NFHS SOFTBALL / NFHS
SOFTBALL 2026 | COMPLETE
RULES, STRATEGIES LATEST
UPDATE!!
Change (Name/#/Add Sub) to the lineup card after it has been made official - answer-
Penalty:
1st: Warning
2nd: Coach Restricted to bench
Illegal Substitute (Rule 3-4, P. 34 Sect. 4) - answer-Penalty:
1) Player restricted to bench
2) Art. 1 A & C: If player is on base, at bat, or is the courtesy runner; she is also called
out.
Illegal Defensive Sub (Rule 3-4 Art. 3) - answer-Penalty:
1) Sub involved with a batted ball=restricted to bench; offense has option of taking
result or accepting penalty (out nullified & Runners return)
2) If another legal pitch is thrown, all play stands and illegal sub is restricted to bench
3) Anytime an illegal sub handles the ball and it does not alter the play/no one is put out;
play stands and illegal sub is restricted.
A coach physically assists a runner during live ball action. (8-6-5) - answer-
Penalty:Runner is out and ball remains live.
Offensive Interference with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batter/runner (3-5
art. 5) - answer-Penalty:
a) The ball is dead.
b) Runner closest to home is out
, c) All runners not out return to last base touched at time of interference
Offensive player interferes with a fair batted ball or foul fly ball (3-5-Art. 6)
(7-4-12; 7-5-4; 8-6-16) - answer-Penalty: Ball is dead immediately and batter is out.
a) If interference prevented a possible DP, batter and runner closest to home are out.
other runners return to last base touched at time of interference.
Defensive player fakes a tag (Obstruction 8-4-3b) - answer-Penalty:
a) Delayed Dead ball
b) If obstructed runner is put out before reaching a base she would've reached, ball is
declared dead and all runners are awarded the base(s) they would've reached.
c) Team warning issued; A 2nd offender is restricted to bench
Charged Conferences: Defense(3-7)
**When either team has a charged conference, the other team may also conference
(uncharged)** - answer-Defense:
a) Each team is granted 3 defensive conferences per 7 innings without penalty.
b) Extra Innings: each team is allowed 1 additional conference per inning.
***Time granted for an injured player is not a charged conference.
***If the pitcher is removed it is not a charged conference
c) Request for a charged conference beyond the allowed (3 for 7innings/1 per extra
inning) = P must be removed as pitcher for the rest of the game
Charged Conferences: Offense (3-7)
**When either team has a charged conference, the other team may also conference
(uncharged)** - answer-Offense:
a) Each team is granted 1 charged conference per inning. Any additional requests shall
be denied.
SOFTBALL 2026 | COMPLETE
RULES, STRATEGIES LATEST
UPDATE!!
Change (Name/#/Add Sub) to the lineup card after it has been made official - answer-
Penalty:
1st: Warning
2nd: Coach Restricted to bench
Illegal Substitute (Rule 3-4, P. 34 Sect. 4) - answer-Penalty:
1) Player restricted to bench
2) Art. 1 A & C: If player is on base, at bat, or is the courtesy runner; she is also called
out.
Illegal Defensive Sub (Rule 3-4 Art. 3) - answer-Penalty:
1) Sub involved with a batted ball=restricted to bench; offense has option of taking
result or accepting penalty (out nullified & Runners return)
2) If another legal pitch is thrown, all play stands and illegal sub is restricted to bench
3) Anytime an illegal sub handles the ball and it does not alter the play/no one is put out;
play stands and illegal sub is restricted.
A coach physically assists a runner during live ball action. (8-6-5) - answer-
Penalty:Runner is out and ball remains live.
Offensive Interference with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batter/runner (3-5
art. 5) - answer-Penalty:
a) The ball is dead.
b) Runner closest to home is out
, c) All runners not out return to last base touched at time of interference
Offensive player interferes with a fair batted ball or foul fly ball (3-5-Art. 6)
(7-4-12; 7-5-4; 8-6-16) - answer-Penalty: Ball is dead immediately and batter is out.
a) If interference prevented a possible DP, batter and runner closest to home are out.
other runners return to last base touched at time of interference.
Defensive player fakes a tag (Obstruction 8-4-3b) - answer-Penalty:
a) Delayed Dead ball
b) If obstructed runner is put out before reaching a base she would've reached, ball is
declared dead and all runners are awarded the base(s) they would've reached.
c) Team warning issued; A 2nd offender is restricted to bench
Charged Conferences: Defense(3-7)
**When either team has a charged conference, the other team may also conference
(uncharged)** - answer-Defense:
a) Each team is granted 3 defensive conferences per 7 innings without penalty.
b) Extra Innings: each team is allowed 1 additional conference per inning.
***Time granted for an injured player is not a charged conference.
***If the pitcher is removed it is not a charged conference
c) Request for a charged conference beyond the allowed (3 for 7innings/1 per extra
inning) = P must be removed as pitcher for the rest of the game
Charged Conferences: Offense (3-7)
**When either team has a charged conference, the other team may also conference
(uncharged)** - answer-Offense:
a) Each team is granted 1 charged conference per inning. Any additional requests shall
be denied.
