Due to the limited amount of time between games please do not use the infield for warm-up.

Baseball

Softball

Softball Bat Rules for 2022
Modified on: Thu, 16 Dec, 2021 at 10:03 AM

RULE 3. EQUIPMENT

Sec. 1
THE OFFICIAL BAT. The bat shall be a smooth cylinder with a knob. Only bats that pass through a 2-1/4-inch (5.7150 cm) diameter bat ring are legal. Each bat shall be no more than 2-1/4 inches (5.7150 cm) in diameter at its thickest part, no more than 34 inches (86.360 cm) in length, and not exceed 38 ounces (1077.30 g) in weight. There shall be no devices, attachments, or wrappings that cause the handle to become flush with the knob. All bats shall meet the USA/ASA bat performance standard. Laser etching, other than on the barrel is permissible.

a. All bats must bear the USA/ASA approved certification mark and must not be listed on an USA/ASA Banned Bat list unless it bears the USA/ASA approved recertification mark; or

b. Must be included on a list of approved bat models published by USA/ASA; or

c. Must be in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, have been manufactured prior to 2000 and, if tested, would comply with the USA/ASA bat performance standards then in effect.

d. Safety grip or cork, tape (no smooth plastic tape) or composition material, may not exceed two layers of tape and must be a continuous spiral. Any resin or pine tar is permissible on this part of the bat. Tape must be at least 10 inches long and not more than 15 inches.

e. The bat’s knob may be solid or hollowed out to house an embedded metric sensor. If a sensor is used, it shall

1. Not affect performance

2. Be secured by a locking mechanism and a back-up mechanism to keep it in place.

3. Have a distinguishing “off line” mode to prevent data from being accessed during a game.

All bats must be labeled with either of a BBCOR, 1.15BPF stamp or the official USA Baseball Stamp (USABat).

1) For ages 6 and under - The maximum diameter shall not exceed two and five eighths (2-5/8”) inches.

2) For ages 7 and older - The maximum diameter shall not exceed two and three quarters (2 ¾”) inches.

All bats must be commercially manufactured for baseball play, softball bats or bats altered after manufacture to reduce or add weight will not be allowed. It is the manager’s responsibility to ensure compliance with this rule.

Penalties – Use of an illegal bat shall not be grounds for ejecting the player or declaring the batter ‘out’ except as follows:

A) If the umpire discovers that a bat does not conform to the Centex bat rule stated above before a ball has been put in play, the umpire will remove the illegal bat from the game and issue a warning to the manager. Warnings will be recorded on the game card.

B) If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to the Centex bat rule stated above after the ball has been put in play and before the next legal pitch, the defensive team will have the choice of the result of the play or the batter being called ‘out’. If the batter is declared ‘out’, all runners must return to the base officially occupied before the pitch.

C) A second offense incurred during the Centex series will result in the manager being ejected in addition to application of the first offense penalty.