Batting

A. All team members reporting healthy enough to play the game will be in the batting rotation. If a player is unable to start a game due to health reasons, he will not be allowed to participate in that game in any way other than coaching.

B. Players arriving AFTER the game has started, shall be added after the last batter in the original starting batting order.

C. Batters start with a one (1) ball and one (1) strike count with one (1) to waste. After reaching two strikes, the batter is allowed one “waste” ball (either hitting the screen or a foul). The very next ball hit must be in play otherwise the batter will be called out. If a foul ball is caught on the fly by a defender, normal rules are in effect.

D. A Designated Hitter (DH) must be thrown one strike during every inning before he can be intentionally walked.

E. An intentional walk is done verbally with the umpire.

F. Bunting is prohibited.

G. Any un-hit legal pitch contacting the mat will be called a strike. EXCEPTION: A pitch that hits the front part of the plate and goes back towards the pitcher is automatically a ball.

H. A strike zone mat (21” W x 34” D x ½” thick) shall be used.

I. Bats imprinted with “BPF 1.21” may be used. Bats imprinted with “Exceeds BPF 1.21” are not legal.

J. Wooden bats marked “Official Softball” and meet the 2.25” ring test shall be considered legal.

K. Any player ejected for using an illegal bat will be suspended for that game and one more.

L. Bat warmers are allowed but must be kept on the outside of the field fence or in the dugout.

M. Batters must be prepared to bat within ten (10) seconds after the umpire says, “play ball” or “batter up”. If, in the umpire’s judgment, the batting team causes an unnecessary delay, a strike(s) can be called on the batter.

N. In all divisions apart from BLUE, batters requesting a courtesy runner must notify the umpire every time they come to the plate, prior to a legal pitch being made.

O. Players from the batting team must be in the dugout or outside the fence area unless they are coaching a base, “on deck”, or serving as a backup catcher.

P. BLUE DIVISION ONLY:

1. If a batted fair ball reaches, and touches, the grass in the outfield (in any way), the batter-runner is entitled to first base without liability to be put out. If the batter-runner advances beyond first base, the exemption is canceled, and he is liable to be put out. All other runners are liable to be put out during the play. If the infield fly rule is called, the batter is out even if the ball lands on the grass.

2. There will be a line 170 feet from home plate in fair territory in the outfield. No outfielders may start, or move, in front of this line until the batter hits the ball. Any outfielder on the grass must be behind the arc. If an outfielder moves in front of the arc before the batter hits the ball, the umpire will call a delayed ‘DEAD BALL’ after the play has ended.

EFFECT: Batter will be awarded first base and any runners on base will advance one base. No putouts made during the play will stand.

If the batter and/or runner(s) advance more than one base during the play, the batting team’s manager will have the option of accepting the play as it finished.

3. The defensive team must have 5 players on the grass behind the arc until the batter hits the ball.

4. The defensive team must have 5 players on the dirt/turf portion of the infield until the batter hits the ball.

Q. Batter’s Box: The batter must have at least some portion of both feet on or inside the lines of the batter’s box at the start of the pitch. A batter who steps out of the batter’s box at any time during the pitch and then hits the ball, fair or foul, shall be called OUT. Steps out means touching the ground completely outside the lines of the batter’s box.