University of Wisconsin-Madison Intramural Sports SOFTBALL RULES
University of Wisconsin-Madison Intramural Sports SOFTBALL RULES
University of Wisconsin-Madison Intramural Sports SOFTBALL RULES
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<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wisconsin</strong>-<strong>Madison</strong><br />
<strong>Intramural</strong> <strong>Sports</strong><br />
<strong>SOFTBALL</strong> <strong>RULES</strong><br />
(Revised: 11/11)<br />
National <strong>Intramural</strong>-Recreational <strong>Sports</strong> Association (NIRSA) rules apply except where differences are noted. Lead-<strong>of</strong>fs,<br />
stealing, bunting, or chopping down on the ball are not permitted.<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
A player shall not wear anything that may be dangerous to him/herself or another player; this includes jewelry,<br />
watches, metal spikes, and screw in posts. PENALTY: The <strong>of</strong>fending player shall be instructed to leave the field and shall<br />
not be allowed back on the field until the situation is corrected. A legal substitute may replace the <strong>of</strong>fending player at this<br />
time.<br />
1. Shoes must be worn. No sandals, boots, or bare feet permitted.<br />
2. Gloves or mitts must be worn by all defensive players<br />
3. Catchers must wear a facemask while there is a batter at the plate.<br />
4. Players are to bring their own gloves and practice balls. S<strong>of</strong>tball bats and game balls will be provided.<br />
Teams that bring their own bats must use ASA approved s<strong>of</strong>tball bats. Go to the following website for details:<br />
(http://www.asas<strong>of</strong>tball.com/about/certified_equipment.asp).<br />
5. .44 Core ASA approved 12” s<strong>of</strong>tball will be the <strong>of</strong>ficial game ball.<br />
SAFETY<br />
Any player, who is bleeding or has an open wound, must leave the game until the wound is closed and bleeding has<br />
been stopped.<br />
PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES<br />
1. Eligibility:<br />
All players must be UW-<strong>Madison</strong> students enrolled in Spring 2012 courses or faculty/staff with paid Recreation<br />
Membership fees. Each team is responsible for the <strong>Intramural</strong> <strong>Sports</strong> Polices and eligibility requirements posted on the<br />
Recreational <strong>Sports</strong> web site at http://www.recsports.wisc.edu. All players must present their UW-<strong>Madison</strong> identification<br />
card at each game.<br />
No UW-<strong>Madison</strong> ID – No play – No exceptions.<br />
2. Number <strong>of</strong> Players:<br />
a. Men’s and women's teams require 10 players for a full team. A minimum <strong>of</strong> seven players is needed to start. A<br />
team may continue with less than 7 players if a player is injured and removed from the game.<br />
b. Co-Rec teams need 10 players for a full team; five male and five female. You may start a game with a minimum <strong>of</strong><br />
7 players. The number <strong>of</strong> males and females on the field may only differ by one.<br />
c. Players may be added to a team’s roster until the completion <strong>of</strong> the team’s first tournament game. The roster will<br />
then be frozen at that point and only the people who are on the roster will be eligible to participate in the<br />
tournament.<br />
d. Teams playing shorthanded must provide a pitcher and catcher.<br />
3. Batting Order:<br />
a. Seven players must occupy the first seven spots in the batting order. Anyone arriving late will fill the 8 th , 9 th and 10 th<br />
spots. Empty spots in the batting order will result in outs.<br />
b. A courtesy runner may take the place <strong>of</strong> any base runner injured during play with the understanding that both<br />
players are eligible for further participation in the game. Any eligible sub shall be used as a courtesy runner. If no<br />
eligible subs are available, the player who made the last out shall be the courtesy runner. If the last out is on base,<br />
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up to bat, or next to bat, the previous available out should be used.<br />
c. The team is allowed to bat 10 or 11 with an extra player (12 with two extra players in Co-Rec, one male and one<br />
female) in the batting order. The female/male batting rotation must be maintained in Co-Rec. (Example 1: If a<br />
men’s team has 11 players, all 11 may bat. Example 2: A Co-Rec team has 6 males and 5 females, only 5 males<br />
and 5 females will be allowed to bat.) CLARIFICATION: If the team begins the game using an extra player(s), this<br />
must be maintained throughout the game. Players arriving late may not be added into the batting line-up unless<br />
they will be taking the 8 th , 9 th or 10 th spot in the order.<br />
d. In Co-Rec games, males and females must be alternated in the batting order.<br />
4. Substitutions:<br />
a. Team captain must notify umpire immediately <strong>of</strong> substitution.<br />
b. All players may withdraw and reenter a game once, but they must occupy the same batting position in the lineup<br />
c. The opposing team handles improper reentry with a protest. An improper reentry becomes a violation after a pitch<br />
is made.<br />
5. Fielding Positions:<br />
a. There can never be more than ten players fielding at any one time.<br />
b. Co-Rec<br />
a. Teams must have 2 female and 2 male players in both the infield and outfield<br />
b. Teams playing shorthanded must have at least 1 and no more than 2 females and males in both the infield<br />
and outfield<br />
c. The pitcher-catcher combination must be made up <strong>of</strong> 1 female and 1 male player.<br />
6. Dead Ball Area<br />
a. All players must stand/sit behind the chain-link backstop unless they are playing a defensive position, batting or<br />
running the bases<br />
b. All substitutes and spectators must stand/sit behind the chain-link backstop<br />
c. Any teams warming up for games must warm up in the outfield beyond the foul line cones while games are being<br />
played<br />
THE GAME<br />
1. Games will begin at the scheduled time. Teams will be given a 10-minute grace period to have the required minimum<br />
number <strong>of</strong> players before the game is declared a no-show or a default. A no-show or a default automatically disqualifies<br />
the team from the tournament. A no show carries a $25.00 fee and a default carries a $10.00 fee that must be paid<br />
within 48 hours to the Recreational <strong>Sports</strong> Office (Room 1180 Nat). See the <strong>Intramural</strong> <strong>Sports</strong> Policies regarding noshows<br />
and defaults.<br />
2. The home team shall be decided by a toss <strong>of</strong> a coin.<br />
3. No new innings <strong>of</strong> play will begin after the 50-minute mark. A game is complete after the completion <strong>of</strong> the inning<br />
after the 50-minute mark or seven innings, whichever occurs first regardless <strong>of</strong> score. Extra innings will be played to<br />
declare a winner if the game is tied at this point.<br />
4. Mercy Rule - If after 3 innings, either team is ahead by 20 runs, if after 4 innings, either team is ahead by 15 or if after 5<br />
innings, either team is ahead by 10 runs, the game will be deemed <strong>of</strong>ficial and be terminated. If the home team goes<br />
ahead by the mercy rule in the bottom half <strong>of</strong> an inning leading up to the mercy rule, the game will be terminated at that<br />
point.<br />
5. Unfinished Games: In case the game is terminated due to darkness, weather conditions, or any unusual situations, the<br />
score shall revert back to the end <strong>of</strong> the last completed inning. The game will be considered complete if it reaches 5<br />
complete innings, or if the game is called and the score difference is greater than 15 runs.<br />
PITCHING REGULATIONS<br />
1. At the highest point <strong>of</strong> the pitch, the arc shall be between 6 and 12 feet.<br />
2. If a "quick" pitch is thrown, the umpire shall call "illegal pitch".<br />
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3. The pitcher has 20 seconds to release the next pitch.<br />
4. If an illegal pitch is thrown, the umpire shall call "illegal pitch". The batter has the option to take the pitch (automatic ball)<br />
or swing, in which case it becomes a legal pitch and the ball is live, if hit.<br />
5. The pitcher must keep the pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate until the pitched ball leaves the hand.<br />
6. Pitch must be made in one continuous motion and can only move forward and backwards once. The pitcher must be<br />
facing forward at time <strong>of</strong> pitch<br />
BATTING<br />
1. A called strike is a legal pitch when it strikes home plate, which includes the black perimeter and/or the carpet placed<br />
immediately in back <strong>of</strong> the plate. Any pitch not striking the plate or carpet and not swung at will be ruled a ball.<br />
2. If a batter steps with one (1) or both (2) feet entirely out <strong>of</strong> the batters box, they shall be called out. If the batter steps on<br />
or over the plate or mat, they will be called out.<br />
3. Players will start with a one strike, one ball count. Four balls will constitute a base on balls. A strike-out will consist <strong>of</strong><br />
any combination <strong>of</strong> three strikes. A foul ball is considered a strike (With two strikes, the batter is allowed one free foul<br />
ball. The second foul will be considered a strike and the batter will be out).<br />
4. Co-Rec base on balls. A male batter who receives a base on balls or intentional walk is awarded first base and second<br />
base and the female batter who follows must bat, unless there are two outs and then she has the option to walk or bat.<br />
The male batter is not awarded second base if the following spot in the batting order is an out due to a team playing with<br />
less than 10 players and the next actual batter is male.<br />
5. Any fair ball, which goes into another field <strong>of</strong>f the bat <strong>of</strong> the hitter or following an error by a fielder, shall be in play.<br />
However, if someone playing on the other field touches the ball, the batter shall be awarded the bases, in the umpires<br />
judgment, he/she would have normally reached.<br />
6. If a defensive player collides with a participant on another field in pursuit <strong>of</strong> a batted ball, two bases will be awarded.<br />
7. Any base runner that intentionally runs into a fielder or catcher having possession <strong>of</strong> the ball will be declared out and will<br />
also be disqualified for the remainder <strong>of</strong> the game.<br />
8. On an overthrow, out <strong>of</strong> bounds is delineated by an out <strong>of</strong> play line extending from the backstop. Overthrow penalty:<br />
Two bases from the last base legally touched shall be awarded for an overthrow that goes out <strong>of</strong> play. This shall be<br />
determined from when the player (thrower) releases the ball. i.e. If a runner is between first and second when the<br />
throw has begun they will be awarded second base (base the runner is heading to) and 3 rd base (1 additional base). If<br />
overthrown into an "in-play" area, runners advance at their own risk. If two runners are between the same base, the<br />
base awards are determined by the lead runner.<br />
9. There will be a line drawn 1/3 <strong>of</strong> the way from home plate and third base, if the runner crosses this line they must go<br />
home, and it will be considered a force out. When possible, the catcher has the plate and the runner should use<br />
the mat, to avoid collisions (see double first base rule for clarifications).<br />
10. Lead-<strong>of</strong>fs, stealing, bunting, or chopping down on the ball are not permitted.<br />
11. Sliding is PERMITTED. Those players that do not know how to slide properly are cautioned not to slide.<br />
FIRST BASE<br />
The double first base (safety base) will be used. Generally, the fielder will have the base in fair territory and the runner will<br />
have the base in foul territory. We will use the ASA double first base rule with the exception <strong>of</strong> an appeal for an out if the<br />
runner touches the base in fair territory.<br />
HOME PLATE<br />
The pitching mat behind the plate is considered an extension <strong>of</strong> the plate.<br />
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INCLEMENT WEATHER/UNFINISHED GAMES<br />
Decisions to cancel games will be made by 3:00 pm on weekdays. If the weather worsens after this time, the decision to call<br />
<strong>of</strong>f games will be made by the <strong>Intramural</strong> Supervisor on duty. Teams are responsible for calling the Rec <strong>Sports</strong> Hotline<br />
(option #3) at 262-4756 to find out if games will be played.<br />
Teams are responsible for keeping up to date with any changes in the schedule. Team captains are to check the<br />
schedule on IMOnline. Please check the schedule daily for any date or time changes due to previous weather<br />
conditions.<br />
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