Texas Tech Intramurals Slow Pitch Softball Rules

Transcription

1 Texas Tech Intramurals Slow Pitch Softball Rules Unless otherwise informed all rules are governed by ASA Rules All Bats used in Texas Tech Intramurals must have this mark on them: For a list of legal bats go to SPECIAL INTEREST: Players may compete only on one (1) Men s/women s team regardless of league classification and play only on one (1) Co-Rec team regardless of classification. ALL PLAYERS NEED THEIR TECH I.D. TO PLAY. GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME - Each team must be present and ready to play at the scheduled starting time. The team present and ready to play at the schedule game time may claim a win by forfeit by recording their line up on the official scorecard. The intramural supervisor will assist the captains with this process. EJECTED PLAYER RULE - Any player who is ejected must leave the complex immediately and can not be substituted for. Additionally every time that player is due to bat an out will occur instead. SCOREKEEPER: Each team will be required to provide a scorekeeper. The scorecard will be switched between innings. A pre-game coin toss will determine who is home and visitor. NEW SPORT CLUB RULE: Max. 2 baseball club members are allowed to play on each IM team. THE GAME: AN OFFICIAL GAME: All games will be scheduled for seven innings with a 55-minute time limit. The minimum required number of innings to be played per contest could be one full inning. No new inning shall begin after the 55-minute time limit has expired. A softball game during the regular season may end in a tie contest; however, during playoffs a winner will be determined. MERCY RULE: Any team that is ahead by 20 runs or more after the second (2) inning or 10 runs after four (4) innings shall be declared the winner. HOME RUN RULE: A limit of six over-the-fence home runs will be used in all Men s, Women s and Co-Rec slow pitch divisions. All balls hit over the fence by a team in excess of 6 will be ruled as an out. The scorekeeper will keep track of over-the-fence (not four bases awards) home runs on the bottom of the scorecard. EQUIPMENT: Illegal footwear: Metal cleats, boots, sandals, or bare feet. Dangerous items worn by players must be removed prior to participating. Recreational Sports will provide the game balls. ASA approved size for all divisions. A limited number of gloves are available for check out at the softball complex. ID is required.

2 PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES: FULL LINE-UP: Consists of 10 players. SHORTHANDED: The minimum legal line-up will be 7 players in Men s, Women s, and Co-rec. For more concise Co-Rec clarifications, see the Co-Rec supplement. EXTRA PLAYER Rule: Each team is entitled to use an extra player, but this decision must occur at the start of the game. For M/W games a team may add 1 additional player. For Co-Rec games the team must add 2 more players (1 male and 1 female) if they want to use this rule. Teams that start shorthanded may not use the EP rule even if they eventually get the players there. SUBSTITUTIONS Must take the batting order of the player being replaced. Starting players may reenter the game once, but must occupy the same slot in the batting order they previously held. GHOST OUT RULE - Once a player leaves the game and is not substituted for, an OUT occurs each time they are supposed to bat. This includes ejected players as well. EXCEPTION Injured players, attended to by the Intramural staff, will not be affected by the Ghost Out Rule. PITCHING: POSITION AND RELEASE: The pitcher shall take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher s plate. The pitcher s pivot foot must be in contact with the pitcher s plate throughout the delivery. The position must be maintained at least one second before starting the delivery. If a step is taken, it can be forward, backward, or to the side provided the pivot foot is in contact with the pitcher s plate and simultaneous with the release of the ball. The pitcher must release the ball at a moderate speed as determined by the umpire. The ball may be presented in the glove, pitching hand, or both hands as long as it is presented in front of the body and the front of the body must face the batter. Prior to the required pause, any windup may be used. ARCH: The minimum arch of a pitched ball is 6 feet from the ground, and not more than 10 feet. ILLEGAL PITCHES: A ball that does not meet the pitching requirements will be declared illegal. Any illegal pitch not swung at will be called a ball. However, if the batter swings at an illegal pitch it shall be considered a legal swing, and the illegal pitch is lifted and play resumes as normal. QUICK PITCH: The pitcher may not quickly pitch the ball if the batter has not taken a position in the batter s box or is off balance following the previous pitch. DEAD BALL: A pitched ball becomes dead when it touches the ground or plate. A ball that first hits the ground or plate cannot then be legally swung at by the batter. BATTING: BALL AND STRIKE COUNT: The batter always starts with a 1 ball 1 strike count. STRIKE ZONE: The strike zone is that space OVER ANY PART OF HOME PLATE between the batter s BACK shoulder and FRONT knee when the batter assumes a natural batting stance. EXTRA FOUL BALL RULE: AKA Courtesy Foul. After a batter has 2 strikes, he or she is allowed one free foul ball. The second is considered strike 3 and the batter is out. INTENTIONAL WALK: No throws are required, just inform the umpire.

3 BATTER IS OUT WHEN, but not limited too: o The batter bunts; o The batter hits a ball and any part of his foot is touching home plate; o The batter s own batted ball hits him or her outside the batter s box in fair territory. BASE RUNNER: BASE RUNNER CALLED OUT WHEN, but not limited too: o He or she leaves the base before a pitched ball contacts the bat or crosses home plate. (Ball is dead and No Pitch is declared) o A base runner interferes with a fielder who is attempting to field a batted ball, catch a ball or throw a ball. (Ball is dead, runner is out and all other runners must return to the last base legally occupied before the infraction occurred) o A fair batted ball hits a base runner or a base runner intentionally interferes with a ball. Exception: If the ball already passed an infielder (excluding the pitcher) and no other infielder had a chance at the ball, then the runner is not out and the ball is live. (Batter is awarded first base, all other runners return to the base they were on at the time of the pitch, unless forced because the batter occupies first) o A base runner runs more than 3 feet from the base path to avoid being tagged. o A base runner passes the base runner ahead of him before that runner is put out. (For Both: Ball remains live and the runner is out) o A base runner fails to touch a base or leaves a base before a fielder touches a caught fly ball and a fielder holds the ball on the base and correctly appeals the play, or if a fielder tags a base runner before he or she returns to the base. (These are appeal plays and must be done before the next pitch. All tag ups are considered time plays and are not force outs) o A base runner intentionally and forcefully makes contact with a defensive player clearly holding the ball. (The ball is dead and the runner is ejected, all other runners return to last base occupied before the collision) o Anytime a runner abandons a base and enters the dead ball area. (unless instructed to by staff) o A forced base runner is legally tagged no matter if the runner is still on their previous base. Exception. If the batter-runner or succeeding runner was first put out then the force is off and the base runner is entitled to stay on that base. FAKE TAG: A form of obstruction by a fielder who neither has the ball nor is about to receive the ball, and which impedes the progress of a runner either advancing or returning to a base. The runner does not have to stop or slide; merely slowing down when a fake tag is attempted would constitute obstruction. A warning should occur. A repeat offense merits ejection. In flagrant cases, umpires can eject with out a warning. OVERTHROWS: When the ball is blocked or is overthrown into a dead ball area, all runners will advance two bases. Awards are governed by the position of the runners at the time of the throw. SLIDING: Sliding is legal and encouraged in all divisions of Intramural Softball. IMPORTANT ITEMS: BLOOD RULE: A player who is bleeding or has blood on their uniform shall be prohibited from participating further in the game until appropriate treatment can be administered. If treatment is in a reasonable length of time, the individual will not have to leave the game. The umpire shall: a) Stop the game and allow treatment if the injured player affects the continuation of the game b) Apply the rules of the game regarding substitution, short-handed player and re-entry if necessary. A player that has left the game under the blood rule may return without a penalty.

4 APPEAL PLAYS: There are four major appeal plays: 1) Missing a base, 2) Leaving a base on a caught fly ball before the ball is first touched, 3) Batting out of order and, 4) Attempting to advance to second base after making the turn at first base. Live Ball Appeals: In all games, an appeal can be made during a live ball by touching the base missed or left too soon on a fly ball, or by tagging the runner committing the violation, if he/she is still on the playing field. Dead Ball Appeals: In all games, the dead ball appeal can be made once time out has been granted. Any infielder, with or without the ball, can make a verbal appeal on a runner missing a base or leaving a base too soon on a fly ball. Appeal must be made 1) before the next pitch, legal or illegal, and 2) before all infielders (including the pitcher) have left their normal fielding positions. RUNS SCORING ON THE THIRD OUT OF AN INNING: o A run does not score if the third out of an inning occurs on a putout of the batter-runner at first base or on a putout of a base runner at another base who is forced because the batter became a batter runner. o A missed base could result in a force out. For example, if a runner from first base misses second base on a base hit, a proper appeal at second base would be a force-out. If that out is the third out of the inning, any run or runs that scored would not count. o An appeal play on a runner who leaves a base too soon on a caught fly ball is a time play, not a force. If the appeal is the third out of an inning, a runner who crossed the plate in advance of the appealed runner and before the legal appeal would score. BATTING OUT OF ORDER: o If the error is discovered while the incorrect player is batting, the correct player takes his or her place and assumes the ball and strike count. o If the error is discovered after the incorrect player has completed a turn at bat and before the next pitch, the player who should have batted is out. Any advancements or runs scored are nullified. All runners return to their previous base. The next batter is the person whose name follows that of the player who was called out for failing to bat. o If the error is discovered after the next pitch then the turn at bat becomes legal and all plays stand. The next batter is the player whose name follows that of the incorrect batter. No one is called out for failing to bat. Players who have not batted and have not been called out lose their turns at bat and do not bat until their names are reached in the batting order as listed on the score sheet. o No base runner is removed from base in order to bat in his or her proper position. That player simply misses his or her turn at bat, with no penalty. The batter following the correct batter becomes the legal batter. Anytime this issue arises stop the clock, get the supervisor and captains and get it resolved properly. UMPIRES: The umpires have the power to rule on any matter not specifically covered in these printed rules. An umpire can rectify any situation that puts a player in jeopardy.

5 Texas Tech Intramurals Co-Rec Slow Pitch Softball Rules Each Batter begins their time-at-bat with a count of one ball and one strike. Players may compete only on one (1) Co-Rec team regardless of league clarification. ALL PLAYERS NEED THEIR TECH I.D. TO PLAY. Game time is forfeit time. Each team must be present and ready to play at the scheduled starting time. The team present and ready to play at game time may claim a win by forfeit by recording their line-up on the official scorecard. The IM supervisor will assist the captain with this process. LEGAL LINE-UP: A legal batting line-up can be up to 12 players (6 males/6 females). The minimum legal line-up to START a game will be seven players. If a team is batting less than 10 players maximum number of males or females is 5 and the other gender s minimum is 3. Example: If team A has 8 players, 5 males and 3 females, the batting order will have Ghost Outs every time the 4 th & 5 th female batters was supposed to bat. NOTE: if a team is batting with the same number of both genders then NO outs will be taken. The batting order must be alternating male/female or female/male. DEFENSIVE POSITIONS: Defensive positions can be changed as long as the following ratio is used: two male/two female in the outfield, two male/two female in the infield, and one male/one female as pitcher/catcher. The batting order must remain the same throughout the game alternating male/female or female/male. It is not a requirement for Co-Rec to play with equal numbers of male and female on the playing field; however, if a team is playing less than 10 players, no more than 2 of the same gender can play in the infield or outfield. Each gender must be represented in the outfield, infield, and pitcher/catcher positions. BASE ON BALLS OR INTENTIONAL WALKS: Any walk to a male batter will result in a two base award. The next batter (a female) will bat. EXCEPTION: With two outs, the female batter has the option to walk or bat. GHOST OUT RULE - Once a player leaves the game and is not substituted for, an OUT occurs each time they are supposed to bat. EXCEPTION Injured players, attended to by the Intramural staff, will not be affected by the Ghost Out Rule. MISCONDUCT EJECTION - Players ejected from a game due to unsportsmanlike conduct must immediately leave the complex. A team will not be allowed to substitute for an ejected player for the remainder of the game. Further more, each time that ejected player is due to bat in the line-up, an OUT shall be declared. Still further, the team will lose a defensive position as well. See Attached Team Sportsmanship Rating.