2020 SLOW PITCH - USSSA

1 SLOW PITCHRULE BOOK & BY-LAWS2020 Official Slow PITCH RuleBook and national By-lawsOfficial Slow PITCH Softball Rules Adopted,Published and Distributed byUSSSA LLC5800 Stadium Parkway, Viera, FL 32940 Telephone (321) 697-3636 Fax (321) 697-3647 Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized inany form or by any means without written permission from the 2020 USSSA LLC12 ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDUSSSA BOARD OF DIRECTORSE xecutive Director & CEODon DeDonatis IIIC hairman of the BoardRick FortunaBoard Members Kevin NaegeleJoey OdomCraig ScrivenUSSSA SLOW PITCH national COMMITTEEB rian Wegman, national Director of Slow PitchSean Melvin, Committee ChairmanCharles Beckwell, Slow PITCH national Umpire-in-ChiefKevin Naegele, Board of Directors RepresentativeStrojan Kennison.

2 Director of Conference USSSAGary GoddenJohn HickeyGreg HuchingsonAndy Purcell3 USSSA AND GSL SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL The Slow PITCH Softball GameOfficial Playing Rules 11 Inch and 12 Inch GamesCopyright USSSA 1968-2020 USSSA s online Slow PITCH Rule Book is located at online rule book supersedes the printed edition andwill contain any updated rule or by-law : all new rule changes are screened in gray throughout the rule book. This marking means change in wording or numbering for clarification only. NOTE: Use of the word he in this publication is intended to include both the masculine and feminine genders unless otherwise noted.

3 FOR ALL INQUIRIES PERTAINING TO PLAYINGRULE INTERPRETATIONSC ontact: Charles Beckwell52835 Hayes RoadShelby Township, Michigan 48315E-mail: AN UNUSUAL OR DISPUTED PLAY OCCURS IN A GAME describe the incident in detail and email Charles Beckwell for an answer or you wish to have an OFFICIAL RULE BOOK, contactUSSSA at 800-741-3014 to order. Rule Books are $ each plus to the 2020 Edition USSSA /GSL Playing Rules2020 RULE CHANGESRULE l PLAYING FIELD Sec. 5 page 8: Further, the following batter s box guidelines will be used: the batter must set up with his back foot no further forward than home plate.

4 Any forward stride will be allowed. The batter will be called out, when either one or both of his feet are in contact with the ground COMPLETELY outside the lines of the batter s box in front of home plate or when his foot is in contact with home plate while contact is made with the ball. Any batter, who runs forward through the batter s box to hit a ball will be judged in or out of the box at the time they contact the ball. (SEE: ILLEGALLY BATTED BALL Rule 3 page 20)RULE 2. EQUIPMENT Sec. 3 B2 e page 15: e. 12 Pro M Ball. Approved for 3. DEFINITIONS page 23: TEMPORARY FENCE The playing field cannot be expanded by moving any temporary structure.

5 All rules that govern when a player is in or out of play will be judged by the original position of the temporary 4. THE GAME Sec. 8 E FFECT Sec. 8 page 27 RULE 11. USSSA -GSL RULE DIFFERENCES page 60: The following are home run limitations per game and per team, by s Major 16 Men s Class AA 12 Men s Class A 10 Men s Class B 8 Men s Class C 5 Men s Class D 3 Men s Class E 1 RULE 7 BATTING Sec. 2 D 1 page 39: THE BATTER IS OUT IF: D. He has a second strike. Note: The batter is out on 2 strikes and walks on 3 balls. 1. He hits first foul after one strike, then the ball is 9.

6 BALL IN PLAY AND BALL DEAD Sec. 2F. page 52: THE BALL IS LIVE AND IN PLAY: F. When a fly ball is legally caught, Fair or Foul. (unless it is the first foul caught after one strike.)Sec. 3L page 53: THE BALL IS DEAD AND NOT IN PLAY:L. When the batter hits a first foul after one strike. (See 7-2D)RULE 12. MEN S CLASS B, C, D, AND E PROGRAMS Sec. 2 page 62; RULE 13. WOMAN S PROGRAM Sec. 2; and RULE 14. MIXED TEAM RULES Sec. 5 page 63:the Tournament Director has the option of permitting the following: on a fair fly ball hit over the fence for a home run, the batter and all base runners are credited with a score.

7 The batter and any runner on base do not need to advance and touch the bases. They should go directly to the dugout area. This would eliminate any base running appeals. This includes the four-base 13. WOMEN S PROGRAM Sec. 2 page 62: In the Women s program, the Tournament Director has the option of permitting the following: on a fair fly ball hit over the fence for a home run, the batter and all base runners are credited with a score. The batter and any runner on base does not need to advance and touch the bases. They should go directly to the dugout area. This would eliminate any base running appeals.

8 This includes the four base WITH DISABILITIES ACT page 67:5 PLAYING RULES TABLE OF CONTENTSRULE 1. THE PLAYING FIELD ..7 RULE 2. EQUIPMENT ..8 RULE 3. DEFINITIONS ..18 RULE 4. THE GAME ..24 RULE 5. THE PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES ..31 RULE 6. PITCHING RULE ..35 RULE 7. BATTING ..38 RULE 8. BASERUNNING ..42 RULE 9. BALL IN PLAY AND BALL DEAD..51 RULE 10. UMPIRES ..54 RULE 11. GSL- USSSA RULE DIFFERENCES ..59 RULE 12. MEN S B, C, D, AND 13. WOMEN S ..62 RULE 14. MIXED ..63 INDEX TO RULES ..64 Note: Additional rules and information can be found on (Policy & Procedures)

9 For the following programs as well as under Additional Playing Rules Not Found In USSSA Rule Book Men s Major/Conference USSSA Men s A Black American Corporate Hispanic Law Enforcement/Fire Masters Military Youth Native American Indoor Slow PITCH Overhand Softball Sixteen Inch Rules One PITCH Rules Scoring Rules6 HOME PLATE AREA5 1/2'2 1/2'3'3'8 1/2"6"6"17"12"91' 11"8' 5"65'65'50'32' 6"10'10'10'8'3'3'7'65'65'24" x 6"10'Commitment LineScoring PlateCOACHES BOX3'OFFICIAL USSSA AND GSL STANDARD PLAYING FIELD DIMENSIONS7 RULE 1.

10 THE PLAYING FIELDSec. 1. THE PLAYING FIELD is the area where the ball may be legally played or fielded. The field shall be an area within an established minimum radius from home plate to the far boundaries between the foul 2. SPECIAL GROUND RULES may be made by Tournament Directors when the field is less than the official minimum dimensions, which are: A. In 12 inch the radius distance is 300 feet for men. B. In Women s Class A and B, the radius distance will be a minimum of 275 feet to a maximum of 325 feet distance for national or World Tournament play.