Comprehensive Rules of Softball: Appeals, Equipment, and Game Conduct

1. Rules 1 to 5 Rule 1 Definitions

2. Appeal play • Live or dead ball appeal • Umpire cannot make decision until • Requested by manager, coach or player • Request before • Next pitch • Illegal substitude or illegal re-entry at any time • All defensive players have left fair territory • Umpires have left the field

3. Appeal play • Can be made for the following: • Missing a base • Leaving a base on caught fly • Batting out of order • Attempt to second after turn at first • Illegal substitution • Illegal re-entry

4. Delayed dead Ball • Ball alive till conclusion of play • When is dead ball called • Illegal pitch • Catcher’s obstruction • Plate umpire interference • Obstruction • Fake tag is concidered as an obstruction • Detached equipment contacting • Thrown ball • Fair-batted ball • Pitched ball

5. Illegally caught ball • fielder catches ball (batted, thrown,pitched) • Cap • Mask • Glove • Any part of uniform detached from proper place

6. Rule 2: Playing field • Unobstucted fair territory minimum: • 67.06 m WOMEN • 76.20 m MEN • Pitchers plate to backstop • Minimum: 7.62 m • Maximum: 9.14 m • Base distance: • 18.29 m • Pitching distance: • 13.11 m WOMEN • 14.02 m MEN • If a distance is found wrong during the game?

7. Rule 3: Equipment • Official bat • Metal or wood • Round and smooth • Safety grip • Safety knob • Marked: OFFICIAL ISF APPROVED SOFTBALL • Warm-up bats • One piece • Safety grip • Marked: WARM-UP BAT

8. Rule 3: Equipment • Gloves and mitts • Pitcher: • One solid color • Not white or gray • Other players • Multicolored is allowed • White or gray circles on outside • Illegal for all players

9. Rule 3: Equipment • Equipment on the field • Not in fair, nor in foul territiry • Effect: • Dead ball • Offensive equipement: • Player played on is out • All other players return to last base touched • Defensive equipement • Blocked ball • Runners awarded two bases

10. Rule 3: Equipment • Protective equipment • mask, throat protector, helmet • All catchers • Female: body protector • Youth: body protector and shin guards • Helmets with two ear flaps • Batters • On-deck batters • Batter-runners • Runners • Catchers (allowed without ear flaps) • Youth age: coaches, bat boys

11. Rule 3: Equipment • Helmet: • Broken, cracked, dented or altered • Must be removed • Failure to wear: • player called out • On-deck batter, catcher, youth age coaches • After warning, EJECTED • Deliberately wearing helmet improperly or removing during live ball play • Player out • Not on home run over fence • Thrown ball hits helmet (not on proper place) or defensive player contacts helmet on ground • Offensive player (who was wearing that helmet) OUT • Dead ball: all runners return

12. Rule 4: Coaches, players, substitudes • Dugout conduct • All have to be in dugout • At start of game • Between innings • Except: on-deck batter (in circel) new pitcher warming up • First offence: • team warning • Afterwoods: • ejection

13. Rule 4: Substitutes • Any player at any time • Reported to plate umpire • Considered in game when reported • Plate umpire report to scorer • No violation before a pitch • No violation if reported before opposing team • If discovered prior to first pitch: NO PENALTY • Illegal substitude declared LEGAL • Illegal sub. considered in game if pitch is made • Once substituted player cannot participate again • Except: as a coach • Except starting players: can return once (re-entry)

14. Effect: offensive violation • While at bat: • A legal substitude or starting player assumes count • Any advance of runner is legal • Declared ineligible and removed • After batting turn, before next pitch • Illegal player: OUT • Any advance (result of batting) nullified • Declared ineligible and removed • After batting turn and after next pitch • No one out • Any advance stands • A legal substitude or starting player assumes his place • Declared ineligible and removed • While in the game as runner • No one out • Any advance stands • A legal substitude or starting player assumes his place • Declared ineligible and removed

15. Effect: defensive violation • After making a play, before next pitch • Declared ineligible and removed • Option play • Taking the result • Play nullified, runners return • After making a play, after next pitch • Declared ineligible and removed • All plays stand

16. Rule 5: The game • Mercy rule • 20 runs: 3 innings • 15 runs: 4 innings • 7 runs: 5 innings • Tie-breaker • Starting: 8 inning • Runner at second: to bat ninth in that inning • Scoring of runs • Each time a runner legaly touches home plate • No run is scored if third out is • Batter-runner before touching 1 base • Runner being forced out • A runner leaves base to soon on a pitch • Preceding runner declared out

17. Rule 5: Charged conferences • Offensive • One each inning • Umpire should not permit a second • Effect: ejection coach • Not charged • Pitcher putting on warm-up jacket on base • During offensive conference • If umpire has suspended play

18. Rule 5: Charged conferences • Defensive • Three during 7 innings • Do not start again with new pitcher • If not used: lost • One in each extra inning • Excess: • pitcher declared illegal pitcher • It is charged • Coach crosses foul line, talk with any player • Player leaves field going into dugout • Not charged • Coach report change of pitcher to umpire • During offensive conference • If umpire has suspended play

19. END Thank you for your attention