Men’s/Women’s Softball

Part 1: Playing Procedures

I. Team Size

A team will consist of 9 players on the field. There shall be no limit to the number of eligible players on a roster. Teams must have at least 7 players present to begin play.

II. Eligibility

Only players listed on the official roster are eligible to participate on a softball team. All players must meet the eligibility requirements of the UC San Diego Intramural Sports Office. Additions and subtractions to official team roster must be made prior to that team’s third league game. No changes to rosters will be accepted after that time.
If one or both teams do not have 9 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 particular team. The referee must be notified concerning the participation of a non-roster player.
AN INDIVIDUAL MAY PLAY ON ONLY ONE TEAM

III. Pregame

Each team captain is responsible for filling in his respective score sheet with the first and last names of every player before play begins.

IV. Equipment

Soft rubber style cleats will be allowed. Screw in rubber spikes are legal but only if the spikes are ½ inch or shorter. Metal screw in spikes are not legal under any circumstances, nor are baseball spikes.
Officials will provide all necessary equipment for the game with the exception of regulation softball or little league bats. No hard ball bats will be allowed.

V. Field Dimensions

All bases will be 65 feet apart. Out of play lines approximately 30 feet from and parallel to existing foul lines will be established whenever geographical field locations permit.
Fences will be ‘in play.’

VI. Home Plate and Strike Zone

Home plate will consist of a regulation plate. Also there will be a 21” x 36” rectangle of rubber which will comprise part of the strike zone. Before each pitch, the umpire will make sure that the home plate area is aligned in the manner shown in the accompanying diagram. Any legal pitch that hits any part of either home plate or the carpet rectangle will be called a strike.
A runner trying to score must touch home plate. The carpet is not considered part of the plate on a scoring play. A runner not touching home plate but who touches the carpet is eligible to be tagged out.

VII. First Base

The first base area will consist of two separate bases positioned side-by-side. One base will reside in its normal position inside the first base foul line. A second base will be positioned immediately adjacent to the original base outside the first base foul line.
The double first base concept is to improve safety and prevent injuries that occur during the ground ball plays at first base.
Batter-runners attempting to beat out infield ground balls should use the foul territory base on such plays, while the first basemen should whenever possible use the fair territory base.
In all situations, however, the double first base bag(s) will be considered as one base and each player (field or runner) is entitled to use any or all parts of both bases.

VIII. Length of the Game

A regulation game shall consist of seven innings or one hour. No new innings may start five minutes (55 minutes of game time) before the hour.

IX. Pitching Area

Pitchers must start with one foot on the pitcher’s rubber. One foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s rubber until the ball is released.

X. Legal Pitch

A legal pitch must be of moderate speed and have an arc that rises at least above the hitters head. There shall be no limit to the height of the arc on any otherwise legal pitch.
The pitcher must deliver the ball toward home plate on the first forward swing of the pitching arm past the hip.

XI. Balls & Strikes / Intentional Walks

After four balls, the batter is awarded first base.
After two strikes, the batter will be declared out.
All swings must be of a full motion.
Intentional walks may be requested from the umpire without throwing four pitches.

XII. Batting

All officially rostered players present must be included in the official batting order. All team members must bat even though only nine players may take the field on defense.

XIII. Substitution

Free substitution for defensive purposes will be in effect at all times.

XIV. Bunts & Stealing

There shall no bunts or stealing bases
Bunting and stealing bases as defined by official slow-pitch softball rules will be considered illegal. Any player guilty of such an infraction will automatically be declared out.

XV. Chopped Ball and Full Swing

A chopped hit ball which the batsman strikes downward with a chopping motion of the bat is illegal and an automatic out.
All swings must be of a full motion.

XVI. Baserunning

Base runners may lead off after the ball is pitched.
Base runners leaving before the ball is pitched are automatically out.
A thrown ball (from the catcher) that reaches the base before the base runner returns will automatically force the runner out.
If a team does not have a catcher this force out situation will not exist. The ball will be dead when the pitch hits the ground.

Note: On overthrows by the catcher, runners may advance at their own risk. Runners must re-touch (tag up) their established base before trying to advance.

Base runners will be called out if they do not slide to avoid a collision at a base. Base runners who do not slide or veer away from a fielder trying to complete a double play will be called out automatically along with either a runner or batter-runner advancing to a base that the fielder is throwing to.

XVII. Dislodged Base

Base runners do not have to touch a base that has been dislodged from its normal position, but must run or stop in the general area of that base.

XVIII. Defensive Field Position

If teams have nine players present then they must play one of those players in the normal catcher’s position.

XIX. Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Actions that are potentially dangerous to the participants of the game and/or conduct that is detrimental to the purpose of intramural sports will not be tolerated.
No players may physically intimidate or verbally abuse student officials.
Violations of this nature will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and at the discretion of the official, may result in removal from the contest.

Fighting—any acts of aggressive physical violence will not be tolerated. This includes throwing a punch, kicking an individual or any other aggressive acts. Any player guilty of such an action immediately before, during, or after an intramural contest shall be expelled from further participation in intramural sports for the duration of one year.

XX. Other Rules

All other rules and rule interpretations will be governed by official slow-pitch softball rules available in the Intramural Office.