Updated
SOFTBALL RULE INTERPRETATIONS
Miscellaneous
It has been reported that several member schools are currently permitting the playing of music prior to the start of the contest, between innings, between half innings, and between pitches.Music should only be played during dead ball situations, meaning that music should not be played between pitches.
While inspecting the field before the game, the umpires notice that there are some important field markings missing.There are no batters boxes or on deck circles.What should the umpires do?
Ruling:Umpires should arrive early for games and check facilities for safety concerns as well as the correct field markings.The umpires should direct home management to correct the situation by putting down batters boxes and on-deck circles.Having the correct field markings are important from a safety standpoint as well as helping the umpires to enforce the rules.The umpires should not allow any offensive or defensive personnel to deliberately remove lines during the course of the game.
Rule
By state association adoption, a double first base is permitted.
Rule
Gloves/mitts shall be worn by all fielders.Gloves/mitts may be two colors unless judged to be distracting.A glove/mitt worn by players that is entirely gray, white, or optic in color is illegal.Gray, white or optic colored circles on the outside or inside of the glove/mitt that give the appearance of a ball or is judged to be distracting is illegal.
Apparently, an optic yellow
catchers mitt is being marketed to area high schools.Please be aware that this mitt is illegal per
Rule
Rule
When checking the equipment before the game, the umpires notice that the visiting team's helmets have only an "embossed" warning label under the bill of the helmet.The umpires do not allow the helmets because the warning label is under the bill.
Ruling:Incorrect procedure.The warning label may be embossed or be a sticker attached to the helmet's outer shell.This would include the underneath side of the "bill" of the helmet.
Rule
The catcher
shall wear a head protector and protective mask with throat protector that is
part of or attached to the mask.Beginning
The helmet of the catchers headgear should display the NOCSAE certified mark that verifies the headgear combination.This mark may be embossed on the helmet, or may be a permanent sticker.Catchers equipment that does not display the permanent sticker or embossment must be sent back to the manufacturer for certification.It is not permissible for a manufacturer to send a NOCSAE permanent sticker to a member school.
Rule
Foul ball/foul tip - To determine a call in this specific situation, the movement of the ball off the bat must be determined. The recent rules change no longer requires the umpire to make a judgment regarding how high the ball travels off the bat as it relates to the batter's head, but rather if the ball moves DIRECTLY to the catcher or has some perceptible arc.
1. If
the ball moves DIRECTLY to the catcher's glove/mitt or hands, we have a foul
tip, if caught (
2. If
the ball moves DIRECTLY to the catcher's equipment or person (any place other
than the glove/mitt/hand) we have a dead ball and a foul (
3. If there is any perceptible arc to the flight of the ball (it is not traveling directly to the catcher) and it is caught in flight, the batter is out and the ball remains live. It doesn't matter if it hits the catcher's equipment, it doesn't matter if it's caught by the catcher or any other fielder and it doesn't matter if it stays below the height of the batter's head (recent rules change). If the ball is not caught and is touched in foul territory, it's merely a foul ball.
Rule 2-56-1, Page 27; Rule 5-1-1a, Page 42; Rule 7-2-1a, Page 55
A pitched ball hits B1, who is crowding the plate, in the left elbow.Part of the ball was in the strike zone.The umpire calls the pitched ball "dead" and ruled a "strike" on the batter.Is this the correct procedure?
Ruling:Yes.Whenever a pitched ball hits a part of the body which is in the strike zone, it is ruled "dead" and a "strike."If this is the third strike on the batter, she is also ruled out.
Rule 2-57-2b, Page 27
Number 14 is in the line-up, batting in the second spot in the order.In the 2nd inning, number 2 pinch runs for number 14.After the inning is completed, number 14 re-enters the game.In the 5th inning the coach tries to enter number 2 in the line-up in the sixth position, to pinch run for number 35.Is this legal?
Ruling:Illegal.Number 2 may re-enter the ball game but must do it in the same position
as she was previously in the game.She
may only re-enter in the second position of the order.(Rule2-57-1, 2-57-2b,
Rule 2-57-3;
The coach of the defensive teams notices that number 15, the FLEX player, is standing on second base instead of number 4, the DP.The defensive coach asks for time and appeals to the home plate umpire that number 15, the FLEX, is an illegal substitute.
Ruling:This is an unreported substitute, not an illegal substitute. The DP has left the game as soon as the FLEX assumed her position on offense.The home plate umpire should correct the line-up card and inform the official book of the change.The umpire should issue a team warning to the offending team and the next violator of Rule 3-3-3d would be confined to the bench/dugout area.
Rule 2-63-1, Page 28
May a defensive coach or catcher request an intentional walk?
The pitcher has to pitch all four balls to the batter.Only in slow pitch softball is the pitcher allowed to notify the umpire of an intentional walk.
Rule
A player who is not listed on the official line up card is entered into the game as a pinch runner.What is the penalty?
There is no penalty for adding a
girl's name to the roster or entering her into the game when she wasn't on the
roster.Rule
Rule 3-4-1c, Page 34, Rule
In the bottom of the 1st inning, Team A uses #12 as a courtesy runner for their catcher.In the bottom of the 5th inning #12 enters the game as a pinch-runner.In the 7th inning the coach tries to again use #12 as the courtesy runner for the catcher.Is this legal?
Ruling:No, once #12 has participated in the game as
a sub, she can no longer be used as a courtesy runner.In this situation, if #12 were allowed back
into the game as a courtesy runner and then was later detected, this would be
considered an illegal substitute.(3-4-1c,
Rule
What is the correct procedure for an umpire when they believe that the pitcher is deliberately throwing at a batter?
Ruling: This is a very hard thing to prove, but if the umpire has reason to believe that a pitcher is deliberately throwing at a batter, the pitcher should be ejected and reported to the state office.
(
Rule
After seven complete innings, the
score remains tied between Team A and Team B.Both coaches agree to the tie-breaker rule at the beginning of the
eighth inning.Is this legal in
RULING:
Rule
With R1 at first base, B2 hits a sinking line drive to right field.The fielder scoops up the ball and throws to 3rd base to try and retire R1.The ball is overthrown and hits one of the offensive coaches who issitting on a bucket in live ball territory.
RULING:The ball shall be called dead immediately.The runner being played on is out
(R1) and all other runners (B2) must return to the last base touched at
the time the ball became dead. (
Rule 6-1-2c, Diagram 6, Page 47, 48
As F1 delivers the pitch to the plate, the home plate umpires notices that the non-pivot foot is outside the 24" width of the pitcher's rubber.
Ruling:Illegal Pitch - The plate umpire should call an illegal pitch and signal a "delayed dead ball" when the infraction occurred.
Rule
With R1 is on second and R2 on first, one out, B3 is batting.B3 swings at the pitch and pops the ball up about four feet in front of home plate.Before the batter can move, F2 bumps into B3 in the batter's box on her way to make a play on the ball.The ball falls to the ground uncaught.
Ruling:Unless the batter intentionally interfered
with the catcher while still in the box, there is no interference and this is a
"no call."The batter has to
have time to react after hitting the ball.(Rule
There are two outs and R1 is at third base.B4 has a 2-2 count and the umpire calls the next pitch a ball.B4 drops her bat and run to first base thinking this is ball four.The catcher in her excitement overthrows first base and R1 scores.
Ruling:It is the responsibility of both teams to know the count.The ball is live and the defense has the opportunity to throw R1 out if she tries to score.After the play is over the umpires need to bring B4 back to the plate and the count is 3-2.
NOTE:If the umpire believed that this was a deliberate act to confuse the defensive team, the umpire could move R1 back to third and warn the offender or even eject the offender from the game for unsporting behavior.This would mean the offender would have to sit out another game at this level before they could participate in a game. (3-6-15c; 10-2-3f; IHSAA By-Laws)
B1 is at the plate with a 1-2 count.On the next pitch, B1 swings and sends the ball directly back to the catchers glove.In the process of catching the foul tip, F2 drops the glove with the ball still in it.The ball never touches the ground.
Ruling:Foul ball, this would not be a catch and it does not violate rule 8-4-2f, since the act was accidental.
GENERAL IHSAA RULES
Rule 8-3
Any contestant or coach ejected from a contest for an unsportsmanlike act shall be suspended from the next interschool contest at that level of competition and all other interschool contests at any level in the interim, in addition to any other penalties assessed.This rule is applied to the NFHS Softball Bench and Field Conduct Rule in the following manner:
NFHS Rule
1.Violation
of Rule
The umpire shall issue a team warning to the coach of the team involved, and the next offender on that team shall be restricted to the dugout for the rest of the game.This penalty is not considered an ejection.However, if the coach is restricted to the dugout, the umpires must file a report with the IHSAA.
2.Violation
of Rule
The umpire shall eject the offender from the game, unless the offense is judged to be of a minor nature.The umpire may warn the offender and then eject her if the offense is repeated. Umpires shall be required to file a report regarding all violations of Articles 13-21.Reports regarding these violations will be considered ejections, unless otherwise specified by the umpires.
Rule 107-3
The maximum number of season games for any team or student excluding the IHSAA tournament series shall be:
<![if !supportLists]>a. <![endif]>28 and no tournament; or
<![if !supportLists]>b. <![endif]>26 and one tournament
If a player or team participates in more than one tournament per season, the number of games played in excess shall be included in the 26 games permitted during the season.A player who participates in a game as a pinch hitter, pinch runner, or courtesy runner, does not count that game toward the maximum number of game limitation for that player.
Any player who enters a game at the varsity, junior varsity, or freshman level, excluding entering as a pinch hitter, pinch runner, or courtesy runner, must count that game toward the maximum number of games she is allowed.This includes players who participate in junior varsity or freshman games in which less than seven innings are played.
Rule 9
During the second inning, the visiting coach notices a man behind the backstop using a radar gun a) clocking her pitcher, b) clocking the home teams pitcher.The coach notifies the plate umpire that she does not know this individual and does not want a radar gun to be used.
RULING: The plate umpire should inform the athletic director of the radar gun and direct him/her to take care of the matter.The use of a radar gun is permitted by a college scout who verifies his affiliation to the host athletic director, prior to the beginning of the contest.A radar gun may used by the pitchers parent, provided it is only used to clock his/her daughter, and the parent identifies himself/herself to the host athletic director prior to the beginning of the contest.
