Intramural Rules for Softball

The contest will be held at Southbrook Softball Complex, located south of Brookings on 22nd Ave South.

Since these are not our fields, please be respectful of the space and do not dig into the batters box.

All Intramural Participants must adhere to the Membership and Eligibility rules establish by the SDSU Intramural Sports Constitution Articles IV and VI which state:

1. All SDSU students regularly enrolled and having paid the General Activity Fee are eligible for participation in activities programmed by the Intramural Sports Office.
2. SDSU faculty and staff and community members that have paid a membership fee to the SDSU Wellness Center and have purchased an IM Sports Pass are eligible for participation in intramural activities.
3. Non Wellness Center Members must purchase a Non-member IM Pass in order to be eligible to participate.
4. Any student who has participated at the varsity level will be ineligible for competition in that sport for one full year once they are no longer a member of the varsity team.
5. An intramural team roster may not include more varsity letter winners or Sport Club members that participate in a similar sport that would total one-half the number of players necessary to start a given contest.
6. A roster may have no more than 3 IM supervisors on an individual team.
7. A player can only be on the roster of one team per sport.
8. No individual may participate in Intramural Sports while under the influence of any drugs or alcohol.
9. Players must check in to at least one regular season game to be considered eligible for playoffs.

There is a maximum of ten players on the field.

1. There is no maximum on the number of batters.

There is a minimum of eight players on the field per game.

1. Failure to provide eight eligible players before the start of the game will result in a Forfeit.

Co-Rec

1. The ratio between male and females when fielding participants must be either 5:5, 5:4, or 4:4.
   1. The division line between infield and outfield is the grass.
      1. Players must maintain their positions (outfielder must stay in the outfield, infield stays in the infield) throughout the inning
   2. Pitcher and catcher may not be of the same sex.
   3. Not adhering to the acceptable ratios will result in a forfeit.
2. Batting rotation must alternate evenly between the sexes.
   1. Should a team not be able to alternate sexes in the batting order due to an odd number, an out will be recorded unless otherwise mutually agreed upon by team captains

Equipment provided by Intramural Program

1. Game ball will be provided by the Intramural Sports Program.
2. Sliders and sliding pants are encouraged.
3. Gloves and bats will be available for check out from the Intramural Sports Program.
   1. Players may bring their own bats, however they must be approved by the Intramural Supervisor in accordance to ASA regulations.

Unaccepted Equipment Specifications

1. No steel spikes

Use of unacceptable equipment may result in ejection.

Fall

1. Games will be seven innings, or 45 minutes in length.
   1. After 40 minutes of play, no new innings may begin.
2. Games may end in a tie.

Spring (Co-rec)

1. Games will be seven innings, or 45 minutes in length.
   1. After 40 minutes of play, no new innings may begin.
2. Games may end in a tie.

A ten run difference after four complete innings will conclude the game.

Playoff games which end in a tie will go into extra innings.

ASA Softball rules shall be followed with the minor alterations

A Captain’s meeting with the umpire shall occur at the beginning of each game.

Gameplay

1. Pitching
   1. The ball must be delivered underhand with a perceptible arc of at least 6 feet, but no more than 10 feet towards home plate.
   2. Strike Zone: any ball delivered at an arc of 6-10 feet that touches part of the pitching mat or home plate is a strike.
   3. If a team wishes to intentionally walk a batter, they must notify the plate umpire.
2. Batting
   1. Batters will begin with 1 ball & 1 strike count.
   2. A batter who hits a foul ball on the 3rd strike will be declared out.
   3. The batter is out if they intentionally bunt or chop the ball downward, or intentionally throws the bat.
   4. Batter will be declared out if they step out of the batter’s box while a pitch is in the air.
   5. Co-Rec: If a male is walked, the male is granted 2nd base, and the female is given the choice to take 1st base or hit.
3. Base Running
   1. There will be no leading off, or stealing bases.
   2. Sliding is permitted and encouraged.
      1. If a person goes into a base and doesn’t slide, causing a collision, the runner will be called out and ejected from the game for breaking up a double play. Players must slide directly into the base. Going out of the way to contact a fielder will be cause for ejection. Intentional obstruction of the fielder by a sliding runner will result in an out.
         1. An intentional obstruction which intends to injure the fielder may result in ejection.
   3. Pinch running may occur following an injury or at any point when the base run is removed from the field not resulting in an out.
      1. The Pinch Runner must be the last out of the same sex.

There is a four home run limit.

1. After four homeruns from one team, each homerun hit after the limit had been reach will be an automatic out.
2. Runners may not advance if a homerun is considered an automatic out.

Infield Fly rule will be in effect:

1. Runners on first and second base, or first, second and third bases with less than two outs.
2. Ball is hit so that an infielder can make the play with reasonable effort.
3. Ball is live and batter is out.
4. Runners may advance at their own risk.

Overthrows

1. On all thrown balls that leave the playing area, runners shall be awarded the base to which they are going, plus the next base.
2. A runner standing on a base at the time of a ball out of play shall be awarded the next 2 bases.

Obstruction

1. Refers to the act of a defensive player that hinders an offensive player (either the runner or batter) Ball is live.
2. At the end of play, umpire shall make a judgment call whether or not the obstruction had an effect on the play.

Interference

1. The act of an offensive player, team, umpire or equipment that hampers a defensive player or a play on the ball.
2. Results in a dead ball, offensive player is called out.

Any protest made must be addressed to the Intramural Umpire immediately.

Teams may not protest judgment calls.

All protests must be issued in accordance with article XI of the Intramural Sports Constitution.

Each team will keep track of the score.

At the conclusion of each half-inning, the scorebook will be in the hitting team’s dugout.

The home plate umpire shall cross check the score sheet with the umpire’s lineup card to verify its accuracy at the end of each half-inning.

The only participant who can make appeals to an umpire is the team captain.

Consistent infraction of this rule may lead to an ejection.

Any player who is creating an environment which any official deems as contrary to the goals of the intramural sports program is subject to ejection. 

Use of profanity directed at an official shall result in an immediate ejection.

Consumption or possession of alcohol, or any other illegal substances, is not permitted by spectators or participants for the duration of an Intramural program.

Any misconduct executed by an official must be brought to the immediate attention of the IM Supervisor. 

Any team or individual that fails to be ready for play at the scheduled time of the contest will forfeit to their opponent.

If a team must forfeit, the Intramurals office should be notified no later than 3pm the day of the contest.

1. This will count as a default and not a forfeit.

Teams shall be charged a $25 fee, which may be paid online during the registration process.

All participants must adhere to the Sportsmanship Rules Established by Article XVI of the Intramural Sports Constitution.

1. Team captain is responsible for educating and informing all players and spectators affiliated with his/her team about the system.
2. The officials working that game and or any intramural staff member will rate each team in each contest on sportsmanship.
3. The intramural staff and officials rate teams and organizations on a 4 point rating system. To qualify for playoffs, a team must average at least a 3.0 over all games to be included in playoffs.
4. Teams must also maintain an acceptable sportsmanship rating for each game throughout the playoffs in order to advance.