Simple Softball Rules

Almost every softball league has rules specific to it. For instance, there are co-ed leagues that require men to bat with their non-dominant hand and that allow a woman batter to take a walk if the man in front of her walks (thus moving him to second base). There are leagues that start batters off with a one ball, one strike count, in order to get the game moving faster. But there are basic softball rules that all leagues follow.

  1. Team Makeup

    • A softball team consists of between nine and 12 players. Fast-pitch games are played with nine players per team, with a pitcher, catcher, four infielders and three outfielders, while most slow-pitch games are played with 10 players (one extra outfielder). Each team has a captain responsible for turning in a lineup card that lists the team's batting order as well as each player's defensive position. While defensive positions can be changed, the batting order must stay consistent throughout the game. If a substitution is made, the substitute player must bat in the same lineup spot as the player he replaced.

    Game Play

    • A coin toss often decides which team bats first, though some leagues designate home and away teams on their schedules. The offensive team sends one player at a time to bat, following the lineup given before the game. In fast-pitch softball, a pitcher is given a strike zone, generally between a batter's knees and chest, to aim for. In slow-pitch softball, the ball must be pitched underhanded and in an arc (which, depending on the league, might have height restrictions) and land in a spot at or behind the plate, to be called a strike. A team continues to bat until three outs are made. Each batter is given up to three strikes or four balls. The count is given after each pitch, with balls counted first, so that a 3 and 2 count would indicate three balls and two strikes. In slow-pitch, a ball hit foul on the third strike is often counted as a strike and the player is out. A ball hit fair that is caught before hitting the ground is an out. In slow-pitch, bunting is illegal and an out. Otherwise, the batter must attempt to reach base. In slow-pitch, a player safely on base cannot take a lead off the base and can run only once another batter makes contact with a pitch. In fast-pitch, a player is usually allowed to run once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

    Getting the Out

    • A batter is put "out" in a variety of ways. He may: strike out (three strikes or two strikes and a foul); hit the ball in the air to a fielder who catches it; not reach base before a fielded ball reaches the player covering the base; be tagged out before he reaches a base; reach a base occupied by another offensive player and not be able to return to a previous base before he is either tagged out or the offensive player behind him safely reaches that base; be hit by a batted ball, or be forced out (in which he must run to allow the batter behind him to advance, but the ball reaches the bag he is running to before he gets there).

    Ending the Game

    • Most softball games last seven innings, with extra innings played in case of a tie. If the home team is ahead after the visiting team bats in the seventh inning, it does not bat, because it has already scored more runs. Again, there are variations. Some leagues (usually for young players) last only three innings, and some may play nine. Some leagues also end games after seven innings, even if they are tied, while others put a cap on the number of extra innings that can be played.