NCAA Softball Rules & Regulations

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has jurisdiction over college sports in the United States. From football and lacrosse to water polo and baseball, the NCAA has specific rules for each of its sports. College softball is played during the spring and is also under the jurisdiction of the NCAA. Their rules help organize the sport to make it consistent. Rules regarding defense, offense and pitching are all followed by each college team.

  1. Offense

    • The batter has to be within the batter’s box no more than 10 seconds after the umpire has declared “play ball.” The strike zone is subjective to each umpire but technically is above home plate, between the batter’s top of her knees and below the bottom of her sternum. If a batter hits a foul tip, the runners may advance like it was any non-contact pitch. If a player bats and then throws the bat into fair or foul territory, this is considered interference. Feet must be within or on the lines of the batter’s box and must not touch home plate when the batter makes contact with the ball.

      If an umpire calls a third strike on the batter and the catcher drops the ball, the batter may run to first base if it’s unoccupied. If the batter makes it to first base, she is safe but if the catcher throws her out, she’s out. A base runner may step off the base for advancement when the ball has left the pitcher’s hand. A runner must tag-up when a ball is hit into the air by leaving the base after the ball has been caught by a fielder.

    Defense

    • The defense must be out of the runner’s path unless the fielder is catching a ball or fielding a ball. If a fielder catches a ball in the air whether in fair or foul territory, the batter is out.

      To begin a pitch, the pitcher must have both feet on the pitcher’s mound. The pitcher’s pivot foot must stay in contact with the ground the entire time she pitches. If the pivot foot comes off the ground, this is considered “crow-hopping” and can be called an illegal pitch by the umpire. A pitcher may also not intentionally try and hit the batter.

    Violations

    • If an umpire feels like a player or coach has caused misconduct, they may eject them from the game. If a player gets ejected, she may remain in the dugout but may not communicate with anyone in the dugout. Any sort of physical contact including pushing, or kicking towards another player or umpire can result in an ejection. Verbal misconduct can also result in an ejection. During games the use of noisemakers and electronic equipment isn’t allowed.