Softball

The Department of Recreation and Intramural Programs

Event Rules Game Rules Basic Softball Rules

Rosters Season Schedule Current Standings/Stats Play-offs

(Mike P. Class of 2011)

Program Format: The format of the program will be determined once teams have signed up. A "season" of play is intended to occur prior to a tournament. The length and design of the "season" will be determined once teams have signed up to play. Games will follow an alternating schedule with Flag Football. Games will be scheduled Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays as needed

Teams: Each team should designate a captain. The captain is the team’s representative on the field. While anyone on the field may request a time-out, only the captains may address the officials on matters of interpretation. Each team may carry up to 12 players. 10 players may play at one time. A minimum of 8 players must be present to avoid a forfeit. Each team must have at least 2 members of each gender to be able to start the game, less than that will result in an automatic forfeit. No more than 2 varsity baseball or softball players may be a part of any one team.

Captain's Responsibilities: The team captain must meet with the Director prior to the start of the season to confirm their roster, confirm that all players on their team are eligible to play, and to pick-up a hard copy of the event rules. The captain's will review the rules and sign a waiver indicating they have read the rules, will impart the rules to their teams, and will be held responsible for team behavior during the event. Should a conflict arise during a game, it is the team captain's responsibility, along with the staff, to help manage the conflict. Only captain's may address the officials on matters of rule interpretation. Should team behavior be deemed inappropriate during or after a contest then the team captain will be called in to meet with the Director, along with any individual team members identified, to determine if the team, or individuals, will continue in the event. Captains should plan to arrive at the game with the batting order written down and give this order to the umpire.

Eligible Players: Players must have a liability form signed and on file with the Front Desk before being allowed to play. All players must show their ID at the front desk and be a current student, faculty, or staff member.

The Game: All games will be 7 innings or 1 hour. No new inning will start after 55 minutes of play. If play has started, the inning will be completed. The umpire will make the time decisions.

Forfeits: Game time is forfeit time. There will be no grace period. Games will start within 5 minutes of the scheduled time, or the game will be a forfeit and the offending team will be recorded for a loss. If a game is canceled due to poor weather OUTSIDE then we will try to play WIFFLE BALL inside to keep the season moving forward. Any player who plays and is not on the roster or is otherwise not eligible to play for that team will be subject to cause a forfeit for their team.

The Court: Games are held on the softball field. The field must be treated with respect and care at ALL times. There will be no "peppering" against the fence. Players who are caught doing this will be removed from the game. The softball building is CLOSED and should not be used at all. At the end of a game, all trash and equipment MUST be collected and removed from the site.

Rescheduling: As a rule, games will not be rescheduled. Team members should call their captains for scheduling information, check the webpage often, or contact the Director directly.

Equipment: The Department of Recreation & Intramural Programs will provide all equipment. Catchers MUST wear the face mask and chest protection provided. Cleats are NOT allowed on the field.

Sportsmanship: Players are expected to display good sportsmanship toward fellow competitors, officials, and other staff. Any display of poor sportsmanship will be met with disciplinary actions which will likely include the removal of an offending player from the game and/or the program as a whole. Players ejected from a game must meet with the Director of Recreation and Intramural Programs before being allowed to play in another game.

Game Rules

1. A team must have 8 players to begin a game. There must be a minimum of 2 members of each gender present to begin play. Substitution and re-entry is unlimited, but a player may only return to the previously help position in the batting order. All 10 players who play the field also bat according to the order the captain specifies on the score sheet.

2. The score sheet must be kept by a member of the batting team. That is the official score. The score sheet must be signed by the umpire at the end of the game.

3. A ten-run limit per inning per team will be enforced through the first 6 innings. This will act as a mercy rule and also to ensure that the full seven innings will be played before the time limit is up. This run limit rule does not apply in the 7th inning or extra innings after that.

PITCHING

4. The ball must be pitched at a moderate speed, underhand, and below the hip. There should be an arch of 6' - 12' at its apex. If the ball falls on any part of the plate or mat lying behind the plate (mat size has been increased to 37 1/2" x 25" behind home plate) then it is a strike, otherwise it will be called a ball. As per usual, any ball that is swung at and missed will be called a strike.

5. A quick return pitch is not permitted, and is illegal.

BATTING

6. There is no bunting. Any batter attempting to bunt is automatically out.

7. A foul tip is a batted ball, which goes directly from the bat not higher than the batter's head to the catcher's mitt.

8. A batted ball that hits home plate is a fair ball.

9. Strikes will be called as per traditional softball rules.

10. A foul ball on the 3rd strike is an OUT.

BASE RUNNING

11. No stealing of bases is allowed. A runner may leave the base when a pitched ball has reached home plate or is hit by the batter. If it is not hit, the runner must return to the base. If a runner leaves too early, the runner will be called out.

12. The batter becomes a base runner when 4 balls have been delivered. If the pitcher desires an intentional walk, they may do so by notifying the umpire.

13. Runners may NOT slide. A runner may be ejected for unnecessary roughness which may include trying to take out a baseman or catcher.

HOMERUN

14. Any ball that clears the back fence is ruled a homerun.

See BASIC SOFTBALL RULES

Back to Intramural Homepage

Michelle L. Lake, EdM

Director of Recreation and Intramural Programs

E-mail your comments or questions to: recdir@thomas.edu

207-859-1183

Front Desk: 207-859-1184