Intramural Softball Officials Training

1
Intramural Softball Officials Training

• Rules Review Session

2
Equipment

• Balls (blue stitch or new red stitch)
• Bats (official softball bat)
• Closed toe/heel shoes No metal cleats allowed
• No Jewelry of any sort
• Inform players during captains meeting, this is
  their warning

3
Team Requirements

• Mens (Independent), Fraternity, Dorm, Womens and
  Co-Rec Leagues
• Teams must have 7 players to start a game
• May have up to 10 fielders and 11 batters
• Co-rec teams may have up to 12 betters but must
  maintain M/W ratio of no more than 1 greater or
  fewer
• Teams must have players at pitcher and catcher
• Free substitution allowed for field players
• Substitution of Batters
• Courtesy Base Runners

4
Game Timing

• 7 Innings or 50 minutes
• No warm-up time between innings
• Mercy Rule 10 Run difference after or during
  bottom of 5th inning if losing, home team has
  opportunity to bat before takes effect
• If 3rd out is made to end inning with any time
  left on clock, the next inning will be played
  even if time expires between innings
• Rainout Rules
• Championship Game

5
Game Timing Extra Innings

• If tied after 7 innings, play extra inning(s)
• During regular season, only one extra inning
  played in playoffs, play until a winner
• Batting team supplies OWN pitcher throw one
  pitch to batter
• If batter doesnt swing or hits foul, Out
• Fielding team gets fielder next to pitcher
  pitcher may not interfere with fielder or batter
  can be called out

6
Batting

• Batter starts with count of 1 ball, 1 strike
• No bunting or chopping automatic out
• Foul ball with 2 strikes Out
• Extra hitter position cannot be terminated in
  game if used
• A batter who steps on or in front of home plate
  and makes contact with ball is out
• If batter kicks or hits ball that is in play, he
  is out - dead ball
• If this happens while ball is in batters box
  foul ball

7
Batting

• Batting team may only have 1st and 3rd base
  coaches, batter, and on-deck batter on the field
• Everyone else must remain in dugout
• If a batter wearing jewelry steps into the
  batter box automatic out
• Fielder wearing jewelry must remove it if seen

8
Fair Ball

• Fair Ball Judged according to relative position
  of ball and foul line, not whether player is in
  foul or fair territory
• A fair ball is a legally batted ball that
• Settles or is touched on or over fair territory
  between home and first base or between home and
  third base
• Bounds over or past first or third base, which is
  in fair territory, regardless of where the ball
  hits after going over the base
• While on or over fair territory, touches the
  person or clothing of a player or umpire
• Touches first second or third base
• First falls or is first touched on or over fair
  territory beyond first, second or third base

9
Foul Ball

• Foul ball is a ball that
• Settles or is touched (not caught) on or over
  foul territory between home and first base or
  between home and third base
• Bounds or rolls past first or third base on or
  over foul territory
• While over foul territory, touches the person,
  equipment of a player or umpire, or any object
  foreign to natural ground
• First hits the ground or is first touched over
  foul territory beyond first or third base
• Touches the batter or the bat in the batters
  hand a second time while the batter is in the
  batters box
• Goes directly from the bat, not higher than the
  batters head, to any part of the catchers body
  or equipment and is caught by another fielder

10
Home Runs

• Home-Run limit for all games
• Teams are allowed a maximum of 4 home runs per
  game after 4, any ball hit over the fence will
  be a single
• When ball is hit over the fence, the batter will
  have the option of choosing single or home run
• If batter chooses single, must stay at first
  once he touches second it will count as a home
  run
• If batter chooses a single, all base runners
  advance one base

11
Pitching

• Pitcher must begin from a stop with at least one
  foot touching the pitching rubber
• Must remain in contact with rubber until ball
  leaves hand
• Ball must be pitched underhand with a minimum arc
  of 6 ft and maximum of 12 ft. Penalty Illegal
  pitch ball, unless batter swings
• Any pitch hitting the plate is a ball
• If pitcher drops ball on back swing - no pitch

Strike Zone Between batters back shoulder and
front knee at the plate
12
Running

• No stealing allowed. Runners may only leave the
  base once the ball is hit.
• If the runner is off the base before the ball is
  hit, runner will be called out and no-pitch
  declared
• If ball thrown over fence or into dugout, all
  runners will be awarded two bases from their last
  base touched when the ball was thrown
• Runner struck by a batted ball will be called out
  if it has not passed a defensive player other
  than the pitcher runner out, batter awarded
  first base
• Exception if runner hit when on base
• If a runner is struck by a thrown ball, play
  continues

13
Running

• In case of possible double play, base runner must
  slide directly into the base or get out of way of
  ball. No breaking up of play or aggressive
  sliding.
• Penalty Both players may be called out
• Defensive player may not obstruct path of base
  runner unless making a play on the ball
• Runners may be awarded bases
• Sliding
• Fake Tags
• Assisting the runner

14
Running Situations

• Rounding 1st base
• Baseline being established
• 2 Players on the same bag at once
• One runner passing another

15
Infield Fly Rule

• Infield fly is a fair fly ball in vicinity of
  infield that can be caught by player with
  ordinary effort
• If runners on 1st and 2nd, or 1st, 2nd, and 3rd,
  with less than two outs, Official shall declare
  Infield Fly Batter is Out
• Base runners cannot be forced out, but may
  advance at own risk
• Exception Line drive

16
Appeal Plays

• Official cannot make a decision until requested
  by a player
• Appeal must be made before next legal pitch, or
  before defensive team has left field (pitcher and
  all infielders leave fair territory)
• Three types of appeal plays
• Missing a base
• Leaving a base on a caught fly before ball is
  touched
• Batting out-of-order
• Once dead ball is called, fielder may make verbal
  appeal
• Fielding team must appeal before next legal pitch
  in case of batter batting out-of-order
• If out-of-order player reaches base, will be
  called out and correct batter will bat. If still
  at bat, correct batter will assume incorrect
  batters count

17
Positioning - Home Plate

• Stand 2-3 feet behind catcher
• Stay slightly closer to side batter is on
• Responsibilities Watch the Ball
• Fair vs. Foul
• Catch vs. No Catch
• Calls at 3rd base if not the batter
• Tag ups
• Balls and Strikes

18
Positioning - Base Umpire

• With no runners on base, or only on 3rd - stand
  behind first base on outside of foul line

19
Positioning - Base Umpire

• With runners on 1st and/or 2nd - stand between
  1st and 2nd base on edge of outfield
• Responsibilities
• Watch runners tag bases
• Calls at 1st and 2nd base
• Calls at 3rd base if it is batter
• DO NOT focus on ball in outfield - home plates
  duty

20
Co-Rec Clarifications

• Males and Females can bat in any order and take
  any position in field
• Substitutes must replace same gender
• Up to 2 Extra Hitters allowed (12 total batters).
  If two used, one must be male, one female. Can
  only be used if 5M/5W in field
• If male batter walked on 3 straight pitches AND
  is followed by a female batter, she will have
  option to hit or walk. Male takes 2nd base
  either way
• All outfielders must remain behind 200 ft line
  until ball is hit. Penalty batter may accept
  result of play or first base
• Co-Rec teams may only have 6 infielders
• Courtesy runners may be used, but must be last
  batter out of same gender

21
Sportsmanship

• Sportsmanship points will be given to each team
  at the end of the game
• At officials discretion, player may be called out
  or ejected for swinging or throwing bat in
  dangerous manner
• Team at bat is responsible for retrieving foul
  balls and homeruns
• During the game, all equipment must remain in the
  dugout

22
Pre- and Post-Game Duties

• Pre-game
• Sign-in with Supervisor
• Setup bases and scoreboard on fields
• Get and copy line-ups from team captains
• Run Captains meeting
• Post-game
• Sign score sheets, copy scores
• Clean-up field at end of last shift
• Check-out with supervisor

23
Misc.

• Questions?
• Rules tests will be given out and are due
  tomorrow (Monday 3/20) by 530 in the AFC office
• Practical Session will be on Tuesday 3/21 from
  6-8pm
• Regular Season begins Monday 3/23
• Payroll