altered bat - when the physical structure of a legal softball bat has been changed assist a defensive statistic

c credited to each fielder who throws or deflects a batted or thrown ball in such a way that a putout results, or would have resulted except for a subsequent error by any fielder backstop the fence behind the batters box (the umpi re stands behind the catcher with his/her back to the backstop) ball as called by the umpire, a pitch that does not enter the strike zone in flight and is not struck at by the batter base one of four points on the infield that must be touched by a runner in order to score a run. Also applies to the rubber or canvas bags comprising first, second, and third base, as well as the hard plastic or rubber plate known as home plate. baseline the area between each base along which the base runner must generally run base on balls (BB) also called a walk; the award of first base to a batter who, during his/her time at bat, receives four pitches outside the strike zone; pitchers may also issue an intentional walk without throwing those four pitches, in which case the umpire is notified and he/she awards the batter first base base runner a batter who has reached base safely bases loaded referring to the offensive team when there are runners on first, second, and third base batter also known as hitter; an offensive player who takes his/her position in the batters box to try to hit the pitch batters box a rectangular area beside home plate where the batter must stand to hit the pitch batting average an offensive statistic, it is the number of safe hits divided by the number of at-bats batting order the official list giving the sequence in which members of the (offensive) team must come to bat box score the summary of a game which lists the line-up for each team, including substitutions, such offensive statistics as at-bats, runs, hits, and runs batted in. The box score also lists such defensive statistics as winning pitcher, losing pitcher, (pitcher credited with) save, errors, wild pitches, and passed balls. bullpen the area in foul territory adjacent to the outfield where pitchers wait and warmup during the game, except the pitcher currently being used in the game

bunt an attempt by the batter to tap the ball instead of swinging at it; the bat is lowered to (approximately) chest height, parallel to the ground Back to top ^^ catcher defensive player who normally positions him/herself behind home plate and receives pitches center fielder the defensive player positioned near the middle of the outfield change-up a pitch thrown deceptively slow to surprise the batter complete game a pitchers statistic recorded when he/she has thrown every pitch for his/her team during a game curveball a pitch thrown with a rotation that makes the ball curve Back to top ^^ defensive team the nine players in the field (pitcher, catcher, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd basemen, shortstop, and left, center, and right fielders) designated hitter (DH) a player who bats in place of a designated teammate in the batting lineup designated player (DP) a player designated to bat for any starting player, without otherwise affecting the status of player(s) in the game. Unlike the DH, this player may play a fielding position for any player in the game. double a scoring statistic credited to a batter when he/she has hit a ball safely into fair territory and can advance to second base without the aid of defensive errors. double play a defensive play in which two offensive players are put out as a result of continuous action, providing there is no error between putouts dugout the semi-enclosed area beside the playing field where players sit when they are not actively involved in the game Back to top ^^ earned run a run for which the pitcher is held accountable earned run average (ERA) the number of runs charged to a pitcher averaged over a seven-inning span; determined by multiplying the total earned runs charged against a pitcher by seven and dividing the result by the total number of innings he/she pitched. (Example: if a pitcher gives up one earned run in one inning of play, his/her ERA would be

7.0. If the same pitcher had been charged with 20 runs in 60 innings, his/her ERA would be 2.33, or, an average of 2.33 runs given up for each seven innings pitched.) error a defensive statistic charged for each misplay (fumble, muff or wild throw) which prolongs the time at-bat of a batter or which prolongs the life of a runner, or which permits a runner to advance to one or more bases Back to top ^^ fair ball a ball hit into the field of play fastball a pitchers fastest pitch fielder - any one of the nine players on the defensive team (pitcher, catcher, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd basemen, shortstop, and left, center, and right fielders) fielders choice the act of a defensive player who handles a fair ground ball and, instead of throwing to first base to put out the batter, throws to another base in an attempt to put out the preceding runner. fielding percentage a defensive statistic also called fielding average, it is the sum of putouts and assists divided by the sum of putouts, assists, and errors in each fielding position played by a player. first baseman the defensive player in the portion of the infield near the bag that the batter will initially run to (invisible line goes from catcher to first baseman to right fielder) fly ball a ball hit in the air forceout an out made when a baserunner, forced to run because another teammate must run to the base being occupied, cannot reach the next base safely foul ball a batted ball that settles on foul territory between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or that first falls on foul territory beyond first or third base, or that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or player, or any foreign object to the natural ground; A foul fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, including the foul pole, and not as to whether the infielder is on foul or fair territory at the time he/she touches the ball. foul lines the two straight lines extending from home plate past the outside edges of first and third bases to the outfield fence. foul tip a batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catchers hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught, and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the ball is in play. It is not a catch if it is a rebound, unless the ball has first touched the catchers glove or hand.

Back to top ^^ grand slam a home run with a baserunner on each base, scoring four runs. Back to top ^^ hit when a batter reaches first base (or any succeeding base) safely on a fair ball which settles on the ground or touches a fence before being touched by a fielder, or which clears a fence; when a batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball hit with such force, or so slowly, that any fielder attempting to make a play with it has no opportunity to do so; when a batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball which takes an unusual bounce so that a fielder cannot handle it with ordinary effort, or which touches the pitchers plate or any base (including home plate) before being touched by a fielder and bounces so that a fielder cannot handle it with ordinary effort; when a batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball which has not been touched by a fielder and which is in fair territory when it reaches the outfield unless in the scorers judgment it could have been handled with ordinary effort; when a fair ball that has not been touched by a fielder touches a runner or an umpire, when a fielder unsuccessfully attempts to put out a preceding runner, and in the scorers judgment the batter would not have been put out at first base by ordinary effort. hit batsman also known as hit by pitch (HBP); a batter who has been hit by a legally pitched ball (the batter is awarded first base) home plate the five-sided piece of whitened rubber that the batter stands beside to hit the pitch home run a safe hit, when no error or putout results, which allows the batter to reach all four bases and score a run; usually a fly ball in fair territory which goes over the outfield fence Back to top ^^ illegal pitch an act by the pitcher not allowed by rule, with or without a runner on base; if there are runners on base, each advances one base. In every case the batter is credited with one ball. infield the diamond-shaped area in fair territory formed by the three bases and home plate that is normally covered by defensive players (known as infielders) inning that portion of the game within which the teams alternate on offense and defense and in which there are three putouts for each team. Each teams at-bat comprises a halfinning. intentional walk a base on balls intentionally issued by the pitcher; the pitcher may notify the umpire of the desire to intentionally walk a batter, in which case four balls do not need to be thrown, and the umpire will immediately award the batter first base

interference an act by a catcher that hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch. On any such interference, the ball is dead and the batter is awarded first base. Back to top ^^ left fielder the defensive player in the outfield closest to the third base foul line left on base those runners who have not scored and have not been put out but who remain on base at the time of the third out in the half-inning. line drive a ball hit sharply in a straight line, roughly parallel to the ground live ball a ball in play no-hitter a pitching statistic credited when the pitcher completes a game and allows the opposing team no hits Back to top ^^ offensive team the team that is at bat on-base percentage offensive statistic; for any player, divide the total of hits, all bases on balls, and hit by pitch, by the total of at bats, all bases on balls, hit by pitch, and sacrifice flies. on deck (offensive player) waiting to bat next Back to top ^^ passed ball a pitch that should have been held or controlled by the catcher perfect game a statistic credited to a pitcher when he/she completes a game and allows the opposing team no one reaching first base pinch hitter a player who bats in place of a teammate pinch runner a player who enters the game at a base to run for another player pitcher the player who throws the ball to the batter (43 feet away) putout credited to each fielder who: catches a fly ball or a line drive, whether fair or foul; catches a thrown ball which puts out a batter or runner; or, tags out a runner when the runner is off the base to which the runner is legally entitled Back to top ^^ right fielder the defensive player in the outfield closest to the first base foul line

rise ball a technique used by the pitcher so that the ball goes up as it reaches the batter run the point scored when a batter or baserunner advances to home plate run batted in (RBI) an offensive statistic credited to a batter for every run which reaches home plate because of the batters safe hit, sacrifice bunt, sacrifi ce fly, infield out or fielders choice; or which is forced over home plate by reason of the batter becoming a runner with the bases loaded (on a base on balls, or an award of first base for being touched by a pitched ball, or for interference or obstruction) rundown a baserunner who finds themself in the baseline between the base they were on and the subsequent base that theyre trying to advance to or retreat back from in an effort to not be put out run rule also called international run rule, run difference rule, and mercy rule; if one team is losing by 20 runs after three innings, 15 runs after four innings, or seven runs after five innings the game is ended at that point. Back to top ^^ sacrifice fly an offensive statistic scored when, before two are out, the batter hits a fly ball or a line drive which is handled by a defensive player in the outfield which: is caught, and a runner scores after the catch; or, is dropped, and a runner scores, if in the scorers judgment the runner could have scored after the catch had the fly ball been caught. sacrifice hit an offensive statistic; a sacrifice bunt is scored when: before two are out, the batter advances one or more runners with a bunt and is put out at first base, or would have been put out at first base except for a fielding error; or, before two are out, the fielders handle a bunted ball without error in an unsuccessful attempt to put out a preceding runner save a statistic credited to a pitcher when he/she meets all three of the following conditions: is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his/her team, is not the winning pitcher, and qualifies under one of the following conditions: enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning; or, enters the game with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on base or is one of first two batsmen he/she faces); or, pitches effectively for at least three innings. No more than one save may be credited in each game. scoring position a good position for scoring a run on most hits, referring specifically to a baserunner standing on second base or third base second baseman the defensive player in the infield, stationed near the bag behind the pitcher (invisible line goes from catcher to pitcher to second baseman to center fielder) shortstop a defensive player who normally positions him/herself in fair territory between second base and the third baseman

single a hit that allows a batter to reach first base safely slap performed by mostly left-handed hitters, it is an attempt to hit a ground ball with a controlled short, chopping motion (rather than with a full swing). A slap is not considered a bunt. slugging percentage a batting statistic; the total number of bases reached by safe hits, divided by the total times at bat (or total at-bats) steal a baserunners successful advance from one base to the next during a pitch that is not hit strikeout scored when: a batter is put out by a third strike caught by the catcher; a batter is put out by a third strike not caught when there is a runner on first before two are out; a batter becomes a runner because a third strike is not caught; a batter bunts a ball into foul territory after two strikes (unless such a bunt results in a fly ball, which is caught by any fielder. This is not considered a strikeout, but a putout by the fielder). strike zone the space over any part of home plate between the batters armpits and the top of his/her knees when he/she assumes a natural batting stance substitute any member of a teams roster who is not listed as a starting player, or a starting player who re-enters the game Back to top ^^ third baseman the defensive player in the infield stationed near the last bag that a baserunner would touch before heading for home plate (invisible line goes from catcher to third baseman to left fielder) time term used by the umpire to order the suspension of play triple play a continuous action play by the defense on which three offensive players are put out Back to top ^^ utility player a player that may appear at more than one fielding position or strictly as a designated hitter walk also called base on balls (BB); an automatic advance to first base for the batter after the pitcher delivers four balls as called by the umpire, based on their being outside the strike zone wild pitch a pitch so high, so low, or so wide of home plate that it cannot be handled with ordinary effort by the catcher