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Bristol Indoor Softball League |
Rules
Normal ASA softball rules apply, with the following exceptions:
- Preparation
Teams should consist of four male and four female players, and must contain at least 7 players. The batting lineup may include additional players up to a total of twelve (i.e. lineups of five male/five female or six male/six female are allowed) and any 8 may take the field at any time providing there are four of each sex. The batting order must alternate the sexes, and the usual arrangement of male/female fielders also applies (i.e. one of each pitcher/catcher, and one of each in the outfield).
Teams may field two "ringers" in their lineup. These may be from a team not playing on the day or may be borrowed from teams sitting out.
Teams are required to provide an umpire and scorekeeper. The scorekeeper should take up a position behind home plate, keep track of time and score using scoresheets supplied by the participating teams.
Before each game teams must fill out their batting lineup on the scoresheets supplied and give them to the scorekeeper.
League games are one hour long, consisting of two innings. Each team bats for twelve minutes at a time, rather than changing around after three outs.
Games must start on time. If the session falls behind schedule, this may result in the day's final game being curtailed. If a game starts more than 5 minutes late the umpire should agree with the captains to play shorter innings (11 min, or 10 min) to ensure that it finishes on time.
- Playing Area and Equipment
Indoor softballs, bases and other equipment will be found in the Main Hall Store. Please return everything at the end of each session.
First and third bases are placed on the T-Junction of red lines. Second base is placed on the first line of the 4th badminton court. Home plate is placed with the front edge on the yellow line. The red line is the foul ball line. (Imaginary) pitcher's plate is on the green line between the second and third badminton courts.
The foul line runs in a straight line across home plate. A ball which first touches the ceiling or a wall in fair territory is fair. A ball which first hits the floor in fair territory, then spins back over the foul line without being touched, or touching a wall, is foul.
- Gameplay
Its one pitch: a ball and batter walks, and strike and they are out.
A ball hitting the back wall on the full is a home run. All runners retire straight to the dugout, it is not necessary to run the bases.
Bunting is allowed! However, a fake bunt, where the batter presents the bat as if to bunt, and then changes to take a full swing, is not. The umpire will call the batter out for dangerous play.
An inning cannot end on a Base on Balls. If the last-called batter is walked the defensive team must continue until a pitch that is not a called ball.
- Scoring
The batter scores a point for each base reached on their hit. i.e. 1 point for reaching first, 2 for second, 3 for third and 4 for a home run. If the batter is put out at any stage during their at bat, they score no points, regardless of how far around the bases they have progressed.
In addition, one point is scored for each runner, including the batter, that crosses home plate.
Therefore, running round all 4 bases should score 5 (4 + 1 for coming home), but this does not count for the home run competition.
One point is deducted from the score for each out that is made. Following a home run, the ball may still be caught off the back wall. The home run stands, but a point is deducted for the out.
Captains should check the arithmetic after the game. Game scores will not be changed by the Organiser later, even if arithmetical mistakes are spotted.
- Groundrules
The ball may be caught off the ceiling, any wall or wall-mounted fixture and the batter is out.
A hit which lodges in the hanging curtains is a ground rule single, and the batter and any runners are awarded one base.
The ball remains live if thrown into foul territory and must be retrieved by the fielding team before 'time' can be called. If a ball is deflected or thrown into a dead area, such as the hanging curtains, time is called and each runner is awarded two bases.