The object of the game is to stand beside (not on) home plate and hit the ball into play. The player hitting the ball is called the batter. Players in the field of play are called fielders. The batter must then run around the bases (touching each base) and eventually returning back to home plate. When the batter returns to home plate, one point is scored.
The pitcher pitches a the ball towards the plate. The ball must be pitched underhand and cross the plate between the batters knees and shoulders. The ball must arc to a hight of 7 to 8 feet, while travelling to the plate.
If the ball goes through this area, or the batter swings and misses no matter
where the ball goes, a strike is called. Three strikes and the
batter is out. Do not run on your 3rd strike. If the ball is pitched
outside the area, and the batter does not swing,then a ball is
called. Four balls and the batter walks to first base.
Whenever the ball is hit (and is in play) the batter must run around the bases (starting with 1st base). The object of the fielders is to throw the ball to the base before the batter (now called runner) gets to that base. It is wise to have a fielder standing on the base so that when the ball is being thrown to that base somebody will catch the ball.
If a runner finds that he/she can
only safely
run as far as first base then he/she can stay on that base and wait for another
batter to hit the ball. If another batter then safely hits a ball, the runner on
first base must run to second base. If a fielder throws the ball to
somebody on second base and ball is caught before the runner gets to that
base, then the runner is out.
Base stealing is NOT allowed.
Now a runner only must run to the next base if somebody is behind him/her
running to the base that the first runner is on (FORCE RUN).For example, a
batter hits the ball and safely runs to second base (making sure to step on 1st
base). The next batter hits the ball but only runs to first base. The first
runner therefore does not have to run to third base. But now there are
two runners on bases and the
next hit would make both runners run to the next base. When
runners are forced to run, the fielders only have to throw the ball to the next
base with somebody catching it. If a runner runs at will (that is not being
forced to run) then the fielder must touch the player with ball and
not just touch the base.
Points are scored when a runner finally touches home plate after being on
first, second, and third bases. As a batter, the object is to hit the ball as
far as possible trying to run to as many bases as possible. If a batter hits the
ball so far that he/she can run to all bases and back to home plate, this is
called a
home run and every runner that touched home plate
would score a point. If bases were loaded (that is a runner on first,
second, and third bases) and a batter hit a home run, then four points would be
scored.
A batter hits a ball (and starts running). If a fielder catches the ball before the ball hits the ground (a pop fly) then the batter is out. All runners must return to their original bases and cannot run to the next base.
If the ball is hit into the foul area then that is considered a strike, except when the batter already has two strikes. If the ball is caught in the foul area, the batter is out. A ball is foul when it lands in-field and then goes over the foul line before it reachs the out field, but a ball is fair if goes over the foul line but has hit the ground in the out field.
When three batters have been caught/tagged/thrown/struck out, the whole team is out. To ensure that all batters in a team get to bat an equal number of times, the order of batters should be kept and picked up where it was left at the end of the last inning.
A game consists of 5, 6, or 7 innings, depending on how long the players want to play. Whichever teams scores the most runs at the end of the game, wins.
Please be aware that a Softball is not soft. It can and will hurt if you get hit by it.
ALLWAYS BE AWARE OF WHERE THE BALL IS AT ALL TIMES!