At a recent Northern California Senior Softball Association Board meeting, the SSUSA “back foot” out rule was discussed for adoption in our Association, there seems to be an irregularity regarding the 2025 Rules summary and Rule 7.3 of the 2023-2024 Official Rulebook.

The 2025 Summary indicates, “the batter’s front foot may step out the front of the box but rear foot cannot be fully in front of line”. However, in the Official Rulebook Rule 7.3 A. “A batter who steps out of the batter’s box at any time during the pitch and then hits the ball, fair or foul, shall be called out.

We would like some clarification from SSUSA regarding this. Hopefully a Definitive Accurate Verbally Exceptional person would enjoy providing this information.

Don Angle
NCSSA

References:
SSUSA 2025 Rules Summary
• On the swing, the batter’s front foot may step out the front of the box but rear foot cannot be fully in front of line defining front edge of plate when contact is made (fair or foul). This is a dead ball out

2023-2024 Official Senior Softball-USA Rulebook
7.3 • BATTING POSITION
A. The batter must have at least some portion of both feet on or inside the lines of the batter's box at the start of the pitch. A batter who steps out of the batter’s box at any time during the pitch and then hits the ball, fair or foul, shall be called out. Steps out means touching the ground completely outside of the lines of the batter’s box. (See §1.5)

Aloha Don,
This is what was revised at our meeting on the foot rule:
§1.29 • BATTERS BOX AND §7.3 • BATTING POSITION – The language from the changes made at the 2023
National Rules Committee sessions is modified to eliminate a technical inconsistency that was present
between the two provisions. Section 1.29 is modified as noted below in strike-out type:

“The batter must take an initial position with his back foot no further forward than a line
defining the front edge of home plate. (This is the strike-out text that is referred to)

The batter will be called out if he hits the ball when the back foot is completely further forward than the line defining the front edge of home plate. NOTE: All other illegally batted ball infractions regarding the side and rear lines of the batter’s box, along with stepping on home plate, remain in effect.”

See https://seniorsoftball.com/wc/wc2024/SSUSA-Rules-Minutes-2024.pdf for the actual wording.

Jeffrey

Don5..
(We would like some clarification from SSUSA regarding this. Hopefully a Definitive Accurate Verbally Exceptional person would enjoy providing this information.)

WOW.. Well I know who shouldn't try to answer this..(Definitive Accurate Verbally Exceptional) so I hope someone other than DD will answer this

Jeffrey, the clarification we need is not the placement of the rear foot, but the front foot.

Example: batter is 7'10" and swings the bat and his rear foot does not cross the line defining front edge of home plate, yet his front foot lands 24" beyond the batter's box line.

Is he out? per rule 7.3

If yes, then change the verbiage of the 2025 Rules summary.

We as humans understand concepts and rules in different ways
Some people can read an instruction and obtain an understanding.
Others need some kind of instructional video.
Then there are those(like me) that need to read it, watch the instructional video, then let me do it physically.

My question Don5 is, If a 7'10" guy has a softball bat in his hands, and is preparing to hit a softball, why was he never indoctrinated to what "basketball" is. By the way, I have never in my life seen a 7'10" softball player. Your example is invalid.

I like to keep it simple. You can land your front foot anywhere in front of the batters box front line, The rear foot is however limited to no further forward than the defining front edge of the plate.

Kim, thank you for identifying my stupidity on sports. However, can you explain 7.3 versus the 2025 Rules summary?


SSUSA 2025 Rules Summary
• On the swing, the batter’s front foot may step out the front of the box

7.3
A batter who steps out of the batter’s box at any time during the pitch and then hits the ball, fair or foul, shall be called out.

Sure Don, the 2025 rule as you stated covers stepping out of the front of the box. This is allowed. 7.3 covers stepping out of all the other contiguous lines surrounding the plate. Front line of the box is not part of the lines referenced in 7.3

Thanks Kim for the explanation, my copy of the 2023-2024 Rulebook doesn't have the wording "stepping out of all the other contiguous lines surrounding the plate."

My book simply states in 7.3, "A batter who steps out of the batter’s box at any time during the pitch and then hits the ball, fair or foul, shall be called out.

Maybe I should get another Rulebook?

Here is a question that came up at a tournament recently, what happens if you actually make contact with your back foot behind the front edge of the plate but drags past as part of the follow through?

Are you still out even though the ball has already left the bat?

Had a home run taken away because of something similar and feel if it were policed that heavily there would be alot more outs being enforced

Donny11.. the rule pertains to when the batter is making actual contact with the ball.. so per your scenario if contact was already made and the ball had left the the bat I would have a legal hit.. again this would be umpire judgment as to when the batters back foot actually crossed the imaginary line defining the front edge of home plate. I never have been a fan of this rule change

B.J. ... We actually agree on something here! ... Every single player who has ever come to bat in MLB for over 150 years has managed to stay within the confines of the batter's box through the process of hitting the ball ... Apparently, that's an unreasonable rule demand for our players ... Ha!

B.J… I think its a bit different from MLB though. First thing i want to be clear that I am all for safety and allowing the pitcher to be 3-4 feet behind the pitching rubber like i saw this past weekend but what that brings however are lots of short pitches that barely reach that front edge so guys have to get up in the box. Also lots of guys walk the box too which also adds another element but i totally agree with Dave that it should be a legal hit if the ball already left the bat

I would consider extending the front box line about 16" and use the original rule. If you use more than that, out!