING
1) Runners must touch each base in order
2) Runners may overrun 1st base only, all other bases the runner may be tagged and
called out if they are off the base.
3) Runners can not lead off a base, they must be on base until the ball as left the
pitcher’s hand
4) After a fly ball has been caught the base runner must tag the occupied base before
5) advancing to the next base
6) One base runner can not pass another base runner that is ahead of them. 7) Stealing a base is not permitted
8) A runner is out if:
a) they are tagged with the ball before reaching a base
b) the ball gets to 1st base before the runner
c) they run more than 3 feet out of the base line to avoid being tagged
Slow Pitch Rules and Regulations
Equipment
The official bat must be approved: Bats must not exceed 31.5 ounces (if playing in USSSA) or 38 ounces (if playing in NSA) in weight. They must also not exceed 34 inches in length, and the diameters may be no larger than 2.25 inches along the barrel. All bats must be stamped with USSSA, ASA, or NSA approval. At any time during a game, if an umpire requests to check game bats, they must be produced. If ever in doubt about the legality of a particular bat, each governing body produces approved bat lists each year.
Metal cleats are prohibited: Only soft or hard rubber cleats may be used, along with turf shoes or sneakers.
11- and 12-inch balls: Slowpitch teams use 11- and 12-inch balls with yellow covers. Men’s teams use 12-inch balls, while Women’s teams use 11-inch balls. Coed teams are able to use either, depending on the level of play (distinguished by the local leagues).
Runners must score by touching the scoring plate: A scoring plate, or a space designated for runners to pass through, is set eight feet outside the third base line and even with home plate. Runners who are attempting to score never actually touch the home plate between the batter’s boxes; they must run through the scoring plate, instead.
Base Runners
1)A base runner must stay in contact with the bag until the pitched ball touches the ground, reaches or passes home plate, or is batted.
2)Stealing (advancing to the next base) is not allowed if the pitch is not batted.
Batters
1)Batters are not allowed to bunt/chop the ball deliberately downward (whether it is fair or foul).
2)Most slowpitch leagues will walk batters on three balls and strike them out with two strikes. However, three strikes and four balls are also granted. (Check with your local league or umpire-in-chief for the exact count.)
3)A foul tip on the last strike will result in an out.
4)No designated batters are used.
5)If a home run is hit over the fence in a men’s or women’s game, the batter does not have to run the bases.
Read more at: http://softball.isport.com/softball-guides/slowpitch-softball-rules-regulations
http://sharepoint.mvla.net/teachers/KiernanR/PE%2010/Documents/Softball%20Rules%20Simplified.pdf
Equipment differs for offensive and defensive positions.
· On offense, batters have a wooden or aluminum bat, batting gloves for grip, and
batting helmets for protection.
· On defense, fielders use a leather glove. The catcher has special protective
equipment, including a face mask, chest protector, and shin/leg guards.
All players wear shoes with cleats. The uniform consists of a jersey; pants, shorts,
or skirt; and a baseball cap, visor, or headband.
THE GAME
1) There are 9 players on a softball team. 2) The playing field is divided into the infield and outfield
3) The lines between the bases are 60’ apart and when joined they form a “diamond”,
inside the baseline is known as the infield
4) Outside the baseline but inside the playing field is called the outfield.
Any ball going outside the 1st or 3rd base line is a foul ball ( runners can not advance
and the batter gets another try unless the ball was caught in the air, which translates to
an out)
An official game is 7 innings (a inning is when both teams have had their turn to bat)
a) The visiting team bats in the first half of each inning, called the “top of the
inning;” the home team bats in the second half of each inning, called the “bottom
of the inning.”
There is no set time that an inning lasts; each half of the inning continues until the
defense accumulates three outs. If the game is tied after the last inning, the game
goes into “extra innings,” and continues until one team holds a lead at the end of
an inning.
PITCHING
1) The pitcher must have both feet on the pitcher’s rubber and can only take one step
forward while pitching.
2) The ball must be thrown underhand.
3) Both hands must be on the ball at the start of the pitch.
BATTING
1) Batters must follow the same order throughout the whole game
2) The batter is out if and when:
a) three strikes have been called
b) a fly ball is caught
c) the batter does not stand in the batter’s box
BASE RUNNING
1) Runners must touch each base in order
2) Runners may overrun 1st base only, all other bases the runner may be tagged and
called out if they are off the base.
3) Runners can not lead off a base, they must be on base until the ball as left the
pitcher’s hand
4) After a fly ball has been caught the base runner must tag the occupied base before
5) advancing to the next base
6) One base runner can not pass another base runner that is ahead of them. 7) Stealing a base is not permitted
8) A runner is out if:
a) they are tagged with the ball before reaching a base
b) the ball gets to 1st base before the runner
c) they run more than 3 feet out of the base line to avoid being tagged
Slow Pitch Rules and Regulations
Equipment
The official bat must be approved: Bats must not exceed 31.5 ounces (if playing in USSSA) or 38 ounces (if playing in NSA) in weight. They must also not exceed 34 inches in length, and the diameters may be no larger than 2.25 inches along the barrel. All bats must be stamped with USSSA, ASA, or NSA approval. At any time during a game, if an umpire requests to check game bats, they must be produced. If ever in doubt about the legality of a particular bat, each governing body produces approved bat lists each year.
Metal cleats are prohibited: Only soft or hard rubber cleats may be used, along with turf shoes or sneakers.
11- and 12-inch balls: Slowpitch teams use 11- and 12-inch balls with yellow covers. Men’s teams use 12-inch balls, while Women’s teams use 11-inch balls. Coed teams are able to use either, depending on the level of play (distinguished by the local leagues).
Runners must score by touching the scoring plate: A scoring plate, or a space designated for runners to pass through, is set eight feet outside the third base line and even with home plate. Runners who are attempting to score never actually touch the home plate between the batter’s boxes; they must run through the scoring plate, instead.
Base Runners
1)A base runner must stay in contact with the bag until the pitched ball touches the ground, reaches or passes home plate, or is batted.
2)Stealing (advancing to the next base) is not allowed if the pitch is not batted.
Batters
1)Batters are not allowed to bunt/chop the ball deliberately downward (whether it is fair or foul).
2)Most slowpitch leagues will walk batters on three balls and strike them out with two strikes. However, three strikes and four balls are also granted. (Check with your local league or umpire-in-chief for the exact count.)
3)A foul tip on the last strike will result in an out.
4)No designated batters are used.
5)If a home run is hit over the fence in a men’s or women’s game, the batter does not have to run the bases.
Read more at: http://softball.isport.com/softball-guides/slowpitch-softball-rules-regulations
http://sharepoint.mvla.net/teachers/KiernanR/PE%2010/Documents/Softball%20Rules%20Simplified.pdf