From the LL West Region: 2022 Softball Tournament Rules Summary and Points of Interest
From llumpires.com: 2022 Little League Softball Tournament Rule Summary
SOFTBALL DIFFERENCES & KEY POINTS - 2019 Presentation from the LL West Region
Plate Umpiring - Differences Baseball and Softball - from http://www.littleleagueumpiring101.com/
Base Umpiring - Differences Baseball and Softball - from http://www.littleleagueumpiring101.com/
LL Webinar: Rule Interpretations for Softball - Little League
LL Webinar: Time Called: The Circle Rule in Softball
Softball: Rules On Video - Pitching - YouTube
Softball: Recognizing Illegal Pitches - YouTube
From Referee.com: Next Level Softball Umpiring
SUMMARY
Walk onto the plate with hands separated
Feet must be within the 24” plate
Pause - simulate you're taking a signal
Put hands together for between 1 and 10 seconds
Disengaging: keep hands together and step back with pivot foot
FREQUENT VIOLATIONS:
Double touch - putting hands together a second time
Lifting the pivot foot
Replanting ("crow hop")
Leaping: both feet in the air // gotta drag pivot foot
Landing outside the area in front of the 24" plate
SB Rule 2.00
CROW HOP: REPLANTING the pivot foot
LEAPING: Both feet become airborne on the initial push from the plate
SB Rule 8.01 - Illegal actions
(a) Underhand motion
(b) Both feet are within or partially within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate
(c) Shoulders in line with first and third bases - Hands separated. Ball in either glove or free hand.
(d) Pivot foot in contact with the plate. Non-pivot foot on or behind the plate.
(e) Take the signal or appear to be taking the signal with hands separated.
(f) After completing (e), bring hands together in front of body no less than 1 second and no more than 10 seconds
(g) A backward step with the non-pivot foot might be taken before or simultaneous with the hands being brought together
A.R. 1 - If hands are together while in the pitching position, the pitcher might not step back with the non-pivot foot
A.R. 2 - Disengaging from the pitching position:
1) Before hands are together - step back with either foot [updated in 2021]
2) After the hands are together - must step back from the plate with the pivot foot first
(h) While delivering, the pitcher may take one step forward with the non-pivot foot, toward the batter and within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate. The pivot foot must slide forward, not rise from the ground.
(i) Pitching position only when catcher's ready to receive the pitch (With the helmet on and facing the pitcher. Not necessary to be in a squatting position.) Penalty: No Pitch.
(j) May not take pitching position on the pitcher's plate without having the ball
(k) Pitch starts when one hand is taken off the ball after the hands have been placed together. Hesitation pitch is illegal.
(l) Only motion is to deliver the ball to the batter. Hesitation is illegal.
(m) After removing one hand from the ball, must not return the ball to both hands in front of the body.
(n) No stop after separating the hands.
(o) Only one revolution during windmill. If no windmill ball must be delivered on the first swing of the pitching arm past the hip.
(p) Deliver must be underhand, hand below the hip and not farther from the body than elbow.
(q) Ball release and follow through of hand and wrist must be forward
(r) Pushing off the pivot foot a place other than the plate is illegal - See 2.00 CROW HOP
(s) Pivot foot must remain in contact with plate and the ground - See 2.00 LEAPING
(t) Not another arm revolution after releasing the ball
(u) No deliberate drop, roll or bounce of the ball
(v) 20 seconds to release the next pitch after receiving the ball or umpire indicates "play ball"
Penalty for violation of any subsection of Rule 8.01 except (i) is an Illegal Pitch.
SB Rule 8.05 - Illegal pitches
(a) Pushing off with the pivot foot from a place other than the pitcher's plate. Pivot foot may drag away from the plate, as long as the pivot foot remains in contact with the ground.
(b) Pitcher applying a foreign substance to the ball. Rosin can be applied to the hand
(c) A quick pitch
(d) A pitch not made in accordance with the pitching rules in 8.01
(e) A throw to a base while the pivot foot is in contact with the pitcher's plate.
Illegal Pitch Penalty
All Divisions:
Call illegal pitch
If no play: call a Ball. Runners do not automatically advance, not even in the Jr/Sr divisions [2021 rule change]
If a play follows the illegal pitch, the offensive team manager might decline the penalty and accept the play.
If the batter hits the ball and reaches first bases safely, and all runners advanced, the illegal pitch is ignored.
Hit by pitch: Award first base; ignore illegal pitch
Manager's options
On an illegal pitch, the offensive team manager might decline the penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play.