Basic Softball Rules

Basic Softball Rules
Object
Softball is played by two teams of 9 players each who try to score more runs than their
opponent by rounding the bases and crossing home plate as many times as possible. The
batting team stays up to bat until the fielding team puts out 3 batters.
Playing Area
A softball field consists of a pitching rubber, 4 bases (3 bases plus home plate), an infield, and
an outfield.
Equipment
You need a bat, a softball, and softball gloves for each fielder, 4 bases, and a pitching rubber.
Starting Play
The visiting team bats first while the home team starts out in the field on defense. Each fielder
lines up in one of the 9 fielding positions. The first batter steps into the batter’s box and
prepares to hit the pitch.
Positions
Fielding players line up in the following positions:
Pitcher – on the pitching rubber
Catcher - behind home plate
1st Baseman
2nd Baseman
3rd Baseman
Shortstop – between 2nd and 3rd base
Leftfielder – outfield between 2nd and 3rd base
Centerfielder – outfield behind 2nd base
Right fielder – outfield between 1st and 2nd base
Batting
There is a batter’s box on both sides of home plate. The batter may choose which side of the
plate to hit from, but both of her feet must be inside the box. They attempts to score runs by
hitting the ball when it’s pitched to them. The batter may continue to hit until they:
Hit the ball in fair territory, get 3 strikes, or get 4 balls.
Strikes
The strike zone is the area between the batter’s shoulders and knees. A "strike" is called when
the batter:
Fails to swing at a pitch that crosses the plate in the strike zone, swings at a pitch and misses,
hits the ball out of bounds with fewer than two strikes against them.
Once they get 3 strikes they’re out, and the next batter comes up to the plate.
A batter can’t strike out on a foul ball. If they have two strikes, there’s no limit to the number of
foul balls they’re allowed to hit. They can only strike out on a swing and miss or a ball they fail
to swing at in the strike zone.
Balls
A "ball" is a pitch that is delivered outside of the strike zone that is not struck at by the batter. If
a batter receives 4 balls, she gets to walk to first base.
Runner
The batter becomes a runner when:
They hit a ball in fair territory and runs to first base, walks after 4 balls, or hit by a pitch.
A runner may overrun 1st base when she hits the ball as long as she turns out of bounds after
she passes the base. Runners may not overrun any other base. If they do and are tagged while
they are off the base, they are out.
Duration
A standard game lasts 7 innings.
Scoring
The team that scores the most runs is the winner. A run is scored when a base runner rounds all
of the bases by stepping on each one in order from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and crosses home plate. If the
ball is hit over the outfield fence in fair territory, it is considered a home run and the batter has
a free trip all the way around the bases until she crosses home plate.
Putting Players Out

A batter is out if:
They hit the ball and it’s caught while it’s in the air (even if it’s caught in foul territory), gets 3
strikes.
A runner is out if:
they are hit by a batted ball while off a base, a fielder tags her with the ball when they’re not
touching a base, they run more than 3 feet out of the baseline to avoid being tagged, a fielder
with the ball tags a base at which there is a force play before the forced runner reaches the
base, they fail to tag up and is thrown out, they run past a base runner that’s ahead of them.
Double play - When 2 players get out on the same play.
Steal - When a runner runs to the next base without the ball being hit. The runner may not
leave the base until after the pitcher releases the ball. The runner is out if she is tagged with the
ball before reaching the base.
Tagging up – When a fielder catches a fly ball, a runner cannot leave the base until after the ball
hits the fielder’s glove. If they leave the base too early, they have to go back and touch the base
before they can run to the next base. If the ball gets to the base before they return to tag up,
they are out.
For official NIRSA rulings go to:

http://lsuuniversityrec.com/lsuurec/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Softball_Rules.pdf

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Basic Softball Rules

Putting Players Out

For official NIRSA rulings go to:

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