A fun-first, beginner-friendly, co-ed softball experience.
🧢 TL;DR — What You Really Need to Know
- 3-pitch format (pitch to your own team)
- 45 minutes or 5 innings, whichever comes first
- 5-run limit per inning (last inning is open)
- Batting order: At least 1 female for every 3 males
- No stealing or leadoffs
- Use the safety base at 1st — no collisions
- Do NOT touch home plate — run past the line
- Maximum 5 over-the-fence home runs per team, per game — any additional will be counted as an out.
📋 Full Rules
🕒 Game Format
- 3-pitch slow-pitch softball (players pitch to their own team)
- Games are 45 minutes or 5 innings (whichever comes first)
- No new inning after the 40-minute mark
- 5-run limit per inning (unlimited in the final inning)
- Bases are ~60 feet apart (approx. 20 paces)
👥 Team Size
- 7 to 9 players on defense (pitcher not included)
- Max 6 men on the field at any time
- Rotate players regularly to give everyone time on the field
- You may borrow players from other teams or the sub pool if needed
⚾ Batting
- Batters receive up to 3 pitches
- Foul on the 3rd pitch = out
- Foul pop-ups must go at least 10 feet high to count as an out
- No bunting
🔄 Batting Order Rule
- No more than 3 male batters may bat consecutively
- If 3 men bat in a row, the next batter must be female
- You may always include more women or alternate more frequently
- Repeat female batters if needed to follow this rule
🎯 Pitching
- Pitches must be underhand. No windmill or sidearm delivery
- The pitcher must get out of the way after the pitch
- If a batted ball hits the pitcher:
- Counts as a strike
- On the 3rd pitch: dead ball, replay the pitch
🧤 Fielding
- Max 4 players in the infield at the start of the play (not including the catcher)
- Rovers must start in the outfield and can’t enter until the ball is hit
- Infielders may start in front of the baseline
- Outfielders must stay behind the grass line for female batters until the ball is hit
🏃 Base Running
- No leadoffs or stealing
- One step allowed off base on a swing and miss
- No sliding — results in an automatic out
- Use the safety base at 1st to avoid collisions
- No blocking the base path unless making a play — runner advances if obstructed
- If the ball is thrown out of play during an active play, it’s a dead ball and runners advance one base
🏁 Home Plate & Commitment Line
- Commitment line halfway between 3rd and home — once crossed, runner must go home
- Runners must run past the scoring line, not touch home plate
- Touching home plate = automatic out
- To get an out at home: the catcher must have the ball and one foot on the plate
💥 Home Run Rule
- Max 5 over-the-fence home runs per team per game
- Additional home runs = automatic out
🧮 Extra Innings
- If tied after regulation:
- One extra inning is played using the international tiebreaker
- Last batter from previous inning starts on 2nd base
- All batters get 1 pitch only (foul, miss, or no swing = out)
🏆 Tiebreaker Rule
- If still tied after the extra inning:
- The team that was last leading at the end of a full inning wins
- If no team was ever leading, the game ends as a tie
👟 Courtesy Runners
- Allowed when needed
- Must be the last person out of the same gender
💛 Conduct & Spirit of the Game
- This is a social, inclusive, fun-first event
- Resolve rule questions with good sportsmanship
- No rough or abusive play — may lead to removal
- Be kind to teammates, opponents, and volunteers
- Organizers have final say on all rulings and disputes