HOW TO PLAY SOFTBALL

No, it is not like rounders.

No, it is not Soft.

If you’ve played Rounders, you’ll find some parts of Softball are familiar — both games involve hitting a ball and running around bases to score.

But while Softball shares some similarities with Rounders, it's actually more closely related to Baseball. Think of rounders and softball as distant cousins — with baseball being a much closer family member to softball in how the games are played and structured.

Now, to make matters even more confusing- there are two types of Softball - Slowpitch and Fastpitch, our club only has Slowpitch teams, and while Fastpitch exists in the UK, Slowpitch is the most popular out of the three sports, mainly due to its inclusivity.

This page will explain How Slowpitch Softball is played

RULES:

WHAT ARE "OUTS"?

2 Teams = 10 Players Each
One team hits (batting), the other fields (defending).
1 Inning = Both Teams Hit and Field
Each team gets a turn to bat and a turn to field.
Teams Swap After 3 Outs
The fielding team gets 3 batters or runners out — then teams switch.
Standard Game = 7 Innings
After 7 innings, the team with the most runs wins.
Hit the Ball, Run the Bases
Batters try to hit the ball and run to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then Home to score.
Fielders Stop Runs
Fielders try to get batters or runners out by catching, tagging, or throwing to a base.
No Stealing or Leading Off
Runners must stay on base until the ball is hit.

HOW TO SCORE:

Touch all four bases (1st, 2nd,3rd and home plate) to score “runs”.
This does not need to be in one go, your team mates can help you get round

STRIKE ZONE

There are a few ways to get yourself out:

Strikeout swinging: You swing and miss the third strike.
Strikeout looking: You don’t swing at a pitch the umpire calls a third strike.
Foul out: You hit the third strike into foul territory
Interference: You run into or obstruct a fielder trying to make a play.
Hit by your own batted ball: You run into your own ball after you just hit it.
Illegal batting position:
- Stepping on home plate while swinging.
- Stepping outside the batter’s box while swinging.

AS A HITTER:

AS A RUNNER:

Outs occur when the defensive team successfully stops a batter or runner from safely advancing or scoring. There are always 3 outs per team per inning.

Sometimes, the defence can get two or even three outs in one continuous play. These are called a "double play" or a (rare) "triple play."

Force out: A fielder throws the ball to a base before you get there, and you're forced to run (e.g., from first to second).
Tag out: A fielder touches you with the ball (or glove with the ball in it) when you’re not on a base.
Fly out: A batter hits the ball in the air and a fielder catches it before it touches the ground. Any runners must then “tag up” before advancing.