SOFTBALL 2014 AND 2015 RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS 89486 Rule Book Covers.indd 13 5/17/13 9:26 AM Sportsmanship is a core value of the NCAA. The NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct has identified respect and integrity as two critical elements of sportsmanship and launched an awareness and action campaign at the NCAA Convention in January 2009. Athletics administrators may download materi- als and view best practices at the website below: www.NCAA.org, then click on “Student-Athlete Programs,” then “Sportsmanship” and select the “Resources/Best Practices” tab. 2014 and 2015 NCAA SOFTBALL RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION [ISSN 1089-0106] THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 6222 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 46206-6222 317/917-6222 NCAA.ORG AUGUST 2013 Manuscript Prepared By: Dee Abrahamson, Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Softball Rules Committee. Edited By: Teresa Smith, Assistant Director of Playing Rules and Officiating. NCAA, NCAA logo and NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION are registered marks of the Association and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the Association. COPYRIGHT BY THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION REPPRINTED: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Contents Page NCAA Softball Rules Committee ...................................................................4 Points of Emphasis .........................................................................................5 Committee Report ...........................................................................................7 Major Rules Changes for 2014 and 2015 .......................................................9 Index to Editorial Changes ...........................................................................11 Common Practice Updates ...........................................................................12 Code of Conduct ...........................................................................................14 The Rules ......................................................................................................16 Official NCAA Softball Rules Rule 1—Definitions ..................................................................................18 Rule 2—Field of Play ...............................................................................24 Softball Field Specifications .....................................................................30 Rule 3—Equipment and Uniforms ...........................................................33 Rule 4—Game Personnel ..........................................................................43 Rule 5—Games Management and Pregame Procedures ..........................48 Rule 6—The Game ...................................................................................55 Rule 7—Appeals and Protests ..................................................................67 Rule 8—Players and Substitutes ...............................................................73 Rule 9—Defense .......................................................................................86 Rule 10—Pitching ...................................................................................100 Rule 11—Batting ....................................................................................109 Rule 12—Base Running .........................................................................128 Rule 13—Misconduct .............................................................................162 Rule 14—Scoring ....................................................................................169 Table of Symbols ...................................................................188 Percentage Table ....................................................................189 NCAA Box Score ..................................................................190 Rule 15—Umpires ..................................................................................191 Appendix A: Feet and Lines Chart .............................................................198 Appendix B: Improper Player Chart ...........................................................199 Appendix C: Bat Flow Chart ......................................................................200 Appendix D: NCAA conducted BCT Flow Chart ......................................201 Appendix E: Incident Report ......................................................................202 Appendix F: Umpire Signals ......................................................................203 Appendix G: Safety Guidelines ..................................................................205 Appendix H: Video, Audio or Matrix Boards ............................................214 Appendix I: Concussions ............................................................................216 Index to Rules .............................................................................................218 3 NCAA Softball Rules Committee The NCAA Softball Rules Committee roster is available online at www.ncaa. org/playingrules (select sports, softball and view rules committee roster). Those seeking interpretations or clarifications of the NCAA Softball Rules and Interpretations, may contact: Dee Abrahamson Secretary-Rules Editor 815/751-2648 [email protected] Term expires: 9-1-15 4 Points of Emphasis While the NCAA Softball Rules Committee expects you to familiarize yourself with all the rule changes throughout the 2014-2015 NCAA Softball Rules and Interpretations book, several topics we would specifically like to call to your attention are clarified in the Committee Report that follows and in this Points of Emphasis. Unlike other years where there are multiple unrelated topics under PoE, this year the only topic we are emphasizing is sportsmanship and related subsections of conduct. Use of Video The committee approved the use of video replay in three specific circumstances which are all connected with incident reports. Rule 5.9.9 allows for the use of television or institutional replay equipment after a game to determine all the team personnel involved in a fight or who left a team area. The umpire crew’s opportunity to review the video will enhance the accuracy of its report prior to notice of suspensions being sent. The third use is to confirm the accuracy of an incident report involving a protest or for an ejection which carries a mandatory suspension. Often the details of incident reports filed by umpires and coaches vary significantly so the use of video will provide valuable information to be sure the protest results and notice of a suspension are appropriate. Warnings A new addition to the rules this year is the inclusion of warnings as the least punitive effect for inappropriate behavior. Rule 13.1 details both informal and formal warnings and provides the umpires with rule book support for handling unsporting behavior without resorting to ejection. Incident Reports Relating to ejections, there is a new incident report now available on the SUP website and in Appendix E of this book. Changes were made to accommodate the distinction in types of ejection and to expedite the reporting of inappropriate and damaged bats. In addition, forms are still to be filed as soon as possible but the 72 hours of the past has been reduced to 24 hours. In 1996 when the 72 hours was first established, accessibility to email and the Internet was taken into consideration, but in this age of immediate information sharing, the 24 hours is more appropriate notice. If the Internet is not a viable option, reports may still be faxed, but they do create a time delay since they go to an NCAA fax and have to be routed to softball staff and then to the SRE. Please limit the use of faxes in favor of email attachments and scans. Ejections If a warning goes unheeded or the inappropriate behavior is outside the scope of a warning and an ejection does occur, the rule book now offers an alternate location for ejected non-playing personnel in Rule 13.2. The traditional location of going beyond the home run fence is still viable but alternatively, the person may now go out of the complex and out of sight and sound. 5 6 POINTS OF EMPHASIS And on the topic of ejections, a major change made to this year’s rules is the differentiation between an administrative ejection and a behavioral one. While this is insignificant to the umpires and to the immediate consequences of being ejected, the intent is that an administrative ejection would have fewer and less severe follow-up consequences. Currently some institutions and organizations have mandatory future suspensions for any ejection. While the rules committee appreciates this incentive to improve compliance with all playing rules, it also recognizes the harshness of the penalty when the ejection is caused by an administrative mistake. In most sports ejection is only a consequence of inappropriate behavior, but in softball it can also be the result of a rule violation. For example, in the first inning of a game the first base coach is granted a conference with the number two slap hitter. Four batters later, the third base coach leaves the coaches’ box and meets the on-deck batter to walk her to the plate with some hitting advice. The third base coach is now ejected for a second conference in an inning and will miss virtually the entire game, and if there is an applicable mandatory suspension,