League Rule Questions
Hit By Pitch: If a pitched ball hits the dirt and then hits the batter and the batter makes an attempt to avoid getting hit the batter is then awarded 1st base. (Dead ball upon hitting the batter…NOT the dirt).
10U Hit by Pitch: If a batter gets hit by a pitched ball she will be awarded 1st base unless there is no attempt to avoid getting hit (umpires judgment). This rule is the same for all ages/divisions.
Playing with 8 players: Our league rules state that a team MAY play with 8 players without penalty. This means they do NOT need to take an out in the batting order.
TIME LIMIT:
(All divisions with the exception of 10U) You will play two games of five innings each with NO NEW INNING after 70 minutes of play. Our time limit is NOT "drop dead". EXAMPLE: If you have started a new inning with two minutes left in the time limit, that inning will be completed.
10U: Time limit is 2 hours with no new inning after the time limit. As with the other divisions all innings started within the time limit will be played to completion.
TIE GAME:
A game can end in a tie if the time limit has expired. If a game is tied and you have not played 70 minutes you will play another inning(s) until a winner declared or the time limit expires. The extra innings will be played by using the tie-breaker rule (last person who will be at bat that inning will begin on 2nd base.)
FOR DIVISIONS PLAYING WITH A FIVE (5) RUN LIMIT PER INNING WE NEED TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION IN THE RUN LIMIT PER INNING RULE.
The current rule reads that there is a five (5) run limit for the first four (4) innings and inning (5) is open (innings 5,6,7 are open in 10U). We will be adding verbage that inning five (5) is open unless the last inning declared is inning four (4) or less due to the time limit. The last inning declared due to the time limit will be an open inning for both teams.
PLAY:Team A has bases loaded and has already scored four (4) innings in the half inning. The next batter hits a deep fly ball to center field for an in the park home run to clear the bases.
RESULT: Only one (1) of the runs counts as the most you can score is five (5). It would be an unfair advantage to allow a team to score eight (8) runs because it is a continuation of the play when the opposing team can only score five (5) runs.
SENERIO: 65 minutes have elapsed in the game and only three (3) innings have been played. The umpire informs both teams that the fourth inning will be the last inning played.
RESULT: The last declared inning will be an open inning with regard to runs scored. In a situation of time expiring during the fouth inning a team that is down by six (6) runs would not have the opportunity to win the game. This also elimates a coach who is winning by more than five runs from "killing time" during the third inning in order to get to the fourth knowing that the other team won't have the opportunity to win.
Rule Polls
Poll #12: Batter draws a walk. Catcher returns the ball to the pitcher who is in the circle. Batter jogs down to 1B and rounds toward 2B, completely stops 15 feet from 1B, looks at the pitcher for a moment and then goes back to 1B. Ruling?
ANSWER: SAFE!! The batter/runner is entitled to stop one time while the ball is in the circle and in the possession/control of the pitcher. She must then immediately advance to the next base or return to the previous base.
Poll #11: The batter pops up behind home and the catcher sets up to catch it. The ball falls into her glove, bounces a little out, just enough to barely touch the fence, but remains in the glove. Ruling?
ANSWER: FOUL BALL!! As soon as the ball touches anything other than a player, in this case the fence, it is a dead ball, foul and a strike on the batter is less than two strikes.
Poll #10: Batter bunts the ball. The ball hits the dirt just in front of the plate and rolls backwards across home plate coming to rest on the black portion of the tip of the plate. Ruling?
ANSWER: FAIR BALL!! If you look at the diagram of a field home plate is completely within the foul lines. 100% of home plate is always a fair ball and with the ball touching part of the plate you keep on runnin’!!
Poll #9: The batter hits a ground ball in between the 1st baseman and pitcher. The 1B grabs the ball with her bare hand and runs towards 1st. She dives at the bag, ball still in her throwing hand. The 1B tags the bag with her empty glove. Ruling?
ANSWER: OUT! For those who answered safe think of this …. If the 1B had touched the bag with her “empty foot” rather than her “empty glove” would she have been safe? On a force play the defense simply needs to have control of the ball. If this was a tag play we would have a safe call.
Poll #8: R1 on 2nd, 1 out. R1 breaks for 3rd on the pitch. The batter grounds out. 1B throws to 3B. It’s an overthrow that hits the 3rd base coach.Ball deflects toward RF allowing R1 to score.Ruling?
ANSWER:Run scores!!The base coach, just like an umpire, is part of the field.As long as the interference was not judged by the umpire to be intentional play continues.
Poll #7: The batter reaches 1st on an infield base hit. She overruns 1st heading up the 1st base line about 10 feet. She turns left and begins casually jogging back to the bag, at which point the 1B tags her. Ruling?
Answer: SAFE! No where in the rule book does it state that you must turn left or right after overrunning 1st base. That's another one of those softball rule myths. You are only out in this situation if you made and attempt to advance to 2nd base and then retreated back to 1st.
Poll #6: Bases loaded, 2 outs, 3-2count. Pitcher throws a pitch in the dirt. Batter swings and misses. Catcher gets the ball and rolls it back to the circle. Meanwhile, the runners advance, all 4 crossing the plate as the defense enters their dugout to bat. Ruling?
ANSWER: Score all four runs, resume play with two outs and get ready to see a coach get tossed out of a game. The dropped third strike IS in effect when 1st base is occupied AND there are two outs. It is not in effect if 1st base is occupied and there are less than two outs.
Poll #5:R1 attempts to steal 2nd.The SS covers and blocks the base stopping R1 before she gets to the bag. The throw goes into CF and R1 attempts to advance to 3rd where she is thrown out. Ruling?
ANSWER: Out at 3rd.An obstructed runner is only protected from being called out between the two bases where she was obstructed.In this case she was obstructed between 1st & 2nd base.Once she advances beyond 2nd base she is no longer protected.
Poll #4:Bases loaded, 2 outs. The batter hits a short fly ball. The runner on 2nd (R2) holds up. Runners on 1st (R1) and 3rd (R3) advance. The ball falls uncaught, and the R3 scores.R2 & R1 are now both standing on 2nd. The CF throws to 2nd.Ruling?
ANSWER: R1 has the right 2nd base.R2 is out and the run does NOT count.R2 must vacate 2nd base when pushed on a force by a runner behind them.Any run that crosses the plate when the 3rd out is a force out is not counted.The run would only count if the 3rd out was not on a force.
Poll #3: Runner on 2nd. The batter swings hard on an inside pitch, and the ball contacts her hands. It makes for a weak grounder that allows the runner to reach 3rd. Ruling?Options: (15.2%)Run scores and batter can advance to 1st. (42.4%) Dead ball and a strike. Runner goes back to 2ND. (42.4%) The hands are part of the bat. Hit by pitch.
Okay….I had to end this one early because the responses were killin’ me! The HANDS ARE NOT PART OF THE BAT! I can’t remember the last time I purchased a bat and it came with a set of hands J Also, the ASA rule 8.F. states in very clear terms (page 84) “NOTE: The batter’s hands are not part of the bat.”Now for the answer: If you said DEAD BALL AND A STRIKE WITH THE RUNNER RETURNING TO 2ND BASE you are correct. As soon as the pitch strikes any part of the batter the ball is automatically dead. Because she was swinging when she was hit also makes it a strike.
Poll #2: Runner on 1st, 1 out. The pitcher throws the pitch low into the dirt. The batter hits the pitch after it takes 1 hop. She pops it up to the 3rd baseman, who fires the ball to the 1st baseman, catching the runner off 1st. What's the ruling? Dead ball and everyone goes back or Double Play?
ANSWER: DOUBLE PLAY!! The batter is free to swing at a pitch that hits the dirt before crossing the plate. Keep in mind that a pitch does NOT become dead with it hits the dirt. It only becomes dead when (if) it hits the batter.
Poll #1: 2-2 count. The pitch hits the dirt in front of the batter and then hits her. The batter makes no attempt to move. She watches the ball hit her. Does the count go to 3-2 or does the batter get first base on the Hit by Pitch?
ANSWER: 3-2 count and the batter stays. In ASA the batter MUST make an attempt to get out of the way of the pitch (with the exception that if the pitch come in so fast that she just freezes). In high school and NCAA the batter does not need to make an attempt to move but she also cannot intentionally move to purposely get hit.
