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Rules for Intramural Softball will be governed by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) rules with the following modifications.

Table of Contents

  1. GENERAL RULES
  2. INFIELD FLY RULE
  3. PITCHING

I. GENERAL RULES

  1. All games will be played on Long Field, which is located on the corner of Sheridan and Lincoln Street.
  2. Men's League: A team shall consist of ten players (in the field). Up to twelve players may bat. A team may compete with a minimum of eight players.
  3. Co-rec League: A team can consist of 10 players. If a team has 9 players it must be a gender ratio of 5:4. If a team chooses to play with 9 players, the tenth spot in the batting order will be an automatic out. If a team has 8 players, the gender ratio must be 4:4. If a team has 7 players, the gender ratio must be 4:3 and the eighth spot in the batting order will be an automatic out.
    1. Teams must use an alternate male/female batting order. Up to twelve (12) batters.
    2. Players may play any position regardless of gender.
  4. Pitching rule for co-rec softball:
    1. Teams pitch to their own team
    2. Batters receive 3 pitches to hit. If they fail to hit the ball fair in 3 pitches, they are out.
    3. An illegal pitch will be in effect. If a pitch is ruled illegal by the umpire, the ball will become dead and any play that may occur due to hitting will become nullified. An illegal pitch does count towards the 3 pitches.
    4. The defensive player, who would normally be the pitcher, must play defense within 10 feet of the pitcher, and no closer to home plate than the actual pitcher.
    5. All other rules below that apply to pitching are for men's leagues only.
  5. Game time is forfeit time!  If there are no players representing a team on-site by game time your team will forfeit.  At game time our officials will hold a captains meeting.  If you do not have enough players to play at this point, our staff will grant your team (5) minutes to field a team.  If you do not field a team after the (5) minutes granted, your team will forfeit the game.
  6. Any starter may re-enter the game in his/her original batting position. Substitutes may not re-enter the game once they leave. Up to twelve (12) players may be in the batting line-up.
  7. In the event of inclement weather, it is the captain’s responsibility to check the NUIM web site after 3pm on weekdays and after 10am on Sundays. It is the responsibility of the team captain to notify team members of the cancellation.
  8. All participants MUST wear athletic shoes while playing. Metal cleats are NOT permitted.
  9. Baseball bats are NOT permitted. The Intramural Supervisor will determine whether or not your equipment is legal.
  10. All games are seven innings in length. No inning may start 10 minutes before the start of the next game on that field. If there is not a game scheduled on the field following your game, the game may be continued to completion.
  11. A game will be considered official if it lasts at least 3 1/2 innings with the home team ahead or four complete innings.
  12. During the regular season, games may end in a tie if the game is considered official and if it is not possible to complete the game on that field.
  13. The 10-run slaughter rule is in effect after 4 1/2 or 5 innings of play. The 20-run slaughter rule is in effect after any full inning of play.
  14. A coin flip will determine home team.
  15. Each field will have it's own out-of-play area. Check with the umpire before your game to learn the boundaries.
    1. If the ball is thrown or knocked out-of-play by an infielder, the ball is dead and all base runners will be awarded two bases from where they were when the play started ("First throw by infielder").
    2. If the ball is thrown or knocked out-of-play by an outfielder (or as the result of an outfielder's throw), the ball is dead and all base runners will be awarded two bases at the time the ball was released.
  16. A strike will be called anytime a pitched ball lands on either the plate or mat adjacent to home plate.
  17. A ball will be called when the pitch misses the plate or mat, and if it is considered illegal and is not swung upon.
  18. The batter will begin with a one ball, one strike count. If after two strikes a batter fouls the ball, he/she is declared out, regardless of whether it is caught or not.
  19. Bunting or chopping the ball is not allowed. If it occurs, the batter is automatically out and all runners must return to their original base.
  20. A batter may not step on or in front of home plate when contacting the ball. If this occurs, the batter is automatically out.
  21. Runners may not leave their base until the batter makes contact with the pitch. If they leave early, the runners are automatically out.
  22. Interference is an act of an offensive player or team member that hinders or prevents a defensive player from attempting to execute a play. The offensive player is declared out, the ball becomes dead, and all other runners must return to the bases they occupied at the time of the interference. If interference is committed by a runner with the obvious intent of preventing a double play, the batter-runner will be called out in addition to the runner who committed the interference.
  23. Obstruction is the act of a fielder while not in possession of the ball or not in the act of fielding a batted or thrown ball, that impedes the progress of a base runner that is legally running bases. The base runners are awarded the bases they would have reached, in the umpire's opinion, had there been no obstruction.
  24. It is the responsibility of the base runner to avoid a fielder that has possession of the ball. Any base runner using excess force in an attempt to dislodge the ball will be automatically declared out and will be ejected from the game.
  25. If the improper batter is at the plate, he/she may be replaced by the proper batter with the current ball and strike count in effect and without any other recourse as long as the offense notices the error prior to the batter reaching base or is put out.
  26. If the improper batter is put out or reaches base the defense must appeal before the next (legal or illegal) pitch. Then the player who should have batted shall be out, all base runners shall return to their original base, and the player who batted out-of-order shall return to their proper place in the batting order.

II. INFIELD FLY RULE

  1. In order to be an infield fly, the ball must be fair and must be able to be caught by an infielder with an ordinary effort.
  2. Runners must be on first and second, or first, second, and third, and there must be less than two outs.
  3. The pitcher, catcher, and any outfielder who positions him/herself in the infield on the play shall be considered an infielder.
  4. The ball is alive and the runners may advance at their own risk (but they do not need to run).

III. PITCHING

  1. The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and one foot in contact with the pitching rubber.
  2. The pitcher must present the ball prior to pitching.
  3. The ball must have a minimum six-foot arc and a maximum twelve-foot arc.
  4. NO PITCH shall be declared when:
    1. A pitcher pitches during a suspension of play.
    2. The pitcher "quick pitches."
    3. The pitcher pitches before the umpire has called time in after a foul ball.
      Effect of a NO PITCH: The ball is dead and subsequent action is canceled.
  5. ILLEGAL PITCH shall be declared when:
    1. The pitch is less than six or more than twelve feet in arc.
    2. The pitch has excess speed.
      Effect of an ILLEGAL PITCH: If the batter does not swing at the pitch it should be called a ball. If he/she does swing and contacts the ball, it is considered a legal pitch and resulting action will be considered live no matter what action resulted.

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