Game Ending Procedures

Peter Contreras

UIL Athletic Coordinator

One item that drew considerable discussion this past July at the annual TGCA Summer Clinic were methods used by UIL districts to terminate a game because of runs.

The accepted standard in all UIL games is the 10-run rule...a difference of 10 runs after 4 1/2 innings of play. No one disputed that accepted practice. What was disputed was the method of stopping game after three innings and a difference of 15 runs.

My point at the softball meeting during the TGCA clinic was that three innings did make an official game under National Federation rule. National Federation softball rules allow a state association (i.e. UIL) may adopt its own game-ending procedure. We had ... the 10-run rule.

One point made in the meeting by coaches was that if the schools in the district agreed to another game-ending procedure beside the l 0-run rule (i.e. 15 after 3 innings) why was that not acceptable to the UIL?

Without trying to sound too authoritative or even a hint of the UIL being dictatorial, because a different or another game-ending procedure had not been requested. Schools assumed that because it had reached an agreement with other schools, that it was okay. The UIL assumed because they spelled out only one procedure, that that was all that was being used.

Remember what happens when you assume ...?

Per District Executive Committee approval, school may opt for another game-ending procedure beside the standard 10-run rule.  Schools may also use a 15-run rule after three completed innings of play.

In all post-season softball games, the ONLY game-ending procedure to be used will be 10 runs after 4 1/2 innings of play. That has not changed.

This additional game-ending procedure will not appear in this season's UIL Coaches Manual but will appear in the 2004-2005 edition.