Run ahead rule
 

Has this rule changed? Was it EVER ruled; ANYTIME the run ahead (mercy rule) number is reached, top OR bottom of inning, AFTER Home team has minimum 5 at bats the game is over? That has always been MY iterpretation the of the rule.
So, as I am taught recently, if the visitors are up 14-0 going to the top 7th and the number is 15, they could score 30 more and the home team STILL gets their last at bats? That means the mercy rule is only in effect for two innings, 5th and 6th?
Just an old dog TRYING to learn new tricks.

Well, mercy rules vary as far as which innings and how many runs when they go into effect. Some are 12 after 3, 10 after 4 and 8 after 3, some are 10 after 5, etc......

But I have never heard of a system where the home team doesn't get a chance to bat if the visiting team reaches that amount (or that amount plus 20 runs) in the top of the inning.
Softball is not a "sudden death" scoring situation!:)

I have actually heard of leagues with sudden death run ahead rules, as well as drop dead time limits (when the time's up, it's UP, regardless of who's up).

Sudden death softball?? Oh well, I just don't get around much any more!;)

I have done drop dead (or finish the batter) games - in fact did that this weekend, but those were showcase games.... where the girls were playing to be seen... No line-ups, uinlimited subs, etc.....

We have this Sunday morning mens modified league, where it was getting to the point where could NOT get guys to work this league, because they have 14 teams that play DHs, and the league INSISTS on scheduling each team at a different field - usually having to yes, TRAVEL to get to another field. It was getting ridculous - between that and guys lollygagging, stopping to get coffee, Gaide, whatever en route, we sometimes would not get out of there until 2 in the afternoon after a 8:45 start! Our assignor finally put his foot down and INSISTED on either (a) doubleheaders with the same two teams or (b) a drop dead time limit. For some odd reason they chose (b) - two hour drop dead time limit with an 8:30 am start for game 1. Second game starts at 10:45, and if both teams arent there by 11 - we go home and get paid. which leads to this:

First Sunday they played this year, I am PU for Game 1. Two mediocre teams, who keep changing leads, dropping fly balls, missing tags, whatever. So we get to B7 - tie game...home team has a runner at 1B. I CASUALLY pull my watch out - 10:33...drop theball on the ground, and say "Time, gentlemen!" :eek: Much cursing....screaming....but as theyhave to be moving to another game, they get their crap together, and leave.

Te next week we play - guess what?- have that same home team from the last time! One guy really starts in on me, going "I pay good money to play here, and no ones gonna tell me that we have to stop at a certain time!" " I am on the board, and we'll get USSSA next year (our local U trip group MIGHT have 10 people in it), blah, blah, blah" Thus inspired, they go out and get beat 35-3 in the first game, and 25-12 in the second....

No.

The ASA run ahead rule is clear in stating that it applies when the team behind has had AT LEAST the same number of innings as the winning team.

So if the home team is losing, it cannot be run-ruled in any inning without getting the same number of innings as the visiting team.

And, the run.ahead rule applies in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and any innings thereafter.

Yep, in fastpitch, the run ahead rule is 15 after 3, 12 after 4, 10 after 5, 10 after 6 (also after 5) and 1 after 7 or subsequent innings. In slowpitch, 20 after 3, 15 after 4, 10 after 5, 10 after 6, 1 after 7 or more.

I've said that a time or two at the plate meeting; gets an odd look from people until the light bulb goes on! :)

And there is one ASA staff member who makes you wear a button with "I violated rule 5" if you go extra innings.

Before I became involved in the ASA of PA, my understanding is the run ahead rule was amended to "any time after five" so the visitors could end the game in the top of the 6th (or 7th). However, that was removed (in favor of the ASA book runs ahead rule) before 1995.

This may have been a time saving device when you had 50+ teams playing in districts (SP). Now we are lucky to get 6.

Honestly, (assuming I'm reading your post right), the way you describe your understanding in the first paragraph cannot possibly be right (unless you're playing in a tourney with a sudden death kind of rule... which I've never worked and only heard of here)

Example: Say your run rules are 12, 10, 8 after 3, 4, 5. 5th inning, tie score. Visitors put up 8. Game over? I sure hope not! But based on your interp from the first paragraph it would be.

Example 2: Same run rules. 4th inning, 2 outs, home up by 9. No run rule as they aren't up by 10 and it's the 4th. We get the third out. Now it's the top of the 5th ... Poof - instant sudden death as we're up by 9 and it's the 5th inning now. Again... I sure hope not.

All "Real rule" run-rules include with them the assumption that the losing team has had as many innings to score as the leading team.

I like that... I'm stealing it!

Our slow pitch league used to have a "25 anytime" rule in addition to the "15 after 5." The umpire who mostly works that league interpreted that to mean that if it was the top of the 3rd and the score was 25-0...game over. We've since gone to the 20 after 3, 15 after 4, etc.

I've used that "1 run after 7 innings" a time or two when a coach asked me about the run rules. You do get kind of a blank stare for a minute until it sinks in! :D

Had a game with a drop-dead time limit, that allowed the game to end in a tie.

Visitors did not score.
As Home was getting ready to bat, I told coach that if he did not score, game would end in a tie.
Told Visitor coach same thing.
Vis asks, "What if they do score?"
I said, "Then the game won't end in a tie.":eek:

Hahahahaha:D

I love it when I'm having lunch alone at some Wi-Fi place, catching up on the discussions and I read something that makes me laugh out loud. Thre tables were staring at me....

Most common in the Yemeni Slayer-of-the-Infidel League.