NASA SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OFFICIAL RULES

(last revision 5/23/02)

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The playing rules of the NASA Softball Association are the Official Rules of Softball as adopted by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) with the following changes.

Rule 3: EQUIPMENT.

Delete the portions of Rule 3 concerning gloves, shoes, and uniforms and replace with the following: No shoes with metal to ground contact are allowed.

Rule 4: PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES.

Delete all of Rule 4 and replace with the NASA Softball Association Players and Substitutes Rules as follows:

Definitions: Each player currently occupying a slot in the offensive lineup is designated an "active player". Other players on the team are designated "non-active players". A non-active player who was formally an active player but was removed from the lineup is designated a "deactivated player".

4-1	There is no upper limit on the number of active players.
4-2	The ten defensive positions that are allowed can be filled only by active players and can be interchanged amongst these players at any time.
4-3	A non-active player can be activated either by creating a new slot in the lineup or by substituting for an active player. However, a player who had been previously deactivated can be reactivated only if two complete innings have elapsed and only if at least nine other at-bats are between his previous at-bat and his coming at-bat.
4-4	If a player is deactivated without a substitute his slot in the lineup becomes vacant. The manager must announce when this occurs, or the rules for batting out of order will be applied when the turn at-bat of the deactivated player is skipped.
4-6	The home team cannot have a smaller number of active players in the bottom half of an inning than it had defensive positions in the top half of the inning. Result: The rules for batting out of order will be applied when the turn at-bat of the deactivated player is skipped.
4-7	The visiting team cannot fill a larger number of defensive positions than it had active players in the top half of the inning. Exception: Any player arriving late at the field may be activated and inserted into the game immediately.
4-8	A "courtesy catcher" will be provided if requested by a team having less than 10 defensive players. The only function of the courtesy catcher is to protect the umpire (i.e., return dead balls to the pitcher). His presence will be treated as having no effect on a play unless he intentionally interferes with a defensive player. The courtesy catcher is required only during play and is not required to warm up the pitcher.
4-9	A "courtesy runner" is an active player who replaces a base-runner. If the original base-runner is to remain an active player, he can be replaced by a courtesy runner only with the approval of the opposing team. If however he is to be deactivated without a substitute, no approval is required. In all cases, courtesy runners are to be chosen by the opposing team. If a courtesy runner is on base when it is his turn to bat, an alternate courtesy runner must be chosen to replace him on base.
4-10	A delay to the game starting time not exceeding 5 minutes will occur if requested by a team having less than 9 players. If after this delay, or at any time after the game has begun, a team has less than 6 players, it will forfeit the game. The score of a forfeited game can be chosen by the non-forfeiting manager to be the score at the time of the forfeit, or 7-0, or 7-7.

Rule 5: THE GAME.

Delete the sections on home run classification and run ahead rule and replace with the following: Any run scored that results in a run differential greater than 15 will not count. Hence a team must give up its turn at-bat whenever its run total exceeds that of its opponent by 15 runs. Also, a team may choose to give up its turn at-bat any time it desires. Whenever a team gives up its turn at-bat the game will proceed as if the third out of that half-inning has been made.

Rule 7: BATTING.

Delete all references to foul ball third strikes and replace with the following: A third strike is called on a foul ball when it is a foul tip caught by the catcher with two strikes or when it is the second foul ball after two strikes. In the case of a third strike the ball is dead and runners cannot advance even if it is a foul fly ball that is caught.

In addition to the above changes to the ASA rulebook, the following ground rules apply:

A fly ball contacting any portion of a tree overhanging a foul line such that its trajectory is altered by the contact (from the umpire's viewpoint) is a dead ball. It is a foul ball strike if contact occurs over foul territory, and a no-pitch if contact occurs over fair territory. Any ball not near a foul line whose trajectory is altered by contact with a tree or other foreign object is in play and is not out even if caught before touching the ground. Any ball whose trajectory is not altered by contact is in play and no contact is assumed to have taken place. It is an out if caught before touching the ground.

A fair batted ball (touched or not) entering the following dead ball areas are home runs:

(a)	One batted from Field 1 that enters the Field 2 live ball area.
(b)	One entering the ditch beyond the outfield on Field 2.
(c)	One entering the street between the lamp post in deep left field and the large tree in deep right field on Field 3. A ball caught by a fielder while he is in any of the above dead ball areas is also a home run. However, if the fielder catches a fly ball before entering the dead ball area, the batter is out, and the rule for carrying a live ball into dead ball territory applies. Any other untouched fair batted ball entering out-of-bounds is a ground rule double.

Protests will be considered only if the rules of protest are followed (read rule 9 in the ASA rulebook). The umpire and opposing team must be fully aware that an official protest is being lodged. To insure this, a note should be made at the time of the protest regarding the circumstances and signed by the umpire. This note should accompany the official protest that is sent in for judgment. Remember, only misapplication of the rules, not umpire judgment, is grounds for protest.
Check the field you are scheduled to play and sweep standing water from the base areas in the early afternoon so the sun can dry these areas by game time. Cancellations due to weather will be made as soon as practicable and no later than 4 PM. Games not canceled by 4 PM will be played as scheduled unless canceled by the umpire at the field. If a first game on a given field is canceled because of weather, the second game is also canceled. Cancellations made prior to 4 PM will be posted on the hotline (864-2200) as soon as the cancellation is official (so don't call anyone else!). Information on cancellations made after 4 PM might be obtained from the Activities Center bar.
All regular season games are time limited games with following rules: (a) The home team will provide both a new ball and a used backup ball. (b) Only one minute is allowed by the umpire between the third out call of one half-inning and the batter up call of the next half-inning. (c) The time limit is defined as 70 minutes from the beginning of the game, plus the time interval caused by a delay (rain, injury, stall, etc.). The umpire should notify both teams when this time limit is reached. Thereafter the game ends at any time that the home team is winning and batting; otherwise the game ends when the home team makes a third out. (d) Forfeited games and games ended due to the time limit are regulation games, regardless of the score or the number of innings played. Games ended by any other reason are regulation games if at least five complete innings are played (four and one-half innings if the home team is ahead). Regulation games ending in a tie score will be designated as such in the standings. All other incompleted games are not regulation and will be replayed from the beginning.
A team wishing to postpone a scheduled game must do the following: (a) Get the consent of the management of the opposing team. (b) Notify the scheduled umpire prior to 4PM of the day of the game at the email address "laa+softball-umpires@larc.nasa.gov" (if using phone, be sure to speak to the umpire personally, since the scheduled umpire may have been changed). (c) Notify the Commissioner of Scorekeeping of the postponement by the normal channel to report the score. (d) Obtain from the offended team its choice of date/field/time spot for the rescheduled game. This date must be on or before the day of the last scheduled game of the current phase of the season. (e) Complete the rescheduled process within one (1) week of the postponement by notifying the Commissioner of Scheduling to insure both the spot is available and the game is added to the schedule. Failure to do any of the above will result in a forfeit by the team initiating the postponement.
Games postponed due to circumstances such as rain will be rescheduled by the Commissioner of Scheduling prior to the end of the current phase of the season. Postponed exhibition games are not rescheduled.
If you know you will forfeit a game due to lack of players and do not get the game postponed, let the umpire and the opposing team know before 4 PM. Your team can gain if you do this, because if a game on another field in your time slot gets rained out, your forfeit will be changed to a rainout and your game will be rescheduled. If no notification had been made, the forfeit as declared by the umpire at the field will be final.