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Official Rules
2008 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 a double elimination tournament. There will be a Winner’s Bracket and a Loser’s Bracket.
Teams that lose their first game will go into the Loser’s Bracket. Trophies will be awarded to the 1st
and 2nd place teams from the Winner’s Bracket.
2. Total number of games TBD after Registration Deadlines.
3. The game will be declared a forfeit if a team fails to field eight (8) players within FIVE minutes of
the designated starting time.
4. 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.
5. Games will be the shorter of either seven innings or 45 minutes. NO NEW INNING MAY BEGIN
40 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.
6. 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 40 minutes
time limit, whichever comes first.
7. 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.a. 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).
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Home/Visitor team is determined by flipping a coin with winning team determining preference of
batting or fielding.
11. Any foul or abusive language directed at the umpires 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.
12. All protests must be made by the team captain or manager, before the next pitch to the
batter. The umpires or Triple Play Staff will settle all protests immediately. Remember, this
is a charity tournament and we want everyone to enjoy themselves.
13. Players may not consume alcohol while playing in a game, whether on the fields or in the
dugouts. Umpires will enforce this rule.Section II: RULES OF PLAY
1. Each team must consist of a minimum of twelve players, with a minimum of three females on
each team.
2. No metal spikes may be worn.
3. 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.
4. We will use the same size and type of balls throughout the tournament, provided by the
tournament staff.
5. The umpires are the official scorekeepers.
6. Batting Order Rules:a. 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.
b. 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.
c. Prior to the start of the game, the teams must provide its batting order to the
opposing team and umpire.
d. 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.
e. 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.7. Base running rules are as follows:
• 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 out8. No bunting, no check swings
9. Batting helmets are not required.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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 15 at bats
per inning. After the 15th 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.
b. 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.
c. 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 a woman is not available, the last man to make an out shall be the courtesy runner.
d. If the player requiring a courtesy runner is a man, the last male player to make an out must run.
e. No pinch runners other than courtesy runners are permitted.
f. Players that have requested courtesy runners may not advance beyond first base.20. Fielding Rules:
a. 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.
b. The tournament is slow pitch, and all pitches must be palm up. If a pitch is not thrown
palm up, it is a ball.
c. 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.
d. 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.
e. 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.
f. 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.
g. 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.
h. 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.
i. 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.2008 Triple Play Official Rules To be updated after registration deadlines.