Page 401 - Revised Unified Sports Curriculum electronic version Rev. 8.1_2

SOFTBALL

SPORT RULES

The plate umpire or base umpire shall have equal authority to
Call a runner out for leaving a base too soon.
Call ''TIME" for suspension of play.
Remove, or eject, a player, coach or manager from the game for violation of
rules.
Call all illegal pitches.
Call an infield fly
The umpire shall declare the batter or runner out without waiting for an appeal for such
decision in all cases where such player is retired in accordance with these rules.
Note: Unless appealed to, the umpire does not call a player out or penalize him for having failed to
touch base, leaving a base too soon on a caught fly ball, batting out of order, being an unreported
substitute, being an Illegal Re-Entry, the replacement player or returning withdrawn player do not
report, being a runner who switched positions on bases with another runner, or making an attempt to
go to second base after reaching first base, as provided in these rules.
Umpires shall not penalize a team for infraction of a rule when imposing the penalty would
be to the advantage of the offending team.
Failure of umpires to adhere to Rule 10 shall not be grounds for protest. These are guidelines
for umpires.
The Plate Umpire
Shall take a position in back of the catcher. He shall have full charge of, and be responsible
for, the proper conduct of the game.
Shall call all balls and strikes.
Shall, by agreement and in cooperation with the base umpire, call plays, hit balls, fair or foul,
legal or illegal caught balls. On plays that would necessitate the base umpire leaving the
infield, the plate umpire shall assume the duties normally required of the base umpire.
Shall determine and declare whether
A batter bunts, or chops, a ball.
A batted ball touches the person, or clothing, of the batter
Shall render base decisions when required to do so.
Shall determine when a game is forfeited.
Shall assume all duties, when assigned as a single umpire to a game.
The Base Umpire
Shall take such positions on the playing field as required in accordance with the relevant
umpire systems.
Shall assist the plate umpire in every way, to enforce the rules of the game.

Responsibilities of a Single Umpire
If only one umpire is assigned, his duties and jurisdiction shall extend to all points. The umpire's
starting position for each pitch shall be from behind home plate. On each batted ball or play that
develops, the umpire shall move out from behind the plate and into the infield to obtain the best
position for any play that develops.
Change of Umpires
Umpires cannot be changed during a game by the consent of the opposing teams, unless an umpire is
incapacitated by injury, or illness.

46 VERSION: June 2018
© Special Olympics, Inc., 2018
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