The following set of coed softball rule modifications have been adapted from the Official UC San Diego Intramural Softball Rules. These modifications have been established to equalize competition for both male and female participants. All rules not mentioned within this modification outline shall be explicitly covered in the Official UC San Diego Intramural Softball Rules, or the Official Slow-pitch Softball Rules that are available in the Intramural Office.
I. Team Size
- A team consists of eight (8) players (4 men, 4 women). There shall be no limit to the number of eligible players on a roster.
- Teams must have at least 3 female and 3 male players present to start a game.
II. Eligibility
- All players must meet the eligibility participation requirements of the UC San Diego Intramural Sports Department.
- Additions and subtractions to official team rosters must be made prior to that team’s third league game. No changes to rosters will be accepted after that time.
- Players who have played two games with a team are automatically considered an official member of that particular team.
- AN INDIVIDUAL MAY PLAY ON ONLY ONE COED TEAM.
- If one or both teams do not have 6 players present and ready at 5 minutes after game time, a non-roster player may participate upon approval from the opposing team captain and may only play one game for any one particular team. Teams must notify the umpire that a non-roster player will be playing.
- INTERCOLLEGIATE BASEBALL/SOFTBALL PLAYERS–An individual is considered to be an intercollegiate team member if the individual in question is currently practicing and playing with the intercollegiate team while that particular intramural season is in progress or played on the intercollegiate team the year before. Any individual who drops or is cut from the team before the first regular intramural season contest will still be eligible to participate. He/she must compete at the highest level. All intercollegiate Baseball/Softball status players must compete at the highest level.
III. Field Dimensions
- Field dimensions for coed softball shall be the same except that an arc 180 feet from homeplate shall be established in the outfield from foul line to foul line.
- All outfielders must be behind the 180′ arc and may not move closer until the ball is hit.
IV. Pitching Area
- The pitching “rubber” will be a designated spot approximately three feet in front of the midpoint between first and third base.
V. Pitching
- A team will supply its own pitcher.
- In the event that a batted ball strikes the pitcher, the batter shall be declared out.
VI. Number of Pitches
- Both women and men batters will be allowed two (2) pitches only.
- A foul ball hit on the second pitch will automatically retire the batter.
VII. Batting Order
- An alternative male-female or female-male batting order must be used.
- In the event a team is playing with one woman or man short, his or her unfilled spot in the batting order will automatically be considered an out.
- If a team is playing with three women and three men there will be no automatic outs.
- If a team carries more than the minimum (8) number of players on its roster, all players who show up for the game must bat. The batting order must still alternate by gender.
- On the score sheet, please create a batting order by separate gender groups (i.e., all four women listed, followed by all four men) and then alternate back and forth between groups on the score sheet.
VIII. Substitutions
- There will be unlimited substitution for defensive purposes. However, there may never be more that 4 male and 4 female players on the field at any one time.
IX. Baserunning
- A runner may not leave a base until the ball is hit or a swing has been made. It will be at the umpire’s discretion as to when a play has stopped.
- In the event a runner fails to stop his continuous progress to a base, the defense must stop that progress.
- The defense cannot stop the progress of a base runner by throwing the ball to the pitcher or the umpire.
X. Start of Play
- The umpire and/or the pitcher will wait for the defensive shortstop to say “ready” before the ball may be put into play.
XI. Defensive Postioning
- As mentioned previously, outfielders must play behind the 180′ arc for all batters.
- Infielders must also play at normal infield position.
- Infielders may not play more that 5 feet in front of base line.
- Teams must use a catcher if they have eight players present and ready to play.