PART III
WOMEN'S SOFTBALL

*NOTE: The National Association of Softball Players has divisions for men and women, and a coed division for both to compete in jointly. The menís division is specifically for men ages 16 and older, and the womenís division is specifically designed for women ages 16 and older. With the exception of CO-ED division, women may not compete in the menís program and men may not compete in the womenís program of any division.

RULE 1 – DEFINITIONS

No changes, Refer to Rule 1, ìGeneral Playing Rulesî.

RULE 2 – THE PLAYING FIELD

Sec. 1 Fence Distance ñ Womenís Adult Slow Pitch Divisions
a. Minimum Fence Distance ñ 250 feet

Sec. 4 The Official Diamond shall have base lines as follows:

a. Womenís Adult Slow Pitch Divisions ñ 70 feet

Sec. 5 The Official Diamond shall have a pitching distance as follows:

4. Womenís Adult Slow Pitch Divisions ñ 50 feet NOTE: Same as menís pitching rule

RULE 3 ñ EQUIPMENT

Sec. 2 The Official Softball shall be an eleven-inch smooth-seamed, concealed-stitched or flat-surfaced ball. The center of the ball may be made of either long fiber kapok or mixture of cork and rubber, and or machine wound, with a fine twisted yarn and covered with latex or rubber cement. Or it may be made of other materials approved by the NASP. The cover of the ball shall be optic yellow, tanned horsehide, cowhide or any other materials approved by the NASP, cemented to the ball by application of cement to the underside of the cover and sewn with black waxed cotton or black linen thread to form a black-stitched softball. The solid core ball must be stamped with THE official NASP logo that contains the maximum C.O.R. and compression standards. The ball MAY NOT bear any other logos except for the NASP official logo unless otherwise approved by the Executive Director or the Executive Vice President of the NASP. MAXIMUM C.O.R. of .47, .44, or .40. Maximum Compression for NASP softballs is 400 pounds or 525 pounds. Directors have the option as to which compression and which C.O.R. are to be used. Refer to Part 1 of the Official Playing Rules for further information.

Sec. 4 No changes, Refer to Rule 3, ìGeneral Playing Rulesî.

Sec. 6 Uniform
a. Casts (plaster, metal or other hard substances) may not be worn during the game. Any exposed metal may be considered legal if covered by soft material and taped. Coaches in wheelchairs MAY NOT be on the field of play during ANY live ball situation unless the chair has all exposed metal parts covered by a soft substance and taped in such a way that would eliminate the risk of bodily injury to the players playing the game or other coaches coaching the game. This pertains to ALL adult and ALL youth play.
b. IF IT IS DISCOVERED DURING THE GAME THAT AN OFFENSIVE PLAYER IS WEARING METAL CLEATS AN OUT WILL BE CALLED AND THE PLAYER WILL BE EJECTED, all base runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. A DEFENSIVE PLAYER WHO IS WEARING METAL CLEATS WILL BE EJECTED.
c. NASP Women Uniform Requirements:
(1) Class A Matching uniforms with numbers
(2) Class B thru E Matching shirts with numbers

RULE 4 ñ PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Refer to Rule 4, ìGeneral Playing Rulesî.

COURTESY RUNNER: A Courtesy Runner may be used once per inning. The courtesy runner must be the player who made the last out. EXCEPTION: If the player that made the last out is on deck or due up to bat, the player who made the previous out prior to the last out will be used. Or if the game is in the first inning the player furthest from the batter will become the courtesy runner. This could result in going back to a previous inning to get the proper courtesy runner. The player making the out is the proper courtesy runner, NOT the last player to complete his/her turn at bat. A Courtesy Runner is allowed in all Adult divisions. NOTE: If a courtesy runner is substituted for illegally, the infraction must be caught before the next pitch. NOTE: A player becomes a courtesy runner when they have touched the base that is occupied by the player they are running for. Courtesy runners may not run for another courtesy runner.

RULE 5 ñ THE GAME

Sec. 3 A regulation game shall consist of seven innings.
a. A game will be forfeited if, because of the removal of a player(s) from the game by the umpire, or for any cause, there are less than nine (9) players on either team.
b. During all tournament play (Qualifying, State, Regional and World Series) in the event of rain or any cause that interrupts a game, the game must be resumed at the exact point where it was stopped.
c.In the event that a tournament cannot be completed, an official game may be called after 5 innings of play or 4 Ω innings of play if the home team is ahead. NOTE: Players listed in the line-up and not available at game time may be substituted for when play is resumed.

Sec. 4 Classification of womenís softball teams:
Class ìBî ñ 4 Home runs with the one up home run rule
Class ìCî ñ 2 Home runs with the one up home run rule
Class ìDî ñ 1 Up

RULE 6 ñ PITCHING REGULATIONS

No changes, Refer to Rule 6, "General Playing Rules".

RULE 7 - BATTING

No changes, Refer to Rule 7, "General Playing Rules".

RULE 8 ñ BASERUNNING

No changes, Refer to Rule 8, "General Playing Rules".

RULE 9 ñ DEAD BALL/BALL IN PLAY

No changes, Refer to Rule 9, "General Playing Rules".

RULE 10 ñ UMPIRES

No changes, Refer to Rule 10, "General Playing Rules".

RULE 11 ñ PROTESTS

No changes, Refer to Rule 11, "General Playing Rules".