SOFTBALL RULE

All ISF rules apply (www.internationalsoftball.com/rules.html) with the following SEASAC exceptions.

1.    Number of participants – 13 players and 2 coaches.

2.    Girls and boys will pitch from 46 or 50 feet (pitchers can choose where to pitch from).

3.    15-foot commitment line from home plate. Commitment line should be extended to an area longer than that of the base line. This is to allow runners running to the backstop to see this line.

4.    Base distance will be 65 feet.

5.    No tag at home after the runner crosses the commitment line, force play only.

6.    Unless ball is thrown behind plate to backstop a tag only but NO body contact should be made. Umpires discretion will determine play outcome.

7.    20 X 32 inch home mat must be used.

8.    Girls use 11-inch red stitch ball and boys use a 12-inch ball.  Ball COR should be 47 and 375 lbs for boys, ball COR should be 47 and 500 (375) lbs for girls. If balls are not of this core and lbs visiting teams should be informed of what balls are.

9.    #3 and #4 in the batting order will be allowed to be ‘intentionally walked’ (no strikes thrown) only once per game. Each time thereafter when the same batter is ‘intentionally walked’ (no strikes thrown) the batter will be awarded a double.

10.    Field dimensions – a minimum of 150 feet is needed to constitute the outfield. 70m for the boys competition is recommended.

11.    Only ISF approved bats can be used at SEASAC tournaments and all batters and base runners must wear helmets.

12.    The mercy rule will continue to be used in the interest of good sportsmanship:

·         at the end of 4 innings, a team is winning by 20+ runs

·         at the end of 5 innings, a team is winning by 15+ runs

13.    All games played with a 1:1 count

14.    There will be a timed 5-minute warm up for each team before each game The time should be shown on the scoreboard.

15.    Mercy rule applies to all matches, including playoff matches.

16.    Courtesy ball is allocated for a foul hit, which isn’t caught.

17.    Recommended minimum dimensions

·         Girls 60m with a 4ft fence

·         Boys 70m with a 4ft fence

18.    A courtesy runner is only allowed if the injured player gets injured at the tournament. Injured players should not travel and then expect to be allowed a courtesy runner.

19.    Preliminary round-robin games will be 7 inning or 1 hour 15 minute games (whichever is shorter). No inning will start with less than 10 minutes remaining on the game clock. The starting time and start of last inning should be either visibly written or told to each team prior to start of game.

20.    1 point for a win, 0 points for a loss.

21.    Tie-break. In the case of a points tie at the end of the round-robin section of the tournament the following criteria will be used to break the tie:

         

Head to head result:

 

In the case of a draw or multi-way tie, the following shall be applied to break the tie

·       defensive average of runs allowed against tied teams

·       defensive average of runs allowed against all teams

·       if a tie remains the tied teams will play a ‘One pitch’ inning as described in the ISF rule book

·       once the first tie-break in a multi-way tie has been resolved, additional ties will be resolved in the same format using the same sequence of procedures beginning with head to  head result

22.    Pitching regulations as per ISF

 

ISF rule clarifications

1.    In the event of a tie in a pool game or play off game, one more inning will be played. The last batter out of the previous inning will start on second base and the next batter in the order that would be up normally after the last out of the previous inning would be the first batter.

2.    ISF uniform rules will not apply.

3.    ISF amended rule 2004 – 2017.

After the batter first enters the batter’s box he must remain in the batter’s box between pitches by keeping at least 1 foot in the box including while taking signals and practice swings. If the batter leaves the batter’s box, delay play and none of the exceptions apply; the umpire shall call a strike. No pitch has to be thrown and the ball is dead.

4.    Exceptions:

·       if the ball is hit foul or fair

·       on a swing, or an attempted swing, which includes a slap or checked swing provided the momentum of the attempted swing carries the batter out of the batter’s box

·       if force out by the pitch

·       if the pitcher leaves the pitcher’s plate

·       on a three ball pitch that is a strike that the batter thinks is a ball

---