Winter Haven Senior Softball Club

Official ASA Rules




Some rules are not as easily identified by the softball population as others. This page lists just a few of the rules that create controversy because they aren't known or often misinterpreted or misunderstood.
This page is dedicated solely to educate the softball players on these rules so everyone will be more knowledgeable and the game will go smoother when one of the rule infraction occurs during a game.






This first rule pertains to when a batter hits a ball, drops his bat in fair territory, and the ball rebounds off the ball after the bat is lying on the ground. This ruling is a judgement call by the umpire as to the intent of the batter to intentionally drop his bat so the ball will deflect off it after the ball is hit.



Rule 7 - BATTING

    Section 6 - The Batter is Out.

            K. When the batter hits a fair ball with the bat a second time in fair territory.

EXCEPTION
2. If a batter drops the bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory, and, in the umpires judgement, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the batter is not out and the ball is live and in play.





This rule is the most commonly misunderstood. In order to keep from violating the rule, the batter should make a practice to drop his bat in the batter's box or in foul territory rather than in the field of play. In addition, the on deck batter should immediately pick up the bat as soon as possible while not interfering with the play in progress.


Rule 8 - BATTER-RUNNER AND BATTER

    Section 2 - The Batter is Out.

            F. . . . . discards their bat which prevents the defense from making a play on the ball . . . .

EFFECT
The ball is dead and the runner(s) must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference.





This rule should be read by all third base coaches. It is a rule infraction to touch the base runners as the umpire may interpret your gestures as providing aid to them. Especially, do not grab the runner to hold him up or give him a push for his advancement toward home.


Rule 8 - BATTER-RUNNER AND BATTER

    Section 7 - The Runner is out.

             E. When anyone other than another runner physically assists a runner while the ball is in play.





This rule is buried in the Batter-Runner section of the rule book. It is not an automatic out as some may think.


Rule 8 - BATTER-RUNNER AND BATTER

    Section 7 - Batter-Runner is out.

             M. When using a double base at first, the following rules should be enforced.

2. Whenever a play is being made by the batter-runner, the defense must use the white portion and the batter-runner the colored portion. The batter-runner is out when there is a play being made at first base and the batter-runner touches only the white portion, providing the defense appeals prior to the batter-runner returning to first base. Once the runner returns to the white, no appeal can be made.

This rule involves staying in the base paths. Most know there is a three foot area the base runner is obligated to stay within while running. However, this overrides the widely known rule.


Rule 8 - BATTER-RUNNER AND BATTER

    Section 8 - The Runner is not out.

             A. When a runner runs behind or in front of the fielder and outside the base path in order to avoid interfering with a fielder attempting to field a ball.





Some think that a ball has to be securely within the glove of a fielder before a base runner can tag up and advance to the next base. That is not the case.


Rule 8 - BATTER-RUNNER AND BATTER

    Section 8 - The Runner is not out.

             L. When the runner stays on the base until a fly ball touches a fielder and then attempts to advance.





This rule pertains to score keepers. The main thing to comprehend is that, when a base runner is hit by a ball, he is out because the fielder behind him is in line to field the ball and make a play.


Rule 11 - SCORING

    Section 3 - A BASE HIT shall not be scored:

             D. When a batter reaches first base safely as a result of a preceding runner being called out for interfering with a batted or thrown ball, or with a defensive player.