AUBURN PSSA SOFTBALL RULES

(revised February 2009)

Age Group
Seniors – turning 11, 12 or 13 in the calendar year.
Note: Juniors (T-Ball) may play in Softball teams providing that they are turning 10 years of age in
the calendar year. Once they have played three games they are no longer eligible to play T-Ball.
Teams
Minimum of 9 players, with a maximum of 12
 Up to 12 players may be placed on the batting sheet to bat throughout the game
 9 players to be fielding during each innings
 Teams don’t have to be equal in number
Playing Time
 Boys and Girls games happen at the same time, starting as soon as both teams are able
to.
 Games: 9:25am to 10:50am
Umpiring
 The team placed first on the draw is the ‘home’ team. The teacher from the home team
takes the boys game, with the other teacher taking the girls game.
 Both teachers should score (students who score should be supervised) and timing agreed
upon, before the game begins.
 The Umpire’s (Teacher’s) decision should always be FAIR and CONSISTENT.
Change of Innings
 Should be done as quickly as possible – a maximum of 2 minutes.
The Diamond
 15 metres along the baseline between bases, pitching plate 10 metres from the home plate
in direct line with second base.
The Ball
 MUST be an Easton Softcore 11 inch ball.
Catcher
 A child/catcher must be catcher for a full innings.
 MUST wear a Face Mask, Helmet, Leg Protectors and Chest Protector
 Catcher may safely remove their helmet after a pitch if the ball is alive to field without the
obstruction of their helmet.
Pitching
 The ball is pitched from the pitching plate by the pitcher.
 The pitcher must start with both feet on the pitching plate and is allowed one step towards
the batter.
 The pitcher may use a windmill or slingshot method to pitch.
 The pitcher is allowed 5 warm-up pitches at the beginning of the innings.
 The strike zone is any part over the home plate below the sternum and above the knees,
when the batter is in a natural batting stance.
Batting
 All children on the scoring sheet (up to a maximum of 12) must bat in order.
 The batting will follow in a continuous rotation order down the score sheet and remain
unchanged for the game.
 All batters and base runners MUST wear a helmet.
1. The umpire will call up the next batter with ‘BATTER/BATTER UP.’
2. The Umpire calls PLAY/PLAY BALL and the pitcher may then pitch the ball.
3. Pitcher must NOT pitch the ball before PLAY is called. DEAD BALL – no plays allowed.
 4. Batting team is given one warning about dangerously throwing the bat.
5. Batter is OUT if the bat is thrown dangerously after the warning – ball is dead – runners
may NOT advance.
Strike
 When any part of a legally pitched ball enters the strike zone before touching the ground
and the batter does not swing.
 A legally pitched ball struck at and missed by the batter.
 Foul tip, help by the catcher, which results in the batter being called OUT.
 Each foul ball not caught on the fly when the batter has less than 2 strikes.
 A pitched ball struck at and missed which touches any part of the batter.
 Batter must run on 3rd strike if the ball is not caught by the catcher.
 If bases are loaded, on strike 3, only the batter is out and no home runs can be taken.
Ball
 A pitched ball, which does not enter the strike zone or touches the ground before reaching
home plate or touches home plate and which is not struck at by the batter.
Foul Ball
A legally batted ball which:
 Stops on foul territory between home and 1st or 3rd.
 Bounces past 1st or 3rd on or over foul territory.
 First touches the ground in foul territory beyond 1st or 3rd.
 Hits the batter while within the batter’s box.
Fielding
 A fielding team should only be allowed 9 fielders on the field in any one innings.
 All fielders must wear a glove when fielding.
Until the Ball is hit
1. The Pitcher must be on the Pitcher’s Plate
2. The Catcher must be behind Home Plate, at a safe playing distance from the batter.
3. All other fielders must be in orthodox fielding positions NOT moving around. Violation of
these rules – Ball is Dead – Batter is entitled to 1st base – all other runners shall advance
one base (warning should be given for the FIRST occurrence).
 To get the batter out at first the fielder only needs to be in contact with first base while in
possession of the ball – no tag is necessary. The same applies to all runners forced to run
because of the batter hitting the ball.
 If not forced to run, a base runner must be tagged while off base to get them out.
Base Running
 Base runners cannot leave the base until the pitcher has released the ball. If they do the
umpire should call them out – ball is dead and no pitch on the batter.
 The base runner cannot run more than 1 metre from a direct line between bases to avoid
being tagged by a fielder with the ball.
 Safety Base – when running to first on an infield hit, the base runner should use the orange
part of the base and cannot slide or tagged out. After reaching first base, the runner can
only use the white part of the base.
 STEALING BASES – Bases may only be taken on a fair ball or strike, NOT foul strikes
 When a ball is overthrown and becomes Dead (it passes onto Foul Territory) all runners are
entitled to run one base from the last legally touched base at the time of the throw.
The Umpire
 May give a player OUT (warning should be given for the FIRST occurrence).
o If they throw the bat in a dangerous manner
o If they deliberately obstruct the catcher or a fielder in taking the ball.
End of Innings
 The innings is finished after 6 runners are home or 3 batters are out, whichever happens
first.
Scoring Runs
 A run is scored when a base runner legally touches the home plate.
 A maximum of 6 runs can be scored each innings
Deciding Result
 The team with the most runs after batting an equal number of innings wins.
 If run score is equal, the game is declared a draw.
Spectators
 Spectators are welcome to watch and support students, however they should not in any
way interfere with the game. Rude or foul language and threats against team members or
umpires is not tolerated.
Coaching
 Teachers acting as coaches and umpires should all have signed a code of conduct, which
should be filed with the principal from their school.
 Umpires should not be coaching their team throughout the game.
 Umpires can give advice and support fairly to both teams.
 Another teacher/parent should not be coaching while the game is in play.
You Are Out When
 A fair ball is caught by the catcher or a fielder on the full after being struck.
 To get the batter out at first the fielder only needs to be in contact with first base (not the
orange safety base) while in possession of the ball – no tag is necessary. The same
applies to all runners forced to run because of the batter hitting the ball.
 If not forced to run, a base runner must be tagged while off base to get them out.
Foul Ball
A legally batted ball which:
 Stops on foul territory between home and 1st or 3rd.
 Bounces past 1st or 3rd on or over foul territory.
 First touches the ground in foul territory beyond 1st or 3rd.
 Hits the batter while within the batter’s box.
Tagging
 If it is not a forced run, base runners must be tagged when they are not on a base by a
hand carrying the ball.
 The base runner cannot run more than 1 metre from a direct line between bases to avoid
being tagged by a fielder with the ball.
Interference
 Interference occurs when someone from the batting team (batter, runner, coach etc)
interferes with a fielder attempting to make a play. Physical contact is not necessary.
 The fielder has right of way on the field and a base runner cannot run in front of the fielder
if the fielder is about to field the ball.
Obstruction
 Obstruction occurs when a fielder obstructs a base runner from getting to a base unless the
fielder is trying to field the ball; tag a player, receiving a thrown ball close to a base.
 A runner that can easily avoid being obstructed is required to do so, eg. If a fielder is
standing between bases (unintentionally) the runner is required to run around the fielder.
 Catcher’s obstruction occurs when the batter hits the catcher’s glove while swinging at a
pitched ball. The award for ‘catcher’s obstruction’ is the batter getting first base and other
runners advance only if forced to do so.