NFHS Softball 2025(Questions and answers) LATEST UPDATE

Obstruction - ️️Obstruction is: 1) the act of a defensive team member which hinders a runner or changes the pattern of play 2) when a catcher or fielder hinders a batter unless the fielder is in possession of the ball or making an initial play on a batted ball. **The act may be intentional or unintentional, physical or verbal Fair ball touches a runner; a) Before it touches a fielder b) After it passes any fielder other than the P and another fielder has a play - ️️a) Hit Runner is out b) Batter awarded 1st base (and a hit) c) Runners return to base occupied at time of interference Change (Name/#/Add Sub) to the lineup card after it has been made official - ️️Penalty: 1st: Warning 2nd: Coach Restricted to bench Illegal Substitute (Rule 3-4, P. 34 Sect. 4) - ️️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) - ️️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) - ️️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) - ️️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) - ️️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) - ️️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)** - ️️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)** - ️️Offense: a) Each team is granted 1 charged conference per inning. Any additional requests shall be denied. ***Time granted for an injured player is not a charged conference. Illegally Batted Ball (5-1-1b) - ️️Penalty: Batter is out and runners return (7-4-8; 7-4- 2) Interference by runner (5-1-1e) - ️️Penalty: Interfering runner is out and other runners return to base occupied at time of interference. Interference by runner: Foul Fly (5-1-1m) - ️️Penalty: Interfering runner is out, runners return, strike on batter Fair ball touches a spectator or bounces over/through/under or lodges in a fence (5-1- 1f) - ️️Award is 2 bases or appropriate # of bases in umpire's judgement Blocked Ball - ️️A live ball (pitched/batted/thrown) which is touched/stopped/handled: a) by a person not engaged in the gameb) by loose equipment c) by any object not part of official equipment or playing area Thrown Ball (Not Pitch) becomes a blocked ball (5-1-1g) - ️️Award: 2 bases from point of release Pitched Ball becomes blocked - ️️Award: 1 base from time of pitch