General Rules

  1. A-ball – (Coach Pitched) Swing until you hit; after 5 swings, coach will assist; bat full roster every inning
  2. AA-ball – (Coach Pitched) Only swinging strikes will be called; 3 strikes = out; no walks; 3 outs per side
  3. Minor/Major/HS – 4 balls/3 strikes/3 outs; Arc: 3’-10’ from point of release; Mat/Plate = strike; 7 runs or 3 outs = change sides (except last inning); 10 run slaughter rule

Pitcher Warm-ups

  1. Five before game starts; 3 between innings (new pitcher gets 5 warm-ups)
  2. Team will not warm up on field before games
  3. Batting Helmets will be optional
  4. Catchers Masks will be required for all divisions except T-ball; other catchers gear is optional
  5. Batters Box – (Minors/Majors/HS) – Batter must stay in box while swinging; stepping on plate while hitting ball is an out.
  6. No Illegal Bats – Official softball bats only (umps discretion for T-ball, A & AA)
  7. No Bunting – No Stealing – No Leading Off
  8. Bat Throwing – 1 warning per team; after that batters will be called out.

Pop up to Catcher

  1. Three feet over catchers head and caught = out
  2. Third  foul strike caught by catcher without hitting ground = out
  3. Fair Ball – Between bases; if grounder goes over 1st or 3rd then hits foul – IT IS FAIR; ball must travel over bag
  4. Force Out – If all bases before base where play is made are occupied, runner is out

Infield Fly Rule

  1. Less than 2 outs
  2. Runners on 1st and 2nd, or 1st, 2nd & 3rd, batter hits fly ball in infield
  3. Batter is automatically out; runners can advance at their own risk
  4. UMPIRE MUST HAVE YELLED – “INFIELD FLY, BATTER OUT”
  5. Orange Bag at First Base – (Minors, Majors, HS) – belongs to the runner – (fielder must use white bag)

Overthrows

  1. If throw goes past out of play fence or into players bench, ball is out of play and runners receive base going to + 1 from time of throw
  2. If ball hits fence and stays in play, it is considered a live ball and runners advance at their own risk

Runner Hit by Batted Ball

  1. If runner is not on a base and defensive player did not touch ball, the runner is OUT

Base Path

  1. Runner must stay in base path
  2. Base bath is 3’ each side of imaginary straight line between 2 bases

Interference

  1. Defense must give right of base path unless there is a play at his/her base
  2. Runner may not intimidate defensive player while advancing
  3. Sliding – (Minor/Major/HS) On a close play, if the runner does not slide – runner will be called OUT; this is for everyone’s safety
  4. Calling Time – Players must have ball and be in infield to call TIME
  5. No Throwing Glove – No player can throw his or her glove at ball to stop or slow ball

Time Limits

  1. T-Ball (35 min or 3 innings)
  2. A/AA/Minor/Major/HS (55 min or 7 innings)
  3. Time limit starts at start of game (Ump should inform coaches of official start times)
  4. No innings will start after allowed time has expired unless game is tied
  5. Home team is allowed to bat when losing if inning started within time limit
  6. Only 7 runs allowed per inning (teams switch sides)
  7. Slaughter Rule – 10 runs after 5 innings
  8. NO SWEARING OR UNSPORTSMANSHIP LIKE CONDUCT WILL BE TOLERATED FROM PARENTS OR PLAYERS.
May, 2010