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Slow Pitch Rules
1. GENERAL
A.
Forfeit time has been established as 10 minutes after game time. If a
team fails to appear at the appointed time, the game will be declared a forfeit.
B.
Coast to Coast will provide two umpires per game. He/she will call balls/strikes, safe/out, and arc/height of pitches.
2. THE PLAYING FIELD
A.
Bases will be 65 feet apart.
3. EQUIPMENT
A.
Cleats are allowed but not metal cleats.
B.
In order for a bat to be deemed legal it must be an official A.S.A. approved softball bat. It
must have a safety grip (no smooth tape) and must be free of rough or sharp edges.
Baseball bats and fungo bats are not legal.
C.
Game softballs will be provided by Coast 2 Coast. Teams must use the
ball provided.
4. PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES
A.
A team must have 8 players present to start the game. Teams starting with 8 or 9 players
will not be assessed outs for those spots in the batting order. Players arriving late may
have their name added to the bottom of the order.
B.
"Shorthanded Rule". If a player must leave the game and there is no substitute available,
when it is that player's turn to bat an out is declared. If a runner must leave the game and
there is no substitute available, the runner will be declared out.
5. THE GAME
A.
The game will consist of 7 innings. In the event of rain or darkness, 5 innings or 4 1/2 if
the home team is ahead, will constitute a game. A 15-run rule will be in effect after 3
innings and a 10-run rule after 5 innings.
B.
No new inning may be started, unless the score is tied, after 50 minutes have elapsed
from when the game began. The umpire will keep the official game time.
C.
The choice of first or last bat (home/ visitors) in the inning shall be determined on the
scorecard prior to the game.
D.
Base stealing is not allowed. Runners can leave their bases when a pitched ball has
reached home plate or is hit. If the batter does not hit the pitch, base runners must
return to their bases immediately.
E.
Bunting or chopping down on the ball is not allowed, and will result in a dead ball with
the batter being called out.
F.
Players start with a one strike and one ball count when at bat.
G.
A foul third strike is an out.
H.
Infield practice is not allowed after the first inning.
I.
The ball is dead and not in play:
1. When no pitch is declared.
2. When a foul ball is not caught.
3. When a runner is called out for leaving a base too soon.
4. When offensive interference occurs.
5.
When a defensive player carries the ball out of play (intentionally or
unintentionally).
J.
The ball is in play:
1. When the infield fly rule is enforced.
2. When a thrown ball remains in playable territory.
3.
When a base is dislodged while base runners are progressing
around the bases.
4. When a thrown ball strikes an offensive player.
5. When a thrown ball or fair-batted ball strikes an umpire.
6. When a thrown ball strikes a coach.
K.
The ball remains alive until the umpire declares time, which will be done when
the ball is held by a player on the infield area and in the opinion of the umpire
all play has ceased.
L.
A foul ball must reach a height of six feet or more to be legally caught for an out,
except third strike in which case any foul is an out.
6. PITCHING
A.
At the beginning of each half-inning or when a pitcher relieves another, not more than
one minute may be used to deliver not more than one warm up pitch to the catcher or
other teammate. One ball will be called on the batter for each pitch thrown over the
maximum. No infield or outfield ball is allowed after the first inning.
B.
The pitch must have a minimum arc of 6 ft. from the ground. The maximum allowable
arc is 12 ft. from the ground. If the pitch does not meet these requirements, an illegal pitch shall be called. The batter has the option of taking the pitch for an automatic ball or
swinging at the pitch. If the pitch is swung at, the illegal pitch is ignored.
C.
The pitcher must pause with at least one foot contacting the rubber prior to pitching the
ball. The pitcher's foot must remain in contact with the rubber throughout the delivery.
D.
The pitcher must deliver the ball in a continuous, underhand motion on the first
forward swing of the pitching arm past the hip.
E.
If a step is taken it may be forward, backward, or to the side provided the foot
stays in contact with the rubber and the step is taken simultaneously with the pitch.
7. BATTING
A.
The batter is out:
1. When a batter appears in the batter's box with, or is discovered using an
altered or illegal bat. Baseball and fungo bats are illegal.
2. Immediately when the umpire declares an fair infield fly with
base runners on first and second or on first, second, and third with less
than two outs. This is called the infield fly rule. The ball remains alive
and runners may advance at their own risk.
3. If a fielder intentionally drops a fair fly ball that can be caught by an
infielder, with ordinary effort, with first and second or first, second, and
third bases occupied with less than 2 outs. The ball is dead and all
runners’ return to the base they occupied at the time the ball was pitched.
4. When the batter bunts or chops the ball downward. The ball is dead and
all runners return to the base they occupied when the ball was pitched.
5. When any foot touches the ground completely outside the batter's box or if
any part of the foot touches the plate and the ball is hit fair or foul.
8. RUNNER AND BATTER-RUNNER
A.
When a base runner must return while the ball is in play, he/she must touch the
bases in reverse order.
B.
No runner may return to touch a missed base or one he/she had left illegally
after a following runner has scored. The defense must appeal for the out to be
granted.
C.
Base runners must slide or run around a fielder making a defensive play on the
ball when trying to reach a base. The runner is responsible for avoiding contact
in these situations. When sliding, runners must always slide for the base and
will be ejected for purposely sliding into a fielder, or physically running into a fielder.
D.
Base runners are entitled to advance but accept the liability to be put out under
the following circumstances:
1. When the ball is overthrown into fair or foul territory and remains in
play.
2. When the ball is batted into fair territory.
3. When a legally caught fly ball is first touched.
E.
Base runners are entitled to advance without liability to be put out:
1. When a fielder obstructs the base runner from making a base unless the
fielder is trying to field the batted ball or has the ball ready to touch the
base runner.
2. When the ball is in play and is overthrown and goes out of play, all
runners advance two bases from where they were when the ball left the
thrower's hand.
F.
Obstruction is the act of:
1. A defensive player or team member, which hinders or prevents a batter
from striking or hitting a pitched ball.
2. A fielder, while not in possession of the ball, in the act of fielding a batted
ball, or about to receive a thrown ball, which impedes the progress of a
base runner who is legally running the bases.
G. Interference is the act of an offensive player or team member, which impedes or
confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play.
H. Base Stealing - Base stealing is not allowed. Each base runner may leave his/her
base when a pitched ball is batted or reaches home plate, but must return to that
base immediately after each pitch not hit by the batter.
I.
The Base runner is out:
1. When in running to any base he/she runs more than three feet from a
direct line between a base and the next base when a defensive player is
attempting to tag the runner.
2. When the base runner passes a preceding base runner before that runner
has been put out.
3. When the base runner legally overruns first base and makes an attempt to
advance to second base and is legally touched while off base.
4. When the base runner interferes with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball or
intentionally interferes with a thrown ball. If this interference, in the umpire's
judgment, is an obvious attempt to prevent a double play (including shouting or
waving the arms to distract the defense), the immediate succeeding runner shall
also be called out.
5. When a base runner is struck with a fair-batted ball while off base and
before it passes an infielder that could have otherwise made a play.
6. When, with a base runner on third, the batter or any offensive player
interferes with a play being made at home base.
7. When, in the umpire's judgment, the base coach at first or third base
touches or holds the runner physically to assist a runner in returning to
or advancing from the base when a play is being made on him/her.
8. When a runner, after being declared out or after scoring, interferes with
a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner, the
runner closest to home plate at the time of the interference shall be
declared out.
J.
Base runners are not out under the following circumstances:
1. When a base runner runs around the fielder and outside the baseline in
order to avoid interfering with a fielder attempting to field the ball in the
base path.
2. When a base runner is hit with a fair-batted ball that has passed through
an infielder, excluding the pitcher, and in the umpire's judgment no other
infielder had a chance to play the ball. The ball remains "alive" under
this condition.
3. When a base runner is hit by a fair-batted ball after it is touched or
touches any fielder.
4. When a base runner is hit by a fair-batted ball while in contact with a
base.
K.
Injured Runner: If an accident to a batter-runner or base runner prevents him/her from
proceeding in the game, a substitute runner will be permitted.
9. EJECTION POLICY
A.
Any unsportsmanlike conduct by players or fans will be warned first. Afterwards, they may be ejected by the umpire. In addition, players, coaches, and spectators may not harass the officials (verbally or physically) after the contest has ended.
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