CoRec Softball Rules

All games will be governed by the Official ASA Slow Pitch Rule Book with the following Texas A&M Intramural Sports modifications:

Players and Equipment

1. Each participant must present a current Texas A&M student ID card or a Rec Membership ID card in order to be eligible to participate. Failure to do so will prevent an individual from playing until the ID card is presented.
2. Each Co-Rec team shall consist of 10 players (5 men and 5 women). Each team must have a minimum of 8 players (4 men and 4 women) in order to begin a game. Any team that begins a game with 8 or 9 players may add players to the bottom of its line-up (to a limit of 10 batters).
3. Additional Hitter: Co-Rec teams may bat a maximum of 12 players consisting of 10 fielders and 2 additional hitters (AH) (one male and one female). If a Co-Rec team uses an AH, it must use both a male and female AH. An AH is optional. The AH must remain in the same position in the batting order for the entire game. All 12 players listed in the batting order must bat and any 10 may play defense (as long as there is a maximum difference of one between males and females). Defensive positions may be changed, but the batting order must remain the same. The AH may be substituted for at any time, however, the substitute must be a player who has not yet been in the game. The starting AH may re-enter the game.
4. Substitutions: All substitutes must notify the Home Plate Umpire and the Scorekeeper upon entering the game. We provide unlimited substitutions. However, all players must bat in the same position in the line-up at which he/she entered the game. Any starter or substitute cannot change spots in the batting order under any circumstances. A starting player and their substitute may not be in the game at the same time.
5. Balls: Game balls will be provided by Rec Sports. We will NOT provide balls to be used for warm-ups. Co-Rec play shall use a regulation ASA approved 12-inch softball.
6. Bats: All bats must be official softball bats.  Titanium bats and any bats not approved for play by ASA will not be permitted.
7. Gloves: Gloves must be worn while on defense at all times. The only fielders’ eligible to wear a first basemen mitt is the first baseman and the catcher.
8. Shoes: Regulation rubber-soled cleats, plastic cleats, detachable rubber cleats that screw into the shoe, and tennis shoes are the only permissible footwear. Sandals, street shoes, hiking boots, combat boots, or metal spikes are not allowed. No player will be allowed to participate in bare feet. Any player seen wearing metal spikes after the first pitch of the game will be ejected.
9. Jewelry: Participants are NOT permitted to wear any visible jewelry. If participants choose to wear jewelry, it must be completely covered BEFORE arriving at the game site, with a band-aid or athletic tape. The Department of Recreational Sports WILL NOT provide band-aids or athletic tape to cover jewelry items. If covered, jewelry must remain flush with the skin and not be protruding out; this is for the protection of all participants.
10. Extra Equipment: Players may wear soft, pliable pads or braces on the leg, knee, or ankle. Braces made of any hard material must be covered with at least one-half inch padding for safety reasons. Under no circumstances will a player wearing a hard cast or splint be permitted to play.
11. Catchers are required to wear a catcher’s mask! IM’s will provide these masks.

Game Format

1. A game will consist of seven (7) innings or 50 minutes, whichever comes first. No new inning will begin once the 50-minute time limit has expired. Any inning which has been started prior to the time limit expiring will be completed. Championship games will not have a time limit.
2. Forfeit: A team must have the minimum number of players to start a game. Teams not ready to play at the scheduled starting time shall be penalized one run for every minute the game is delayed. Teams not ready to play at ten minutes after the scheduled starting time shall forfeit. “Ready to play” includes having the scorecard filled out and IDs checked. Games will be played in their entirety.
3. Extra Innings: In the event that the score remains tied after 7 complete innings or 50 minutes, one extra inning will be played. The offensive team shall begin its turn at bat with the player who completed the last at-bat in the previous inning placed as a runner on second base. If the game is still tied after the one extra inning, the contest will end as a tie. In the playoffs, extra innings will extend until a winner has been decided.
4. Run Rule: If a team is ahead by 15 runs after 4 complete innings (3 1/2 if the home team is ahead), or 10 runs after 5 innings (4 1/2 if the home team is ahead), then the game will be considered complete. The run rule will apply to all games including championship games.
5. Called Games: In the event of inclement weather or power failure of more than 15 minutes, the following will constitute a complete game:
   1. Four innings have been completed (3 1/2 if the home team is leading).
   2. The game has reached at least one-half hour in elapsed time.
      If the game is called due to weather before the time limit (30 minutes) or inning limit (4 innings) has elapsed, then the game will be replayed from the exact point where play was stopped. Teams must keep the same batting order when the game is resumed. If play stops due to inclement weather, the final decision will be made by the Sport Supervisor.

Rules of Play

1. The pitch must be thrown at a moderate speed and must arc at least 6 feet after leaving the pitcher’s hand and no more than 12 feet above the ground. This is an Umpire’s judgment call. A pitch that does not meet these specifications will be considered an illegal pitch. A pitch that hits a part (including the black) of home plate is an automatic ball if a batter doesn’t attempt a swing.
2. Strike Zone: When a batter assumes a natural batting stance, the strike zone is the space over any part of the home plate between the batter’s back shoulder and the batter’s front knee. 
3. Each batter will assume a 1 ball/1strike count at the start of every at bat. The batter will walk when the count has a total of four balls.  The batter will strike out after three strikes. If a batter’s third strike is a foul ball, then he/she will be out. 
4. Illegal hits include bunting or chopping the ball downward. This will result in a dead ball, batter is out and all runners return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
5. Stealing and leading off bases are not permitted. This will result in the runner being called out. 
6. The infield fly rule will be in effect. An infield fly is a fair fly ball (not a line drive) which can be caught by any infielder with ordinary effort when first and second bases or first, second, and third bases are occupied and there are less than 2 outs.
7. Slide Rule: Players will be permitted to slide into all bases, however head-first slides will still be outlawed (EXCEPTION: Head first dives will be allowed immediately back into a bag only). Any player that slides or dives into a base head first will be called out immediately. Players are no longer permitted to overrun 2nd and 3rd base without the risk of being tagged out.
8. Home Run Rule: There is a over-the-fence homerun rule for all intramural games. The number of homeruns allowed is based on the class of play. After the homerun limit has been reached, any over-the-fence homerun will be ruled a single.
   
   Home Run Limits:
                                       Class A – Five
                                       Class B – Three
                                       Class C – One
                                       Class D – No homeruns are allowed
9. Dead Ball Territory: If the ball is in play and is overthrown into dead ball territory, then all runners will be awarded two (2) bases based on the positions of the runners at the time the ball left the fielder’s hand. If two runners are between the same bases, the award is based on the position of the lead runner. Any fair hit ball that rolls into dead ball territory will be a dead ball. At this point the umpire will declare the ball dead, and award two bases. Any caught foul fly ball that is unintentionally carried into dead ball territory will result in a one base award. If the act is ruled intentional, the umpire will award 2 bases.
10. The batting team is responsible for retrieving all balls hit out of the playing area (over the fence, foul territory, etc.)

CoRec Rules

1. Teams must alternate males and females in the batting order. If a team bats 9 players, an out will be recorded in the line-up where two males or females are batting consecutively. Note that the difference between the number of males and females may not exceed one.
2. Position requirements are as follows:
   1. The pitcher and catcher must be of opposite sexes.
   2. The infield and outfield must each have two males and two females.
3. If a team walks a male batter, that male batter is automatically awarded second (2nd) base. The next batter, a female, must bat with less than two outs. If there are two outs she has the option to automatically walk or to hit. The female batter must make this decision before the next legal pitch is thrown.
4. A 165-foot Co-Rec line (arc) will be painted in the outfield during Co-Rec games. All outfield players must be positioned behind this line during each offensive player’s turn at bat. Outfielders may cross the line once the ball has been contacted by the batter. IF A FIELDER CROSSES THE LINE PRIOR TO CONTACT BY THE BATTER, THE OFFENDED TEAM MAY CHOOSE TO TAKE THE RESULT OF THE PLAY OR RETURN THE BATTER AND RESUME THE COUNT PRIOR TO THAT PITCH.
5. All other Texas A&M Intramural Softball rules and ASA rules apply.

Conduct of Players

1. Verbal Conduct: The use of profane language directed to one’s self or another will not be tolerated. Arguing with an umpire or player in an unsportsmanlike manner will not be tolerated. Failure to abide by this rule may result in one or all of the following actions:
   • Warning
   • Dismissal from the game for a period of one complete inning and a ghost out recorded for that player’s next turn at bat. No substitute is permitted to replace the dismissed player until the dismissal time period has expired. (Team will play short)
   • Ejection
2. Ejections: A player ejected from a game shall not participate in that game again. The umpire may eject a player from the field area if deemed necessary. If ejected from the field area, the player shall leave within two minutes. Failure to do so will result in that team to forfeit the game. An ejected player is automatically disqualified from ALL intramural contest (including other sports) until they see the proper staff member in charge of that sport.