Softball Rules

Having played softball on a few teams and at various outings and events, I entered this week's tournament feeling somewhat confident of the rules. I apparently had them all wrong. I know they serve a purpose (like speeding up the game, preventing injuries, making the Oxy women's team lose by at least 14 runs, etc.) but here are some highlights.

-All batters start with a 1 and 1 count. A batter is out upon fouling two balls on the last strike or upon throwing the bat.

-All games may be started up to 15 minutes earlier than scheduled (then why not schedule them 15 minutes earlier?!?!?)

-Tie games (after 50 minutes or 7 innings) will be continued with the last scheduled batter of the inning standing on second base. (huh?)

-Batted balls which land over the right field and right center field fence are doubles even if on the roof of the school. Balls clearing the left field fence and over the porta cabin beyond the right center field fence will be home runs. Balls on the roof of the porta cabin will be a triple. (porta cabin is a porta-potty- and I think if you can aim and hit the roof of it, it's a homerun- that's not a big target!)

-The infield fly rule is in effect. A fair fly which can be caught with ordinary effort, less than 2 outs, 1st and 2nd bases occupied or bases loaded will result in the batter being called out. Runners advance at their own risk. (I know this is a real rule but I think they forgot about the "moon phase contingency" and the "right handed catcher, left hand pitcher and ambidextrous right center fielder contingency")

-The "dirt" is out play, except in the outfield. (there isn't a lot of dirt on the field except in the outfield and dugouts- and why is "dirt" in quotations?)

-Overthrows that go beyond the curb are "out of play" and result in one extra base for all runners. The ball is dead. Overthrows on the field of play result in a "live" ball. Throws back to the pitcher from the catcher are not considered "live". Thrown balls that go over the curb, runners advance 1 base. Balls that hit the vertical dugout protection and backstop and return to field are in play. A ball overthrown to first which hits the crowd protection will be considered out of play. (got that?)

So, once our team figures out the rules- especially the one about hitting the porta-potty being a triple, I think we can win some games. To be honest though, I can't pinpoint a rule that caused us to lose. Maybe it was the one about the runner is allowed to stay on base if they get to the base before the player with the ball? Hope tonight's game goes better!

-Erin