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PE Softball Rules, Regulations, and Information.

KEY RULES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL / BASEBALL
7 innings / 9 innings
Base distance = 60 ft / Base distance = 90 feet
Shorter to fence / Longer to fence
Ball=12-16” circ / Ball=9” circumference
Bats no>34” / Bats no> 42” in length
Pitched underhand / Pitched overhand or sidearm
Pitcher closer to plate / Pitcher farther from plate
Runners must wait until the
ball leaves the pitchers
hand to leave base / Runners may leave base at any time

3 VARIATIONS OF SOFTBALL

Modified fast-pitch / No restrictions regarding speed and trajectory, teams have 9 players, bunting and stealing is permitted.
Mod. Slow-pitch / Ball must be pitched at slow speed with a noticeable arc. Teams are composed of ten players (tenth is a rover and may play anywhere). Bunting and stealing are not permitted.
Coed / Men and women, slow pitch rules.

Rules of the game:

  1. Hitting:
  2. Everyone must bat.
  3. 3 swings (misses) and your out (includes foul tip on 3rd swing)
  4. You may not hangout on the plate all day and wait for “your pitch”. After about 10 decent pitches you will be out. We aren’t all professionals here!
  5. If you throw your bat - you are automatically out!
  6. No bunting
  7. Base running:
  8. No more than 5 runs per inning
  9. No stealing
  10. Leading is only permitted after the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand
  11. No sliding
  12. Cannot pass the base runner in front of you or you are out.
  13. No tagging up (You may not run to the next base after a fly ball has been caught).

**If the ball beats the runner to the base, please accept the fact that you are out. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TAKE A FIELDER OUT!!

  1. Fielding:
  2. You may only change positions at the start of the inning (not during).
  3. If the pitcher hits the batter they automatically take the base.
  4. While pitching: if you hit any two batters you are removed from pitching for the game (This doesn’t mean you have one free shot!)
  5. If you over throw first base, players may only take 1 base
  6. If you throw the ball and hit the runner, the runner is safe at the base they are running to.
  7. You must have an equal number of males and females on the infield (class size and absenteeism permitting).

Few ways to get an out:

  1. Batter strikes out
  2. Fly ball is caught in foul or fair territory
  3. When a fielder tags a base on a forced run
  4. When a fielder tags a runner with the ball.
  5. When the batter’s ball hits a base runner. (Example: When the batter hits the ball and the base runner gets hit by it running to the next base).

Some softball lingo.

  1. Bunt - Short hit that is executed by letting the ball hit the bat (not swinging). Usually attempted to

advance a runner

  1. Single - Is when the batter hits the ball and gets to first base.
  2. Double - A hit that enables a batter to reach second base.
  3. Triple – A hit enabling the batter to safely reach third base.
  4. Homerun - Is defined as a hit that either clears the outfield wall in the air or a hit that stays within

the confines of the field resulting in the batter scoring, without the benefit of an error,

such as an inside the park home run.

  1. Grand slam – A home run that is hit with a runner on every base. This hit scores 4 runs.
  2. Double Play - A defensive play that records 2 outs.
  3. Triple Play – A defensive play that records 3 outs.
  4. RB I (Runs Batted In) – Is when a player's batted ball results in another player crossing the plate.

In the case of a batter hitting a homerun, their run will count as an RBI.

  1. Perfect Game - A game in which a pitcher does not allow any batter of the

opposing team to reach base.

Things to think about while playing softball.

  1. Run all the way through to first base and do not walk because you think you are going to be out. You never know if the first basemen will drop the ball or the ball will be over thrown.
  2. If the batter hits a fly ball do not run. There is a good chance it will be caught. (
  3. If there are two outs you should run as soon as the batter makes contact with the ball.

* Maintain a positive attitude and cheer your teammates on! Remember good sportsmanship is part of your grade! 