ESMS SOFTBALL RULES
Object
Softball is played by two teams of 9 players each who try to score more runs than their opponent by rounding the bases and crossing home plate as many times as possible. The batting team stays up to bat until the fielding team puts out 3 batters.
Positions
- Pitcher – on the pitching rubber
- Catcher– NO CATCHER!
- 1st Baseman
- 2nd Baseman
- 3rd Baseman
- Shortstop – between 2nd and 3rd base
- Leftfielder – outfield between 2nd and 3rd base
- Centerfielder – outfield behind 2nd base
- Rightfielder – outfield between 1st and 2nd base
The batter may continue to hit until he/shehits the ball in fair territory, unless the teacher applies the two or three foul rule.
Runner
A runner can move to the next base if the ball is overthrown on a fielding play.
A runner may overrun 1st base when he/she hits the ball as long as he/she turns out of bounds after he/she passes the base. Runners may not overrun any other base. If they do and are tagged while they are off the base, they are out.
Scoring ESMS RULES: Three outs or five runs, which ever one comes first.
The team that scores the most runs is the winner. A run is scored when a base runner rounds all of the bases by stepping on each one in order from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and crosses home plate.
Putting Players Out
A batter is out if: he/she hits the ball and it’s caught while it’s in the air, which is known as a fly ball (even if it’s caught in foul territory.)
A runner is out if: he/she is hit by a batted ball while off a base, a fielder tags him/her with the ball when h/she is not touching a base, he/she runs more than 3 feet out of the baseline to avoid being tagged, a fielder with the ball tags a base at which there is a force play before the forced runner reaches the base, he/she fails to tag up on caught fly ball, or he/she runs past a base runner that’s ahead of him/her.
Double play - When 2 players get out on the same play. Triple play - When 3 players get out on the same play.
Force play - When a batter hits the ball and runs to 1st base, he/she forces the runner on 1st base to move to 2nd base. If there’s also a runner on 2nd, he/she must move to 3rd base, and if there's also a runner on 3rd base, he/she must run home. A runner is out if he/she is tagged by a fielder before reaching the base he/she is forced to run to or if a fielder with a ball touches the base before he/she gets there.
Tagging up – When a fielder catches a fly ball, a runner cannot leave the base until after the ball hits the fielder’s glove. If he/she leaves the base too early, he/she has to go back and touch the base before he/she can run to the next base. If the ball gets to his/her base before he/she returns to tag up, he/she is out.