Official Rules

Triple Play Charity Softball Tournament
RULES AND REGULATIONS

Section I: GENERAL RULES

These rules must be followed strictly in order to ensure that the games taking place all start and end on time and that the brackets do not get completely jumbled. Please remember that they apply to everyone and are necessary to allow the Tournament to run smoothly. 

  1. This is NOT a true double elimination tournament.  There will be a Round 1 and a Round 2. In Round 1, teams are put into groups of 4, of which 2 teams from each group will advance onto Round 2.  The winner of Round 2 will be the first place winner.  Each team is still guaranteed to play a minimum of 2 games.

    There will be a total of 32 teams. There will be a total of 47 games. Round 1 will consist of 32 games and Round 2 will consist of 15 games. Round 1 will determine placement, if any, in Round 2 (playoffs).
  2. The game will be declared a forfeit if a team fails to field eight (8) players within FIVE minutes of the designated starting time.
  3. Please, no infield or batting practice before a game. Get to your games early enough to warm up on the side while the previous game is still being played. Hustle in and out between innings - we are on a tight schedule.
  4. Games will be the shorter of either seven innings or 50 minutes. NO NEW INNING MAY BEGIN 42 MINUTES AFTER THE SCHEDULED STARTING TIME. This is crucial to keeping the Tournament running on schedule. Do not waste time between innings or during the game. Umpires may award forfeit victories in games where delay tactics are used.
  5. Tiebreaker Rule: The following tiebreaker system will be used if a game is tied after either (a) the completion of seven innings or (b) the completion of the last inning begun within the 42 minutes time limit, whichever comes first.
  6. Extra innings will be played in the following "one pitch" manner: Batters will get one pitch. A ball will be considered a walk. A strike will be considered an out. Foul balls will be considered outs. Play will continue with "one pitch" innings until the tie is broken.
    1. NOTE: This does not apply to the Championship Game. However, if time constraints require it, the captains and the umpire can agree before the start of any inning to use the "one-pitch" tiebreak system).
  7. No game will be called for rain unless there is lightning or unless the fields are deemed unplayable. The final authority regarding play rests with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the Triple Play Staff. No portion of your entry fee will be refunded if games are canceled due to bad weather.
  1. Replacement Players: New players may not be added to a team's roster unless authorized by the Triple Play committee. One time replacement of players may be made only to avoid a forfeit and only with the advance authorization of the committee or by mutual agreement of both captains prior to play. If a team is consistently short players they may request that the committee augment their team with additional players.
  2. Home/Visitor team is determined by flipping a coin with winning team determining preference of batting or fielding.
  3. Any foul or abusive language directed at the umpire shall result in game ejection. Any foul or abusive language expressed within earshot of the umpire regarding his/her calls will result in an automatic warning. A second offense shall result in game ejection.
  4. All protests must be made by the team captain or manager, before the next pitch to the batter. The umpire or Triple Play Staff will settle all protests immediately.

 

Section II RULES OF PLAY

•  Each team must consist of a minimum of twelve players, with a minimum of three females on each team. Please Note: Each school team will ONLY be allowed up to two (2) players who are not a current student at one of the law schools.

•  No metal spikes may be worn.

•  Team is required to provide their own gloves, bats, and practice balls. Bats must be aluminum or composite ASA approved softball bats. Batting helmets are optional. Any equipment deemed illegal by the umpires will not be allowed.

•  We will use the same size and type of balls throughout the tournament, provided by the tournament staff.

•  The umpires are the official scorekeepers.


•  Batting Order Rules:

    1. In order to encourage maximum participation, tournament teams may have a batting order of unlimited size. If a player is on the team roster, that player must be in the batting order and must bat, however they are still not required to play in the field.
    2. A player may be in the batting order and not play in the field. In order to play in the field, however, a player must be in the batting order.
    3. Prior to the start of the game, the teams must provide its batting order to the opposing team and umpire.
    4. If a player is not in the batting order because of late arrival, their name may be added to the end of the order. But if a player is in the lineup and is not present at his/her time to bat, then it will be ruled as an out.
    5. If the roster has only 3 females, the batting order may consist of a maximum of two males/females batting in a row, followed by or after a female/male. If the roster has 4 or more females, then the order MUST alternate male/female in the batting order. Girls must be rotated through the batting to achieve the male/female batting sequence.

•  Normal rules for base running apply.

•  Can tag up

•  Can slide

•  Cannot lead off

•  Must wait until the ball is hit to leave the base.

•  Cannot steal bases

•  Advancing a base or bases on a passed ball or wild pitch is not permitted.

•  Two fouls on the third strike is an out

•  No bunting, no check swings

•  Batting helmets are not required.

•  Homerun Rule: No team shall have more than 2 homeruns up on the opposing team. Each additional homerun will count as an out. Homeruns will commence to count when one team is no longer homeruns ahead of their opponent.

•  If the ball bounces over the fence it will be ruled a ground rule double and each player on base will be awarded two bases.


•  Batting Round Rule:

a.. This rule is intended to provide for good sportsmanship in the event one team
is dominating another in a game. A team may have no more than 17 at bats
per inning. After the 17th at bat takes place, in a given half-inning, the team
batting will end it's half-inning even if it has incurred less than 3 outs.

    1. Courtesy Runners: If a player has a partial injury such that he/she is able to bat but unable to run, a courtesy runner may be requested. The batter must reach first base before a courtesy runner can be used. The umpire and opposing captain must both be notified prior to the start of the game or when injury occurs about the need for a courtesy runner.
    2. If the player requiring a courtesy runner is a woman the last woman to make an out must run. If not available, than any woman on the bench must run. If not available, last man to make an out.
    3. If the player requiring a courtesy runner is a man, the last male player to make an out must run.
    4. No pinch runners other than courtesy runners are permitted.
    5. Players that have requested courtesy runners may not advance beyond first base .

  20. Fielding Rules:

    1. There must be ten players on the field, playing defense. Out of the ten, there must be a minimum of three females on the field . If the team does not have ten players present to take the field, the team must field a minimum of eight players, with a minimum of two females. While playing defense, a player may enter, leave, or re-enter the fielding team (free substitution) as long as there is a minimum of three females on the field during field play at all times.
    2. The tournament is slow pitch, and all pitches must be palm up. If a pitch is not thrown palm up, it is a ball.
    3. The arc on pitches must be a minimum of six feet and a maximum of twelve feet from the ground. A ball not within these limits shall be called an illegal pitch as soon as possible by the umpire. If the batter does not swing at an illegal pitch, it is automatically a ball. If the batter swings, the pitch will be treated as though it had been thrown within the legal limits. The umpire's call on a pitch is absolutely final.
    4. The strike zone is that space over any part of home plate that is between the batter's back shoulder and front knee when the batter is lined up with the plate.


    1. Each at-bat begins with a 1-1 ball-strike count. Thus, three balls constitute a walk, and two strikes constitute a strikeout. (Of course, any ball that is hit above the batter's head - fair or foul - and is caught by the defense is an out). The umpire's call on strikes and balls cannot be disputed.

• i. If a male player walks and a female batter follows, she has the option of taking an automatic walk OR hitting. BEFORE stepping into the batters box, the female must inform the plate official of the decision.

    1. The Double Play Rule: If the defense is attempting to make a double play and there is a reasonable chance a double play will be completed, the runner going to the lead base must either slide or get out of the way of the throw. If the runner does not, the umpire has the discretion to call a double play. A runner need not get out of the way if there is no chance of the defense making the double play. This call will be made at the umpire's discretion and cannot be disputed.
    2. The Home Plate Rule: When there is a play at home plate, it is the runner's responsibility to avoid contact if the catcher has the ball before the runner gets to the plate. However, the catcher must not unreasonably block the plate before the ball gets to home plate. The umpire has complete discretion to decide both (a) whether the runner intentionally initiated contact and should therefore be called out, and (b) whether the catcher unreasonably blocked the plate before the ball gets to home plate and the runner should therefore be called safe.
    3. Play shall be called dead once all runners have ceased running and are standing on base or within a few strides of the base and the ball has been returned to the pitchers mound by any member of the fielding team. In the event that the lead runner is held (to within a few feet) of his or her base and the ball is returned to the pitchers mound then play is called dead. Other runners that are in forward running motion towards the next unoccupied base may advance to that base.