SOFTBALL OVERVIEW

 

NFHR Rules

 

Age Cut Off January 1 Age up August 1

 

Time Limits Time limits are 1 hour and 10 minutes for each game unless otherwise notified. All games with this time limit will finish the inning after the time limit expires. Exception: If the home team is winning and time expires during their at bat, then we will not finish the inning (this includes seeding games). *All time limits are subject to change if the weather forces a delay*

 

 Run Rules 10 run lead after 3 innings 8 run lead after 4 innings 6 run lead after 5 innings

 

III. You can bat your entire roster using additional players. These players will be listed as EP’s (Extra Players) and can bat . There will be Free Substitution on defense.

 

 A courtesy runner can be used for the pitcher or catcher only. The courtesy runner has to be a substitute not currently in the game. Exception: If you are batting all of your players, then you can use the last complete at bat in your batting lineup as the courtesy runner for the pitcher or catcher. Note: If you are batting all of your players, and you bat your pitcher and catcher next to each other in the lineup, and the pitcher gets on base, and the catcher is due up last at that time (or vice versa), then we will not skip over them to find another runner. In this scenario your pitcher can run or your catcher can run for her.

 

. “IF” games will be a “shootout” if the game begins after 9:00PM.

 

 10U is played like the 12u divisions . 

 

 . Tiebreaker: The Last Completed at bat will be placed on 2cd base.  pool play can end in  Tie.International Tie Breaker

 

 Each team is responsible for turning in a roster. The roster is available online, and should be submitted before tournament play begins. Each team must provide proof of team insurance, and have Birth Certificates on hand.

Please make sure to introduce yourself to the tournament director. The tournament director will make all decisions on rule interpretations and weather delays at your site.

 

Pitching Rules Are NFHR.

 

 Intentional WalK DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PITCHED TO A BATTER.

.

. Illegal Pitch  This is a delayed dead ball call. .

 

. Warm up Pitches Pitchers will receive one minute or 5 pitches between innings, whichever comes first. Exceptions: A pitcher returning to pitch in the same half-inning will not receive warm-up pitches. You can bring a pitcher back to the mound once per inning as long as the player remains legally in the game.

 

A pitcher must complete one official batter.

 

 A no pitch is called if a runner is called out for leaving a base prior to the pitcher releasing the ball. Other no pitch calls occur on “quick pitch” situations. I.e. a delivery during suspension of play, and a delivery before a runner returns to their base after being legitimately off that base.

 

 Metal cleats are allowed for ages 14U and above.

 

 

All helmets must cover both ears, and be equipped with a face mask.

 

Head first slides are allowed, but not recommended.

 

 – Conferences (Visits) -Offensive – you are only allowed TWO offensive timeout per inning.

 

-Defensive – you are allowed three charged timeouts  A INNING allowed one defensive timeout for each inning thereafter if the game continues past six innings. On the THIRD and each additional conference, you must remove the pitcher from the pitching position for the remainder of the game.

 

14 Section 3 – Flex, DP, and the Batting Lineup The batting lineup consists of players that you wish to bat throughout the game. You must bat 9 girls in your lineup.

- There are 2 exceptions: 1) You use one or more extra players (EP’s). This allows you to bat your entire roster if you wish.

 

2) Only 8 players are required to begin a game. You cannot start a game with 7 or less. If you start a game with 8 players you will incur an out in the 9th spot in the lineup until the 9th player shows up. We recommend listing the player in the 9th spot if there is any chance of them showing up.

 

3) Injury rule: If you decide to bat all of your players, whether you are carrying only 9, or using EP’s, The injured will be marked through no out. If you drop below 9 it will become a out..

 

 “Flex and DP” The Flex and Designated Player (DP) may be the most questioned item in the rule book. The DP and Flex are linked together; you cannot have one without the other. The DP can be listed at any position in the batting lineup and will hit for the Flex player. The Flex player will be listed in the last position in the lineup, but will play defense only. For example, if you are batting 10 with the use of one EP, then the Flex will fill the 11th spot although they will not hit. Keep in mind that they are tied together. The Flex cannot hit for anyone else in the lineup. If you choose to let the Flex hit, then you must enter them into the lineup for the DP. Therefore, you will lose the DP and the Flex. The exciting thing about using the DP and the Flex is the DP can play defense at any time for anyone without changing the batting lineup. This is the distinguishing difference between a designated hitter (DH) and the designated player (DP). In short, the DP hits for the Flex, the Flex plays defense only unless you replace the DP with the Flex. The DP can enter the game defensively for any player without changing the lineup.

 

 – Substitutions and Re-Entry Substitutes are players not listed in the current lineup. They may enter the game for another player in a batting order and they are in at order for the rest of the game.. You cannot add or take away a position in the lineup.Sub on denfense don'thave to be reported Free sub on denfense. Batting a Sub wii have to be reported to the umpire who in turn will notify the opposing team of the change. You must do this to avoid batting out of order. You do not have to report the EP entering the game defensively because it will not change the batting lineup. . The one requirement is the player must occupy the same batting position when in the lineup. Therefore, the starter cannot be in the game at the same time as the substitute who took their place in the lineup.

 

 Batting Out of Order Batting out of order is an appeal play that can be made by the defensive team only. The appeal must be made prior to the next delivery of a legal or illegal pitch. It also must be made before the pitcher and defensive players have left their fielding positions. -If batting out of order is discovered:

1) During the at bat of the incorrect batter: The correct batter will assume the count and take the incorrect batters place. All runners’ advances or scores are legal.

2) After the incorrect batter has completed their at bat and before the next pitch is delivered or the defensive players 17 clear their positions: The player who should have batted is called out. Any advance by runners or runs scored will not count. The next batter is the player whose name follows the player called out for failing to bat. If the incorrect batter is called out as a result of their at bat and is scheduled to be the correct batter, then skip them and the next person behind them will be the batter.

 

 If a pitch (legal or illegal) is thrown, then all actions become legal.

 

Interference/Obstruction Interference is defined as the offensive batter or runner prohibiting the defense from making a play. Obstruction is defined as the defensive fielder impeding the batter or runner from advancing to further bases. These are an umpires’ judgment and he or she can award bases and call outs to justify the play. Judgment calls cannot be protested. *If a batted ball strikes a runner in the field of play – if the runner is behind the fielder when the ball strikes them, it is a live ball situation. If the runner is front of the fielder when the ball strikes them, then the runner will be called out, and the ball is dead*

 

Infield Fly and Dropped 3rd Strike Infield fly – is an umpire’s judgment call, and can be called when there are 1 or no outs recorded, and a force out can be made at 3 or more bases by dropping a fly ball which can be caught with routine effort. The batter is automatically out, which means no force play can be made (runners must 18 be tagged to be put out). All runners may advance at their own risk.

 

Dropped 3rd Strike - a batter can advance to first base on a dropped 3rd strike assuming first base is unoccupied, or there are two outs in the inning. All runners can advance at their own risk.

 

 Regulation Games A regulation game will consist of 6 innings unless otherwise notified. A game will be considered complete if 4 or more innings are complete, or if the home team is winning in the bottom of the 4th inning and weather doesn’t allow the game to be finished. For example: a thunderstorm arrives in the top of the third inning and delays the game, you must resume the game at the exact time of the stoppage. Any game that is not considered to be complete will be resumed from the exact point where they were stopped.

 

– Umpires Discretion This rule book is an overview. If a situation arises that is not covered in this outline, then the umpire will use his discretion to the appropriate actions. You can always discuss any concern with our umpires and tournament directors. The tournament director will rule on any issue or protest that may arise. The director’s decision will be final.

 

Time Limits – Always finish the inning unless otherwise notified, the time limits will be:

Double Elimination Tournament/ 3 Game Wrap Bracket: -1 hour warm ups/ 1 hour 10 minutes throughout unless otherwise noted

 

Single Elimination Tournament: -1 hour 10 minutes throughout *All time limits are weather permitting, meaning they could change due to Mother Nature*

 

Batting Lineup and Courtesy Runners: EAS allows you the option to bat every player on your roster. EP’s are players that will bat, but are not listed in any of the 9 defensive positions in the lineup. EP’s are allowed to bat anywhere in the batting lineup, and are allowed to play defense without altering the batting lineup. A courtesy runner may be used for the pitcher and catcher only. 

 

 Pick Up Players: Teams are allowed to pick up players in any of our tournaments, including our State and World. The only requirement is if the team picks up a player from a higher class, then the team will be forced to play in the class from which that particular player’s team has been classified throughout the year. -An example: A “B” team picks up an “A” player. The “B” team will be forced to play in the highest class being offered on this particular weekend. *Keep in mind, that unless specifically noted, our tournaments our classified as “Open” tournaments, meaning that all classifications are allowed to play* Exception: A player cannot play on two different teams in the same tournament. The player cannot even be listed on the team’s roster if the player has played on another team throughout the tournament.

 

 Tiebreaker: The International Tiebreaker rules will apply. 

put your last complete at bat on 2cd and play tell there is a winner .

. “IF” and Championship Games If the “IF” IS, a “shootout” format will be used. If the last game of the tournament

(“IF” games in double elimination and the Championship game in single elimination) begin by 8:30PM

(except on Sunday), then there will not be an enforced time limit for that game and it will consist of 6 innings.

*In ranking games and seeded brackets, the highest seed chooses if they want to be the home team or the visiting team. In the event of an “if” game in a double elimination bracket, a coin flip will decide which team chooses home or visitor*

 

 Tournaments in which seeding is involved: Seeds are based through this system:

 

 

5) Coin Flip *3 or more teams have the same record: throw out head to head and progress to runs allowed (unless one of the teams has beaten all of the other teams that have the same record, then that team is the highest seed), if this does not break the tie, then progress to runs scored, if the tie is still not broken, the progress to a coin flip. If you still have 3 or more teams with the same record, then you must continue to use steps 3, 4, 5 to break the tie.* *If a pool game ends in a tie, then the game will account for ½ win, ½ loss. Also, pool games will only be 6 innings, unless otherwise noted by the Tournament Director in World Series .

 

Elimination games will last 6 innings or until the time limit is enforced* *If for some reason a team plays less pool games then should have been played, then seeding will be based on winning percentage. If the two teams are still tied and one team played one less pool game, then the team with one more game will drop their worst game, and seeding will be based on the remaining games*

 

 *Any team forfeiting a game prior to the game being played will incur a 15-0 loss. Any team forfeiting a game during the game, will thereby award their opponent with 15 additional runs. I.e. – a team forfeits while losing 15-2, end result is that team loses the game 30-2*

 

Tournaments in which weather shortens the event: *Determined by the Tournament Director* Option One: shorten time limits. No game shall be shortened to less than 50 minutes.

Option Two: drop the loser’s bracket and continue to play the winner’s bracket in a single or double elimination format depending on the discretion of the Tournament Director.

Option Three: in the event of a wash out, the director will drop the loser’s bracket from the event. He will award 1st place to the last remaining team in the winner’s bracket. If more than one team remains, then 1st place will be decided by a coin toss. 2nd and 3rd will be decided by who lasted the longest in the winner’s bracket. If necessary, seeding formula will be used to make a determination. Pitching

 

Distances & Softball Specifications:

8U & 10U – 35 Feet (11” ball)

12U – 40 Feet (12” ball)

14U & above – 43 Feet (12” ball) All softballs:

.47 core, 375 max compression, optic yellow *Base paths are 60 Feet for all ages*

 

 8U Rules 1. Game Times: 1 hour, finish the inning.

2. All games are 5 innings, unless stopped by the time limit or the run rule.

3. Each team has the option to bat their entire roster.

4. The batter will get 5 pitches or 3 swinging strikes to put the ball in play. If the batter fouls off the 5th pitch, or any pitch thereafter, she will continue to receive pitches until she either misses for strike 3 or puts the ball into play.

5. Play will stop when the defensive player stops the lead runner or all play has stopped and the umpire calls time. It is the umpire’s judgment that will determine where all the runners were at the time of a called time out. If in their judgment the runner was over half way to the next base, then the runner will be awarded that base. If the runner was not past the halfway point, then they will return to the previous base.

6. Mercy Rule: 15 run lead after 3 innings, 11 runs after 4.

7. There will be a limit of 6 runs allowed to score per inning in the first 4 innings. In the 5th inning teams will be allowed to score 10 runs.

8. Runners are allowed to get as many bases as they can on an overthrow if the ball is still inside the field of play.

9. Two defensive coaches will be allowed to position themselves beyond the 4 outfielders for the purpose of instructing the players. These two coaches must make every effort not to interfere with the game. 25

10. The pitcher must have at least one foot inside the circle at the time of the pitch. 1

1. No bunting.

12. No intentional walks.

13. No slap hitting.

14. Runners cannot leave the base until after the pitch has crossed the plate, and they are not allowed to steal.

15. Teams are allowed to play 10 on defense, 4 of the players must be outfielders.

16. Dropped 3rd strike is an out.

 

10U Rules:  same as 12 u

.

Age requirement date is . Jan 1

Move up in Aug 1

If a team has player ineligible team will FORFEIT ALL Games In Tournament.