2008 Fort Bend Austin High School -- Co-Ed Softball Tournament Rules

 

1.        All Rosters, Consent & Liability Waivers, and Entry Fees must be turned in prior to every team’s first game.

2.        Home Plate Umpire is in control of the game.  All rulings/calls are final.

3.        Home Plate Umpire can consult with the Tournament Director on ground rule interpretation.

4.        Home Plate Umpire is to turn in official Game Score Sheet to Tournament Director or Master of Ceremonies at the conclusion of each game.

5.        Home Plate Umpire should validate score with both teams between innings.

6.        Coin toss determines Home team.

7.        6 innings is an official game, unless time limit is reached.

8.        Games have a 50 minute time limit.  All games start on the hour and finish after 50 minutes or 6 innings; game stops when the music starts.  Revert back to previously-completed inning to declare a winner, if necessary.

9.        Run rule: 15 after 3 innings, and 10 after 5 innings.

10.     A maximum of 10 runs per inning is allowed.

11.     3 warm-up pitches allowed between innings.

12.     Home team is the official scorekeeper, and must keep the Game Score Sheet during the game.  Visiting team is responsible for the scoreboard.

13.     A team may start a game with less than the minimum of 8 players (minimum 4 women); if this minimum roster requirement is not met by the end of the first inning, the team forfeits.  During this team’s offensive turn at-bat, “outs” are to be recorded as required if the line-up reaches spots occupied by absent players, up to the 8th spot in the lineup.

14.     You may play more women than men on defense and/or offense, but not vice-versa.

15.     There are 10 players on defense (four outfielders).

16.     Unlimited defensive substitutions are allowed as long as the number of men does not exceed the number of women on the field at any time.

17.     Additional players are allowed in the batting lineup, (e.g. co-ed - one extra male, one extra female).  Any 10 of the players in the defensive lineup.

18.     A batting order/lineup should be submitted to the opposing team and must be adhered to or consequences for batting out of order will apply.

19.     Line-up must alternate men with women within the batting order.

20.     No more than 2 females may occupy outfield positions on defense, i.e., 3 females must be positioned in the infield.

21.     Equipment: Softball bats only (wood bats allowed, if denoted as for softball).  No metal cleats.

22.     2 home runs allowed per game per team for men, subsequent home runs are outs.  Unlimited home runs for women.

23.     “1 ball - 1 strike” count to begin each at-bat.

24.     Second foul ball after 2 strikes is an out.  No base runner may advance.

25.     Women have the option of hitting or taking a walk if preceding male is walked.

26.     Base runners are to make every effort to avoid contact with defensive players; “must slide” rule is in effect at home plate if a play is being made.

27.     The pitch must come in slowly with a perceptible arc of at least 6 feet and no more than 12 feet from the ground.  The pitcher must start with and keep one foot on the pitcher’s plate until the ball is released.  Strike zone is between the batter’s back shoulder and front knee, called at the plate, when the batter assumes his/her normal stance.

28.     There is no base stealing or leading off.  Runners must remain in contact with the base until the ball passes over home plate or is hit. A runner off a base when the ball is pitched is ‘out’ - no pitch is called.

29.     There is no bunting, or "chopping" down on the ball (batter is ‘out’).

30.     A batter hit by a pitched ball may not take a walk to first base (ball is dead, "ball" is called).

31.     Where a pitcher wishes to walk a batter, the pitches do not have to be thrown - batter goes directly to first base.

32.     If a batter decides to swing at an illegal pitch (e.g. a pitch with excessive speed, or not enough arc), a "strike" is called, otherwise the call is a ball.

33.     Umpire will call ‘time’ when the ball is in the infield and no plays are apparent - ball is dead.

34.     Unless swung at beforehand, any pitched ball hitting home plate, or hitting the ground before reaching home plate, is a ‘ball’.

35.     When a ball goes out of play, a runner will be given two bases from the time of the throw.  A base is not considered made until it is touched.

36.     A batter is declared out and a dead ball will be called when a batter steps out of the batters box to hit the ball.

37.     In the event a player is injured, teams may add a player from another team that has been eliminated, subject to approval of the Tournament Director.

 

Tie-Breaker Rules (used for playoff seeding)

  • Won-Loss Record
  • Head-to-Head Result
  • Runs Allowed
  • Runs Scored
  • Coin Toss