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The teams take turns batting. Each team bats until three players have been put out, as described below. An inning consists of a
turn at bat by each team, with the home team batting second. Seven innings constitute a game, unless extra innings are
required to break a tie.
Play begins with the pitcher attempting to throw the ball to the catcher past the batter at home plate. The throw, or pitch, must
be made with an underarm motionʹ the ball must be released below the hip when the hand is no farther from the hip than the
elbow.
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A pitch which is not a strike and which the batter does not swing at is a
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After hitting the ball into fair territory, the batter must run to first base.
The batter is out if:
p three strikes are called
p a ball hit by the batter is caught before touching the ground
p the batter is touched by the ball or by a glove holding the ball while the batter is away from a base (off base)
p A fielder holding the ball touches a base which is the only base towards which the batter may run before the batter
arrives there (a force out or force play) in certain other circumstances.
The most common type of force play is made at first base. A batter that drives a ball forward into fair territory must run to first
base. If the ball is thrown to first base (that is, to a fielder standing on first base) before the batter can reach it, the batter is out.
If the batter reaches first base without being put out, then that player can then be forced to run towards second base the next
time a ball is driven into fair territory. That is because the player must vacate first base to allow the next batter to reach it, and
consequently can only go to second base, where a force out may be recorded.
If four balls are called the batter advances to first base. The batter may also advance after hitting the ball into fair territory
without being put out.
If the player hits the ball and advances to a base without a fielding error or an out being recorded, then that is called a 'base hit'.
The bases must be reached in order counter clockwise, starting with first base. After hitting the ball the batter may advance as
many bases as possible. An advance to first base on the one hit is a single, to second base is a double, to third base is a triple,
and to home plate is a home run. Home runs are usually scored by hitting the ball over the outfield fence, but may be scored on
a hit which does not go over the fence.
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p A player on base is called a runner. When on first, second, or third base the runner may be retired by being forced out,
by being touched with the ball while away from a base and in certain other circumstances (being hit by a batted ball,
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A runner may advance:
p on a hit by another player
p Automatically, when a base on balls advances another player to the runner's current base
p by stealing a base (running to the next base on the pitch and reaching it before being tagged with the ball)
p after a fly ball has been caught, provided the player was touching a base at the time the ball was caught or after
p automatically, when a pitch is delivered illegally
p on an error by a fielder
Base-stealing is not allowed in slow-pitch.
The team with the most runs after seven innings wins the game. The last (bottom) half of the seventh inning or any remaining
part of the seventh inning is not played if the home team is leading. If the game is tied, play continues until a decision is
reached. In games where one team leads by a large margin, the "mercy rule" may come into play. A lead of 10 runs after five
innings, 15 after four, or 20 after three is sufficient for a win to be declared early to avoid embarrassing weaker teams. In elite
games, the required margin after five innings is 7 runs.
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Softball games typically take between ninety minutes and two hours to complete.
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The size of the ball varies according to the classification of play; the permitted circumferences in international play are 12 in (30
cm) and 11 in (28 cm). The ball is most often covered in white leather in two pieces roughly the shape of a figure 8 and sewn
together with red thread, although other coverings are permitted. The core of the ball may be made of long fibre kapok, or a
mixture of cork and rubber, or a polyurethane mixture, or another approved material. In 2002, high-visibility yellow "optic"
softballs were introduced as well.
All players may wear fielding gloves, made of leather or similar material, but only the catcher and first baseman may wear
mitts; mitts are distinguished from gloves in that they have extra padding, and no fingers. Gloves have webbing between the
thumb and forefinger.
Home plate is made of rubber. It is a five-sided figure, a combination of a rectangle and triangle, 17 in (43 cm) wide. The sides
are 8.5 in (22 cm) long. The triangle fits into the right angle formed by the baselines.
Home plate is one corner of a 60 foot square (65 foot for slow pitch) or
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The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (see below) normally play. The outfield is the
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The bat used by the batter is made of hardwood, metal, or any of several other approved materials. It may be no more than 34
in (86 cm) long, 2.25 in (6 cm) in diameter, or 38 oz. (1kg) in weight
Each team wears distinctive uniforms. The uniform varies more than baseball uniforms, in that short pants are allowed as well
as britches. It includes a peaked cap, a shirt, an undershirt, and pants; these are the components for which standards are set.
The players' shoes may have cleats or spikes. Many recreational leagues prohibit the use of metal cleats or spikes in order to
reduce the possible severity of injuries when a runner slides feet-first into a fielder.
The catcher wears protective equipment, consisting of at least a mask with a grille protecting the face, a throat protector, and a
hard safety helmet.
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In fast pitch softball the fielding team fields nine players ʹ the left, centre, and right fielder play in the outfield, while the pitcher,
catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop play in the infield. The basemen play in the vicinity of
their bases, while the shortstop plays between the second and third baseman (normally the second baseman plays on the first
base side of second base and the shortstop on the second base side). The pitcher stands at the pitching point in the centre of
the diamond; for men the pitching point is 46 ft (14 m) from home plate, while for women it is 40 ft (12 m) from home plate (43
ft at elite level). There is no pitcher's mound as in baseball, but the pitching area is denoted by a circle surrounding the pitching
plate 8 ft in diameter. The catcher plays behind home plate, squatting to receive the pitch.
In slow pitch, a team fields an additional outfielder; the centre fielder is replaced by a left centre fielder and a right centre
fielder. Another form of slow pitch instead adds a rover who plays between the centre fielder and second base. The rover is
also called a short fielder.
The batting team sends one batter at a time to home plate to try to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher forward into fair territory.
Once the ball is hit into fair territory the runner may try to advance to first base or beyond. Once on base the batter becomes a
base runner.